(A note from Mr. Tim) I am asked a lot this time of year on what to look out for when trying out for a team...I wish I had a good answer for these parents...I just don't, but I can offer up what I see out there that is obvious to all, and what several parents/players tell me what has happened to them in the past. 

....As most students of Pitch a Fit know, we can't recruit or point you in a particular team's direction.  What we can do is tell you to visit our Area Teams Page or our Team Board in our center for information.  We really like the teams on our Area Team page, but that doesn't mean we don't support the team that aren't on our page. Now, with that said I (Mr Tim) is posting the top (bad) indicators to look out for when choosing a team to play on during tryouts.  Not in any particular order...most of these come from parents/players that have experienced them in one fashion or another....

1.  A coach is recruiting you during a tourney while you are playing on another team.  This is really a bad sign because what the coach is doing is very unethical in youth sports.  Just think for a moment....here is a coach recruiting during a tourney when the girl's team is trying to play a game.....what the offending coach is really saying is..."I can't keep or coach my players so I need to get some others"  The coach most likely tells his players he want them to be dedicated and loyal to his team...but at the same time he is out there recruiting a girl away from her team....what a shame here....remember...if you let yourself be swayed from your team by this coach....then understand...this coach may someday recruit a future player to replace you....it happens....advice here is simple...RUN..

2. Look at an organization's 18U team.   What does it say when you look at an organization's 18U (flag ship) team and zero players came from their 12/14U teams of the past...this usually means they recruit players from other teams to fill their 18U roster...if you see that few, if any, players came from the younger ages of an organization, then you really need to think hard about playing for the long term for this organization.

3.  COLLEGE COLLEGE COLLEGE.  Let's get this clear...it is the responsibility of the parents to get the girl in college...not the coach.  If a coach is highlighting college to sway you to their team,,,,buyer beware....Team's are designed to put your daughter in a good situation to shine....that is it...advice here....don't look at the shiny object that coach is holding up when they are trying to get you to join their team...especially if this coach is recruiting during the regular tourney season...now that is scary...if they are so good, then why can't they train the ones they have...strange...

4.  BINGO.  What a great way to help a team.  It is almost needed these days to run some of these organizations.  A lot of good has come from Bingo...but here is what to look for....
                   1.  Are all the team's working Bingo?  If the 18U isn't, then beware, you are just supporting their team if you are 12,14,16U.
                    2.  Do team's allow other players to join the team especially during the nationals that never worked Bingo...?  Bingo is hard work...but pretty easy for a player that joins team for a tourney or the nationals and never had to work it...wow...how do you explain that to your daughter.....strange...what happened to the coach that stresses loyalty and dedication....?

5.  For the Tidewater, VA area.  No 10-18U team in Tidewater, VA has ever won an ASA, PONY, NSA "A" level national championship...EVER....so when you meet a coach during tryouts that put's their team high on that mountain,,,,the best way to bring them down is ask them...just how many national championship teams have you coached?  There is only one answer.....none....some teams will tell you they just showcase the players and national championship aren't important...wow...what a line...what they are really saying is..."we can't win the nationals.... so please look over here at this shiny object..."  I have met several national championship teams...OC Bat Buster's (CA), San Diego Renegade (CA), Clearwater Bombers (FL), Shamrocks (VA)...they like to win championships...because they can...NOTE TO COACHES HERE...players like to be affiliated with winners....most like to play in a national championship....

6.  PRESSURE TO SIGN.  You have every right to tryout for every team you want without any pressure from a coach.  If you are pressured to sign a roster the moment after you tryout...RUN...they are just trying to stop you from going to another team...advice her is simple...RUN...tryout for all the teams you want...

7.  Coaches that chastise players that may want to tryout for another team.  Your commitment to a team is for one year...if your present coach places a lot of pressure on you to stay with the team and not tryout for other, then advice here...tryout for other teams...if your coach did a great job with you and the team...then they shouldn't have to put pressure on you at all...

8.  Pitchers.  If you parents are paying for pitching lessons...how many times has the coach showed up and supplied a catcher to help you out?  After all, you parents are paying for the lessons and it directly supports the team.  If a coach is willing to help the parents out when it comes to pitching lessons, then that can be a good sign....

9.  16U showcases.  In my two decades of coaching, I have yet to go to a 16U showcase where the colleges are lining up to watch the game....teams that highlight they are a 16U team, but will go to 16U showcases....well...that folks is a big shiny object to distract you...in my opinion....

10.  Using players to recruit to the team.  I like this one...coaches try to keep their hands clean by using players to recruit for them...or how about this one...a player asked a catcher to catch because a college coach is coming to see her pitch...when the catcher shows up...she finds no college coach...but the coach of the catcher's  team holding practice....gotcha....you are now a captive audience....now there is a life lesson for a coach to teach one of his own players..."go do my dirty work"

We in the Tidewater, VA area have a long way to go before we are regarded as a national fastpitch powerhouse.  We can start by keeping this Silly Season to a minimum.  When we see the coaches starting to coach the ones they select at Fall tryouts, keep those players for more than one year, stop recruiting during the season, and play by the rules of ethical behavior, then I believe we will see several national championships we all can be proud of....some teams are getting closer to winning a championship...the question is...did they do it with the players they selected during the Silly Season TRYOUTS...

This view is solely that of Mr. Tim