Thanks for your comment regarding SVJFAC. You need to be a little more educated when making such comments. Much consideration goes into determining registration and uniform costs and we keep them as low as possible. There is a new park that is being built and each association must be able to help fund that. We have more kids that want to participate in our organizations than we have space for. Our main agenda is to allow kids to participate. As far as "stacking" teams goes we don't just pick the best kids for one team. We utilize an evaluation and draft process so that the teams are as even as possible. Our coaches go through an interview process and must be well rounded qualified individuals. We also have play time rules so that all players will get to participate, not just the players that excel in the sport. Our parents step up to the plate and volunteer as well. You should attend a board meeting and find out what SVJFAC is all about. We are about the community and the kids and giving them an opportunity they may not otherwise have.

Of course they do...it's the modern day version of the Good 'Ol Boys Club.

a coaches son or daughter tends to be somewhat more skilled and has more experience due to the fact that that coach has spent more time practicing with their own child. And that child is more likely to have participated on other teams, etc... (Again, usually...not always the case.)

If the drafts are rigged, SHEPARD, I guess you've been involved in one; otherwise, how would you really know?

Our kids all play in CTAA (we do not participate in SVJRFAC, so I cannot comment on that organization). My check to CTAA for my kids was exactly the same amount that it was last year, so they have held the line on their fees for this year.

We have had mostly excellent managers and coaches for their teams. We've had only one coach for the in-house season that I hope to never have again and he was a nice guy, but did not coach the kids, his own included. 1 bad coach out of 14 spring in-house teams is pretty good in my book.

You mentioned everyone thinks their kid is the next hall of famer. Imagine how fun it must be for the managers to deal with all of those parents (everyone should ask themselves if they are one of them). The biggest problem I have seen with youth sports is the parents who sit, watch, and critique, not the managers and coaches who have volunteered their time. While I am not foolish enough to believe that all of the coaches are fair and equal to all of the kids all of the time, I believe the majority have all of the kids best interests at heart.

We have found that most of the managers are happy to have any help the parents can provide. My recommendation would be to make sure you bring your child to practice, practice with them at home as much as you can, and get on the field and help out with all of the kids on the team.

I have been involved with both organizations from the most inside parts you can be...development and regulation of rules that are either in-place or new/revised and coaching.

CTAA - up to and including 8 years old none of the teams COMPETE. For those that struggle with that it means no official score is kept, there are no standings, there is no playoff, everyone gets a trophy still. Mostly this requesting of players is either due to freinds in the neiborhood, car pools, freinds from school etc. Too bad if you can't understand that. A lot of coaches in 7 and 8 baseball start keeping score and telling their kids they "won" but it doesn't really matter. There are rules in place about sitting out, positions, etc. Does this always get followed, probably not but it is the intent of the league.

9 - 12 these leagues are COMPETETIVE and have a COMPLETELY blind draft. If you doubt it, the drafts are open to come and watch. Better yet though, become a manager, quit complaining and see for yourself. The draft is laid out by taking the rankings given to kids by their previous seasons managers and used as the basis of starting things off. ALL of the managers review these and agree/disagree/adjust them. Do teams seemingly get stacked? yep but it is the fortunes of that coach, nothing more or less. No manager wants to leave that room with a bum team that has no pitching, catching, etc. so each kid gets a pitching and catching rank to make sure each team also gets pitching and catching talent. No trading is allowed after your team is assembled. This is a major no no and could eliminate you for getting a team the next year. Teams however still seem to get stacked but that is the luck of the draw so to speak. Taking any team and winning first or second means bringing the middle and lower level of you team up. If a coach does not do this, he will probably not finish well or teach his kids much.

