Where do the "best" go to play college?

The softball players aren't paying their own expenses, in Japan. In fact, they fly back and forth, so they aren't living there permanently.

The best atmosphere, fan base and general all around college as far as the game of softball that I have been too is Alabama. The fans are great, supportive and they average 2,000 plus per game.

I’ve been to some D1 games were the fan base was parents and a few drunken students yelling obscenities.

Another way I have seen college SB players stay involved in the game after graduating is to get involved in umpiring. Generally it is just for a few bucks on the side, but if they are good, they can advance to NCAA level. Not sure even there if it is enough to make a living (maybe at D1), but it certainly becomes more lucrative.

Screwball said:

The pay for pro softball in the US: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/20/sports/20softball.html

Click to expand...

I mentioned the NPF. $8000-$50,000 isn't a job, it's a hobby. Bear in mind that the high end is for Finch, Osterman, Abbott, ect. A lot of those players are from California, where the median income evel is ~$70k a year.

-W

I think that most of the pro players, have wealthy parents that are subsidizing their income. Osterman and Mowatt are coaching full time and Finch has her camps and endorsement contracts. A few others have endorsements, too. I don't know how much that would pay. Some have their own hitting centers, but I know those are expensive to run and the hours are loooong.

I do know Balko (catcher fron UofA) a little and the pro scene wasn't for her. (Little money, living with sponsors, heavy travel and small crowds at the games.) She was an assistant coach at her HS, last year.

Of course, the young lady's lives are no different than the 1000s of young men that don't make it to the pros, either, and many of them don't have their education. A friend of my sons', bombed out of the Twins organization and went back for a 5th and 6th year of college and got a teaching degree. He did land a large school coaching position, though.

A lot of them are married too, so they're not living on just their own income. Lappin, Osterman, Abbott, as mentioned travel to Japan quite a bit and are paid well (and all their expenses are covered). We're talking about superstars though. If you are the best in the world at something, you can figure out how to live well off of it. Being top 5 is way different then being top 100 though.

My daughter used to take hitting lessons from an NPF player. This young lady graduated Cal, played NPF, taught hitting/slapping/fielding at a great facility, and still had a "day" job when she wasn't in her NPF season. She drove a beat up old car and lived in an apartment. She married a baseball player last year and moved to Colorado, gave up NPF, and misses it, but she is living much more comfortably.

I wish that it were possible for these young ladies to make a living. I just don't think it's fair to be less then honest about the reality of the situation. Stress academics and life after college; play the game out of passion and love for the sport.

-W

So you guys from around the country then are seeing the same thing as I do?

That is = many potential "big-school" players opting to go to their local smaller schools providing their specific intended majors?

I wonder what proportion do this to obtain their exacting major versus I still think many girls not taking the "big-school" leap because they are too apprehensive....

I wish that it were possible for these young ladies to make a living.

Click to expand...

"If ifs and wishes were hugs and kisses, we would all have a merry Xmas."

Stress academics and life after college; play the game out of passion and love for the sport.

Click to expand...

Absolutely. Enjoy the game for what it is, and recognize what it is not.

I wonder what proportion do this to obtain their exacting major versus I still think many girls not taking the "big-school" leap because they are too apprehensive

Click to expand...

Too apprehensive or too thoughtful?

PEPPERS said:

My daughter had a number of offers from different schools, but they did not offer the course of study she was interested in. She emailed and wrote letters to a college coach near that the school offered the courses she wanted and never received a response. The team had a tryout and she then got an offer from the coach.

I always tell the kids to put academics first few players get the opportunity to go on after college in softball so a good education an area of interest will serve the student/player better.

Having said that the link to the top ranked 289 teams in 2010 2011 a good place to start.



NCAA Division I Softball Rankings - NCAA.com

Click to expand...

Wow I think only 3 teams in the top ten are PAC 12. Looks like some conferences are catching up.

undergroundga said:

Wow I think only 3 teams in the top ten are PAC 12. Looks like some conferences are catching up.

Click to expand...

?

7 of the 8 Pac-10 schools are in that top 20.

The SEC is very strong and by the numbers, the Big 12 looks good, too.