Pitchers

Question
1)Do pitchers for an ASA team need to be getting lessons from
 a private instructor, or can they be home taught?
2) Do all players need to try out for the team?
3) Is it against the rules to allow new players to play without
  trying out?
4) Do players who are new to the team,that will participate in 2  tournaments,be required to pay the same fee as the original players?

Answer
Brenda,

None of the questions you have asked are rules questions.  They are however very common things that come up in travel ball.  I do coach a travel ball team and have had to address everything but number one.

1.  Of course a pitcher does not have to have private instruction.  On my team both of my pitchers have received extensive private instruction.  There are other girls on the team that do pitch for their JV teams.  Neither of these girls have received private instruction.  With that said the girls that have received private instruction are significantly better pitchers than the ones who have not.

2.  There is no rule that requires a tryout.  Some girls are good enough to be invited to join a team without a tryout.

3.  Going back to number 2, there is nothing in any rules that address this.  Some travel teams are developmental in nature.  These teams are kind of like super good rec teams.  Playing time is usually fairly even with the strongest players getting a bit more time than the weakest.  In many cases on travel teams it is a straight up competition for playing time with the best girls getting the lions share of the playing time.  With that said if a coach perceives a weakness at a particular position or an outstanding player becomes available, the coach may pick that player up.  

4.  When an extra player is picked up for a couple of tournaments it is quite common for the player that is picked up not to pay.  Every organization can make their own decisions on this.  With that said if the player being picked up takes time from your daughter and doesn't have to pay, hurt feelings are usually the result.  This is the reason you need to shop travel teams for your daughter very hard.  It is important to ask these questions ahead of time so that you understand what you may be in for.

Tom