What to do if your teammates have mailed the season in

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softgabby

Gear Empress
Mar 10, 2016
1,073
83
Just behind home plate
Hi, guys. Its been a while since I posted on here (well since I was diagnosed with a concussion which I'm totally back from). But I have something that's frustrating me about high school ball.

I don't know how things are in whatever part of the country you live in. But...the weather here in Pennsylvania has been crazy! We have had at least 2 or 3 games snowed out and we've had a day or two in the 80's already this month. We've played only a handful of games at this point (6 games) and we've lost every game we've played in to this point. Outside of myself and a couple of players on the team...no one seems to care. It's like my teammates are waiting for travel season to begin. No one seems to be hitting, plays that seem to be routine are either being botched badly or are just being played very carelessly and it seems like no one wants to be there. I'm very competitive and want to do well and use my high school ball to get ready to play the travel season but it seems like few of us on our high school team cares. I mean all of my teammates play travel ball and we're all supposed to be good. At this point in the season, we should only have maybe one or two losses. As a field leader, I don't know what I can say to my teammates at this point. As parents and coaches, what would you guys say at this point? I almost think at times about joining the majority.

Thanks.
 
Jan 30, 2018
252
0
SE Michigan
Wow you must play in a hot bed of softball when a team that has all TB players is winless. The school I work at has 4 or 5 TB players, a couple of those is very low level travel, and have won all but 1 game. I have know quite a few girls that play for higher end TB teams that play for different schools, all playing college ball next year. They play to win in school ball, but it isn't that big of a deal to them. I hear many girls I am around say things like "I just want school ball to be over with" or "I can't wait for travel season" etc. It is a shame because other girls on the team(s) want to win and play their hearts out. It is a character flaw to join a team only to go half-arse.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Play your best because that's your personality, and that's how to best prepare your skills for TB. Hopefully, you can encourage a few more players to start giving a damn by your actions and attitude on the field, but sometimes a flock of teammates with a bad attitude is a virus you can't cure. Being a good team is more than just players with good skills, but a group that is working together to achieve a common goal.

Good luck.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
We have a player on our Team that will go after players that do not try, I know I do not want to be on her badside. Really nice girl. She is a year or 2 older then DD and has treated her well.

DD is not the leader type on field, leads by example.

I am not sure if you are that type of player, does not sound like it.

Find leader and kick her in rear and tell her to start going.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
Hi, guys. Its been a while since I posted on here (well since I was diagnosed with a concussion which I'm totally back from). But I have something that's frustrating me about high school ball.

I don't know how things are in whatever part of the country you live in. But...the weather here in Pennsylvania has been crazy! We have had at least 2 or 3 games snowed out and we've had a day or two in the 80's already this month. We've played only a handful of games at this point (6 games) and we've lost every game we've played in to this point. Outside of myself and a couple of players on the team...no one seems to care. It's like my teammates are waiting for travel season to begin. No one seems to be hitting, plays that seem to be routine are either being botched badly or are just being played very carelessly and it seems like no one wants to be there. I'm very competitive and want to do well and use my high school ball to get ready to play the travel season but it seems like few of us on our high school team cares. I mean all of my teammates play travel ball and we're all supposed to be good. At this point in the season, we should only have maybe one or two losses. As a field leader, I don't know what I can say to my teammates at this point. As parents and coaches, what would you guys say at this point? I almost think at times about joining the majority.

Thanks.

Sounds very similar to my daughter's team. Only she is the only travel player in the entire program. The rest of the team is made up of great young ladies, but they simply are not softball players. I think they want to do well, but they do not understand the game and don't seem to be learning much. So DD is faced with a similar situation. How can she try to keep things together when only a few seem interested? At some point it basically comes down to pride. She strives to be the best she can be and be supportive to her teammates. I constantly tell her how proud I am of her no matter the outcome of the game. As long as I see that her effort remains consistent and that she is trying her best, there is nothing more I can ask for. I would love to see the program get some wins, but they have one single travel ball player while every other team they play is loaded with them. It doesn't seem fair, but that is just how it worked out. Her and a few of her teammates continue to work hard and keep battling. Hopefully it will pay off. But if it doesn't, she knows that her ultimate goal is to play at the college level next year. So she is doing all she can to prepare herself for that.

That is my advice to you as well. I have always been about "team". Do what you can to support the team, to help the team, to make the team better. I prefer team goals over individual goals. But if your team doesn't share in those goals, then you need to adjust. In those cases, I have no objection with setting some personal goals. Determine what you want to get out of this season and work towards that. These goals also need to be good for the team, of course. But that doesn't mean you cannot think about yourself a little bit as well. I wish you the best of luck with the rest of the season. I know from watching my own daughter how painful a season like this can be. But I am confident that she will work her way through it, and I am sure you will too.
 
Aug 12, 2014
644
43
That's really frustrating. I can only echo what FP26. Keep working hard and playing hard and do your best.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
FP26 DD situation sounds very similar to my DD. They have only won 2 district games with one game to go to finish out the season. When I saw the title of this thread, my first thought was "What do you do when your coach is mailing it in?" Just heard that she is not coming back to coach next year. DD is elated. They would be better off if they had no coaches and let the players coach themselves.

I just looked at the record of a team locally that has a USA Jr. Team player(played 3rd base and batted cleanup over the summer). That team has only won 2 district games too. I wonder what she feels like? I bet she is trying to make the girls around her better and doing the best she can do to help out.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
I have a hard time believing people are not hitting and making errors due to them "mailing it in"....that doesn't make any sense. Nobody wants to embarrass themselves like that. Things like not backing up bases, etc yes I can that can be from kids mailing it in but things like not hitting, making physical errors, not pitching well I can't see being due to mailing it in. Maybe they just aren't as good as you thought they were?

That said, all you can really control is yourself so worry about that.
 

obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
DD was in a similar situation, but not the same. shes not playing this year, so I Think that leaves two starters that play TB. In her case, the team's biggest fault was that they were not a "team". One of the biggest trouble makers was a senior captain. Another captain was a "coasting senior" who batted mid-.200's tops but the coach inflated her stats to make sure she was an all-star. DD was one of 4 captains and ,unfortunately was the one the coaches expected to maintain order because they knew the seniors wouldn't do it. Players blew her off, she got no support and had a lot of talking behind her back.
Your situation is similar because like with DD's situation, the coach needs to be the adult and wake your team up. He/she needs to get them back on track. You can then lead by example and positive attitude. Don't let the coach try to tell you it's your fault or your job.

We live in New England so between cold temps and precipitation, the weather has not been condusive to playing ball. DD is in Switzerland right now, doing a foreign exchange thing, having the time of her life. Something the softball coach wouldn't have allowed. The team has played two games so far.
 
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