Thread: 16U Goldd

Or just take all the try-out fees, team fees, cost of overpriced equipment, all the money you would spend on travel, hotels, restaurants, etc during the course of 10 years and drop it into a college fund.

I'm not suggesting someone's daughter not play softball, but play because she enjoys it, not for the almighty full-ride which is extremely rare. And if softball becomes part of her collegiate experience, good for her. Some parents get so rapped up in the "scholarship" issue, they lose sight of their daughter's enjoyment and future.

MTR: Amen, brother, amen...

The DD just wants to test the competitive waters. She craves the competition. She doesn't want to always be the "big dog" with a lot of puppies. She wants to take the next step. Never suggested this was about scholarships. The unfortunate part of softball is that if you want the best competition you have to pay a hefty price for it.

If your kid likes competition, then she is going to want to be the best at whatever she does (which is great). But, you also have to learn to compete and be nice at the same time.

My kids have really benefited from playing softball. They know how to compete without p*ssing off their co-workers--it is a really valuable skill. It is amazing watching them manage their careers using skills they picked up in softball.

Sorry... are you suggesting I am acting like an a**hole?!? I never meant it to come off that way. Just trying to get some helpful advice to help my DD who happens to be a very humble, sweet mannered kid.

I was not referring to you in that manner. I apologize for the confusion.

If your DD wants to successfully play softball at a high competitive level, she has to work her butt off. On the really good teams, no one is promised playing time. If your DD is successful, someone else on the team becomes less successful. Every inning your DD is on the field is one less inning someone else is not on the field. This is "completing for playing time".

Not everyone likes to compete for playing time. It can be pretty nasty.

Most kids don't have a clue how to do it--they are either too nice, too lazy or too mean. But, the kids that do learn how to do it learn a tremendously valuable life skill that will stay with them long after they hang up their spikes.

I guess I jumped to conclusions ... too much abuse from another site