This time of year the biggest problem most coaches and program director's face is trying to tell parents why their kid ended up on the B-Team.  The parents right away assume that it is all about politics (and it probably sometimes is but that's another post).  My opinion is specifically for players that are first year 14U and younger.

I want to focus on some of the good things that can happen for a "Bubble Player" on the "B Team" opposed to being on the "A Team".  The player that is on the "B Team" will probably get a lot more at bats.  If a coach starts at the top of the order after every game the 13th player will lose about 1 at bat for almost every game they play opposed to the same player batting somewhere in the top of the line-up on the "B-Team".  I would estimate that a player might get about 50 more at bats playing on the "B Team."  A player on the "B Team" also has more of an opportunity to learn how to be a leader on the team.  On average I would also anticipate this player playing 50% of the time on the "A" Team and nearly 85% of the time on the "B Team." 

The benefits for a pitcher playing on the "B Team" are also tremendous.  If my daughter was the #3 pitcher in Timbuktoo and she could be a position player on the "A Team" or a "Staff Ace" on the "B Team" I would have her play on the B Team if she wanted to continue to pitch.  As a high school coach I could care less what team Sally played on when she was in 12U.  I think often times parents are the ones that get too caught up in the status of what team their daughter plays on.

Chrissy Sward played for me my first two years at North St. Paul.  When she was in 14U she was on the "C Team."  She worked really hard on her game and to make a long story short ended up being the Metro Player of the year in both papers her senior year and then went on to play at the University of Minnesota.  I have countless stories of kids that went from "B Teams" at younger ages that turned out being a great player.  You also have to hand it to all of the Coaches that spend the time developing these kids on the "B Teams."  They have to have a lot of patience and it can be challenging at times but there is no greater feeling than watching a kid develop into an "A Level" player after playing on the "B Team."

So if your daughter ends up on the "B Team" make the most of it and continue to work harder than those kids on the "A Team."

JMO
Sean Hall