Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
Been to the playoffs? Ever captain a team there? If so, I'd like to hear your advice and suggestions.
Last year, we went to 6.5 Combo Districts. I had never captained at Districts before, and looking back on it, there are some things I would do differently.
Most importantly, I would balance out the match play among the players better. Even in doubles, a fresh set of legs beats a slightly more skilled tired set of legs. The physical demands of two sets of doubles are not large, but the mental toll is more wearing than I had anticipated. Not to mention how I don't want to endure another 364 days of players telling me that I erred in not playing *them* enough at playoffs.
What is difficult now is figuring out how to do the line-ups. For instance, we have a morning match and an afternoon match. One of my weaker players wants a particular match, but for tactical reasons I need very strong players for that match. Should I inconvenience her by telling her she needs to play the inconvenient match?
Also, we will play two team matches on the first day and then if we advance another two team matches on a different day. That's six doubles pairs per day. I don't have six superhuman doubles teams; some teams are vulnerable to being beaten. Should I put all of the weaker players out against the weakest of our two opponents, or should I put out one weak pair against each opponent, hoping for the skin-of-the-teeth 2-1 win?
I also have a player who does not want to participate in the indoor practice we are having this weekend because indoor court time costs $23.00 (rain is in the forecast). What am I to do with this? Play someone else who is willing to pay to come to practice? Or just let her not practice and play her anyway, even though she is in desperate need of some practice IMHO? I would feel really weird getting another player to pay to do the practice and then not playing that player . . .
Gawd, I will be glad when this is over. If I never captain another team to playoffs after this, I will be fine with that.
Last year, we went to 6.5 Combo Districts. I had never captained at Districts before, and looking back on it, there are some things I would do differently.
Most importantly, I would balance out the match play among the players better. Even in doubles, a fresh set of legs beats a slightly more skilled tired set of legs. The physical demands of two sets of doubles are not large, but the mental toll is more wearing than I had anticipated. Not to mention how I don't want to endure another 364 days of players telling me that I erred in not playing *them* enough at playoffs.
What is difficult now is figuring out how to do the line-ups. For instance, we have a morning match and an afternoon match. One of my weaker players wants a particular match, but for tactical reasons I need very strong players for that match. Should I inconvenience her by telling her she needs to play the inconvenient match?
Also, we will play two team matches on the first day and then if we advance another two team matches on a different day. That's six doubles pairs per day. I don't have six superhuman doubles teams; some teams are vulnerable to being beaten. Should I put all of the weaker players out against the weakest of our two opponents, or should I put out one weak pair against each opponent, hoping for the skin-of-the-teeth 2-1 win?
I also have a player who does not want to participate in the indoor practice we are having this weekend because indoor court time costs $23.00 (rain is in the forecast). What am I to do with this? Play someone else who is willing to pay to come to practice? Or just let her not practice and play her anyway, even though she is in desperate need of some practice IMHO? I would feel really weird getting another player to pay to do the practice and then not playing that player . . .
Gawd, I will be glad when this is over. If I never captain another team to playoffs after this, I will be fine with that.
