High School Softball ,No Thanks I'll pass

Travel team motto this year..."Team Before Me". Our HS softball program has been a mix of a few travel ball players and several rec players. Everybody knows this coming in. The TB girls get some time in and get to work on stuff they need AND get to help the rec players move up. Even had several rec players move to TB this year because of it.

You know what uniform my DD who graduated chose for most of her senior pics? The HS one...she loved playing travel ball and had some in those unis, but the bottom line was she loved playing for her town, her school, and her teammates and she was proud to represent it. We've had great coaches and some that weren't as good, but it never took her love of the game away.

To OP, what is she going to do otherwise? I doubt her entire ASA team quits high school ball, so she doesn't have a team to play with. And I further doubt the rest of the region will quit high school ball, so she wouldn't have any teams to play against anyway.

She could run track, I guess. Or workout on her own.

I agree with Cannonball, in my area people bitch about high school ball mainly because it is something they can't control. Teams are decent, coaches try hard, quality of varsity softball in particular is pretty good.

All that said, the original poster might truly be in a no-win situation. If that's the case, the final option would be for your DD to somehow play a leadership/teaching role on her high school team. I realize that might not be possible if the coach/administration isn't interested in that, but it's a thought....that could be rewarding.

Best of luck.

Where I live, high school softball is king. In fact, my DD started playing TB mainly to get better for high school.

I have also seen the other side of it with elite level TB players who basically can't wait for high school ball to end so that they can get back to their TB team but I never really understood that. Maybe it's the fact that I grew up going to a small school and everyone took pride in playing for their school.

High School Ball is more than just playing for yourself. It's playing for school colors, your friends, your community. Most travel ball that I have seen over the years is everyone for themselves. After the season is over the best girls on the team are looking for something better, the bottom is looking for more playing time, and the girls in the middle are wondering why they have to have a whole nother set of teammates the following year.

My DD is just the opposite. Played travel ball throughout, for top notch teams until now, after her sophomore HS season.

This years high school team won their State Championship, is nationally ranked. First time ever for this large division HS. The props were over the top. Newspaper and magazine articles. Awards from local government bodies, ring, and high fives from the whole community through the summer.

She has "her" team. It is her high school team. Now does not want to play travel ball. Is not playing travel ball. Or as she says "is taking a break".

I fully realize she is cutting short so many college opportunities. Have discussed with her. Would most likely have a bucket load of colleges looking at her, and probably offering, if she stayed in travel ball, especially after her sophomore year.

Now back with workouts with her HS team. Am certain the HS coaches are trying to get her back in travel, at least a few tourneys this fall. But when they burn out and need a break, a parent has little choice.

So folks, every player is different. I am fortunate my DD is good enough to play at a very high level. But also know she is showing signs of not being a "college" ball player.

The good part, is her general behavior to me has improved tremendously of late. Instead of battling to be on the field in 100 degree heat, she is turning into a wonderful young lady, respectful, happy, friendly.

So I take what life has given. Softball has been great, and look forward to two more high school seasons, and hopefully help turn her high school into an area dynasty. It is never over, until it is over. Maybe she ventures back into travel ball. Maybe not. As for college ball, she has cut her opportunities way back, not interested at the moment.

I also think in the back of my mind. Every time she has wanted to play ball, her whole life, she has found a very good team. So if she changed her mind, she could find a college that wants her, or not.

The greatest part about softball is that it is a game just about any one can play. There used to be a place for HS ball and now for some it is considered a waste of time. Recruiting is a fever that has most of us in its grasp. It is comming down to money, the right team, the right tournament, playing on the right field, and justifying changing teams. I have done all the above so not pointing fingers and yes travel is what we do as a family and would not change a thing. I hope the sport stays pure and does not become all about haves and have nots. HS has its place and for right or wrong that is as high of level that most will play. My dd enjoys looking thru her annual and seeing her picture in there wearing a high school uniform.

To OP, what is she going to do otherwise? I doubt her entire ASA team quits high school ball, so she doesn't have a team to play with. And I further doubt the rest of the region will quit high school ball, so she wouldn't have any teams to play against anyway.

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I our area the HS softball competition runs the gamut from downright horrible to HS teams full of full time and experienced TB players who play for top teams in top organizations. In the spring there is a group who takes kids who do not want to play HS ball and brings them together to workout and play games. They had enough kids to for 3 teams last year. They would play round robins amongst themselves and then play some HS age tournaments in states who played HS ball in the fall.

It kept them from falling behind their TB teammates who were not in the same situation as they were.

So many great points made in this discussion.
My HO would be this: if she does not want to play, then for the sake of everyone else on the team, don't even tryout!
If you don't want her to play then either give her the choice (and step back) or put your foot down and don't look back.
As a school ball coach, I will testify to the fact that two of the biggest problems I have are players that act like they want to be there (in tryouts) but really don't; and parents that cannot be satisfied (for many reasons).
Not to be rude, but why take a roster spot from someone that wants to be there? Save yourself, the coaches, and your child the frustration.

This very day, I ran across some clippings from the local newspaper about my kids on the HS team. It gives me a lot of joy to read 10-15 years later about what they accomplished. You get to see the box score from the game, and remember some of the kids she played. There is this one picture of my DD standing in the middle of all the other all-conference players. The writer said some very nice things about my DD.

Let's see, where are all those newspaper clippings from TB? Oh, right..there are none.

Most schools are forced to higher a teacher due to union rules.

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No idea where you get this stuff...the states I am most familiar with (Illinois, Texas, and Michigan) can hire anyone they wish to coach. It turns out (surprise!) that most people aren't willing to quit their regular job and show up at 3:00 PM to coach a bunch of "wonderful" teenage girls and then be abused by a few parents.

SCDAD: Please stop being rational and understanding. You are ruining my faith in Crazy Daddies.

most people aren't willing to quit their regular job and show up at 3:00 PM to coach a bunch of "wonderful" teenage girls and then be abused by a few parents.

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You mean 5:00 AM for indoor practice at the start of the season in Illinois because the boys baseball team, badminton, track or basketball has the field house after school. Not to mention the preseason conditioning that's done by every HS coach. Then throw in dozens of hours each week setting practice times, equipment, buses, making schedules, dealing with the HS administration and dealing with all of the parent and/or player issues involved with HS sports. I'm sure there are several issues I've missed, but you get the picture.