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Changes

Posted by Parent on December 28, 2025, 9:49 am

If you could change one thing about travel softball, what would it be?

Re: Changes

Posted by Captain obvious on December 30, 2025, 9:35 am, in reply to "Changes"

The dad of the right fielder behind the backstop, palming a secret pocket radar, should be allowed to make official call on the slappers true position within the box.

Re: Changes

Posted by Multi Sport Parent on December 29, 2025, 9:10 pm, in reply to "Changes"

As a parent of girls who played both travel softball and club volleyball throughout HS, would love to see softball run nationally more like club volleyball is. I realize this will likely never happen. But in volleyball there is one national organization that oversees/controls tryout timelines, team offers, signing dates, club contracts, scheduling, team rankings, rosters/subs, and so much more. You want to play in any decent tournament, you follow the rules. It really seems to keep things above board more so than what we see in softball.

Re: Changes

Posted by Volleyball on December 30, 2025, 11:26 am, in reply to "Re: Changes"

Volleyball is worse! Pure money grab. Well all these sports are money grabs now. Congrats! You traveled to Florida and won the baby light blue division.

Re: Changes

Posted by @MSP on December 30, 2025, 8:40 am, in reply to "Re: Changes"

This would be excellent.

I'm embarrassed to admit how long it took me to get my head around the softball landscape. It was much easier to understand in volleyball.

Step 1: Figure out what kinda team you're on. Are you a bottom tier subsidizer of a national team, what does "gold" or "elite" really mean, where do they play "nationals" (Peoria or Huntington Beach)?

Step 2: Figure out what your affiliation means. USSSA, USA Softball, PGF, Alliance, NSA, NAFA... (I mean, USA Softball (Olympics) has to be the top level right? Wrong!)

Step 3: Figure out what type of tournaments you're entering, with all of the above alphabet soups plus Triple Crown, Perfect Game, Top Gun, Easton Rawlings, LP4U, Team NJ, Connect Sports...

It's a damn mess. At least it only costs you time and money to figure things out...

Re: Changes

Posted by @Multi Sport Parent on December 30, 2025, 7:37 am, in reply to "Re: Changes"

Sounds fantastic, at the very least, our groups could get together on the rules. It would be nice for parents to have a transparent ranking system of where clubs fall on a national basis.

Re: Changes

Posted by Changes on December 29, 2025, 11:54 am, in reply to "Changes"

Let every post through on this board.....

Re: Changes

Posted by @Changes on December 29, 2025, 2:01 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

You must be a serious dick if you're having that many posts blocked.

Re: Changes

Posted by Out-of-Box on December 28, 2025, 11:07 pm, in reply to "Changes"

The change I would make would be working with umpires to enforce the batters box rule. The slappers are often cheating!

Re: Changes

Posted by @OOB on December 29, 2025, 1:27 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

Yes. Let's also get balls and strikes and runners leaving early called correctly 100% of the time. And, make sure that the fields are perfect so there are no bad hops.

;>)

Dude, it's all parta the game!

Re: Changes

Posted by For all of us on December 29, 2025, 11:47 am, in reply to "Re: Changes"

I would greatly enjoy if all the softball daddys quit yelling "out of the box" every time a slapper slaps, or "she left early" every time a speedy girl steals. So annoying.

Re: Changes

Posted by Not Yo Daddy! on December 29, 2025, 9:33 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

You are that guy who screams “Daddy Ball” constantly on this site.

Re: Changes

Posted by Prosper on December 29, 2025, 1:50 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

So the batters box and leaving early rules don’t apply. Hmmm, should umpires change anything else?

Re: Changes

Posted by LMAO on December 29, 2025, 3:09 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

Who said it's not a rule? I see you're as annoying online as you are at softball games, softball daddy.
Do like the rest of the loudmouthed daddys have already done. Go to the outfield and shut up.

Re: Changes

Posted by @Prosper on December 29, 2025, 1:59 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

You've really latched on to one concept in the sport to focus on. It's not that big of a deal, everyone's doing the best they can, it's not a conspiracy.

