Reality has sunk in for DD1

Bob516 said:

Since she was eight years old she has dreamed of playing softball in the Olympics.

She is 13 y/o and one of the top players on her B level team, but now recognizes she is not one of the top players in our area. The other day she turned to me and said she knows she is never going to play in the Olympics and she is never going to play D1 ball. I told her I didn't think she would make the Olympic team, but that did not mean she would never play D1. We briefly discussed the fact that just because she is not a top player now, it doesn't mean she won't peak in the next few years.

Anyone have the experience of a solid B level player becoming an A level player in their mid-teens?

Keep in mind we live where it gets a bit cold in the winter, so she does not have the opportunities to play and practice (more than once a week) in the winter.

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We hit off the tee and I front toss wiffles (behind a bownet) in our garage. We have a 3 car garage but it could be done in a 2 car garage. You just have to be willing to withstand the constant banging of the wiffles against the garage door We also do some ground ball work as well. Only thing a person can do is work as hard as they to achieve their goals. If you do that, whatever the outcome, you will not have any regrets later in life.

Edit: Just saw your post about no basement/garage. Have her take dry swings somewhere in the house. When I was growing up in MA, we didn't have a basement and we had a 1 car garage with no room. When I wasn't playing hoop, I would take a 100 swings with a weighted bat and another 100 with my game bat. Not sure it did any good but at least I felt like I was doing something and confidence in your abilities is half the battle sometimes....

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. I can think of a couple athletes that were told they weren't good enough and with hard work and dedication they proved everyone wrong - Michael Jordan and Jennie Finch spring to mind. If she is willing to work she can achieve great things but she has to have the determination and drive to prove them all wrong...

We live in Idaho were the temps go below zero for several months. DD and I bundled up and she hit into a Bownet in the garage. We talked a friend's parent into letting us use part of their warehouse to practice in. We convinced the local elementary school to let us rent their gym a couple hours a week. We convinced the local church (of which we don't belong) to let us use their gym on Saturdays. We got permission from the local fitness club to let us hit with foam balls in the racquetball courts when they weren't being used.

If she wants it bad enough there is a way...

Anything is possible! There is absolutely no reason a 13 y/o can’t move from B to A!! There are many kids who are “late bloomers.” My dd is one of them. She just turned 15 and has only been playing true travel ball since age 13. Moved from B/C level at age 13 to solid B last year up to A this past year - actually moved to an 18UA team. She just within the past year developed that determination where she wants to put the extra work in and play to her fullest potential. Sometimes it takes a little while before that fire starts burning from within.

Is there any type of baseball/ softball indoor facility nearby? Many times if you tell them you want to rent a cage for a half-hour or full hour a few times per week on a regular basis they will cut you a deal. Is there a local 4H club or church near you that has a gym area or basement? These places will usually rent their space for very cheap. Other stuff she can do at home is some band work and weight training - mostly just using her body weight. No reason she can’t go outside and do some running drills - the weather (unless extremely cold) should not be a factor for going out and doing some sprints or going for a jog.

It can be done - it’s just a matter of her truly wanting it!

ETA: Are there any current teams within a reasonable distance she can guest for? Any teams playing in domes this winter? Never hurts to reach out and see if a guest player is needed. I did this with DD and now she frequently gets asked to guest play for other teams - gets her more innings when her team isn’t playing - nothing helps get a player better compared to actual live action game situations.

Bob516 said:

Since she was eight years old she has dreamed of playing softball in the Olympics.

She is 13 y/o and one of the top players on her B level team, but now recognizes she is not one of the top players in our area. The other day she turned to me and said she knows she is never going to play in the Olympics and she is never going to play D1 ball. I told her I didn't think she would make the Olympic team, but that did not mean she would never play D1. We briefly discussed the fact that just because she is not a top player now, it doesn't mean she won't peak in the next few years.

Anyone have the experience of a solid B level player becoming an A level player in their mid-teens?

Keep in mind we live where it gets a bit cold in the winter, so she does not have the opportunities to play and practice (more than once a week) in the winter.

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Bob Bob Bob....positive vibes only! As everyone is already pointing out, where there's a will there's a way. And why so focused on playing D1? It's a process and a journey that without challenges and obstacles would be lame.

Jcuevas said:

Does she have any friends on her current team that have hitting areas set up in their basement/garage?? Maybe she can work in with them a couple nights a week for an hour or what ever.

This would be very good if possible.

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It would be excellent. I will look into it, thanks.

Nothing says that a player at the age of 13 has peaked, although I've seen my share of really impressive younger kids who, for whatever reason, never got any better, ate their way out of the game, or simply lost interest. They were all better than DD at an early age, but DD is still playing.

While DD and I hit in the garage, lift weights, run, and work outside whenever possible, our running joke is how she's not playing D1 or going to the Olympics. It isn't to run her down, but remind her of what's ultimately more important. She just likes playing, and likes playing well even better. Learning how to get better at something is one of those "life lessons" that sports is famous for. I expect that she'll be a nice addition to some work-organized slowpitch team, but playing college ball isn't a priority. I know many wanting to play in college, and there's nothing at all wrong with that, but I know kids who won't, and you couldn't drag them off the field at gunpoint. I tend to like that latter group more.

Hitting is the hardest thing for most, and it's the first skill to erode. If your DD wants to get better, time spent with a quality hitting instructor during the winter months will pay dividends later on. I'd focus on that, and on the idea of enjoying the game, the experience of being a ballplayer and constant improvement, and not whether a particular goal associated with it is obtainable.

When DD was going through the recruiting process we had 2-3 dream schools, 4-5 realistic choices and 2-3 fall back plans. Never hurts to dream big, but I am a fan of having a fall back plan if things do not work out.

DD started playing travel ball 11. Here's her progression over the last six years.

Two years at 12C.
One year at 14B.
One year at 16A.
Starting her third year at 18A.

She's made huge leaps in ability every year. Very little work done over the winter months until last winter.

Bob516 said:

Since she was eight years old she has dreamed of playing softball in the Olympics.

She is 13 y/o and one of the top players on her B level team, but now recognizes she is not one of the top players in our area. The other day she turned to me and said she knows she is never going to play in the Olympics and she is never going to play D1 ball. I told her I didn't think she would make the Olympic team, but that did not mean she would never play D1. We briefly discussed the fact that just because she is not a top player now, it doesn't mean she won't peak in the next few years.

Anyone have the experience of a solid B level player becoming an A level player in their mid-teens?

Keep in mind we live where it gets a bit cold in the winter, so she does not have the opportunities to play and practice (more than once a week) in the winter.

Click to expand...

I’m going to throw this out there as well...if she wants to be an A level player she needs to be on an A team. Whether that’s her current team or not, I don’t know. But surrounding herself with kids who have similar goals and will push her will help. As will playing games against other A level teams. In B tourneys, you get some good B teams. But you also get the C teams who are trying to be B. Those games can get really ugly and benefit no one.

In my humble opinion, I’d rather be .500 in A ball than .750 in B. If she’s going to put in a ton of work, it will only benefit her to play with and against kids who will push her.


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Cat Osterman was described by several people, including herself, as "completely average in every possible way" until she was 16.

Can your DD play in the Olympics or be a D1 athlete? I have no idea. I do know for certain, however, that is she thinks she can't she will be right.