Pick Up Player System

[Crusher]

A purely Utopic request here, but it would be nice if VTD (or another entity) could create a “Pick-UP Player Tab” on their web page whereby individuals could resister as single users to play as pick up players. Another nice feature would be a means for the coaches to grade the player after the tourny so that players could build up “skins”, and validate experience. Being able to list stats would also be nice. I know that here is Maxpreps but it is mostly geared for HS. It would be nice if VTD could just add a way to manage all pickup players better….i.e. having to release players from rosters which is added administrative work for coaches. Some teams play infrequently and girls like to pick up between tournaments. I think this would benefit coaches and players, cause sometimes teams really don’t know what you are getting when you post for pick up players, especially last minute.

[rodehardputawaywet]

You really do not want coaches to post evaluations of players.

What if they do not like the player and 'essentially' black lists her from picking up again? And at the risk of having Joe come out screaming and yelling, but there is a completely different evaluation from 'A' travel ball teams, local 'B' teams and rec teams.

To my defense Joe, they all serve there purpose!

[taking2]

I think the entire pick-up system is part of the problem, let's not further enhance it. This whole free agent thing is a crock. The minute your DD doesn't get to play her favorite position or you do not like where the coach bats her in the lineup, you take off.

Pick your team and live with the decision. If you want to leave, do so at the end of the season.

If there were two things I could change in softball, one of them would be restriction of pickups. As a team, you should be limited to X number per season, or the reverse, limit a player on the number of times she can pickup. Maybe there is a reason that a team can't keep a full roster?!? Or how about this...Open the rosters for Nationals only and even then it should be restrictions based on geographic loaction of the team and player.

Take a page from Soccer. You sign up to play for one team for the entire year. It forces parents and coaches alike to commit and hopefully make the best decision they can at that time. Even then there will be discontent, but it will be better than what happens now.

[huntinwabbitz]

Taking2.......................I completely agree. The biggest problem with girls softball in DFW IS the pickup player system. We do not need to enhance it so free loader/team hoppers can tryout and be coddled by the recruiter coaches. Coaches are forced to carry smaller rosters to try and maintain acceptable playing time to the whiners and therefore when a Coach has an ill or injured player they are forced to pick someone up. And when these whiners get to High School ball and maybe eventually College ball they are rudely awakened with rosters of 15-25.

Houston Metro has a great program in place to prevent this type of activity. I have a feeling this will be a hotly contested topic on this board.

[JCates]

Taking2.......................I completely agree. The biggest problem with girls softball in DFW IS the pickup player system. We do not need to enhance it so free loader/team hoppers can tryout and be coddled by the recruiter coaches. Coaches are forced to carry smaller rosters to try and maintain acceptable playing time to the whiners and therefore when a Coach has an ill or injured player they are forced to pick someone up. And when these whiners get to High School ball and maybe eventually College ball they are rudely awakened with rosters of 15-25.

Houston Metro has a great program in place to prevent this type of activity. I have a feeling this will be a hotly contested topic on this board.

What program is that? Players jump teams all the time around here until they are on an ASA roster.

[huntinwabbitz]

that program would be the ASA program there in Houston.

[JCates]

that program would be the ASA program there in Houston.

DD signed an ASA roster for current team about three weeks ago...until that time she could have went anywhere if we were team jumpers. I personally do not like it (team jumping), but it goes on until that name is on the official roster. We did our homework and I knew what DD would encounter when we held her for another year of 12U. It is a great team, with great players that get along, and parents that do the same. There was never a doubt about signing that official roster when requested, but until that happened no system to keep us from jumping.

[slaphitter]

It is a known fact, if a players team is not playing and they want to play that week-end they pick-up with another team.
Coaches can have a big impact on this. Some do it because they do not want their player to be injuried while picking up with another team. That is 1 big reason why High School coaches will not let their players play travel ball during the High School ball season. All the coach has to do is tell the parents and players that if they play for him/her they do not pick up with others teams. If they do they can pack their bags and go. This seems harsh, but that team and coach have many hours invested in a player along with her hours put in to take a chance on an injury while picking up.

[soreshins]

Please describe the "program" Houston ASA Metro has to limit pick up players. My kid has been playing in the Houston Metro for 7 years and I have never heard of a program to regulate pick up players.

[huntinwabbitz]

my reference to the Houston ASA program was in regard to limiting the NEED for pickup players. Once you are on a roster in Houston Metro you are pretty much locked in for the season. This allows coaches to carry a larger roster of players that are locked in therefore all but eliminating the need to pickup players.

In North Texas coaches are forced to carry a minimum number of players to try and please players and parents with playing time. Therefore if a player or parent are not happy with there role on there current team they can simply pickup/tryout on a weekend DD's team is not playing and quit one team for another in the same day.

My point is if players are locked to a teams roster for the entire season coaches can carry a few more players to cover in times of need instead of having to pickup players.