Staying in the Moment

It’s that time of the year when softball teams are advertising for players, and players are looking for teams.  Long gone are the days when you picked the local city club as the place where your daughter plays a game she loves with her friends who she will be attending high school with as many parents are trying to find clubs they feel will give their daughter the best opportunity to move to a higher level of softball in the future.

In a recent conversation with the Texas Travelers 03 head coach, Lee Kuyrkendall the discussion of players’ decision making about teams was a fun topic to discuss.  Before I share this conversation, let me give you a little background of Coach Kuyrkendall.

Currently, Kuyrkendall is an Associate Scout for the Texas Ranger Major League Baseball Club charged with scouting of amateur players at the college and high school level. Assist in pre-draft free agent workouts.  Since 1991, he has been an assistant or head baseball coach for Mississippi College, North Florida Community College, Delta State, and Southwest Community College.  His teams accomplished the American Southwest Conference Eastern Division Regular Season Champions – 2002, 2003, 2006, American Southwest Conference Tournament Champion – 2003, American Southwest Conference Tournament appearances – 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and were the NCAA Regional Tournament Host – 2003.  His players personally achieved individual recognition as the 2006 NCAA leader in home runs, 2004 NCAA leader in saves, 2002 NCAA leader in strikeouts per 9 innings pitched, Top 20 for total attendance and per game attendance – 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, All-Region players – 2002 (1), 2003 (2), 2004 (2), 2005 (1), 2006 (3), American Southwest Conference Records for Most tournament appearances – (6), Most home runs in a single season – 2006, Most home runs in a single game – 2000, 2002, 2006, Conference leader in every offensive category – 2006, Most saves in a single season – 2004, Player of the Year – 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and the Freshman of the Year – 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.  He has sent several players to the MLB.

Kuyrkendall’s personal honors include Chairman of the Mississippi Community College Coaches (2011 – 2014), NCAA West Regional Selection Committee (2006), American Southwest Conference Coach of the Year (2002 and 2003), American Baseball Coaches Association Recognition for milestone achievements of 100, 200, 300 and 400 wins, Head Coach – North Team, Central Florida Coaches Association All-Star Game (1997), North Florida Community College Professional Achievement Award (1996), and the USA Baseball Clinic Assistant – Olympic Team Summer Tour (1995 and 1996).

Now some may say that Lee Kuyrkendall only knows baseball.  However, that is far from the end of the story.  In addition to playing baseball and basketball for the Southwest Bears; he also played Men’s Fastpitch Softball with former players such as Glenn Moore, current Head Coach of the Baylor Bears softball team.

Needless to say, Coach Kuyrkendall has experienced coaching at the highest level.  His one advice to parents and select softball players are to “Stay in the moment” when finding the right select softball team.

What did he mean by that?

Today, many parents look at their softball player as someone who will be playing in college.  Many parents start talking about college softball as early as 8 years old!!!  Now in full disclosure, I have an 11 year old daughter and I often dream of her competing at the collegiate level.  She has high aspirations to play for Team USA as well.  However, if you ask her what her biggest concern is today, she will tell you, “Next year I am starting middle school.”  If that doesn’t open your eyes up as it did mine; then nothing will.  She is right!  My daughter has 7 years before she will graduate high school.  If I am so focused on college softball, both of us will miss the enjoyment and experiences of middle school and high school.

That being said, ask many pro players today and they will share their most memorable experiences were the ones they made in high school sports.

So what do we mean by “Staying in the Moment” when looking for a select softball team?
It’s simple.  Don’t look for a team that promises you that the only way for your daughter to play college softball is to play for their organization.  At 8, 10, 12 years old your daughter is NOT being recruited by colleges.  It doesn’t even make sense.  We will talk about the recruiting process later.
When you are looking for a team, look at them and see if they have strong team chemistry.  Do the girls enjoy playing with each other?  Talk with the parents of the other girls.  Are these the type of parents you want to spend the majority of your weekends with during softball tournaments?  Watch the coaches.  Do they know what they are doing?  Do they understand the game?  Can they communicate with all of the girls at their level?  Have they created an environment that fosters learning?  In short, is this a team that your daughter can have fun playing a game she loves?  It’s very important because there will be a time for every girl playing softball when it will be time to hang up the cleats and it’s over.  What memories were created during this time?

Let’s face it.  Select softball has become so monetized by large organizations that it makes sense for them to have many teams.  In addition to cost of travel, tournament fees and others they tack on fees such as $25 a player just to come to a workout.  They expect their players to come to these workouts.  They make an extra $5 or $10 on uniforms.  It doesn’t seem like a lot until you multiply these figures by the hundreds of players in the organization.  Now, the large organization starts making a few thousands of dollars off of each team they have in the organization.  I’m all for capitalism, but not at the expense of treating an 8-14 year old young girl as a consumer.  She only wants to play softball.
We can take this further.  What can that organization do for your daughter that you cannot do yourself?

