Things you would do different for your daughter if you could go back in time.

Enjoy the process from day 1 and every step along the way and not focus on the end goal.
Take advantage of every learning opportunity, good or bad, in preparation for life after softball

I was watching my young boys play this past weekend. It was 10u. the joy they had in playing, there was no pressure and how to carry that joy all the way through. I really did enjoy that day because my boys (girls too) love to play, work really hard and i could just sit back and enjoy watching them succeed in something they love.

It's interesting to see so many saying they wish they'd have started travel earlier. I thought maybe it would go the other way. I see people say negative things about travel at 8U and even 10U all the time. Mine started travel in 2nd year 8U, and I have definitely never regretted it.

We've been pretty lucky. Started travel at 8U after DD starred in the all star game at 7. Started pitching at end of 8U, and then started Tincher pitching instruction at 9. Not sure we would have done anything different as it's been great. But I wish someone would have told me that being a pitcher is like two players in one. One a softball player, the other a pitcher. Much more time, money, practice, dedication, and commitment is needed (IMO) since it is a more specialized position. We feel DD never should miss a game since she is the #1 pitcher even to the point of going to a wake late since there was a tournament that day whereas others miss due to family gatherings. (It's easier to find a replacement left fielder)

The biggest thing would be leaving big name organization for the team she is currently with a year earlier than we did. That year was a waste of time, poor coaching, players who were not dedicated to playing, a bit of daddy ball etc. We had talked about making the jump but she didn’t want to leave a few close friends. The following year 5 of them made the jump and it’s been great for all of them.
Also I would have pulled her from the first year 12u team mid season when the coach told her she better learn how to bunt really well because she was never going to hit it out of the infield. Picking up the pieces of her confidence after that was not fun. But we played his DD’s team in sectional playoffs this year and she hit a double and a stand up triple, I hit my tongue and didn’t say anything.

murphdog said:

Also I would have pulled her from the first year 12u team mid season when the coach told her she better learn how to bunt really well because she was never going to hit it out of the infield.

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It takes a special kind of idiot to say that to a 11/12 year old girl regardless of whether he believed it to be true or not.

I probably would have stopped coaching earlier had i had a viable option to do so. Its waaay more fun sitting in outfield w a beer just enjoying her play.

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riseball said:

Have had that discussion with Jake and we both had the same answer - develop a killer change up. As hard as she throws she did not need one until she got to SC. That said, she was very lucky to get away with it. Now she truly enjoys the pitch and has been using it quite a bit in the Netherlands this summer, which has been an incredible opportunity that every college player should consider. Would not trade a season in the NPF for what she has done since graduating.

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I just got back from a week in the Netherlands. I wish I had known. That would've been cool to see a game and root for the USA kids over there!!! Instead I got dragged to watch the world cup on a screen for 100+ minutes and only 3 scores. I could have converted my Dutch coworkers to a real sport!!!

My one regret - and it is a big one, is that I've allowed her to play up for the entire time she has been playing - since 7 yrs old... I feel now that she might have had more opportunity to get better at other positions but she has been competing with girls 1 and 2 years older the entire time... She has basically been a 2B since she was 7... now 13...

I will come at this question differently. We did not take enough photos of my dd. I have pics that were given to me by other parents but, still, I wish I had more. Same with video. I have a lot of practice video. I don't have hardly any game video.

Along another line of thinking, I wish we would have created a photo album/stats/game album for each year she played. I was looking at some pics I have of her when she was a freshman in HS and man, I could not believe how strong she looked. Wish I had created these albums for both us and her children some day. They won't believe how cut their mom was when she was 14.

Cannonball said:

I will come at this question differently. We did not take enough photos of my dd. I have pics that were given to me by other parents but, still, I wish I had more. Same with video. I have a lot of practice video. I don't have hardly any game video.

Along another line of thinking, I wish we would have created a photo album/stats/game album for each year she played. I was looking at some pics I have of her when she was a freshman in HS and man, I could not believe how strong she looked. Wish I had created these albums for both us and her children some day. They won't believe how cut their mom was when she was 14.View attachment 13092

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I don't own a cell phone so taking video/pics is Mom's job and I must say she is pretty good at it for someone who has to watch a 3 year old and hold a 3 month old since Dad likes to sit with his own thoughts out in the OF during the game
Mom does get a break in between games however as the 3 year old always begs me to hit with him so we go off somewhere and hit wiffle balls for an hour.