Are too many making a mistake to play college softball?

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Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
Rocketech1 had a provocative answer to a question I posed.

Is it a mistake for someone to play softball at UNC-Greensboro if she an attend UNC-Chapel Hill but not play softball.

If it was my DD, I would have a serious heart to heart conversation with her about the difference between having an opportunity to attend a top 30 national university vs playing softball at a school ranked closer to 200. If academics and future job prospects are important to her, the decision is a pretty easy one.

I think this is a topic worthy of its own thread. If Rocketech's position is correct - not saying it isn't - then I'd suspect most college softball players have made compromises in order to play college softball. I doubt that most college players are going to the absolute most reputable colleges that they can afford. I'm not saying the 'sacrifices' are profound, but from what I've observed, most college softball prospects are good students. They can gain admission to more schools as students than they can as softball players.

If your DD chooses a mid-major to play softball over an ACC school just to be a student, would you be worried that she's making a big mistake? What is the value of the college softball experience? And isn't the quality of the student more important than the quality of the school? Do we not trust that the cream will rise to the top?
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
What goes with this a little bit is how many players drop out of SB each year. How many make it to the 2nd, 3rd and final year? I would guess the dropout rate is pretty high.

(I will delete this if you do not think it is more or less on topic)
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
I said this on the other thread already but I think in most cases the school itself, within reason, really doesn't matter. If you're going for an elite career path, yes. If you're just a person who wants a regular old job after college, does it matter that much if you go to the #30 school or #200? I doubt it. Experience and interview skills are at least as if not more important for most people. Depends on the person and what they see themselves doing with their lives. It also depends on the level of passion she feels about softball. If she'd be devastated to not play, is it better to give up that experience for an academically higher ranked school? I doubt it. We only get one shot at this life and there is no right answer to this question that will fit everyone, IMO.
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
What goes with this a little bit is how many players drop out of SB each year. How many make it to the 2nd, 3rd and final year? I would guess the dropout rate is pretty high.

(I will delete this if you do not think it is more or less on topic)

No, it's on topic. In fact, last week I met someone who played volleyball at a mid-major. Dropped out. Transferred to an SEC school to be a 'student only.' So if you wash out, you still have that experience, you gave it your best shot and found out it's not for you, and then you pick up the pieces and transfer. Assuming that you took care of your academics at your original school, you're still in good shape.
 
Jul 16, 2008
1,520
48
Oregon
I said this on the other thread already but I think in most cases the school itself, within reason, really doesn't matter. If you're going for an elite career path, yes. If you're just a person who wants a regular old job after college, does it matter that much if you go to the #30 school or #200? I doubt it. Experience and interview skills are at least as if not more important for most people. Depends on the person and what they see themselves doing with their lives. It also depends on the level of passion she feels about softball. If she'd be devastated to not play, is it better to give up that experience for an academically higher ranked school? I doubt it. We only get one shot at this life and there is no right answer to this question that will fit everyone, IMO.

I agree.... always remember, the Doctor you see can either have been an "A" student.... or "C" student; You're still calling them Doctor!!!
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
I agree.... always remember, the Doctor you see can either have been an "A" student.... or "C" student; You're still calling them Doctor!!!

Haha, yep! Reminds me of a joke my dad told me once.
Q: "What do you call the guy who finished last in his medical school class?"
A: "Doctor."
 
Feb 7, 2013
3,188
48
I agree.... always remember, the Doctor you see can either have been an "A" student.... or "C" student; You're still calling them Doctor!!!

The medical doctor you see certainly won't be coming from the University of Florida softball program. Here is the list of majors on the current roster, and not a pre-med major among them:

Telecommunications/Communications/Media (6 players)
Sociology
Event Management
Education
Public Relations
Business
Criminology
Undecided (5 players, mostly freshman).

The bottom-line is that playing top D1 softball is a demanding "job", that really isn't conducive to students that have interests in the hard sciences (STEM, Science Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). By the way, that "C" college student isn't getting into medical school and even if they did, highly unlikely to pass their medical boards to be a practicing physician.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
Some people are highly intelligent underachievers though. My dad (who played college football until he blew out his knee) did the bare minimum to get the minimum grades he had to get. Still got into first an MBA program then later, law school. When he finished law school he figured he'd sit for the bar exam without studying, so he could get a good feel for it and make sure he didn't over study. For real, he only does the least amount he had to do to get by. So he went to take it with no studying after a night of heavy drinking, and passed it.
 
Apr 17, 2012
806
18
Wi
As a friend of mine (communications major) has said... C's get degrees...in some fields anyway. I have to be honest if I were footing the bill for tuition I don't know that I would like to be paying DI state tuition for most of those majors listed above when they could likely get an equivalent education/degree from a different school for much less. I've told my kids jokingly if the major ends in an ology except biology I likely won't be paying. When I was in college I believe the GPA needed for sociology was 2.0.
 
May 18, 2009
1,314
38
As a parent I stress academics. Grades first and hopefully everything takes care of its self. If DD can get an academic scholarship plus a sports scholarship the sports would be a bonus. For those of us that didn't always make the right choices in life our children need to excel academically so they have the financial aide available to them through a university. My answer would be whichever university provides the best scholarship opportunity. Since I stress academics I would hope it's a school that is known for academics.
 

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