Re: Changes

Posted by I am the Walrus on December 29, 2025, 6:08 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

A random guy posts a fair question about changes.
Another guys states an obvious abuse of the batters box (a legit issue).
The next guy accuses guy #2 of Daddy Ball nonsense and dismisses a legit issue because he doesn’t like it.
Finally, 3rd guy claims it’s a non-issue and guy #2 is hung up on the issue.

Does the batters box matter?

Re: Changes

Posted by @I am on December 30, 2025, 7:35 am, in reply to "Re: Changes"

I think other posters are discussing significant, overarching issues like sanctioning bodies, and you're fixated on an "issue" that is a small fraction of at-bats in any given game. The box issue would require it to be rechalked throughout the game to be consistently called, but it is not a significant advantage. It would disrupt the game's continuity to be called consistently. I'd much rather blue get the strike zone correct and consistent than watch feet.

Re: Changes

Posted by Value to your name on December 28, 2025, 7:50 pm, in reply to "Changes"

Teams with names like “elite,” “premier,” and “gold” etc. should be earned by sanctioning bodies. Such naming begins at 8u/9u when they win “qualifying” events. Each age level only gets to carry that name on to the following year only if they retain 75% or more of the team from the previous year, otherwise the name needs to be earned all over again.
This is probably something that will never happen. But I think something like this would cut down on teams losing fees from players that jump ship. Make players and their parents take a better look at their commitment to a team. And make coaches(some) do their job and actually coach. It could help in other areas as well.
Just answering the question. JMO anyway.

Re: Changes

Posted by Time on December 28, 2025, 12:30 pm, in reply to "Changes"

No time limits on games

Re: Changes

Posted by EagleEye on December 28, 2025, 6:57 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

Played in some no time limit tournaments years ago. What a nightmare!!!! Games would run behind by hours. I can remember showing up at the field for the scheduled game time only to find out there is still another game to be played played ahead of ours and the teams on the field are only in the 4th or 5th inning.

Do time limits suck??? Absolutely!!! They should not be part of the game. However, when you need to keep a tournament schedule on time they are a necessary evil. Especially, if weather plays a factor with the facility. Not to mention if college coaches are looking for a particular player at a specific time and location.

Re: Changes

Posted by Change on December 28, 2025, 12:09 pm, in reply to "Changes"

Traveling to another state just to play the same teams from your state. Ridiculous. This is why many kids are getting burnt out in the Midwest. No need to travel so many times.

Re: Changes

Posted by Coach on December 28, 2025, 10:57 am, in reply to "Changes"

Stay to Play

Re: Changes

Posted by Turn and face the strain on December 28, 2025, 10:41 am, in reply to "Changes"

Excellent holiday fodder. Well done, Parent. I’d probably choose amongst…

- The summer season would end after July 4. (Playing from HS into almost August is too much.)
- The fall season would end no later than Halloween. (And for kids at that level - don’t go to tournaments during recruiting shutdown periods.)
- Have teams from the same area play each other more often locally… and not play each other in pool games five states away.
- Have PGF adopt a points and stats leader system like Alliance, it’s a great way to measure teams and players.
- The emergence of a reputable club media organization, and the decline of the National Enquirer ones (I’m looking at you, EIS).
- Scholarships for deserving players. We’re hollowing out our talent pool with club ball costing $20-30k a summer.

But if I had to pick one… I’d probably say BETTER COACHES. Coaching club ball requires men and [MANY MORE] WOMEN who are great people, not just great game managers. We need better mentors, leaders, developers, inspirers, etc. I’ve walked around complexes for a decade observing too many knuckleheads, good ole boys, alcoholic s and bullies - even amongst the “great” organizations. Of all the high costs, PAYING GREAT COACHES is an expense I’d gladly pay even more for.

Re: Changes

Posted by @Turn on December 28, 2025, 1:33 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

Well spoken, specific issues, nice.

Where would you prefer, feel best about, the coaches coming from, i.e., parents, ex-players, etc. No group is perfect, but I would love to see more ex-players get involved at the travel level in a more meaningful way.

Re: Changes

Posted by TAFTS on December 28, 2025, 2:57 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

I don’t know that I care too much about where coaches come from, but I do feel pretty strongly that it’s a female role.

