17yr. Old wants to return after having baby

Agreeing with the others. Please don't pass judgment...it could happen to any one of our softball players. The best thing you can do for that girl is open the doors for her, the best thing you can do for your team is setting the example by not passing judgment and opening doors. I bet that she will be a stronger and better player than ever...and TBH, her wanting to come back? That speaks volumes of her character. Instead of hiding and being embarrassed, she is choosing to rise above that to play the game she loves. I truly hope and pray for the best.

I'm curious to know what off-the-field/non-softball behaviors should result in a player getting kicked off a team, in your humble opinions. I agree that pregnancy is not one.

Not trying to re-direct the thread. But in expressing you opinions about this particular behavior, I'm interested in what sort of non-softball behaviors do meet the criteria for team consequences. Do all entail breaking the law? How about a DUI? A warning? Suspension? Removal from the team? Or a private matter for the family?

This has to be a troll, right? I mean...first post and he drops THAT bomb?

Delantex said:

We have a 17yr. wanting to return to our 18u select team. She just had a baby, and even though she is/was a D1 prospect, we don't believe she fits into the ethical and moral standards we try to uphold. What would you do in this situation?

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A few years ago I was at an exposure tournament and over heard 2 college coaches talking about a pitcher in their division, as a freshman she had a baby and took 2 years off from softball. Then she came back with the help of her parents and encouragement of the coaches and her first year back was named pitcher of the year in her division.

I would encourage a meeting with this girls parents to see that this is the best thing for this girl and her child. Her priorities in life have completely changed, softball is definitely not #1. If her parents feel that this could be a positive thing for her, then yes, welcome her back with open arms. The team could be a great place for her.

Next question, are you going to change any team rules specifically for her? Will she be allowed to miss practice is her child is sick and needs to go to the Dr.? I would try to talk through these things and make sure everyone is on the same page before hand.

If you can make it work, let her back.

Delantex said:

We have a 17yr. wanting to return to our 18u select team. She just had a baby, and even though she is/was a D1 prospect, we don't believe she fits into the ethical and moral standards we try to uphold. What would you do in this situation?

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Run from your team. Instead of judging her you should be supporting her. I have seen a couple of college players with their children at the games. I applaud the girl.

Girls make mistakes in life. Look at the three girls who stole the car in Florida, ran it into a deep pond and drowned. Having a baby is one of the less serious ones.

ScottyDont said:

This has to be a troll, right? I mean...first post and he drops THAT bomb?

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or a regular that does not want to take a thrashing using their own name....in any case, if it is real then this person is a POS. No concern about the girl's welfare or desire to get her life back together, just moral judgment. Not even an understanding of the role sports play in some kid's lives, sometimes sports are the ONLY thing a kid has to keep them engaged in society.

And I have news for you, most of the other girls on your team also fail your moral standards, your daughter probably does too, hell....my life experience tells me that people that pass judgment on something like this so easily are the least moral people around.

I also have to wonder if this is a troll or just a foolish post. But it is a slow day so I will play.

The disturbing ethics and moral comments aside, the real question as with any player is if she is still a viable college prospect? In the context of the post there is simply not enough information to come to any conclusion. All the post says is that she got pregnant and had a baby. I have to say that I applaud her for not taking the easy way out of the situation, which makes the morality question even more idiotic. So what now? Her plan moving forward with respect to the child will largely determine if she has a future in college softball. If she puts it up for adoption it obviously is a non-issue. Does she have a support structure with respect to caring for the child while she attends school and plays ball? If she does, then things may work out. If she is a single mom, with little to no support then that is another matter.

There is a great movie about girl's sports called "Heart of the Game". It is a must see for people interested in youth athletics.

A girl, Danellia Russell, was a star basketball players in HS. She got pregnant her junior year. She dropped out, had the baby, and came back her senior year to play basketball. The Washington State HS athletic association said she couldn't play. The team and the coach supported her efforts to play. She sued, and the ban was lifted. (The reason: It was sex discrimination. There was no ban against boys who fathered children...only the girls were banned.) She led the team to a State Championship.

Danellia went to college, played some semi-pro basketball, and is now a head coach at a juco. By all measures, she is a success.

Must be those progressive morals and ethics, because society has been having sex and babies in their teens since the dawn of time.