PLAYING DOWN

[soreshins]

Onedown

I don't know what your connection with the San Antonio team is, but its time to let it go. You have argued this point in two different threads on two different boards. The criticism has been of a coaching decision to play down, not the play of the girls.

If you read your posts the constant message is these girls aren't good enough to play at the "A" level in their own age group. The basic excuse is the team is not any good therefore it is okay to play down. I don't agree with your excuse. You can find plenty of tournaments where you can be competitive without playing against kids that are 2 years younger than your kids. Play class "B" or play first year teams in San Antonio, but don't come to Houston expect us to agree with your conduct.

I suppose your response will be that you have "nothing to do" with the San Antonio team. If that is true let it go. Your posts sure sound like you had a dog in the fight.

[Demonboy]

Onedown

I don't know what your connection with the San Antonio team is, but its time to let it go. You have argued this point in two different threads on two different boards. The criticism has been of a coaching decision to play down, not the play of the girls.

If you read your posts the constant message is these girls aren't good enough to play at the "A" level in their own age group. The basic excuse is the team is not any good therefore it is okay to play down. I don't agree with your excuse. You can find plenty of tournaments where you can be competitive without playing against kids that are 2 years younger than your kids. Play class "B" or play first year teams in San Antonio, but don't come to Houston expect us to agree with your conduct.

I suppose your response will be that you have "nothing to do" with the San Antonio team. If that is true let it go. Your posts sure sound like you had a dog in the fight.

When the ridiculous get backed into a corner, they go to the "you're attacking our girls" card.

Pathetic and predictable. Very Coach TG.

[onedownonetogo]

Let it go? Ridiculous? Call it what you like. Yes, I have a dog in the fight that is fastpitch softball. My comments really haven't been about the San Antonio team so much as they were directed at the elitism and herd mentality that permeates heybucket in threads like this one. We are going the route of eteamz and the bell curve is sharper, I think. I believe you'ld be surprised how the frequent posters are really perceived at the ballpark by most parents I know.

[Sam]

Let it go? Ridiculous? Call it what you like. Yes, I have a dog in the fight that is fastpitch softball. My comments really haven't been about the San Antonio team so much as they were directed at the elitism and herd mentality that permeates heybucket in threads like this one. We are going the route of eteamz and the bell curve is sharper, I think. I believe you'ld be surprised how the frequent posters are really perceived at the ballpark by most parents I know.

Eteamz died because of the Report Abuse button and their lame monitors...forced all the good posters away.

You might try and actually listen to what these guys are telling you. The fastpitch softball season, like it or not, is year around....it starts after the last pitch at Nationals and ends on the last pitch at Nationals....that year....not the calendar year....decides what age a kid should be playing...in other words, you play at the level you would be competing at next August. To do anything different does a disservice to the players....if you play down, you are doing nothing to prepare them for what will happen to them in January. Playing down exascerbates the problem...if you have an older 14U team that is moving to 16U....you will be playing older 12U teams moving to 14U....how does that help your kid?

I think I can be the first to tell you that I don't give a crap how I'm perceived at the ballfield.

[SOFTBALL TAXI]

DO THEY KNOW YOUR ONE OF US

Let it go? Ridiculous? Call it what you like. Yes, I have a dog in the fight that is fastpitch softball. My comments really haven't been about the San Antonio team so much as they were directed at the elitism and herd mentality that permeates heybucket in threads like this one. We are going the route of eteamz and the bell curve is sharper, I think. I believe you'ld be surprised how the frequent posters are really perceived at the ballpark by most parents I know.

[SOFTBALL TAXI]

im not shouting. im wispering so know one hears us talking about why you would waiste so much money on travel ball if you do not take it serious,when you could spend one months dues for a whole season of rec. ball. hey another benifit is that DD is guaranted at least 2 innings per game grate for the kids. the point is play at the level you want to be. think of it this way DD thinks 10th grade is to hard so put her in special ed. so she gets a 7th grade education makes since to me

ITS THINKING LIKE THAT THAT IS USUALY BEHIND A PISSED OFF PARENT IN THE STANDS WONDERING WHY THEIR STAR ATHLETE IS SITTING THE BENCH OR PLAYING LEFT OUT. IF YOU DO NOT TAKE YOUR CHILD'S ACTIVITIES SERIOUS, HOW SERIOUS DO YOU THINK THEY TAKE THEM? NEXT TIME YOU'RE WONDERING HOW AND WHY SOME KIDS ARE SO GOOD, TAKE A LOOK AT HOW SERIOUS THE PARENTS ARE BEHIND THEM.

Why are you shouting? Still wondering why you think that all parents are like you, living vicariously through their little Suzies. Taking yourself and your child's activities too serious seems to be the point of this thread. I would counter that you seem to be the "pissed off parent n the stands," complaining about a bunch of '93 players deciding to play one last fun tournament in a major 14u "A" event because your little Suzie got sent home a game earlier than you expected. Pots and kettles and all that.

[onedownonetogo]

Eteamz died because of the Report Abuse button and their lame monitors . . . forced all the good posters away . . . I think I can be the first to tell you that I don't give a crap how I'm perceived at the ballfield.

And on that I think I've made my case. . .

[Softballshouldbefun]

This is still supposed to be about the girls and I definitely agree with teh comments regarding a 12U team living off their '95 pitcher and then falling apart in January. It happens all the time in both the bigger and smaller organizations.

Some teams want to "play down" so they can get their team to play together in what should be a less competitive environment. It doesn't always work out that way as I've seen teams from big organizations that should be playing 14U absolutely getting slaughtered by 12U teams in local tournaments. To me that speaks to the organization itself and making this sport more about the money and less about making the girls better players. I can't see how girls "playing down" are helping themselves other than to get another plastic trophy for the floor of their closet.

Just MHO.