I quit coaching my daughter after 10U, and she’s had nothing but female coaches since then. I’ve seen so many examples of where the right female perspective has been so helpful to my daughter’s development, especially off the field.

As we know, the teenage years are a LOT - and even more so for athletes with big goals. I’ve found that female coaches bring a perspective that dudes just never well.

That being said, I’m not male bashing. There are great male coaches at every level. But what stands out to me is that when I see the egomaniac, the bully or the drunk… it’s always a dude.

It’s disappointing that there aren’t any orgs led by women. There are enough women in the area with great athletic backgrounds and the skills to run a great org.

Re: Changes

Posted by @TAFTS on December 28, 2025, 4:22 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

Harvey was doing a good job with Sparks, but I think she stepped back. Connolly at Cheetahs could start her own thing. Turner had success and CTW and now coaching IP. I’m sure I’m missing more.

But… it’s Conroy, Quinn, Dickle (IP), Green (IMG), Spohr (Wi Lightning), Morrow (Wasco), Dennison (Silverhawks), etc. that run all the orgs, influence all the tourney entries and pools and picking the coaches.

Why?

Re: Changes

Posted by @@Tafts on December 29, 2025, 11:53 am, in reply to "Re: Changes"

To each their own, but the one you mentioned that stepped back was a nightmare.....

Just because they are a female coach at a high level, which are rare does not mean they are "doing a good job"

Re: Changes

Posted by @@@Tafts on December 30, 2025, 9:13 am, in reply to "Re: Changes"

Agreed when I started reading this chain I thought of bullying bad female coaches then when I read one of those that fit the bill listed as doing a good job, I spit out my coffee.. She was a self absorbed egotistical nightmare. Thing is as far as games she cost her teams games more then helped them.

Re: Changes

Posted by @@Turn on December 28, 2025, 1:56 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

In some situations, I've seen where younger ex-players coach, the team administration is lacking. I completely agree that they are better as instructional coaches on the field, but may need some parent oversight.

Re: Changes

Posted by @@Turn on December 29, 2025, 9:59 am, in reply to "Re: Changes"

Good coaches come from all avenues. Former players, player's parents, former player's parents, etc.

As far as there being more females coaching the sport, we all agree there should be more. But women get very busy with life and responsibilities during there coaching years. We've seen this in high school softball for sure.

Re: Changes

Posted by @@@Turn on December 29, 2025, 9:59 am, in reply to "Re: Changes"

IMHO, we don't need parent oversight (other than the obvious of making sure your kid is safe) in club ball - unless you're talking C/Rec level.

We need strong organizational leadership so that the administrative tasks are effectively handled and the right coaches are hired, retained and, if needed, fired.

Re: Changes

Posted by I Agree on December 29, 2025, 3:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

That means doubling our fees and hiring someone to run the organization. Give the people what they want.

Re: Changes

Posted by @@@Turn on December 28, 2025, 4:32 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

You are conflating “ex-player” and “younger.”

An “old” ex-player can coach too!

Re: Changes

Posted by EagleEye on December 29, 2025, 5:34 pm, in reply to "Re: Changes"

There are a number of factors that have to align to be able to coach a travel softball team at a higher level. It's hard to find someone who is in the situation to do so.

She/he has to have a genuine love for the game. Meaning they still want to be at the field or practice facility working with the players. A lot of ex-players still love the game, but don't have the desire or ability to be at the fields all summer.

She/he has to have the time to do it. Too often the bulk of the family responsibility will fall on the women and they simply do not have the time to coach. Particularly if they have kids.

She/he has to be in a financial situation that allows them to miss work or have the financial means to be able to weather the loss of income. Even if the coach is paid it rarely compensates fully for the lost income.

She/he should have to organizational skills to take care of the administrative part of running a team. That can take nearly as much time as the actual coaching of a team.

She/he should have a strong understanding of the game as well as the general workings of the softball world as a whole. And possess the ability to teach and communicate with the players.

There are other factors that come into play. These are some of the main ones. Finding someone who check all the boxes can be a difficult proposition.

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[ Midwest Fastpitch - keeptheboardcorrect@gmail.com ]