how to open mind assess your DD ability ?

riseball said:

Few things to consider:

What she did/does in High School is irrelevant since that is basically rec ball with an abundance of team spirit. 98.62% of all college coaches could care less about High School ball. The question is how does she do when compared to others her age who are seeking college scholarships? If you want to lose all credibility during the recruiting process crow about her accomplishments in High School.

Statistically speaking she will probably not play SS in college, where many of the players on the team were stud short stops back in the day. With the exception of pitchers and to a lesser degree catchers, most kids will play a different position in college. At 5-5 she is on the low end for SS. Expand her horizons and have her also learn to play on the green portion of the field.

She can most certainly play D1 as the size and funding of a program does not equate to high quality. If playing D1 is important to you for bragging rights back home while tipping some cold ones then I am sure you find a D1 program that will pay her to play ball. Suggest you focus on finding her the best program given her skills and look beyond D1, D2, etc. FWIW one of the smallest JUCOS in the nation is Chiploa College in Marianna FL. So far in the fall they have wins against Mississippi State, FSU, and a few other "D1" programs. They were beating LSU until the last inning and lost by one run. It is not the size of the dog in the fight it is the size of the fight in the dog. Find a program that absolutely loves your kid, not one where she is just part of the pack.

As [MENTION=5663]JAD[/MENTION] mentioned it is all about hitting. If she can hit that is what matters. Her abilities on defense are gravy. Even if she is a great SS in TB she will need to learn to play the position in college. If she can hit they will find a spot for her. If she can't it hit her abilities with her glove do not mean much. Biggest mistake you can make is developing her as a SS/3B. As I said earlier she better learn to play outfield since all things equal if she is competing with another player the kid who plays 5 positions wins every time over the one who only plays 2.

Finally understand that what she can do now is not as important as to how she projects as a player in the future. She can be all that an a bag of chips in TB but if a college coach does not see a player that can develop into a college player who can help their program in the future, they have no use for her.

One of the smartest things you can do is get her to straight up ask college coaches where they see her playing. Coaches talk to each other quite a bit. And if she is not top 10 material they may know of a program that is a perfect fit. I know of several kids who found out they were not SEC players and then found great homes in other programs through the help of coaches in their previous program.

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hacksaw said:

seriously. my older girl is a 15u playing on a 18u showcase team. on a team of same aged girls, she is usually the best or close to it , player on the team. including high school where she started as a freshman. she is currently playing 3rd base but is more normally a ss. we have been attending open camps . my kid is very athletic 5-5 and 120 or so pounds. most of the top 3rd basemen seem to be more the typical 1b/3b type than my kid. my DD has a good arm and is quite quick. she is actually a better SS than a 3b where she can be all over the field. but my question is, how does one actually evaluate ones own kid in comparison to other kids that maybe competing against her for scholie money? i don't really know how to phrase the question .

i will try. my DD is good. runs great, hits, whatever. she can play SS for most any , say 16u team and likely most high schools. can she play D1 college? or, is she better off staying at 3rd and trying to buck the stereo type ?

in camps she usually looks good. but so do a dozen other kids. where she stands out is in games. playing SS for her last years team, she generated lots of interest from coaches and parents and even umpires. amazing things happen when she is out there. but she got cut from that team as most of that squad moved up to 18u. she was also one of two top hitters. (they cut that other hitter as well whom was also the best outfielder) so now she is back at third base for her new team. what it boils down to , i am trying to make a realistic judgement as to how far my kid can go in softball. without prejudice. bias or whatever. i have another girl coming up in a couple of years as well and my family resources are limited.

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JAD said:

I would ask her coach for an honest assessment. College coaches recruit athletes who can hit. It really does not matter if she plays SS or 3B.

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YOCOACH said:

#6 DD chose the college for her major first, the campus second and the size last. The college's reputation for that major, which is in the top 10 in the country for that program, which is why she chose it and For her, playing SB was a bonus.

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bmakj said:

THIS X 10. choose the school, not the softball program or coach. college softball is 4 years of their life, their degree should be opening doors for them for the rest of their life.

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schwabach said:

My view of this has changed over time. If it had been the case that my daughter was good enough to play for a top softball school and had the desire to do so, I would have been supporting her 100% of the way. I think the factors (beside talent, of course) that make a a girl with talent into a great softball player are the same factors that make a personal successful in life. In the same way, I think a lot of people have come to realize that Harvard University doesn't produce great graduates from nothing. They start with the cream of the cream. If you can get into a top 20 university, you have already demonstrated attributes that will make you successful in life.

The only contrary thought I have is that reaching the end of a great college sports career must be quite an adjustment.

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hacksaw said:

my DD is now the starting 3rd basemen as a scholarship freshman on a D2 conference defending champs.

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