okay, i guess i'm that coach that is just too nice.....
i mean, how do you tell a kid that they are not good enough to play with you anymore? let me explain, i coach a 10u girls fastpitch team. this is our first year playing fastpitch. i carry 10 girls because i don't like girls riding the pine..my top 5 could probably go to any A ball team and play..the next 3 are coming along ,just at a little slower pace..but my bottom 2 are just killing my team..i want to go play A-ball, but everytime i've tried we just get killed..we play B-ball, and we still don't fair well...i want to drop the bottom 2 and replace them with better players so as to be more competetive, but how do you do that when these girls have come through rec ball playing for me? please help;...''';'/;p/./;;',;l;,l;l;l;!!!!!!!!!!

Heck, I dunno, blame the umpires like everyone else:)

Ummmm...this might not be the right forum to help you with your sitch...probably something on eteamz could help.

It's 10U, they're still learning and growing and figuring out how to play the game. If they get dumped now, what if they don't get picked up by another team and never are given the chance to become good ball players. I can honestly say I was not a superstar when I was 10U, most of the girls I play with now weren't. Some people develop slower than others, if by the time they're 16s and still haven't picked up the game, then it wouldn't be such big deal. But I just think thats harsh to dump them at 10s.

If anything, I'd suggest picking up a couple more players and then rotate in the ones who struggle. I know that might be a bit hard for them to adjust to not playing all the time, but they'll still be a part of the team and be getting better at the game. Two players don't make the team, it might seem like it when something goes wrong because of them, but you can't blame the entire loss on two girls.

Its simple (tongue in cheek), just create a second team, draft enough players to fill out two teams and have an "A" and a "B" team.

IMO, once you start a season with a squad then stick with them. If a player was good enough to "make" the team then you must have thought they had some skills -- coach them, teach them, believe in them but never dump them midstream. Have you the patience for late bloomers?

If you were "assigned" the players on your roster then for sure you must live and die with the results. Is this an elite team? Do you have to tryout? What is the focus of the league/team, is it win at all cost, is it developmental, or pure recreational?

Coach, you might want to adjust your philosophy of no one riding the bench. These kids already understand that there is a pecking order as they see it a recess when captains pick the kickball teams. If you told parents that philosophy in order to get their child to play with your team, then you should stick to it but if not, then pickup those better players and let the less skilled players do more observing. This might be something that motivates them to work harder and to make a play when they do go in. Also, maybe an assistant coach can spend extra time on drills in practice to help them develop. Remember, some of those A level teams have played together for a while and they probably play almost year round plus camps and such. If that's your goal, maybe you get your kid picked up by an A team and you help them coach.

There is not much coorelation between "A" level 10U players and "A" level 16U players. Give them time to develop.