Politics in high school softball suck!

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Jan 23, 2013
17
0
:mad Don't read if weak to whining!

1) Freshman year daughter pitches three regular season games last few innings. Does not give up a run. Next to State she pitches three scoreless innings.

Reward- No Varsity Letter and a JV Award

Reality- Basketball player goes in for 20 seconds and letters.

2) Sophomore year daughter is put behind a Freshman of the Senior Pitcher. Daughter pitches JV again and gives up three hits all season and no one scores. Varsity coach "you have control problems". Pitches last regular season game for Varsity- A Perfect Game. Onto State pitches the Freshman give a up some runs -put older sister in. Championship game - put Freshman in -get pounded first time through line up. Put in another pitcher and we win it.

Reward- Most improved Award

Reality- Parents of the other two pitchers bought our uniforms. And Freshman gets Varsity Letter.

3) Junior Year daughter is on a travel club that's ranked in the top 20 in the Nation. She has put lots of work in camps and on her own.

Reward- Possible back up pitcher.

Reality- Other pitcher is on a top 100 team and doesn't even pitch but twice a year. But will play over my daughter again.

State law reads you can not transfer schools and play sports without sitting out a year. This law sucks lol! Thanks for the daily venting session!

Reality- I just hate it and it kills me. We don't complain to the coach -but are annoyed by JV Teams asking why the better pitcher is on JV. It looks so bad that the Varsity on the other teams start to walk into the JV Fields. My daughter is getting a lesson in life and will just have to deal with it. She is kind and will let this past.

Thanks for the whine feast 2013!
 
Jan 4, 2012
3,852
38
OH-IO
DD is in 10U. I have heard lots of this kinda stuff. So I have been on the offence. I have kept her off any of the teams that have any local players. They already have had the class of 2020 playing together, in a B league. It split and half went to A, and DD got to dust them 4 times this fall...run ruled them. The coach has his wife as the JV coach already. Can't wait til next year an not have her play MS. The school I graduated from is just 20 mi from here.

EP: I might even move to Tenn. :{)) I see GD logged in...
 
Last edited:
Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
Our HS you have to play 70% of time on varsity to letter. Each school is a little different.

Varsity vs JV is the most complex division in sports. We have it pretty good ( for the most part ) that our coach plays the best and yet gives the JV players opportunities when we get a nice lead. He also mixes in pinch runners of Jv for field time. I think those "moves" are important to make all players feel part of the varsity machine.

I'm not saying this is you at all, just observation on our team and for forum discussions.

I see a lot of parents who don't contribute to the team, and I feel that "can" have small effect on players that are close in talent and only room for one. About half our parents help around the fields. Weed eat, pressure washing, cleaning restrooms, painting, trash pick up, etc. The other half do nothing but show up and complain there kid is "stuck" on JV. It's almost like they refuse to help until their kid moves to varsity. And the coach notices these things.

Pitching gets even more complex. Very few freshmen or sophomores pitch varsity if there is a older pitcher close in talent. And even if we have rose colored glasses, most coaches want to win and will play who he/she feels is better even if the parents disagree. We had one quit last year in the middle of the 4th season game because her parents felt she should be starting varsity. She was a decent player, a sophomore who played LF JV as a freshmen. The LF senior from the last year graduated so the parents felt she would slide into that position. Problem was a freshman came in and played much better and earned the spot. Everyone knew/saw the freshman was better except the parents of the sophomore. So she quit, and now doesn't play at all.
 
Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
DD is in 10U. I have heard lots of this kinda stuff. So I have been on the offence. I have kept her off any of the teams that have any local players. They already have had the class of 2020 playing together, in a B league. It split and half went to A, and DD got to dust them 4 times this fall...run ruled them. The coach has his wife as the JV coach already. Can't wait til next year an not have her play MS. The school I graduated from is just 20 mi from here.

PC my friend, I do encourage you to rethink your position on school ball. You really don't want to be the "outsider" playing against those girls ( even if you're beating their brains out ). For one the players and or coaches could take it personal and people like that rarely forgive.

Second is if you want a successful HS team and experience you have to get involved early. It's a process, not an overnight delivery.

I know your working down here in TN now so you can ask around. Every single D1 HS team ( us included ) at the state playoffs have a large portion of the varsity starters who played TB together for many years. That is clearly the advantage of knowing your teammates and developing together.

HS sports are long term investments, like Hal says, "you only get out of it what youre willing to put into it".

Just my 2 cents bud.
 
Most college coaches are looking at girls playing TB they don't have a whole lot of time during HS season because that is when they are playing.

I think this is just one of those great life lessons that suck while you are going through but build character in the end. Just tell her to keep working hard and work on building relationships with the girls on her team. Better to be just one of the girls on the HS team that works hard and contributes then shine when TB season comes than to just constantly worry about things not going your way.

As far as Varsity letters go, every where I have heard of usually has some kind of policy in writing, although nobody ever really complains about head coach's decision to the administration because most of the time that ends only one way....bad for the girl and parents involved even if they "win".
 
Sep 17, 2009
1,637
83
Most college coaches are looking at girls playing TB they don't have a whole lot of time during HS season because that is when they are playing.

I think this is just one of those great life lessons that suck while you are going through but build character in the end. Just tell her to keep working hard and work on building relationships with the girls on her team. Better to be just one of the girls on the HS team that works hard and contributes then shine when TB season comes than to just constantly worry about things not going your way.

As far as Varsity letters go, every where I have heard of usually has some kind of policy in writing, although nobody ever really complains about head coach's decision to the administration because most of the time that ends only one way....bad for the girl and parents involved even if they "win".

Dc is right. Your situation in hs sucks so put double focus on what you CAN control in travel ball and her personal development. You can even breathe a sigh of relief about not fighting the politics anymore and putting DD in great position outside of school. Don't leave the team, just don't sweat it. Good luck.
 
Jan 23, 2013
17
0
The rival school would have a shot for a title if my daughter transferred. They missed State Championship Game because of pitching. But all her real friends would ridicule her for being a trader. My selfish side says to go to rival school and kick butt and show the coach,town, and media how they do not but the best team on the field. However outside my bubble tells me that she is the last of three to endear this pain. Her brother was shafted the same way, but is one of two off the state championship team, who is still playing ball at the college ball level and D1 even. Its just hard to believe the cream rises to the top at this moment in time. I guess it wouldn't bother me so much if her travel coaches and college camp coaches say "she is on JV -really?". And we do support the coach with camps and my wife even played for him. I guess I'll go weed the field-somethings got to change. And I even kept book for JV for the last two years when nobody else would.

Everyone loves to critize others and judge in wrong ways. They never seen themselves first before judging people that actually trying to be nice to them. Most of time what they judge are appeareance and attitude. But they never realize they are also imperfect just everybody else.
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Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
Did I read that the parents of the starting pitcher paid for the uniforms? If so, there lies your answer!
Her parents bought her spot. On an old tb team that I was an AC. My dd would always bench behind a girl who would average 7-8 walks a game! her mom owned a business that was one of the teams biggest sponsors... btw, my dd threw back to back no hitters in a tournament to be rewarded with bench time in the championship game because the "sponsor" mom insisted that her dd get championship spotlight time. We lost that game 12-1, my dd never played with them again.
 
Nov 23, 2012
45
0
In life it can be who you know not what you know.
HS sports can be a life lesson in how brown nosing parents help there kids avoid hard work.

Check the tranfer rules change of address etc. or just have her focus on club ball.
 

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