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May 15, 2015
66
6
Glad that you've shared this story and a similar one in a previous post. What you're discussing is more ''real life'' and relatable and frankly more interesting in may ways than stories of glory.

I always roll my eyes when I hear an athlete, after some great accomplishment, say, ''This proves that hard work pays off.'' So, you're the only one who worked hard? What about the one who worked hard and lost in the first round?

Hard work does generally pay off, but not always how we hope. Natural talent and luck are big factors, too. Then sometimes those who work the hardest want it more and therefore don't compete as relaxed as those who care less. The hard workers may feel they have more to lose (aka pressure). The underdog has a competitive advantage.

My DD has experienced some of this. On one hand, if I look back to her days in early travel ball until now, she's far exceeded my expectations. Never thought she'd make some of the teams she's made. On the other hand, if I go back just 2 years, I would've thought she'd be ahead of where she is, and HS ball has been somewhat of a disappointment.

All I can say to encourage you is that it's a worthwhile journey regardless of the on-field success. Disappointment and frustration in healthy doses are good for kids. It lowers our expectations so that future success will be appreciated that much more.

One thing that has gotten me through all the ups and downs is the assurance that some great moment or memory is always on the horizon. DD is either playing well, or she's about to. Never mind that it's never permanent and that cringe-worthy moments also await.

Just wait for something good. It's going to happen.


That's just good logic and is worth of re-reading for everyone....
 
May 13, 2012
599
18
I noticed in VB one girl who appeared lazy. One match said to a buddy of mine about her lazy approach and he said "is it lazy or she just makes it look easy".
 
Jul 15, 2015
87
18
The more I've been involved in sports the less I've come to expect of "fairness". It seems the best approach is to develop the ability to compete regardless of the circumstances and to develop an inner resolve. This works at the team level too. The last tournament we played in we had 4 three team pools. The other two teams in our pool finished 1st and 2nd in the tourney. We obviously finished 3rd in our pool and faced another pool's 1st place team in the first round of bracket play. Lost that game by 1 run and off to the loser's bracket we go. But we played 3 really good teams and our girls got better. This week, only in our age bracket and no others the director has placed the top 4 ranked teams in one pool and the bottom 4 teams in another pool. The other age bracket pools are split evenly according to rankings. How fair is that? However, we will have our girls come and compete against whoever and look for ways to get better along the way.
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
I had 2 girls like this recently. They were beginners at 14U. And they hit the snot out of the ball.
I said "I am not changing a thing." Of course, they got the same lessons and directions as every one else, but as far as tweaking them, I did not. One ended up doing very well, the other one not so much.
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
The more I've been involved in sports the less I've come to expect of "fairness". It seems the best approach is to develop the ability to compete regardless of the circumstances and to develop an inner resolve. This works at the team level too. The last tournament we played in we had 4 three team pools. The other two teams in our pool finished 1st and 2nd in the tourney. We obviously finished 3rd in our pool and faced another pool's 1st place team in the first round of bracket play. Lost that game by 1 run and off to the loser's bracket we go. But we played 3 really good teams and our girls got better. This week, only in our age bracket and no others the director has placed the top 4 ranked teams in one pool and the bottom 4 teams in another pool. The other age bracket pools are split evenly according to rankings. How fair is that? However, we will have our girls come and compete against whoever and look for ways to get better along the way.

The NHL once thought this was a good idea when they expanded from 6 teams to 12, the 6 new teams were all in the same conference and the original 6 were all in the other. So that year you had St Louis playing for the Stanley Cup in their first year in the NHL and their 2nd and 3rd year as well. Probably set a record for being swept in 3 straight finals. The 4th year after expansion the playoffs were changed to actually include the 2 best teams in the finals.
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
I hear you but if you saw it, you wouldn't believe it. If a hitting coach made your DD swing like these kids, you would demand your money back (if you didn't kill him first).

these kids are making contact and putting the ball in play and they don't fit the image of "Athlete". picture a texas-leaguer for every hit. not pretty but it gets the job done and counts the same as a hard hit single.

I have a college pitcher who has been plagued by the other side of that coin. She rarely gives up more than two solid contacts a game, and those are almost always caught. But hitters manage to stick the bat out and get the ball just out into no-man's land. Or the ball gets a funny spin on it and a fielder makes an error. In other words, she pitches a great game, but ends up losing, time after time.

The other pitcher gets hit much harder, but those contacts are normally right at the fielder. The pitches didn't fool anyone, but the ball makes a beeline to the glove. That also helps her get by with walking more hitters than you would normally expect a pitcher at that level to walk. She gets the wins and looks like an Ace.

It's a funny, strange game.
 
Mar 21, 2013
353
0
Luck doesn't last. If the player continues to produce over a period of time rest assured there is more to it than that. Some girls can just find a way to get the job done. While coaching I have come across those players that just don't work hard. You wait for them to start struggling so they will get the message, but they never do. Many of the hard workers struggle because they think way to much (paralysis by analysis), while the ones that don't succeed because they simply stay out their own way.
 
Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
Luck doesn't last. If the player continues to produce over a period of time rest assured there is more to it than that. Some girls can just find a way to get the job done. While coaching I have come across those players that just don't work hard. You wait for them to start struggling so they will get the message, but they never do. Many of the hard workers struggle because they think way to much (paralysis by analysis), while the ones that don't succeed because they simply stay out their own way.

Couldn't agree more.
Some kids are just winners. Hard to describe but you know it when you see it.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
If DD gets annoyed and thinks she is getting unlucky she will hit a 1000 balls and will not leave me alone.

5 days of practice and she wants to go hit, my first question is always is all your school work done.
 

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