Politics seems to always be brought up around high school ball. Is it really that big of a problem? In my experience, most coaches even at the high school want to win. Most aren't playing less talented players because they like the kid's parents.
In defense of HS ball
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Politics seems to always be brought up around high school ball. Is it really that big of a problem? In my experience, most coaches even at the high school want to win. Most aren't playing less talented players because they like the kid's parents.
- Feb 7, 2013
- 3,188
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Whether or not HS ball is a good experience or should or should not be played depends on the particular school program, coaches (experience/philosophy), and the talent and attitude of the players. I don't think you can make a blanket statement that school ball is a bad thing or not. My DD is a freshman and one of the things she likes about HS ball is she gets to practice in the fall with both the JV/V players who run from ages 14 - 18 YO. Some of these players she has played with before in rec leagues and/or travel ball, but most are new teammates. They will not decide who makes JV or V until January but she knows that if she makes V, it won't be because of her pitching (her primary position but a junior high D1 commit is ahead of her) and will instead have to rely on her batting and outfield play to earn a spot on the team. This is a new focus and challenge for her, and will ultimately make her a better. well rounded player. The HS coaches are decent and the program is improving each year. Most of the players are playing on TB teams, but none of her current TB team. I think she looks at HS ball as a fun and different experience where a lot of the pressure of playing well is not on her, like it is for TB with being #1 pitcher, attending showcases, camps, tournaments, out of town travel, private lessons, etc.
I've posted this story on several other threads but I'll never post it enough on high school-related threads, especially those critical of the high school experience.
I worked with a Big Ten program in an administrative role and started coaching at a private high school (about 650 kids) in a suburban area of a large city. We had 2-3 travel kids in the program, and that was B-level travel at best. The first team I coached had a very small roster (12) and no lower level programs. I tried to get girls to play all winter long but I couldn't sell water in the Sahara so we had five fewer girls on the first day of practice than we did at our first introductory meeting. By year two we had thirty-plus kids but the lower level team was an incredible struggle because we really only had two serviceable pitchers in the entire program.
My third year coaching we had an A-level travel player enter school as a freshman. She went on to play for one of the best known travel programs in the country the next year and now plays DI softball.
As a coach, I was thrilled. I never understand high school coaches who don't want their kids to play travel ball. Regardless, while being excited, I was also very anxious about it. At the point she entered the program we still had more than half of the roster who didn't play travel ball at all. She'd literally play with girls who are now playing at Michigan and Oregon, and then during the school season play with girls who at the very first practice of the year didn't know what hand the glove went on, let alone how to hit or throw.
This player could have really been a problem if she thought she was better than everyone else and didn't invest in her teammates. Instead, she did everything possible to lead. It was remarkable how much this one girl, even as a freshman, changed our program in one year and how little it had to do with her vast abilities.
The other girls learned how to practice, how to compete, how to dress, how to act. I had attempted to teach all of those things but until they could actually see it at practice every day it really didn't resonate. We still weren't very good but we did get better and on the days when the ball didn't find our non-travel players we could be very competitive.
This isn't to say that this young lady wouldn't get frustrated. She did get frustrated but it was never in a way that disparaged her teammates or herself. Instead, she encouraged, she taught, and she made everyone around her better, including me. She had been coached by coaches far better than I and I was able to bounce ideas off of her and she really became a coach on the field, while doing it in an understated manner.
For the person who said "my daughter is playing right field and is a travel pitcher so she can't get anything out of high school ball," that's disappointing to hear. Your daughter has the opportunity to bring her gifts and abilities to practice every day and make those around her better. I've seen first hand what a transformative impact that can be for an entire program.
I worked with a Big Ten program in an administrative role and started coaching at a private high school (about 650 kids) in a suburban area of a large city. We had 2-3 travel kids in the program, and that was B-level travel at best. The first team I coached had a very small roster (12) and no lower level programs. I tried to get girls to play all winter long but I couldn't sell water in the Sahara so we had five fewer girls on the first day of practice than we did at our first introductory meeting. By year two we had thirty-plus kids but the lower level team was an incredible struggle because we really only had two serviceable pitchers in the entire program.
My third year coaching we had an A-level travel player enter school as a freshman. She went on to play for one of the best known travel programs in the country the next year and now plays DI softball.
As a coach, I was thrilled. I never understand high school coaches who don't want their kids to play travel ball. Regardless, while being excited, I was also very anxious about it. At the point she entered the program we still had more than half of the roster who didn't play travel ball at all. She'd literally play with girls who are now playing at Michigan and Oregon, and then during the school season play with girls who at the very first practice of the year didn't know what hand the glove went on, let alone how to hit or throw.
This player could have really been a problem if she thought she was better than everyone else and didn't invest in her teammates. Instead, she did everything possible to lead. It was remarkable how much this one girl, even as a freshman, changed our program in one year and how little it had to do with her vast abilities.
The other girls learned how to practice, how to compete, how to dress, how to act. I had attempted to teach all of those things but until they could actually see it at practice every day it really didn't resonate. We still weren't very good but we did get better and on the days when the ball didn't find our non-travel players we could be very competitive.
This isn't to say that this young lady wouldn't get frustrated. She did get frustrated but it was never in a way that disparaged her teammates or herself. Instead, she encouraged, she taught, and she made everyone around her better, including me. She had been coached by coaches far better than I and I was able to bounce ideas off of her and she really became a coach on the field, while doing it in an understated manner.
