how far/long would you drive DD?

[Dave619]

Wish I could just fly into ATL it would be easier. But I meet up with DW who is catching the redeye back from Honolulu where she has been working for 3 weeks. She sleeps and I drive. Good news is that DD actually has 5 games, with the last being the Gamecocks. Hopefully she has her A game.

I plan to be at that game…Good luck to your DD! The gamecocks are improving each year on offense so they will be a quality opponent. The past several years they have brought in some really good players. This is a great venue to visit.

For the original question…I think we all see others do things that we think are crazy until we reflect on what we do ourselves. Think about the money we all spend. Each month I pay for pitching lessons, hitting lessons, gas, hotels, food, tournament fees, equipment needs, etc. Some people think I am crazy…I just know my DD loves the game. When I think about all of the life lessons she is learning it is all worth it. A scholarship would be a bonus.

 

[Jojo]

1 1/2 hour round trip was the most I've ever done.

There were kids on my DD's team that did almost 3 hour round trips that I thought was excessive.

 

[humpty]

Rise do they play uf this fall?

 

[SoAZDad]

Second year 12U in a fairly big organization (one 10U, one 12U, two 14U, two 16U, and one 18U team). Tournaments (2 each month) vary from 2- to 10-hour round trips, average maybe 3.5 hour round trip. Three practices per week, one northwest (20 minutes round trip), central (50 minutes round trip), and southeast (2 hours round trip).

 

[Amy in AZ.]

A 2 hour, one way trip, would not bother me. But, I am in Tucson and long drives are nothing out here. If DD wanted to play on a Phoenix team, we would go for it.

Now, in IL. people thought that 30 minutes was a long drive. Here, I have to pick my GDD up at preschool and it is a 30 minute drive.

 

[MNDad]

I've seen some very talented kids here get passed by because their parents believed "if they're good they'll get noticed". It just doesn't work that way when you live in an area not known for softball. It used to be the best kids from MN played for the Gophers, NDSU or DII. Recently club programs started playing nationally and with the exposure several girls have committed to programs around the country.

Playing in the top national tournaments against the best teams in the country led to several families here electing to play out of state. Not just a couple hours drive, they're flying hundreds of miles to get the exposure and/or training and competetion to prepare them to play in college. We stayed local, but strongly considered a few out of state programs and I can fully understand their decision.

 

[riseball]

Rise do they play uf this fall?

Yep. That will be interesting. Did not go very well in Gainesville last year, but she did better than Traina in the WCWS. I tease my DD that the one Lauren Hager hit is still being tracked by NASA. For a JUCO their schedule is insane with 20 games including Tennessee, Georgia Tech, University of South Alabama, South Carolina, FSU, and Florida. It is tough but you can't get that type of exposure in a showcase!

 

[riseball]

I've seen some very talented kids here get passed by because their parents believed "if they're good they'll get noticed". It just doesn't work that way when you live in an area not known for softball...

It also does not work that way when you live in an area known for softball. I am amazed at some of the kids who get rides and others who are passed over because they are invisible. I have had more than a few players come to us late in the process, we get them doing the right things and then coaches ask me where she has been hiding. The idea that you can go to Big Name College Showcase and get discovered is like the starlet going to Hollywood, working in a diner and becoming the next big movie star. Does it happen? Yes. People also win the lottery which may actually have better odds.

 

[MNDad]

It also does not work that way when you live in an area known for softball. I am amazed at some of the kids who get rides and others who are passed over because they are invisible. I have had more than a few players come to us late in the process, we get them doing the right things and then coaches ask me where she has been hiding. The idea that you can go to Big Name College Showcase and get discovered is like the starlet going to Hollywood, working in a diner and becoming the next big movie star. Does it happen? Yes. People also win the lottery which may actually have better odds.

I know of several girls that got "discovered" just by showing up, but I get your point that the odds aren't in their favor. Showcases and big name natinals are just part of the process and they also need to contact coaches, attend camps, market themselves etc. On the flip side, not attending big showcases or nationals makes it very difficult to get noticed.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Worst we did for two seasons was 2.25hrs one-way. Then we settled for 1.5hrs one way (all once a week).

It was no issue for me & DD. DD & I had great times together. DD & I knew we at least had to travel almost an hour to get into the range of a quality non-fly-by-night TB-A organizations. I liked to drive. It all clicked for us.