Ok... cmon now. VERY FEW organizations keep kids in from 10-18. Strikezone comes to mind, but I started the Monarchs because I felt we did not do a good job of working together and allowing kids to move straight up. So lets keep it real about that happening.
I had several STUD players on my 14u team that were told to come to tryouts like everyone else for the older teams. I hated that.
Strikezone called and said send them and they are on my team... not because he needed players, but because he was aware of the level of players on my team. Those kids should have stayed in house.
Many of you have been around for a short time (as in Olson has been coaching in Grapes for 10 years) and you really are not sure of any history longer than a few years. But you speak as if you know exactly what has happened in the past.
This is not about a hating thread, so lets not turn it into one. I think this is a great question being asked, one in which we can discuss and stay civil.
IN our case... NO TRYOUT for 18g or 16u. Why? Because I have the kids that I want and will work to make them better. I dont need to look for the best player out there, as that search never ends and gets old. But you can also only do that if your players stick around. We lost 2 from the Gold team, and none from 16u.
Im not saying my way is best, im just saying that this is what I wanted when I started the Monarchs, and it is starting to work that way.