For the person who said "my daughter is playing right field and is a travel pitcher so she can't get anything out of high school ball," that's disappointing to hear. Your daughter has the opportunity to bring her gifts and abilities to practice every day and make those around her better. I've seen first hand what a transformative impact that can be for an entire program.
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Travel ball is what softball can do for you.
High school ball is what you can do for softball, your team and your school.
I'm not saying that every kid has an obligation to play, and I admit that there are too many HS programs that don't have the coaches, players, resources, to make all that work in its ideal form.
But I absolutely think that many, many TB players and their families can't get the concept of softball beyond what's in it for me.
One example on the local team. We have 1 pitcher who wants to pitch. She's decent. We have 2 others who are more talented and experienced but no longer pitch in travel and don't want to do it. Why? I don't like it. I'm not a pitcher. I just want to hit and play 3B. That's not my position in college. It never occurs to them or their parents that the purpose here is to be the best team we can and make whatever sacrifices are necessary to make that happen. They've been trained in travel ball to be selfish. You want to play SS? Let's find a team where you can play SS. That's all fine in TB. They don't get HS ball.
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Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
IMO, TB-tested ability with HS team attitude is what college coaches want.
Good points about school ball. I give dd option to play or not. Some things override negatives of school ball. Some dont. If I promote HE or bug squishing on here I wiLL get blasted and rightly so as many have proven that isn't high level ball. If she goes to HS and that's what HS coach insists HE/Squish/DBSF etc then that can be detrimental to the positives of scool ball. If DD doesn't know better than ignorance is bliss. If she does than its a miserable 2 months
- Jul 5, 2016
- 661
- 63
Very nicely stated. My daughter wants to play club ball where the players are more skilled and motivated. At the same time, she needs to enjoy HS ball where there is a mix of motivations. And she needs to learn to accept the mistakes of others and admit when she messes up.
DD and us have no choice, I guess we could move.
I think our HS coaches are good, I think most of them are.
I think our HS coaches are good, I think most of them are.
Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
- 4,882
- 113
When anyone walks into my HS, they will walk past a trophy case. Actually, several of them and one is for softball. There are several All State players pictures and stats in that case. There are trophies as well. I should be kicked in the butt because we have not submitted BB's Pic and "stuff." However, when we do, she will take her place for all time in that case. She is one of only a couple that made 1st Team. She has several balls in there as well for perfect games and no hitters. However, her number pales in comparison to one other pitcher that has about a dozen balls in there. We have a scrap book from newspaper articles from when she played. It is nice to reminisce. What is neater, and I know we are different since we live in small town USA, the local newspaper also sends pictures of players and teams so, we get all of those for each player's scrapbook. Add those to the parent's collections and you have so many memories. Take a look at the walls. Regional, Sectional and State Championship series are displayed arranged in a running display by years. BB's team won 3 Regional Championships. Conference Championships are displayed on banners in the gym. Then, after a few years, many schools have their "Hall of Fame."
The bigger newspapers like the St. Louis Post Dispatch have "Athlete of the Week," Your child can earn one of those if she has an outstanding week:
Brianna Butler
Those accolades help tremendously in the recruiting process if a college coach has had limited exposure to your child. Yes, I know that results various throughout the U.S. Those accolades also get listed in many college bios.
TB and HS are different as the article points out. For any of you who don't like HS, please remove your child or don't let them tryout. You'll be a lot happier and most of you already believe that your child does not need it. That will open a spot for those players and parents who want their child exposed to the benefits of HS ball.
The bigger newspapers like the St. Louis Post Dispatch have "Athlete of the Week," Your child can earn one of those if she has an outstanding week:
Brianna Butler
Those accolades help tremendously in the recruiting process if a college coach has had limited exposure to your child. Yes, I know that results various throughout the U.S. Those accolades also get listed in many college bios.
TB and HS are different as the article points out. For any of you who don't like HS, please remove your child or don't let them tryout. You'll be a lot happier and most of you already believe that your child does not need it. That will open a spot for those players and parents who want their child exposed to the benefits of HS ball.
My DD is just starting her HS journey.
So far we are lucky - her HS coach is active in our rec and travel ball programs. The Varsity and JV players are required to help run the softball rec tryouts and they also run a big skills clinic for the league and have from years. The coach is also my DD's hitting coach (and is very good) and she has both attended and volunteered at the camp the coach runs (which is targeted at the 12U and under age groups). So coaching is good, school support is good, facilities are in-line with other programs. Coach has even helped actively in getting many of the players recruited which is rare - while they aren't involved directly in travel ball, they have good contacts and are willing to use them.
In 8U these HS girls were the first 'older' players she knew and she followed them through their HS careers and for many of them in college. For her and many of her teammates, playing for the local HS is something they have aimed for. Now she is there, I hope it lives up to what she hopes it will be for her.
So far so good. We will see.
So far we are lucky - her HS coach is active in our rec and travel ball programs. The Varsity and JV players are required to help run the softball rec tryouts and they also run a big skills clinic for the league and have from years. The coach is also my DD's hitting coach (and is very good) and she has both attended and volunteered at the camp the coach runs (which is targeted at the 12U and under age groups). So coaching is good, school support is good, facilities are in-line with other programs. Coach has even helped actively in getting many of the players recruited which is rare - while they aren't involved directly in travel ball, they have good contacts and are willing to use them.
In 8U these HS girls were the first 'older' players she knew and she followed them through their HS careers and for many of them in college. For her and many of her teammates, playing for the local HS is something they have aimed for. Now she is there, I hope it lives up to what she hopes it will be for her.
So far so good. We will see.
