Politics in high school softball suck!

starsnuffer said:

Don't forget that a lot of kids who excel at "one thing" (softball in this case) are often overachievers and good at multiple things. There are many awesome softball players who decide they want degrees in things other then early childhood development and pass on playing ball for D1 schools, thus opening up more opportunities for less talented players.

-W

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and of those 12 scholarships a year maybe 4-6 are full rides, don't forget academic money, other scholarships..... coaches look for girls that can play and that they can get at a bargain, so to speak

What about my dang dreams!! I dreamt of coaching baseball D1. Met my wife senior year of college and bang we were pregnant. Ok, shift gears and I'll just dream of devolving a male phenomenal player. Ok, shift gears again we're expecting a daughter so I'm rubbing my hands together thinking she will be 6'1 like me and the next Osterman. She towered over everyone young ( early bloomer ) and I just KNEW I had my 6 footer. 7th grade hit 5'5 and never grew another inch.

My point is we all have dreams and sometimes life throws us curves. That doesn't mean you give up or think you're a failure because "everything" didn't work out as planned.

6 of my 7 core players that are left playing the game have signed this year from D1, D2, NAIA, Juco. But I try to explain its not the program or division you should be concentrating on. It's the life plan after college. How much demand is there for your field of study? What's the salary? How quickly can you find employment? What's your % of ride, how much in student loans will you have to cover? How long will it take to pay those off. Make your choices practicle ones that "fit" into where the market is and where it's going.

This economy stinks and will stink for a long time. I know adults with BA and Masters who have lost their 80-100k jobs and can't find anything in their fields of study. I know kids right out of college working at the mall. It's tough out there, and I'm all for dreams, but I'm also for reality and putting food on the table and a roof over your head with clear "good" choices for the future.

Most college players have 12-14 years of their life wrapped up in ball. You gotta think about the other 70 years at some point.

Wow, where to start. I think that the assumption that all TB players think that their child is D-I is probably true at some point early on in their child's journey. Then, reality sets in and I would think that a good majority, but not all, TB parents. Per my child, we had at least 10-1 D-I offers to D-II offers. We knew early on that she had a kind heart and so, might not have the killer instinct that many coaches look for. She is a good kid. As parents, my wife and I sat back and allowed her to pick her destiny. If you have ever seen us at a game, you would never know she is our kid.

I think that allowing our dds to dream is one of the special things about this sport. Ever see the girls watch the NCAA Tournament? Wow, it is as much fun to me to watch the girls as it is to watch the game. I know we've had a basement full of kids watching the NCAA Tournament and it doesn't get better than that.

Per the mathematics of HS seniors to scholarships at the collegiate level, there are so many variables not mentioned. For example, non qualifier and/or how many players drop out before they graduate. I would mention, btw, that most D-I schools have between 18-22 players. I would think that most scholarships are split with maybe one or two full rides in most programs.

Sorry for the rambling.

p.s. GoingDeep, so your Ipad is not that bright?

p.s. GoingDeep, so your Ipad is not that bright?

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Well DD is always playing some dang joke on me. A few weeks ago after I fell asleep her and a few friends signed me up for a "male" dating site. I was getting some really odd emails and finally figured it out. They post crazy stuff on my Facebook if I don't log out. And somehow she has changed the spell checker on here again and it's choosing some random words that are not what I'm typing. I can't find what she changed in the settings like last time.

Ahhhhh the joy of being the butt of these girls late night jokes!!

GOINGDEEP said:

Well DD is always playing some dang joke on me. A few weeks ago after I fell asleep her and a few friends signed me up for a "male" dating site. I was getting some really odd emails and finally figured it out. They post crazy stuff on my Facebook if I don't log out. And somehow she has changed the spell checker on here again and it's choosing some random words that are not what I'm typing. I can't find what she changed in the settings like last time.

Ahhhhh the joy of being the butt of these girls late night jokes!!

