This is the first time I've written anything about DD's first semester as a freshman softball player.........first off she made the Dean's list her first semester, which I'm extremely proud of her for doing!
Second, I've never seen her hate softball as much as she does now! She (we) knew it was going to be a grind, and she knew it was going to be harder than anything (team softball related) she's ever been through before! This is D2, and it's a full time job, this coach would have them on the field for 10 hours a day if she could somehow convince the AD to let her do it! She's heard football players and baseball players all say the softball coach is insane with her work schedule!
The seniors and juniors have all said (many times) that this coach has taken the fall semester to a crazy new over the top level they've never seen before. She said in the dining hall a couple of months back, all 6 freshmen were going to quit! She says all her love for the game of softball is pretty much gone!
Of course all this is depressing for me, being a part of her softball journey her entire life..........but at this point, it ain't about me! Me and my wife have told her if softball starts affecting her grades, or her mental health, she'll have to put softball behind her! I can only tell her to suck it up so many times?
Their conference ranking came out today, they're ranked #1 in the conference, 57 game schedule starts Feb. 1st, so it definitely isn't going to get any easier!
Bottom line, she's my daughter, she's a great ball player, and no matter what happens from here on college softball related, I'm damn proud of her for getting recruited and putting herself in this position!
I'll never forget having a team camp in 14U with Mickey Dean when he was at James Madison. He said being a student athlete is the hardest thing you'll ever do!! And at the end of the day you just want some food in your belly and to lay your head on a pillow!
She's working hard, she's lost 17 pounds this first semester (remember she's 5'0" tall), this is without a doubt the fittest she's ever been, and she's fell in love with weight training......so there's that!
I don't know why I decided to share this, I still want to kick her in the butt and tell her to suck it up (again) but more importantly I want her to be happy and to love her college experience!
Second, I've never seen her hate softball as much as she does now! She (we) knew it was going to be a grind, and she knew it was going to be harder than anything (team softball related) she's ever been through before! This is D2, and it's a full time job, this coach would have them on the field for 10 hours a day if she could somehow convince the AD to let her do it! She's heard football players and baseball players all say the softball coach is insane with her work schedule!
The seniors and juniors have all said (many times) that this coach has taken the fall semester to a crazy new over the top level they've never seen before. She said in the dining hall a couple of months back, all 6 freshmen were going to quit! She says all her love for the game of softball is pretty much gone!
Of course all this is depressing for me, being a part of her softball journey her entire life..........but at this point, it ain't about me! Me and my wife have told her if softball starts affecting her grades, or her mental health, she'll have to put softball behind her! I can only tell her to suck it up so many times?
Their conference ranking came out today, they're ranked #1 in the conference, 57 game schedule starts Feb. 1st, so it definitely isn't going to get any easier!
Bottom line, she's my daughter, she's a great ball player, and no matter what happens from here on college softball related, I'm damn proud of her for getting recruited and putting herself in this position!
I'll never forget having a team camp in 14U with Mickey Dean when he was at James Madison. He said being a student athlete is the hardest thing you'll ever do!! And at the end of the day you just want some food in your belly and to lay your head on a pillow!
She's working hard, she's lost 17 pounds this first semester (remember she's 5'0" tall), this is without a doubt the fittest she's ever been, and she's fell in love with weight training......so there's that!
I don't know why I decided to share this, I still want to kick her in the butt and tell her to suck it up (again) but more importantly I want her to be happy and to love her college experience!