13 and up - similar a little less guessing in the rankings because most of the kids have been playing in the CTAA for a long time so their ability is more well known than earlier (at 9 or 10)

My experience with the persistent complainers is that their kid does not have the baseball skills that other kids on the team have. No coach will leave his best players off the mound. At 11, 12 and up no coach puts his worst player in right field unless he wants to lose a lot (especially as the players grow-up). These parents typically will not or have not worked with their own kids and expect you to accomplish that in a handful of practices. They also don't seem to understand the game very well.

Do all of us think that our kid is going pro? Give me a break. Most of us work with our Son's because it is FUN and we make the time to do it. The more time you spend with them, the better experience they will have in youth sports.

It is well accepted also that only about 2 - 3 kids out of any age group will ever even play H.S Baseball. No one talks Pro's because they would be laughed out of the building.

Allstars is another subject that I can handle in another post for the that want info on that.

SVJFAC - The league draft is the football league is an "open" draft i.e. the kids get picked by their coach. If they are on the team, they were personally selected to be on it. Can't imagine a problem with that. An entire week is used to evaluate the players. Every kid is told at the beginning of that week that they are being watched and should hustle, listen, and try at all times. The kids that are good naturally stand out the kids in the middle are usually the ones that show real promise and distinguish themselves through hustle and attitude. The kids at the bottom are typically the kids that you had to tell the same thing to every single night, never hustled, Mom and Dad had to push onto the field, etc. These parents are also the biggest critics.

The SVJFAC is very well structured midget league for a HUGE community. We split up each age-group into several teams typically not exceeding 20 - 25. No stacking of teams is allowed here or at any of our competing programs and this is monitored. Or 6 - 7 year olds have to play 50% of the game each. Each of the successive years having playing time requirements also.

The coaching staff in the program is pretty impressive actually on a lot of teams. There are several PRO's, several SEMI-Pro's, several college players all through the league, HS players and ex-coaches and believe it our not Guys that just want to help and really don't know all that much about the game BUT they step up and make a good contribution.

Every year, especially at the young ages you get this QB / RB argument. First in midget league, the QB at the younger levels on many teams just hands the ball off or runs some sweeps...the team is RB dominated. The QB has to remember plays and not fumble. Clearly a coaches Son gets some advantage here. The coach in form of DAD can teach at night, weekends whenever because it is FUN and he wants to help his boy. Learning plays is a big deal and some kids just can't do it all that well. They may look great in the backyard but on the field, they may struggle.

The Mom's and Dads of the top, middle and bottom players in the SVJFAC better get used to what football and playing time is about because when you go to the Junior High or HS, all bets are off and your kid needs to carry his own weight. Helping him to do it at an early age gets him prepared for that eventuality.

Other leagues, SV-North being one of them play the best kids Period. The teams have upwards of 40 kids. Your kid better be very good to get time in those types of football programs.

FEES - compare our fees to those of neighboring associations and you may be surprised. Our fees are actually reasonable considering that for both the CTAA and SVJFAC they are bearing a portion of the cost associated with the new facilites in Graham Park

Bottom line - quit whining, get involved, go to meetings, become a coach, work with your kids some and enjoy it.

Hello Everyone,

This is my first effort at a Blog so please excuse any "social errors"!

When I was directed by a member to read the original posting, I was disappointed. So many good people work so hard to hold costs in line and create a fair program - one of the very best in the state.

When I saw the majority of the replies, I was very gratified. I see that most do understand and do believe in what we are doing (By the way, it is CTAA not CTAC).

For those, like the original writer, who wish to help us upgrade the program, please contact me anytime throught the CTAA website. We'd love to have your help.

For those who wish to sit back and hurl disparaging remarks, well, I can't do much about that.

I am proud to be President of this association - and welcome your help at any time

Dan Porter
President, CTAA

"a coaches son or daughter tends to be somewhat more skilled and has more experience."

Lord, what have we done wrong, I ask.

That's such a poppycock statement. Go to any HS, college or pro game in nearly any sport and the odds are the vast majority of those players were not some hand-crafted result of their Dad's superior coaching skills in their midget leagues, etc.