High School Softball- why do it?

For my kids:

Is it because it's the highest level of competition you're going to find in that season (spring for us)?

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That is certainly true. There was no other softball to play.

Is it because it's fun and you get to play ball with your friends?

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My kids enjoyed playing softball...they were not good friends with the kids on their HS teams. They liked them, but there were not BFFs. (Their BFFs did not play sports.)

Is it because it's better for you to be playing ball on a team than not playing ball?

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A bad day at the ball field is better than a good day in chem lab.

Is there satisfaction gained by representing your town/school on the field?

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Of course.

Softball is followed extensively in Chicagoland. My kids were interviewed regularly by the local newspapers. DD#1 was named player of the week by the Chicago Tribune. DD#3 (the hoop player) has a basketball displayed in the HS trophy case in honor of her scoring 1400 points. There are plaques in the HS gymnasium recognizing their teams for winning regionals.

And where are their trophies for traveling softball or hoops win? The trash dump.

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For my kids, HS ball (both hoops and softball) was good prep for college. They developed a very simple and effective method for dealing with politics...became so much better than everyone else on the team so that the coach would look stupid if s/he didn't play them.

College ball is nothing but HS ball on steroids. Clickish girls, attitudes, demanding coaches etc. If they cant handle school ball they may be in for a rude awakening when they get to college.

Comp said:

College ball is nothing but HS ball on steroids. Clickish girls, attitudes, demanding coaches etc. If they cant handle school ball they may be in for a rude awakening when they get to college.

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HS might get a person prepared for college softball. Just to let a person know it's not like a tourney ball team.

rdbass said:

HS might get a person prepared for college softball. Just to let a person know it's not like a tourney ball team.

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It all depends on the team/organization you play for. The hardest part about college ball is off the field. The organizations my DD played for from 14 - 18U treated them like college players. When they were on the road the kids would stay 4 to a room. They were responsible for taking care of themselves. Washing their uniforms. Being where they had to be on time. Getting themselves fed. NONE of the communications from the coach went through the parents. My DD traveled the country by herself with her team and had to fend for herself on the road. When she got to college she'd already been there, done that. It was nothing new when they were on the road and having to learn how to manage her to time around school, ball, travel and trying to have a social life.

HS ball did absolutely nothing to get her prepared for college ball. At the end of the day she went home.

My DD is very lucky. She plays on a HS team full of travel players - most of which she has played with at some stage over the last few years. They were very young this last season and outperformed expectations. Expectations are going to be much higher this season. Coaching is above average for the most part, parent group all know each other and get along. Incoming freshman have two players who will slot in nicely for the 2 players who are not returning (a senior and a player who moved away). Facilities are comparable to the baseball teams except perhaps the scoreboard (which we hope to replace in time for the 2019 season)

Last year was a VERY good year for my DD in High School. Despite 8 run-ruled wins against terrible teams (none of which my DD pitched), there was also 6 games against teams that made it to at least the last 8 in their respective class (including 2 state runners ups) - games in which my DD started every one. 3 of the teams were BY FAR the best teams she has faced. We didn't win any of those games but we scared the hell out of 3 of them and we were competitive and didn't lose by more than 4 in the other three. One had 3 college committed girls on the bench who were not good enough to get into the game against us. The 3-4-5-6 line up on that team went SEC JR commit-IVY SR commit(SEC quality)-ACC SR commit-SEC JR commit. This year my DD expects to win these games or at least go in with even chances.

Yes I know that might not be typical. And frankly in our district is going to be a 2-horse race for the rest of her HS seasons. But for her and her teammates so far is a very good experience.

That said we play teams where it looks like no fun at all. Teams that are run ruled in 20 minutes. Teams with one poor travel girl. Poor facilities (in view of great facilities). Poor or no coaching. Massive drama. Etc, etc... If my DD was at those schools I have my doubts that she would play.

So mileage varies.

I understand all the reasons for not playing HS ball, but the one that really bugs me is "don't like the coach."

Unless the coach is abusive or putting the child in dangerous situations, she can learn a lot from figuring out how to deal with a coach she doesn't care for or who may be bad at coaching or even kind of a jerk (again, as long as it doesn't cross the line into abuse). Dealing with authority figures you don't like is a large part of adulthood, and there's something to be said for figuring out how to be successful when you can't choose your perfect situation. And who knows, she may end up liking the coach once they get on the same page.

As an aside, I must be lucky with the group of girls I have because they all get along. There are definite groups of friends, separated mostly by which grade they're in, but I haven't seen the stuff people talk about here.

CoachJD said:

I understand all the reasons for not playing HS ball, but the one that really bugs me is "don't like the coach."

Unless the coach is abusive or putting the child in dangerous situations, she can learn a lot from figuring out how to deal with a coach she doesn't care for or who may be bad at coaching or even kind of a jerk (again, as long as it doesn't cross the line into abuse). Dealing with authority figures you don't like is a large part of adulthood, and there's something to be said for figuring out how to be successful when you can't choose your perfect situation. And who knows, she may end up liking the coach once they get on the same page.

As an aside, I must be lucky with the group of girls I have because they all get along. There are definite groups of friends, separated mostly by which grade they're in, but I haven't seen the stuff people talk about here.

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Don't like the coach and it's too political are just code for I'm not playing as much as I think I should be or where I should be.

*That's what I've seen in our four years of HS ball and seven years of TB. I'm sure there are exceptions.

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Comp said:

College ball is nothing but HS ball on steroids. Clickish girls, attitudes, demanding coaches etc. If they cant handle school ball they may be in for a rude awakening when they get to college.

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My DD can attest to this! The demanding 3 hour/day, 6 day/week schedule of HS is similar to college, just add strength and conditioning every morning at 6:30am.

ANNASDAD said:

Great post, makes me almost not want to post what I was going to say. My DD is a junior, she plays for a small private Christian school and has been an all-conference player since the 8th grade. We lost our two seniors from last year and three girls who played last year left our school to go to a public school. My DD and one other girl who is a great ball player are the only TB players on the team.

So the HC made the announcement yesterday morning and they had their varsity softball meeting at 3:00. My DD got in the car and the first thing out of her mouth was "dad, I don't think I'm going to play this year!" I didn't ask why or what's the problem, I just calmly said "okay, but if you step on the field once, or you go to one Winter workout, then you're in, so you better make up your mind quick!!" I know the problem, they're going to be terrible, it's going to be a two girl show, we're small and we have almost no pool to pull from. There is no cut, if you show up you're on the team!

We're right in the middle of Fall ball and the HS HC is wanting to start Winter workouts next week, decisions decisions........

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Believe me - I understand. It is hard to go from playing at a high level in TB to basically rec ball in HS. All 4 years that DD played they had a losing season - 3 years last place in the conference, one year next to last. And her senior year was especially painful - they graduated 10 seniors. DD was the only player left that had played all 4 years on varsity, only one of 4 that had ever played varsity at all and of those 4 the only one that started the year previously. Nobody expected anything out of this team. Yet they somehow managed to peak at the right time and go to state. It was amazing and DD was so proud - of her team, of herself and proud to represent her school.

I hope that your DD decides to play - not for herself or for you but for something bigger, her team. I guarantee that those girls look up to her...

One thing I do not like about TB, sometimes kids do not worry about losing one game. HS ball one game means a lot sometimes.