So what is college softball like for the student-athlete?

[BaldNBeautiful]

Some of the Highlights of DD1's NAIA Softball experience:
1. Off season conditioning (6 am)
2. Mandatory Study Hall (off season) and had to miss numerous Honor's Program Events which resulted in losing some of her HP Money.
3. When Season practice started in January, two hours daily of catching during Pitcher's practice, then two plus hours of regular practice.
4. Practices that routinely ran late and team could not get to Cafeteria before it closed. This made the meal plan we purchased a waste of money, plus she had to buy more meals with cash.
5. Coaches that do not email faculty about schedule changes and resulting class participation grades (had to go to Asst AD to get that corrected).
6. Politics do not end with HS ball....double standards for off-field behavior
7. Coaches refusing to heed Trainer's advice.
8. Running two miles in catching gear
9. Made friendships that will last a lifetime.
10. Learned that if the coach that recruited and signed you leaves, you should consider doing the same.
11. Left with a greater appreciation for her HS, MS and TB, and Rec coaches.
12. Knee and shoulder issues, but her integrity and self-respect are still intact.

Not trying to be negative, but keep in mind that college players, coaches, and administrators are human beings.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I think it is very good that your DD is getting these comments at this point in her career. Her number one goal, now, needs to be to get the best HS education that she can and earn all A's. Then, future coaches, have one less thing to worry about.

BaldandBeautiful, Did your daughter tell you of any injections or pain killers being used? That is a major complaint that I hear about.

 

[Pdiddy]

I was a scholarship athlete and my DD, who will be a Junior this year in HS, is a committed athlete....and all the information in previous posts are pretty accurrate.....except I never had to miss any meals, and if we missed the training table, coaches would start handing out cash....we were always well fed, but I can understand that some programs don't have the fiancial resources to shell out meal money all the time. As for injections or pain killers being used....unfortunately, we did a lot of that and I'm sure that still goes on today....local novacaine and B12 shots were pretty common back then.

But, the positives listed are very accurrate, friendships for life for some....and being a scholarship athlete beats working at the student union mopping floors and/or shleppin burgers at the food court anyday of the week.....yes, it was a job, but I loved everyday of it....as I had done hard back breaking work as a young man already, and baseball practice and school seemed like Club Med to me....and so what you had some coaches up in your business some times....it was better than having your parents up in your business all of the time for sure....we had a lot of fun and something I'm still proud of to this very day....

 

[dropball1]

Missing meals (from a meal plan) will depend on the school's cafeteria and/or food court hours, but from DD's experience and other players she talks to that went to play elsewhere, it's a factor.

 

[GI Tom]

For reference, my DD is getting ready to be a JR in a 4,000 student NAIA school in the NE (PA). From what I've gathered so far, her experience playing softball and some of the "unexpected's" are as follows:

1. Fall is the time to take the extra class and heavier load. She did this backwards her FR year and won't ever do it again.
2. She rooms with girls on the team, and she loves it. They make sure they are all on time and at the same place. (This aspect seems to vary by girl from hearing from others) In our case, they have all become great friends. They are rooming together again this year for their 3rd year in a row. They do have their off days and they generate their own space as necessary. Lots of things to do in college.
3. Travel in the Spring is a bear and you must adapt to doing your schoolwork on the road in the bus. They typically play DH's on Wednesdays and Saturdays and sometimes Sunday's. DD had a 50+ game schedule last year.
4. We stopped her meal plan after her Freshman year, at her request. No need for it. We got her a FLEX plan to use in the cafeteria that works much better. Most schools seem to offer this option from what I've seen.
5. If your DD is far away or not as accessible, like mine, (TX to PA), make sure she has 2 of everything softball the program may not provide. If something wears out/breaks, you can't replace it fast enough during the season. I make sure over the summer she has duplicates of everything she needs. She's a C, so some of it is expensive, but has proven well worth it on more than one occasion now.
6. Regarding distance or accessability, check ahead of time to see if the school provides any type of media coverage that you can listen to/watch during the regular season. I get to see very few games in person every year (spring training in FL mostly) and I watch/listen to the rest over the internet. I yell at the computer screen often, but I don't think she can hear me.

Hope some of the above was helpful to anyone. Good luck to all!

 

[sluggers]

Playing college ball, whether D1, D2, D3 or NAIA is a lot of work. My DD#1 played JuCo for a good softball program and the schedule was the same schedule as she had when she played D1.

In addition, remember that practice is physically demanding. A player will be physically and mentally exhausted at the end of practice. It might take her two hours to "get her mind right" so she can study.

 

[Coachmom]

Some of the Highlights of DD1's NAIA Softball experience:
1. Off season conditioning (6 am)
2. Mandatory Study Hall (off season) and had to miss numerous Honor's Program Events which resulted in losing some of her HP Money.
3. When Season practice started in January, two hours daily of catching during Pitcher's practice, then two plus hours of regular practice.
4. Practices that routinely ran late and team could not get to Cafeteria before it closed. This made the meal plan we purchased a waste of money, plus she had to buy more meals with cash.
5. Coaches that do not email faculty about schedule changes and resulting class participation grades (had to go to Asst AD to get that corrected).
6. Politics do not end with HS ball....double standards for off-field behavior
7. Coaches refusing to heed Trainer's advice.
8. Running two miles in catching gear
9. Made friendships that will last a lifetime.
10. Learned that if the coach that recruited and signed you leaves, you should consider doing the same.
11. Left with a greater appreciation for her HS, MS and TB, and Rec coaches.
12. Knee and shoulder issues, but her integrity and self-respect are still intact.

Not trying to be negative, but keep in mind that college players, coaches, and administrators are human beings.

All true statements especially #10
We learned this the hard way at the end of the season.
The majority of her team (including herself) had their scholarship money drastically CUT at the end of this season and many have walked away completely. 9 new recruits coming in.

 

[BaldNBeautiful]

BaldandBeautiful, Did your daughter tell you of any injections or pain killers being used? That is a major complaint that I hear about.

Just Cortizone, and only once.

 

[BaldNBeautiful]

Reading through this I thought that maybe I dwelt too much on the negatives.
The Coach that recruited her was honest and upfront with her that she may not be the coach the next year. She had been very successful at this school, but left for greener pastures. So we should have thought that part through a little better.
Unfortunately the Coach that came in was very different in how she ran the program (some positive, some not as much so) than the previous coach......but I wont go there because I am not qualified.
DD1 is glad she did it, and her only wish is that she had (listened to her mother and I) and started investigating schools a little earlier.

 

[absdad]

Someone mentioned buying two of everything... Where is cutoff in school purchased equipment? I know alot of D1's have sponsorship deals with big equipment companies... where does that stop? D2, D3, NAIA? Do they get whatever they want (gloves, bats, etc). Was always curious how that worked.