This is the ideal number of players on your roster

What kind of coach are you?

According to Mike de Zwart in podcast episode 2, it's important to consider what kind of coach you want to be. He himself lives by the philosophy: “small teams, everyone plays” (make sure to listen to the entire podcast for the full picture). Sounds reasonable, right? If you have a different philosophy in mind (for instance, if winning is more your focus), then you might want to add three or more players to your roster.

Let's spill the beans right away: 12 players is the sweet spot during the season. In practice, this means you're usually fielding 10 players. You want to avoid having fewer than 9 players or more than 12 on your team.

It pays off to align expectations with parents before the season starts. Family weekends, vacations, divorced parents in different cities, transportation challenges, financial constraints—there are many reasons why a parent might miss a game. Some parents find it easier to do this than others. By communicating openly and transparently about this upfront, you can get a better sense of the average turnout at the beginning of the season. This, in turn, allows for possible adjustments in team size and positions. The agreements you make with parents at the start also provide a way to revisit these discussions during the season. 'Hey, didn’t we agree that…? What has changed?'

Be clear and selective when putting together your team. This will determine the team dynamics and enjoyment of the game, but also your ability to execute your own philosophy. For example, it's contradictory if you want to give everyone a chance to play on the team, but you end up with 16 players on your roster, which means you have to deal with 7 unhappy benchwarmers in practice. And that’s the opposite of what you were trying to achieve. So be aware.

Tournament? Then add more players

If you're playing a tournament, say, 5 games in a weekend, you'll want to bring along 4 to 5 extra players. Focus mainly on pitchers and catchers, or players who can fill in other positions to ensure you have enough arms to throw. There’s a limit on the number of pitches a young pitcher can throw per game, per day, and per weekend. Do a little math in advance and check the KNBSB rules for your team level, as well as any special rules that might apply for the tournament.

If you want to challenge your team and yourself, a tournament is the perfect opportunity to really go for the win and snag that trophy. So why not switch up your philosophy a bit compared to the regular season?

Coaching is also about networking

It's good to remember that coaching also has a significant social aspect. It's important to maintain good relationships with other coaches from your own club (and beyond) since you’ll be in frequent contact with each other. Good communication and trust are key. When you "borrow" players from another team, other coaches need to trust that these players will receive a good environment and playing time. If you tell a borrowed player to hit or throw differently, the chances are slim that the other coach will entrust their players to you again next time.

The post This is the ideal number of players for your Roster first appeared on Coach Ball.