Is the female multi-sport HS athlete a thing of the past?

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Aug 19, 2015
1,118
113
Atlanta, GA
That's probably a true yet misleading stat. There are over 450 majors in the STEM category and many of them are not what we think of when you say STEM. I don't consider psychology a STEM major, but it is along with a lot of other -ology degrees. Plus you have some schools where the entire team would be in a STEM major just based on what that school teaches. I'll have to ask my dd how many athletes are in the engineering program at her school. We have all heard from past players how they were discouraged from nursing or other tough degrees and pushed toward easier degree tracks by coaches. In some cases the softball scholarship is just that a chance to major in softball.

Not to disparage anyone, because making a D1 team is an accomplishment in itself but I have watched a lot of softball and I don't see many players whose major is nursing, engineering or Computer science or Physics... And to be completely fair half of the kids who go to college with those specific degrees as their goal don't make it past the first year. My dd said they washed out 40% of the engineering students before the first semester of freshman year ended.

Edit to ad: And this is not to pass judgement on the athletes, I'm passing judgement on the universities. I don't think the colleges and coaches as a whole are doing enough for the kids who are putting in so much work toward the sport. They need to better prepare these kids for the next 40 years. I think many schools are not doing their jobs for the athlete and that's my issue with college athletics as a whole.

Jumping in quickly as a psychologist and psychology professor. Some subspecialties of psychology, such as biopsychology, neuroscience, and cognitive psychology, are much more closely aligned to the so-called "hard sciences" than they are to any of that "touchy-feely therapy Dr. Phil stuff" (as I've heard it described by a student). There are great career possibilities in those fields either in terms of becoming an academic/researcher or a consultant (e.g., consulting with neurosurgeons re: cutting-edge brain surgery techniques). Just wanted to put in my $.02 about that!
 
Feb 7, 2014
547
43
If playing softball in college was only about getting a degree you would be right. But there is so much more to it. I look at the opportunities afforded my DD while she was in school over other students because she was an athlete and it is a stark contrast. I know quite a few former college athletes that had what were considered "easy degrees" who make significantly more than those with the "tough degrees". Regardless of their degree, athletes just like veterans are much more prepared for life's challenges than the vast majority of graduates. To your point universities should do a better job of preparing all students for the next 40 years, not just athletes. What you learn in the classroom in and of itself does not prepare you for the future, and athletes have a significant advantage over most students in that regard.

Well said !
 
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
That's probably a true yet misleading stat. There are over 450 majors in the STEM category and many of them are not what we think of when you say STEM. I don't consider psychology a STEM major, but it is along with a lot of other -ology degrees. Plus you have some schools where the entire team would be in a STEM major just based on what that school teaches. I'll have to ask my dd how many athletes are in the engineering program at her school. We have all heard from past players how they were discouraged from nursing or other tough degrees and pushed toward easier degree tracks by coaches. In some cases the softball scholarship is just that a chance to major in softball.

Not to disparage anyone, because making a D1 team is an accomplishment in itself but I have watched a lot of softball and I don't see many players whose major is nursing, engineering or Computer science or Physics... And to be completely fair half of the kids who go to college with those specific degrees as their goal don't make it past the first year. My dd said they washed out 40% of the engineering students before the first semester of freshman year ended.

Edit to ad: And this is not to pass judgement on the athletes, I'm passing judgement on the universities. I don't think the colleges and coaches as a whole are doing enough for the kids who are putting in so much work toward the sport. They need to better prepare these kids for the next 40 years. I think many schools are not doing their jobs for the athlete and that's my issue with college athletics as a whole.

The stories about softball players not being allowed to take their major always come second or third hand. They also always come after claims of how many D1 offers, usually full rides, someone’s DD turned down to play D3 I call BS. I know plenty of very talented kids choose D2, D3, NAIA, or JUCO that could have made a D1 roster, but none of those are making excuses or wild claims about why they’re there.

The figures are published by the NCAA and except for Technology, the other “ogy’s”are in other categories. I don’t find them misleading. I posted the link earlier, but it’s easy to find. The data clearly shows female athletes aren’t more likely to take “easy” majors or are less likely to take strenuous ones.

As for Engineering majors, there are four of them on my DD’s team. We’ll never be on prime time ESPN and nether will the vast majority of other softball teams. Rumors of what girls might have once been told at Florida or Oklahoma are far different than the reality for most ball players.
 
May 27, 2013
2,353
113
I’ve mentioned this before - I was recruited to play SB at a DIII school. My major was nursing. The HC and I had numerous phone conversations the summer after I graduated HS about the possibility of me changing my major. She specifically told me they could probably get one, maybe two seasons out of me and then clinicals would come into play and since they were 8 hour days, it wouldn’t be easy to fit softball in. This school was a National Championship program for softball, so it was expected that you would fit your academic schedule around their schedule.

I’m sure it is much different now. I’m sure it also depends on the school, as well as the academic program. Some schools are very pro-science majors, even DI programs. They also have the resources to help the student-athletes while they are in season. Is it hard? Yeah, probably. Can it be done? It all depends on the individual in the end.

For me, I chose to not play, to focus on my major so I could graduate in 4 years and get a job. It was the right decision “for me” at the ripe old age of 17.
 
