high school fall sport interferes with fall showcases

[riseball]

The fact that this question is being asked with regard to a 2018 does not bode well for the player. Most 2018's and their parents have this figured out by now. If coaches are not already expected at these showcases, you are way behind the power curve. If college softball is truly what she wants, you need to get very serious, very quickly.

 

[MNDad]

I agree with the previous two posts. Sometimes tough choices need to be made. In my experience living in a large metro area where HS sports are competitive most of the girls going D1 for softball are single sport athletes. It's not easy making varsity in soccer, bball, volleyball or hockey when competing with girls that play those sports year round. In rural areas more seem to play multiple sports because it doesn't require as much of a time commitment to make varsity. Metro girls playing two or more sports tend to go D2 or D3 if they play college softball. There's obviously plenty of exceptions, but in general this is how it works here.

Edited to add: Make that agreeing with three previous posts. Riseball slipped in while I was typing.

 

[29dad]

Interesting topic. My default position is that riseball and MNDad are always right, but there is a bit of a disconnect with what APPEARS to be reality (girls who are serious about playing D1 softball are usually one sport athletes) and what the D1 coaches say (they SAY that they like to recruit mutli sport athletes). These two propositions can't both be true, can they??

Seems odd to me that nearly every male D1 athlete you ever hear about almost always played three sports in high school. But for some reason, softball is apparently so unique that playing other sports is frowned upon. I don't get it.

 

[Ken Krause]

This is one of the challenges with being a multi-sport athlete. Sometimes the two sports collide and you have to make tough choices.

It seems like softball is her preferred sport. She may have to skip field hockey in order to play in the showcases, even if that means she gets benched for the next game. If she does make the decision to go to the showcases, however, she should give the FH coach the courtesy of saying she won't be there.

 

[55dad]

Interesting topic. My default position is that riseball and MNDad are always right, but there is a bit of a disconnect with what APPEARS to be reality (girls who are serious about playing D1 softball are usually one sport athletes) and what the D1 coaches say (they SAY that they like to recruit mutli sport athletes). These two propositions can't both be true, can they??

Seems odd to me that nearly every male D1 athlete you ever hear about almost always played three sports in high school. But for some reason, softball is apparently so unique that playing other sports is frowned upon. I don't get it.

Could the real answer be that pitchers who go D1 tend to be one sport athletes? I have seen some really good athletes at big high schools play softball and basketball or softball and volleyball. I also think there are a lot of good softball players who are good at the skills required to hit, catch, throw, etc... but would not be considered good athletes in a sport that required speed and agility.

 

[MNDad]

Interesting topic. My default position is that riseball and MNDad are always right, but there is a bit of a disconnect with what APPEARS to be reality (girls who are serious about playing D1 softball are usually one sport athletes) and what the D1 coaches say (they SAY that they like to recruit mutli sport athletes). These two propositions can't both be true, can they??

Seems odd to me that nearly every male D1 athlete you ever hear about almost always played three sports in high school. But for some reason, softball is apparently so unique that playing other sports is frowned upon. I don't get it.

I don't get accused of being right very often.

I'd be interested to hear how it is in other parts of the country. My guess is for most upper Midwest girls to play D1 softball they need to work year round to compete with girls in warmer climates. Interesting point about the boys. I wonder if baseball players specialize here like the girls do.

 

[29dad]

The fact that this question is being asked with regard to a 2018 does not bode well for the player. Most 2018's and their parents have this figured out by now. If coaches are not already expected at these showcases, you are way behind the power curve. If college softball is truly what she wants, you need to get very serious, very quickly.

I do agree with riseball's main point which, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that it's a little late in the process to be asking these types of questions. Having said that, I can't shake my gut feeling which is that many D1 college softball coaches will be very impressed if this player tears it up in field hockey. Maybe focus on camps instead of fall showcases? I don't know. I just really believe that an email to a coach with language like "I am very excited about attending your camp... I'm a 2018 grad. I play for DFP Platinum Elite Thunder... I also play field hockey and my high school team recently won the state tournament. I was captain of the team, the leading scorer, MVP and all conference. But softball is my favorite sport and..." I mean who wouldn't want to take a close look at THAT kid?

 

[YOCOACH]

I do agree with riseball's main point which, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that it's a little late in the process to be asking these types of questions. Having said that, I can't shake my gut feeling which is that many D1 college softball coaches will be very impressed if this player tears it up in field hockey. Maybe focus on camps instead of fall showcases? I don't know. I just really believe that an email to a coach with language like "I am very excited about attending your camp... I'm a 2018 grad. I play for DFP Platinum Elite Thunder... I also play field hockey and my high school team recently won the state tournament. I was captain of the team, the leading scorer, MVP and all conference. But softball is my favorite sport and..." I mean who wouldn't want to take a close look at THAT kid?

Let's say I'm a D1 SB coach of a very competitive team in my division. I could honestly say that I'd raise my hand to your question. I could care less if they played 4 sports or 1. I'm not looking for a field hockey player. If I were, I'd be the FH coach. I'm looking for the best SB players I can get that have high GPA's so I can get the most bang for my athletic buck. For the team I'd be recruiting for, all I'm worried about is excellent speed, huge bats, outstanding gloves and cannons for arms.

 

[nanotech14]

I also think there are a lot of good softball players who are good at the skills required to hit, catch, throw, etc... but would not be considered good athletes in a sport that required speed and agility.

wow, your dd must be playing slow pitch softball then. No speed and agility required in fast pitch softball? I take it back, even in beer league slow pitch softball, you have to have some speed and agility. Running off the field to get to your beer, because your up to bat next, can take a lot of speed & agility, you might have to dodge a ump and jump over some bats laying on the ground and get around some players standing in front of the cooler. Usually it is the other way around, a lot of really good athletes in other sports, don't have the agility to play softball and softball players are decent at the other sports.

 

[riseball]

I do agree with riseball's main point which, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that it's a little late in the process to be asking these types of questions. Having said that, I can't shake my gut feeling which is that many D1 college softball coaches will be very impressed if this player tears it up in field hockey. Maybe focus on camps instead of fall showcases? I don't know. I just really believe that an email to a coach with language like "I am very excited about attending your camp... I'm a 2018 grad. I play for DFP Platinum Elite Thunder... I also play field hockey and my high school team recently won the state tournament. I was captain of the team, the leading scorer, MVP and all conference. But softball is my favorite sport and..." I mean who wouldn't want to take a close look at THAT kid?

You got the point. However, they will only be impressed with her field hockey if she can hit a softball. If she can't hit, the field hockey is a moot point. The other sports are merely an interesting footnote, not something to hang your hat on.

Before the Jennie Finch fans start throwing out that she was a multi-sport athlete let's remember that Jennie retired before this kid started playing.