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May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
Thanks. She wears cleats, until I make her take them off. This is her 3rd pair. She got dressed that morning and said "I need to warm up."
True to her age, practice lasts about 4 minutes.
 
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
I will have either one or two daughters playing softball this coming year.

My oldest dauaghter is about to start her jr. year at HS, James Madison Memorial HS in Madison, Wisconsin. Everyone tells me how talented she is, and at times I have seen it. She hasn't played softball since her freshman year, when she led her freshman team in HR and SB, and maybe hits as well. Some have said she has D1 talent, but she doesn't want to play college ball, and doesn't even want to play varsity HS ball now. Maybe JV, maybe not. She once went from 12u rec ball to 16u TB in under a year, and I think that was a bit much for her. She is a talented 3B when she wants to be. She doesn't quite believe that I love her just as much since she quite playing softball, but she forgets that she dragged ME into being a softball parent, not the other way around. I became a softball parent because of my love for my daughters. I never even suggested they play softball, and I was extremely surprised when some of them were good at it.

My youngest is on a local 12u team, the Madison Warriors, where she plays a LOT of positions. A true utility player, she has played as many as 5 positions in the same tournament (P, 3B, SS, LF, CF), and was kept as the emergency catcher, and came close to catching, but didn't. She has also played 2B and C in some rec league games recently. Last year she played 1B, 2B and RF in some tournaments. Her favorite position is pitcher. Excellent mechanics, good speed, working on her location. Some people say I should try to get her into an A level TB team. At the moment it would be very difficult for me, esp. since there are none within an hour drive. All the kids on her TB team are in the James Madison Memorial school district, and the team chemistry is awesome. For now, her local team is the best bet. That might change down the line, but hasn't yet.

DD #3 is a true softball fanatic. She not only practiced with her rec league and TB teams, but she also practiced with a 16u team, just for fun! She attends skills sessions for more than one HS. So, my job isn't finding a new team for her, but finding lots of teams of older girls she can practice with. She has a reputation for really hustling in practices, so I think I can find one or two 14U teams that will let her practice with them. Seriously, sometimes she has had 3 different practices in the same day, and maybe a pitching lesson on the side!
 
May 9, 2014
96
6
The hard part is not getting recruited to college the hard part is being successful. At being both an athlete and a student. Only 20 to 25 percent of the freshman remain to play their senior season. That in its self should tell you the grind these kids go thru.

But that is not that far off from the student population in general, well under half make it straight though in 4 years with no breaks. I am a college professor, and my undergrad took me 6 years.

Its not that uncommon for time away, long majors, school changes, etc, student athletes have complications with all those things that make it a little more challenging.

I am not surprised at the stat at all.

If less than 50% of students are successful, and less than 50% of athletes are successful (interest, injuries, etc) you could easily see a 25% rate.
 
May 9, 2014
96
6
Thanks. She wears cleats, until I make her take them off. This is her 3rd pair. She got dressed that morning and said "I need to warm up."
True to her age, practice lasts about 4 minutes.

I have a 5 year old that idolizes her sister, she walks around the house winding up and windmilling like her 8 year old sister. I told he she can learn to pitch only after she can make good overhand throws and catches... and she works hard at it... for about 10 minutes.
 
Jun 23, 2013
547
18
PacNw
I have a 5 year old that idolizes her sister, she walks around the house winding up and windmilling like her 8 year old sister. I told he she can learn to pitch only after she can make good overhand throws and catches... and she works hard at it... for about 10 minutes.

Smart man. My oldest has thrown more softballs underhand than she has overhand. No joke. Her overhand mechanics are far inferior to her windmill mechanics.

I learned a valuable lesson and my 7 y/o learned how to throw overhand first and is much better than her older sister at that age.
 
May 9, 2014
96
6
Smart man. My oldest has thrown more softballs underhand than she has overhand. No joke. Her overhand mechanics are far inferior to her windmill mechanics.

I learned a valuable lesson and my 7 y/o learned how to throw overhand first and is much better than her older sister at that age.

Thanks, I just want her to be able to field if the balls are hit back. My older daughter is a genetic freak, with reflexes i can't believe and throws pitches anywhere from 36-41 mph at 8 years old. I think she also has thrown more pitches than overhand throws. She is strong enough to get by, but I think her mechanics can be improved. If her sister can be better it will be quite scary.

I figure everyone needs to be able to field, catch and throw, and honestly, I can help with that, I have a hard time helping much with the pitching, I played baseball, mostly 1st base, but even in my rare stints pitching, it was overhand.

So we start with things I can teach, and then we can consider the other. My older daughter has had pitching lessons (and still does) but the 5 year old will need to do everything else better first. I actually tried to talk the older one out of pitching, she was a phenomenal hitter and so fast on the base path I thought that would be something to work on (and something I can teach).

I insist she become a better field and thrower before we consider pitching. We go once a week to the batting cages, and she is great hitter, but until she can make a good throw to first, every time, I won't be buying pitching lessons. Everyone gets hit off of eventually?

I am glad I am not alone here, there are a few parents who think I should let her work on pitching just based on the phenomenal success of her older sister.
 
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
That's sad, why is your kid under attack? I don't get that at all??

PaPa Pump, you and I are just newbies to this forum, and as such are blissfully unaware of any drama that may have occurred in the past. (Although I have seen a little bit of drama in the short time I have been here. I try not to let it bother me.)

So, let's enjoy it while we can, just as we can enjoy our own DD's successes and also the successes of their teammates.
 

JJsqueeze

Dad, Husband....legend
Jul 5, 2013
5,436
38
safe in an undisclosed location
Just stay away from the tech hitting forum and you are safe. Think of it as a bad neighborhood that you might have to pass through but do so with the windows up and always trying to keep moving. All other areas of the forum are safe.

Bob, I think you are especially safe since I think you probably have some connections in NSA still from your time when you infiltrated the Zapatistas and took down sub commander Marcos, don't ask me how I found out. Anyone who gives you flak will probably get a drone missile down the chimney.
 
Nov 1, 2013
37
0
Ohio
Emily Moore, 2014Pitcher/2nd, University of Pittsburgh Johnstown( D11) from Ohio, her HS was Philo, and TB teams include Ohio Edge(boulders Dad) Road Runners and she was a sub for a PA team Nitro Showcase.
 

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