The big organization will say they have all of the connections to call college coaches.  Really?  Think about this scenario.  Your daughter is very good and one of the top players at her positions.  Today, you can research any college and get the name, email address and in most cases a phone number to a college coach at almost any college in the country.  If your daughter is good enough and the college has a need for her and her abilities on their team; you have just found a match.  It sounds pretty simple doesn’t it?  I have heard big organizations tell players, I can just pick up the phone and get you on the team.  Do you really think a college coach is going to sign your daughter to a scholarship without doing research themselves?

I have also heard big organizations state that college coaches will only watch big organizations play at showcase tournaments.  Does this hold water?  If that were the case, why would you have showcase tournaments and only have a few teams play.  Wouldn’t that college coach decide to attend the big organizations practice and just sign your daughter right there?

This blog is not a knock on big name organizations.  It is only written to shed some light on finding the right select softball team for your family.  The percentages of your daughter playing college softball are the same whether she played for a large or independent organization.  It will come down to your daughters’ skill level, grades and how persistent or determined you are to help guide her on this journey.

So this brings me back to “Staying in the Moment” when looking for a team for you daughter.  Find a team that will allow your daughter to create great memories playing the game.  Continue to assess each year that the team continues to meet this expectation.  Identify the vision of the team.  As your daughter prepares for high school, make sure the team is getting her ready to play at that level.  Once in high school, expect your team to guide and advocate for her during the recruiting process.  If you can’t look at the team and feel that they are 100% for your daughter, you need to look for another team.

There are many teams across the country, and wearing a particular uniform will not determine whether she plays the sport she loves in college or not.

Stay in the moment and enjoy the journey.  I personally am looking forward to the next 7 years, but right now I am only focused on enjoying this year with my daughter.

For more information about the 04 Texas Travelers visit the team on Facebook or contact Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702.

Texas Travelers welcome back top pitcher

Recently, the 04 Texas Travelers held an open tryout to all 2004 select softball players.  The tryout took place at Sunnyvale High School and featured about 20 great players as well as the current Texas Travelers who took 3rd in the 2015 ASA/USA National Championships in Normal, Illinois.

The top select softball team was looking to add additional bats and competitive talent to their already strong team as they continue to play in the most prestigious tournaments in the country.  Saturday morning tryouts yielded some great players to go with the all-star softball players already with the club.  One of those additions is pitcher/outfielder, Emily Jonte.  Before playing with the 04 Texas Glory last year, Emily was an essential player for the 04 Texas Travelers as she brings a big bat, strong arm, and softball savvy coaches love to have.

“When Emily was not with us last year, the Texas Travelers felt the difference she could have made in our pitching rotation as well as our lineup.  It is exciting to add this type of caliber of player to our team, and will give us additional weapons in the field as well as batting.  She is also a great kid to be around and will be a plus in the dugout” states, Kyle Bennett, Head Coach for the 04 Texas Travelers.

The 04 Texas Travelers are a very competitive select softball team and part of a rich tradition of success.  Each team at each age group is hand selected.  The organization as a whole is small in nature, but has the success and great reputation as the larger organization giving its girls the highest advantage when it comes to their future having sent over 175 girls to play college softball.

The 04 Texas Travelers were chosen by ASA, which is the governing body of softball to represent Texas in the 2015 ASA/USA National Championship held in Normal, Illinois.  However, the winning record of the 04 Texas Travelers is not what defines the team.  This team was built from the ground up having taken girls out of recreational softball to be able to compete and win at the highest level.

The coaches, led by Coach Kyle Bennett prepare the girls to be strong independent young women.  They are getting their players ready to be able to start as a freshman on their high school varsity teams, and with the organizations connection and strong alumni support; the Texas Travelers girls will be able to attract the attention of some of the top softball programs in the country.  As a matter of fact, Jordan Strickland, Baylor Bears history making shortstop, is on the coaching staff of the 04 Texas Travelers.

The 04 Texas Travelers is also a fully funded team.  This is a plus in today’s select softball world where playing for teams require you to pay for their uniforms, coaches, team lessons on top of the travel expense to play at a high level.  The softball players that play for the Texas Travelers save thousands of dollars for their parents because of the support they receive from the continued donations.

In addition to being a fully funded team, the 04 Texas Travelers have a marketing program second to none.  DeliveryMaxx has donated its patent-pending services to help market the 04 Texas Travelers as well as each of their players which will help when the girls become old enough to start the recruiting process.

The 04 Texas Travelers are one of the top 10U teams in the country.  They will be a first year 12U team, but they have already found success playing in several 12U tournaments recently winning the 2015 Summer Swinging 12U Championship.  Even though they have some of the top rated players at their position, the players are always looking to add to the roster giving them a heighten level of competition even in their own club.  The players and coaches both agree that their performance at practice, off the field, and tournament play determines their time of play in competition.  The coaches look at each player as an individual and identifies how the player can best help the team reach its goals.

The 04 Texas Travelers will be completing their roster for the fall season as they prepare to become 2016 National Champions.  For more information about the 04 Texas Travelers visit the team on Facebook or contact Coach Kyle Bennett at 972.679.7702.