There's a School for Everyone

[Greenmonsters]

As many have noted, there is a large world of "college softball" outside of D1. For some players DII, DIII, NAIA, JUCO softball may be the perfect fit for reasons not just related to ability.

Along those lines, below is a link to an ESPN article about a pitcher who has proven that there is a now road, albeit rarely traveled, from DIII to the NFPA. For those that don't follow DIII, 2015 was highlighted by Tufts University capping a 51-0 season with its third consecutive NCAA championship. The article provides some insight why DIII was the right option for the young woman who led Tufts' remarkable run.

NPF's Improbable Rookie Allyson Fournier Wins The Summer




PS Not quite worthy of a brag thread post, but I can proudly say my DD is a perfect 0-0 with a BB against her (while conveniently neglecting to mention that was several years ago in a meaningless TB pool game)

 

[CoogansBluff]

I became aware of Fournier through my daughter looking at some D-III schools. It appears she pitched well in the NPF. Just looked up her stats. Only 30 innings, but opponents hit .254 against her. I wonder if playing D-III for 4 years hampered her development. Obviously not too much. But in travel ball, people stress playing vs. the best hitters possible. I wonder if that's as important as people think. Of course, a college pitcher like Fournier is mature enough to know how focused she must be every time out, so she's not as likely to get complacent or sloppy as would a 12-year-old who's mowing down hitters.

 

[riseball]

This is dead on. Everyone needs to find their own path. My own DD just finished a pretty good JUCO career and will now pitch in the SEC. From there she hopes to play in Japan.

Softball Newcomer is Driven for Success by Making Adjustments University of South Carolina

 

[Cannonball]

Great read! Can't wait for the season to begin.

 

[riseball]

Great read! Can't wait for the season to begin.

Your daughter BB seems to be another great example of a path less traveled. I am sure that she could have played for many a D1 but chose a highly competitive DII program that worked very well for her both athletically and academically. Sounds like she is excelling in every aspect of her journey.

 

[rdbass]

There's a School for Everyone

Can't tell you how many times I've heard this while DD was searching for 'that' school.

 

[Cannonball]

Really, that school is out there but it is hard to find due to so many variables. While the coaching staff is important, it can't be counted on as so many coaches change schools. You have to make sure that the academics are the right fit and that the major your dd wants is offered. A couple of BB's teammates are going back to school now to get degrees that they really want. What does the roster look like and does you dd fit in? Will she play and is that important to her? Cost can't be overlooked. I just can't imagine the payments some softball players will be making to pay off their college educations long after they graduate. What does the housing look like? How about the expense of living in any given area? How about the other costs like the drive home? Don't over look the makeup of the team itself with regards to the players themselves. This is important and so, many in the softball world know this. Yes, that school is out there and good luck finding it.