School ball/travel ball overlap

[Lenski]

Our middle school team was very good as well but it was good just on raw talent they werent coached very well school security guard was head coach.....DD made varsity as freshman also and her coach doesnt know squat about softball but she wants to play..... As far as college rosters showing high school they played at i believe this is a old school thing that just hasnt been updated by most colleges. If your honest with yourself ask yourself when is the last time you have seen a college player that played high school ball but not travel .....i cant think of one but ive heard of several that dont play high school ball and only play travel most noticably raven chavanne from UT. You never see college coaches at a high school game unless there checking up on a kid they have already verballed or signed

A couple of things:

Colleges list high schools because they are themselves a school and they believe it is important to represent your school. Of course they want TB players, but they also want players that can juggle both school and sport. That's why it's important to play HS ball for most kids.

Three college coaches have requested our HS schedule so they can come out and watch player(s). An eager college coach can get a look at a kid during the HS season and get a jump on potential recruits before TB starts, giving that coach a potential edge. If you're good at sniffing out talent, this is a very viable option.

I don't understand why a college coach would waste their time watching a kid that has already verballed or signed instead of looking for more talent to make their team better. What exactly is the purpose? Now, I firmly believe a verballed or signed student should try to support their future college team by attending games if at all possible. That shows the college coaches that you are truly committed to the school.

 

[CPSBDad]

We did this last year as a 7th grader. Practices didn't overlap. So, DD never felt stressed or burnt out.

This year we will see. She has track practice everyday until 5PM. Drive one hr to TB practice twice a week and practice from 6-8PM and drive one hr back home. Today will be the first day of this overlap, and the first day TB practice is outdoors. Her TB HC and AC's DD's also play for their MS's. So, it will be interesting to see how that plays out. TB HC also wants to add a Saturday practice before tournaments begin.

What will be more interesting is when they start games and track meets, and if they land on the same day as TB practice. If I sense and burn out of grades drop I will talk to her TB HC.

 

[CPSBDad]

We did this last year as a 7th grader. Practices didn't overlap. So, DD never felt stressed or burnt out.

This year we will see. She has track practice everyday until 5PM. Drive one hr to TB practice twice a week and practice from 6-8PM and drive one hr back home. Today will be the first day of this overlap, and the first day TB practice is outdoors. Her TB HC and AC's DD's also play for their MS's. So, it will be interesting to see how that plays out. TB HC also wants to add a Saturday practice before tournaments begin.

What will be more interesting is when they start games and track meets, and if they land on the same day as TB practice. If I sense and burn out of grades drop I will talk to her TB HC.

 

[coachtucc]

I have a mix of 7th, 8th and 9th graders on my travel... all 9th graders are on JV and are not required to come to March practice..all 7th and 8th graders are required. When April hits we have no weekday practices but in a league that runs on Sundays. All are required to come to Sunday games. If someoen has a tired/sore arm then I will make sure that they dont play on Sunday

 

[CoachChuck]

I coach 14U TB, and MS ball this year. For TB, all of our players are looking at playing softball in HS, and most are looking at playing in college. At 13, 14 and 15 I realize that could definitely change as the years go by.

My practice schedule for MS is Mon-Friday 2 hour practices. We don't practice on the weekends so the TB players can go to their practices, and soon to be tournaments. I also don't schedule any MS games for weekends so they are free for TB.

My practice schedule now for TB is, 2 to 4 days a week we have open practice during the week, 1 team practice on Sundays. Since 2/3's of my TB team play for their schools, 5 different ones, Sunday is the best option for them to be free. We also won't be starting any tournaments until the school season is over, again so we don't have overlaps. Our open practices are volunteer workouts. I told my players if they want extra work, more reps, work at a different position, etc, to come to the open practices when they can. Only the team practice is mandatory.

For TB we draft teams in August, practice and get in a couple of scrimmages through about mid October. Then shutdown totally for 6-8weeks, starting back up again around Thanksgiving. We have indoor workouts available 5 days a week through the winter months, 4 open workouts and 1 team practice. The girls can practice as much or as little as they want. I ask them not to be mad if someone out works them for a spot on the field though.

For the OP, it sounds like your TB coach is ok with DD missing during the week due to the schedule.

 

[oregonfp]

My DD has a similar schedule with her HS team and TB team. She skips the mid week practice but does participate in Sundays practice. The only rule's we have out here pertaining to TB & HS are the ones that the individual head coaches come up with. Our varsity coach says that if you make varsity you dont play in tournaments until school ball is done. It puts us in a bind when other varsity coaches dont mind the girls playing on TB teams on the weekend.

 

[CoachKevin]

My DD has a similar schedule with her HS team and TB team. She skips the mid week practice but does participate in Sundays practice. The only rule's we have out here pertaining to TB & HS are the ones that the individual head coaches come up with. Our varsity coach says that if you make varsity you dont play in tournaments until school ball is done. It puts us in a bind when other varsity coaches dont mind the girls playing on TB teams on the weekend.

A HC a few years ago wouldn't even let the kids practice with their TB Team while HS season was going on (This included ALL HS softball teams) I had a 2nd year 14U and all players were on JV.... couldn't even practice???

 

[MsDinosaur]

I'm now in a state where school ball takes place in the spring. ... I think school ball in fall is a better fit for travel because it allows TB teams to take a long and needed break in August and then have those players to themselves from winter through summer.

I agree with you. I think having softball be a fall HS sport works well. The fall tb season is not terribly serious; far better to lose it to school ball and then be able to fully concentrate on tb from winter through to the end of summer.

However, DD is not yet to high school age, perhaps spring HS ball has merits of which I'm not aware.

 

[oregonfp]

A HC a few years ago wouldn't even let the kids practice with their TB Team while HS season was going on (This included ALL HS softball teams) I had a 2nd year 14U and all players were on JV.... couldn't even practice???

Personally I wouldn't mind that as long as it was state wide rule. What makes it unfair to schools, TB teams, and players is when there is no rule in place.

 

[David Carter]

I would think school ball would be a priority while the season is being played since it is so short any way. I would also think no MS or JV coach should have heartburn with additional practices or weekend tournaments because of travel ball.

I can however understand a High School varsity coach not wanting his season derailed by something that happens during travel ball and would appreciate his not wanting his girls doing anything besides HS softball during the season.