Feb 17, 2014
551
28
Maybe I am missing the point, but if a kid decides to play at a school where they have the major she wants, but she can't pursue it because she's going to play softball there, then I say that's on her. I understand that you want to get the most out of softball, but your future is more important.

My DD has talked to a lot of schools about what she wants to do. She's going to have to take an extra semester at most schools because she can't get everything done in 4 years as a softball player. That's a decision she's going to have to make. She's also not considering any schools that don't offer what she wants nor will let her pursue it. She may be different because playing at Oklahoma isn't in her future, but as parents, we're making sure she makes a smart decision.

I know of a local kid that was really good and went to a P5 school because that's what her crazy mom wanted her to do. After a year, she quit and came home because she hated it. Now her future is up in the air.
 
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
Maybe I am missing the point, but if a kid decides to play at a school where they have the major she wants, but she can't pursue it because she's going to play softball there, then I say that's on her. I understand that you want to get the most out of softball, but your future is more important.

My DD has talked to a lot of schools about what she wants to do. She's going to have to take an extra semester at most schools because she can't get everything done in 4 years as a softball player. That's a decision she's going to have to make. She's also not considering any schools that don't offer what she wants nor will let her pursue it. She may be different because playing at Oklahoma isn't in her future, but as parents, we're making sure she makes a smart decision.

I know of a local kid that was really good and went to a P5 school because that's what her crazy mom wanted her to do. After a year, she quit and came home because she hated it. Now her future is up in the air.

Most nonathletes don’t finish in four years now either. It’s common to take an extra semester so I wouldn’t let that dissuade her. I see kids quitting after a year way too often. They either don’t love the game enough or are woefully unprepared for the rigors of college ball. Often both. They think the grind of college softball and think it just means getting up early for weights and practicing a little harder. I was texting DD last night when she was at the airport still at 9:30 pm. That meant she had at least 5 hours ahead of her before she got back to her apartment. I asked her tongue in cheek if she ever thought doing homework on airplanes and getting home at 2:30 am were what she had in mind when she dreamed about the glamourous life of D1 softball. She just laughed and said “no, but I’m sure going to miss it”.
 
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
Most nonathletes don’t finish in four years now either. It’s common to take an extra semester so I wouldn’t let that dissuade her. I see kids quitting after a year way too often. They either don’t love the game enough or are woefully unprepared for the rigors of college ball. Often both. They think the grind of college softball and think it just means getting up early for weights and practicing a little harder. I was texting DD last night when she was at the airport still at 9:30 pm. That meant she had at least 5 hours ahead of her before she got back to her apartment. I asked her tongue in cheek if she ever thought doing homework on airplanes and getting home at 2:30 am were what she had in mind when she dreamed about the glamourous life of D1 softball. She just laughed and said “no, but I’m sure going to miss it”.

This seems to vary from sport to sport and from school to school.

My DS wasa D-III athlete, for a very different sport (rowing). Almost all of the guys who were his freshman year teammates stayed on the team all 4 years, didn't transfer, and completed school in 4 years. There were a few exceptions. One guy transferred, another guy switched majors and had to take 22 credits each term to graduate on time, so he quit the program. Another guy studied abroad one semester, but came back to the team.

I think part of it is D-I softball is geared towards weeding out all but the very best and most committed, while some other sports, esp. D-III sports, may be geared towards retaining as many athletes as possible.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Athletes are often overachievers in everything they do, including academics. One thing which you have to communicate with your child when they are going to college, which
may go against common sense, is that there is such a thing as overstudying, in particular your freshmen year. The sooner you learn what you need to do to understand
the material and how to do that in the most efficient manner, the better off you will be. Unfortunately for many of today's youth that would probably include unplugging
from social media for a couple of hours at least :rolleyes:
 
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
Athletes are often overachievers in everything they do, including academics. One thing which you have to communicate with your child when they are going to college, which
may go against common sense, is that there is such a thing as overstudying, in particular your freshmen year. The sooner you learn what you need to do to understand
the material and how to do that in the most efficient manner, the better off you will be. Unfortunately for many of today's youth that would probably include unplugging
from social media for a couple of hours at least :rolleyes:

At the HS level, athletes tend to have higher GPAs than do non-athletes.

Part of it is athletes have to learn good time management skills to survive. Those time management skills often help them after they leave athletics.

My DD 1 quit softball after her freshman year in HS, but she still has amazing time management skills which are very useful to her in college.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
Athletes are often overachievers in everything they do, including academics. One thing which you have to communicate with your child when they are going to college, which
may go against common sense, is that there is such a thing as overstudying, in particular your freshmen year. The sooner you learn what you need to do to understand
the material and how to do that in the most efficient manner, the better off you will be. Unfortunately for many of today's youth that would probably include unplugging
from social media for a couple of hours at least :rolleyes:

At the HS level, athletes tend to have higher GPAs than do non-athletes.

Part of it is athletes have to learn good time management skills to survive. Those time management skills often help them after they leave athletics.

My DD 1 quit softball after her freshman year in HS, but she still has amazing time management skills which are very useful to her in college.

DD is currently a freshman and is learning quickly just how important time management is. She is good at it, and seems to be doing well, but the challenges of handling school work and college softball are real. When the freshmen were first being integrated onto the roster in the fall, the upper classmen continually stressed the importance of time management and have been extremely helpful to the new players. Unfortunately it sounds like a couple of DD's new teammates are struggling with the balance.
 

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