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I really like your kid! I have to meet her someday!!!

GOINGDEEP said:

Well DD is always playing some dang joke on me. A few weeks ago after I fell asleep her and a few friends signed me up for a "male" dating site. I was getting some really odd emails and finally figured it out. They post crazy stuff on my Facebook if I don't log out. And somehow she has changed the spell checker on here again and it's choosing some random words that are not what I'm typing. I can't find what she changed in the settings like last time.

Ahhhhh the joy of being the butt of these girls late night jokes!!

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God I want your dd to sign where mine goes to school. I may even help pay

slingnit said:

Couple of HS horror stories:

HS Junior was verballed to play at DI top 25 team and was the top pitcher in the state. College coach says he will be in town and would be at their Saturday doubleheader. Long story short HS coach did not play her for whatever reason, heard he was a jerk and liked to leteveryone know he was the boss. Her Senior year she decided not to play HS ball at all. They lost out on their chance to take state, but she got her point across. This girl is now currently a Jr playing DI ball and has won over 40 games in the past 2 seasons.

2nd My daughter is verballed to play on a top 10 DI team. She started exactly 3 varsity games in 2 1/4 yrs, but has been very successful in TB. HS coach is very old fashioned and runs a successful HS program but he does not like the fact that TB coaches are the contact to the recruits and HS ball doesn't have the pull it did years ago. HS coach told my dd she was not a DI player and no one was looking at her her. She came home, wrote "I am a DI player" on the mirror in her room so she would see it every day. This past year she transfered to a rival school. She could not play this school season but to her it was worth it.

The fact is there are some really good HS coaches, some that are just put into the position without having a clue, and some that the game has passed them by.

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Just a comment on " he does not like the fact that TB coaches are the contact to the recruits and HS ball doesn't have the pull it did years ago." I always tell the girls playing for their MS team and HS team is cool because you represent your schools and town but if you want to play any type of college ball, then the College coaches come to watch the travel team games!

coachtucc said:

Just a comment on " he does not like the fact that TB coaches are the contact to the recruits and HS ball doesn't have the pull it did years ago." I always tell the girls playing for their MS team and HS team is cool because you represent your schools and town but if you want to play any type of college ball, then the College coaches come to watch the travel team games!

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I can follow this logic... Old ways, fearing the changes by the New ways. :{))

So to carry it thru to "REAL-TIME", why would they waste their time coming to a game, when they could REAL-LY STUDY video's of at least a 100 in the time it would take to travel+ watch a game. If they were really tracking a prospect, they could subscribe to the score keepers group, and stay on top of the GAMES inning by inning, in live feeds, or in the "Old" inbox... of way more than just one.

I really don't see the Coaches looking for the best there is in the Country. I think they would be looking for one's that are real good, but missing the piece that they the Coach specializes in and just knows he can add it as quick as possible. They are looking for discounts.
One thing that has been overlooked in the MS,HS & College vs. TB... Is who's getting paid for Coaching???... Its the same as grant writers. IMHO

My dd did not make varsity as a freshman. She should have but she didn't and the reason was she would not have gotten much pitching time. Actually it worked out perfect. She pitched in plenty of innings and the varsity coach brought her up for all the tourneys and after the if season was done the last 3 games of the year she started in rf. by the end of it All she had played enough to get her varsity letter. Did I think she was good enough to pitch on varsity yea I did but I kept my mouth shut, she was happy and things worked out fine.

I guess it's beginning with us. Last night a lady in the neighborhood asked how our DD was doing in softball and if she was excited for tryouts. Her daughters used to babysit mine. DW told her that the Varsity coach called us and asked to meet my DD. This woman who's daughter plays varsity in 11th grade got really ticked off. She said DD would be miserable and would never see the field and she should stay on JV. This lady's DD is quite good and plays on a very good gold team. Why would she be so mad? My DD might not even make the varsity team so chill woman!