I recently had an incoming high school freshman mention that she has to make our Varsity squad or she'll not play high school softball. She feels (parents feel) that making the Jr. Varsity squad will hurt her chances to become recruited. I've haven't actually seen the potential athlete play so I have no idea about her skills. This has to be one of the craziest things I've heard. Thought I'd throw that out there to hear your thoughts.
JV Softball
- Thread starter MarkB
- Start date
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Wait until tryouts, it is very possible she is a stud.
Wait until tryouts, it is very possible she is a dud.
Wait until tryouts, it is very possible she is a dud.
For one thing, the parents are dead wrong. They are under the impression that the college coaches care about HS ball. My DD was on the cusp as a Freshman. She ended up playing JV and I think that she pitched every inning. If the parents are going to be a PITA, it is better that you find out now.
I think the parents answered the PITA question on first contact.
Unfortunately, as far as school ball goes, you have her at one point or another
in the next 4 years. Parents need to understand, she is better off
playing a lot in JV rather than sit on varsity. If JV is where her skill set takes her,
then they will have to understand
Unfortunately, as far as school ball goes, you have her at one point or another
in the next 4 years. Parents need to understand, she is better off
playing a lot in JV rather than sit on varsity. If JV is where her skill set takes her,
then they will have to understand
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It won't matter. I have a sophomore on my team. She was my #1 pitcher this past year. She was 4-1 at nationals, 16U.
She was on the freshman team last year. Her coach wouldn't put her on varsity, because she wasn't playing on his summer team.
college's saw her play at Nationals, she is getting numerous emails to attend camps. She has sent them her skills video, they are very interested.
As was said earlier, college coaches don't care about High School
She was on the freshman team last year. Her coach wouldn't put her on varsity, because she wasn't playing on his summer team.
college's saw her play at Nationals, she is getting numerous emails to attend camps. She has sent them her skills video, they are very interested.
As was said earlier, college coaches don't care about High School
- Jun 16, 2010
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Its not totally useless. Many times the best players ARE 4 yr varsity letter winners, and are making all-state by their sophomore year. The 3 or 4 yr long list of all-district, all-metro, all-state, awards catches the eye of college coaches scanning profiles. It says "look at me" .
Look at the rosters of a few colleges, many girls played varsity 4 years.
A player that has the talent to play college, probably SHOULD play varsity all 4 yrs. Some schools dont do that though. I know of one freshman player that played varsity where no other freshman ever did. She was a very good player, but the juniors and seniors and their parents were downright nasty to her (even though she was better than most of them)
I dont think it hurts chances to get recruited, it just doesnt help. There is a difference.
Look at the rosters of a few colleges, many girls played varsity 4 years.
A player that has the talent to play college, probably SHOULD play varsity all 4 yrs. Some schools dont do that though. I know of one freshman player that played varsity where no other freshman ever did. She was a very good player, but the juniors and seniors and their parents were downright nasty to her (even though she was better than most of them)
I dont think it hurts chances to get recruited, it just doesnt help. There is a difference.
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I'm not sure I understand the player's/parents' thought process here. If she does not make Varsity, she will sit out from the HS team, correct? How does that help her? Is she planning to transfer to a private school where she will have a chance to play Varsity? She can't move and transfer to another public school and play right away - she would have to sit out a year wouldn't she? If she does not transfer, is she planning to only play TB through HS? If she is on a good TB team, how does playing on a HS JV team in 9th grade hurt her? I agree with Coach JV, wait for tryouts.
- Jun 22, 2008
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Hope she likes field hockey or volleyball 
MarkB, parents are crazy and softball parents are double crazy. What she thinks or what her parents think doesn't matter. You select the HS varsity team based upon the skill level of the kids.
- Apr 1, 2010
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I wouldn't think it would matter at all to a college coach whether my daughter played JV versus Varsity her freshman year. I had always assumed it was a given that she would play for her high school, at whatever level, if she continued to play softball into her high school years. However, now that I've been reading this site for a while, I'm not so sure. Those parents may be making the right decision, albeit for the wrong reason.
I’m talking about two specific issues I’ve read about. The first is high school coaches making players change their techniques. Isn’t this even more likely to occur at the JV level? My daughter has a team coach, a hitting instructor and a catching instructor. I wouldn’t want someone coming along in three years and forcing her to alter what she’s been taught.
The second issue involves the other girls she would be playing with. My daughter’s throws scare me *now* and sting my and my husband’s hands when we catch them in our palms rather than the webbing. Based on what she’s seen in her first fall in 12U, she’s also made the decision to give up a little in making contact and concentrate on hitting for power. She’s been hitting the ball hard. She doesn’t have nearly her full growth yet--she’s only about 4’11’’ and 105. What are her throws and her hits going to be like in another three years? It’s not like she’s the next Bustos; she’s just an ordinary TB player, but I’m still not sure that JV will be a good fit for her in 3 years if she continues to practice and work hard from now till then. I don't want her skills to fall off and I don't want her to hurt anyone.
I’m talking about two specific issues I’ve read about. The first is high school coaches making players change their techniques. Isn’t this even more likely to occur at the JV level? My daughter has a team coach, a hitting instructor and a catching instructor. I wouldn’t want someone coming along in three years and forcing her to alter what she’s been taught.
The second issue involves the other girls she would be playing with. My daughter’s throws scare me *now* and sting my and my husband’s hands when we catch them in our palms rather than the webbing. Based on what she’s seen in her first fall in 12U, she’s also made the decision to give up a little in making contact and concentrate on hitting for power. She’s been hitting the ball hard. She doesn’t have nearly her full growth yet--she’s only about 4’11’’ and 105. What are her throws and her hits going to be like in another three years? It’s not like she’s the next Bustos; she’s just an ordinary TB player, but I’m still not sure that JV will be a good fit for her in 3 years if she continues to practice and work hard from now till then. I don't want her skills to fall off and I don't want her to hurt anyone.
