She has to want it...

[elamber22]

We were at the ASU vs. UL-Laf softball games last week and my daughter looked at me during the game and said "I wanna be here." (Wanting to play for ASU). We all know what a talent one has to be to play at D1 level. So it brought about some good dialogue...that she initiated.

A few months ago my daughter was struggling with what she wanted to do. We were discussing club ball options vs. Little League. After a fun/exciting spring/summer of 2011, and terrific fall-ball Little League seasons, I found my daughter a little overwhelmed with the notion of moving on to club ball. We basically backed off...after all, she wasn't even 12 yet. SHE decided to just play LL this spring season and pitch as a pick-up player for club tournaments. After the first 2 weeks of LL practices, SHE came to me and said it was boring & that she wanted to play club.

We finished a painful LL season & have now joined a club ball team full time. She is thrilled that she has a defense behind her. She feels a better connection to these girls. She strives to do her best and wants to help the team in every way possible.

Back to my first paragraph. She is still only barely 12. I'm sure there is an ebb and flow of emotions forthcoming. Good times and bad. I'm glad I didn't force her into something she felt she wasn't ready for. We need to remember these girls are just kids. I share this because I struggled with this last winter. I see a super-talented pitcher who can hit. I see future scholarships pouring in. However, she has to want it. Hearing her say she wants to be here (at ASU), made me smile. It gave me chance to tell her how much work is required to play at that level. She said she is up to the challenge...and we shall see.

Just wanted to share.

 

[quincy]

Kind of the same thing.

DD, grandfather and me will go to our sports complex and practice by ourselves. By ourselves I mean we are the only people within a mile of the fields.

We sometimes go to other fields and have had people just sit down and watch DD practice, some have asked if they could join us, some have run home and get their DD. No idea were other Players are practicing, or if they are.

Then we go to a professional sports complex and there are always a lot of players working their a** off. Not for DD but they are really working hard, no non-sense. I cringe at the amount of effort some players put into the game. I would assume that is what it takes to get into ASU.

 

[CPSBDad]

The emphasis is on she. My dd has expressed playing softball post HS and she is 12 too--soon to be 13. I don't know where some of this stuff will lead. We also have our own practices. DD my son and I. I see her working harder, suggesting what she'd like to work on, and giving me feedback on how she is doing. Huge difference from last year this time. This is a huge relief to me because like I wrote in a similar post, she is a hard kid to read.