Softball Tips - Who Says a Team is Elite?

Guest post by Ken Krause, Life in the Fastpitch Lane blog

In one of the forums at Discuss Fastpitch there is an ongoing discussion about the credentials (or lack of same) of people who call themselves instructors. Essentially, it talks about how anyone who wants to can call themselves a hitting, pitching, catching, throwing, whatever instructor. There is no National Board of Certification or other set of qualifications you have to pass before hanging out the ol' shingle.

The same can be said for many of the so-called "Elite" or "Exposure" teams that are cropping up all over the country.

It's understandable of course. Calling yourself Elite is a great marketing tool. After all, what parent doesn't want their daughter to be on an Elite team, one that promises to bring in the best of the best from around the area and play at "the highest levels of competition?"

Yet it takes more than appending the name Elite to your team name to make you an Elite team. And that's where it often falls down.

Yes, there are legitimate Elite teams out there. They're not hard to recgonize. When they throw, they're crisp and precise. When they get to the plate their hitters are disciplined as well as skilled. They just look like they know what they're doing, even when they're walking in and out of the dugout.

But many of the teams that carry the name aren't like that. They have the same caliber of players as many of the non-Elite teams they're playing, and their skill levels aren't any better. In reality, they're Elite in name only — and probably in the amount of money they're charging to be on that team.

One way to tell a true Elite team from a pretender is by their schedule. A true Elite team will be playing the teams in the best tournaments they can find. They won't be going to A/B tournaments and beating up on lesser competition, because their coaches know you only get better by playing up, not down.

Another way is how much they talk about being Elite. The more they talk, the less likely it is to be true, because true Elite teams don't have to tell you they're Elite. You can tell by watching them play.

This is really a case of buyer beware. Parents, don't let your egos get the best of you.

Before you accept an offer to join a so-called Elite team, do your homework. Make sure you know who is coaching, what their qualifications are, what sort of schedule the team will be playing, what their philosophy is how they play the game and any other factors you can think of.

Remember that calling yourself Elite doesn't make it true any more than putting a top hat on your head and a monocle in your eye makes you a tycoon. Take the time to know what you're really buying and you'll be a lot more satisfied with your decision in the long run.

Anyway, that's the way I see it.