This post just made my day! Congratulations to you, your family, and your daughter. Good things sometimes take time but the reward is so much better.UPDATE! It's been almost exactly two years since the original post. (warning, this is a shameless parent brag)
To save you from the long story, in fall of her junior year DD was burnt out. But she thought walking away from softball meant personal failure. With some encouragement that it was ok, she made the very hard decision and notified her coach, as well as college coaches that were looking at her.
She spent the first summer (since 9yo) just hanging out with friends, going to the beach, and doing fun teen stuff. She had a great summer. Senior year comes and she's really looking forward to her final season, being a captain, and all those cherished HS memories.
Then BANG! COVID. Season cancelled. Senior events cancelled. No final memories, no ending to the softball story.
It's early spring and she comes to me and says, "Dad, I don't think I'm ready to be done." I told her we're here to help, but this is your journey if you want to make it happen.
DD calls her college coach who tells her she's already made her Freshman offers, but DD is free to come to walk-on try outs. Coach tells her she needs to get back on a showcase team and start seeing some competition again. And she sends her the team summer work-out plan.
DD calls her Showcase Coach, who happens to be looking for a middle infielder, and she gets back on a team. The love of the game comes back.
Fall 2020, DD shows up to tryouts. 10 walk-ons, plus 7 recruits. The team gives out a weekly award for the player that most embodies the team culture and spirit. DD receives the first award of the fall. Weekly cuts, but she makes it through. In the end, she's the only walk-on to make the team.
Two years after being tired, down, and walking away, DD is now getting ready to play in her first college season. We're beyond proud parents and happy she did it on her own terms. Plus, now I get to watch more softball!! WIN-WIN!
Thanks! Agreed. Having to walk-on with so much competition, she didn't get her hopes up and just grinded it out. I think she appreciates the spot she earned even more. And it's awesome just seeing her having fun with softball again.This post just made my day! Congratulations to you, your family, and your daughter. Good things sometimes take time but the reward is so much better.
UPDATE! It's been almost exactly two years since the original post. (warning, this is a shameless parent brag)
To save you from the long story, in fall of her junior year DD was burnt out. But she thought walking away from softball meant personal failure. With some encouragement that it was ok, she made the very hard decision and notified her coach, as well as college coaches that were looking at her.
She spent the first summer (since 9yo) just hanging out with friends, going to the beach, and doing fun teen stuff. She had a great summer. Senior year comes and she's really looking forward to her final season, being a captain, and all those cherished HS memories.
Then BANG! COVID. Season cancelled. Senior events cancelled. No final memories, no ending to the softball story.
It's early spring and she comes to me and says, "Dad, I don't think I'm ready to be done." I told her we're here to help, but this is your journey if you want to make it happen.
DD calls her college coach who tells her she's already made her Freshman offers, but DD is free to come to walk-on try outs. Coach tells her she needs to get back on a showcase team and start seeing some competition again. And she sends her the team summer work-out plan.
DD calls her Showcase Coach, who happens to be looking for a middle infielder, and she gets back on a team. The love of the game comes back.
Fall 2020, DD shows up to tryouts. 10 walk-ons, plus 7 recruits. The team gives out a weekly award for the player that most embodies the team culture and spirit. DD receives the first award of the fall. Weekly cuts, but she makes it through. In the end, she's the only walk-on to make the team.
Two years after being tired, down, and walking away, DD is now getting ready to play in her first college season. We're beyond proud parents and happy she did it on her own terms. Plus, now I get to watch more softball!! WIN-WIN!