High School Softball

[Grogger31]

I've coached HS for 30+ years. I have never had a player miss for spring break. It is a given that we will play games and practice. It has been a given that you make all practices and games. I guess when we say things are different other places, they are vastly different.

We only have 13 softball players this year (that's not just Varsity ... 13 total!). Three of them are missing 4 games over spring break.

In the past, coach has always enforced the "miss one, sit one" rule adamantly. Will be interesting to see if he caves this year.

 

[BobInMadison]

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[Cannonball]

We only have 13 softball players this year (that's not just Varsity ... 13 total!). Three of them are missing 4 games over spring break.

In the past, coach has always enforced the "miss one, sit one" rule adamantly. Will be interesting to see if he caves this year.

Wow! It is a good thing that I am not the coach. My dad is in real bad shape. He won't survive this year. I took off to take him to the hospital since my sister and brother are having a hard time with this. When I showed up, my dad went off and asked me what I was doing since I am in season. I told him I only have one dad and I'm going to take care of him. He yelled back I have 22 girls who are counting on me. That is the type of family I have.

 

[BT3100]

DD is only 13.. so she plays middle school ball. 8th grade. I picked her up from practice today and arrived 15 minutes early. She was in the circle and although I was quite a distance away I could see her pitching. First pitch, swing and miss but it hit the catcher right in the face mask. Ball hits the ground.. So does catcher.. I was freaking out... She gets up and sets up again.. WTH.. DD throws another FB and same thing.. At this point I am about to get out of the car but coach set up and tossed side toss for that kid.. Next kid first pitch down the river plunks catcher in the chest guard. Practice over.
I asked DD what happened.. She said "I feel bad cause she is trying".. Oh and my DD is not firing 65.. she's around 56-58..
Not fair to the catcher, hitter or pitcher...

 

[reagansdaddy]

Wow! It is a good thing that I am not the coach. My dad is in real bad shape. He won't survive this year. I took off to take him to the hospital since my sister and brother are having a hard time with this. When I showed up, my dad went off and asked me what I was doing since I am in season. I told him I only have one dad and I'm going to take care of him. He yelled back I have 22 girls who are counting on me. That is the type of family I have.

Darrell - Prayers to you and your family in what must be a tremendously difficult time. I can imagine having a very similar conversation with my Dad.

 

[GXsDad]

DD is waiting, not so patiently, for her HS career to get started.

Last year, while in the 7th grade, she set herself the goal to make the JV team. Here in NY, before a middle school player can tryout for the HS team they have to complete a screening process, the hardest part of which is a fitness test. They must pass 4 out of 5 elements of the old Presidential Fitness Test. After her volleyball season ended last fall, we joined a gym. DD worked out hard all winter, put on some muscle and got a little stronger.

She also worked hard in the cage. DD seems to have developed a new sense of self awareness at the plate. She is developing the ability to self diagnose her swing. Its been pretty interesting to watch. During front screen, she has been putting together long strings of well struck balls and her exit velocity is up a little from last summer. So, its been a good stretch of dedicated work on her game. She passed the fitness test and made the JV team.

The trouble is she hasn't played a game since Columbus Day. A ball player needs to play ball. She has had three games and scrimmages cancelled or postponed and it looks like the fourth one will be Friday. Next week is spring break, no games. DD is starting to go absolutely NUTS and she is taking the rest of us with her.

 

[Grogger31]

Here's a question for everyone ...

High school junior makes JV for the third year in a row. The head coach takes her freshman sister on varsity. FYI, this just happened in a town near me.

Would the HS coach in your town do that?

(There is ZERO chance DD's high school coach would do that. He would either take them both on Varsity or put both of them on JV.)

 

[parrot]

DD is only 13.. so she plays middle school ball. 8th grade. I picked her up from practice today and arrived 15 minutes early. She was in the circle and although I was quite a distance away I could see her pitching. First pitch, swing and miss but it hit the catcher right in the face mask. Ball hits the ground.. So does catcher.. I was freaking out... She gets up and sets up again.. WTH.. DD throws another FB and same thing.. At this point I am about to get out of the car but coach set up and tossed side toss for that kid.. Next kid first pitch down the river plunks catcher in the chest guard. Practice over.
I asked DD what happened.. She said "I feel bad cause she is trying".. Oh and my DD is not firing 65.. she's around 56-58..
Not fair to the catcher, hitter or pitcher...

What would you have the coach do if that's the best catcher he has? Not let your daughter pitch?

 

[FP26]

We should have an interesting season this year. There was a great deal of drama surrounding the program last year, mostly from what I will call senior-itis. Those players are now gone, leaving 3 returning starters who also happen to be the only 3 girls on the roster that play travel ball. On the other hand, our numbers continue to grow as we currently have 20 girls on the team (that's a new record for our school by the way). 11 of them are freshman and only 1 senior. With the overall lack of experience, we really don't have any high expectations for this season. However, the attitude has been great and I am excited to see how they grow this year. The head coach is doing an excellent job building this program, but it will take some time.

Unfortunately we have been off to a rough start, having our first 6 scheduled games postponed due to weather and/or field conditions. We are hoping to have our season opener today, 10 days late... DD is coming back as the incumbent starter in the circle after wrestling that role away from one of the seniors half way through last season. She has been voted a team captain, and I am anxious to see how she handles her new role. Hopefully the rain holds off...

 

[BobInMadison]

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