Anyone gearing up for HS Softball tryouts?

[maksoftball]

DD's HS tryouts are 1/17 - 18/2014. Yes...2 days. There is no school on the 17th so they will have almost a full day tryout. DD (Freshman) is so very uptight and anxious about it...she knows that they probably have established who is JV or V. They will know by 1/21 (1/20 is MLK day). The school already had fall ball, and DD alternated between playing JV and Varsity. Only 3 Freshman were asked to alternate between the two. The situation is this...they have MAYBE 3-5 spots to fill. They have TEN returning Varsity seniors...and I don't know how many more due to moving up from JV. And 4 returning Varsity (non-seniors). They carried a roster of 17 last year. If DD is put on Varsity, she will probably not start as much if at all...if she is placed on JV, she will be the top player on that team (out of the 17-18 freshmen trying out, only 5 play TB). She is a pitcher, IF and OF (IF first, OF second and then pitcher). They have only ONE varsity pitcher. Of the 3 Freshmen that alternated in Fall Ball, DD and one other are pitchers. Should be interesting to see how this pans out.

Anyhow, it's a big deal here...a lot of TB girls really look forward to HS ball because it's fun and less strict than TB. It truly gives them a chance to play the game they love and have fun doing it (whereas in TB, there is the tension of shining on and off the field for college scouts ). DD is really looking forward to playing for her school, and she's looking forward to the team spirit that comes with it.

Just curious if anyone else is in same boat...

 

[YOCOACH]

We are in the same boat as you guys. DD is a Freshman also. She plays C and FB. The HS varsity starting C (Senior) had to have shoulder surgery on her shoulder (throwing arm). The varsity has 2 spots open and 1 is the C position until the starter returns if at all. The coaches are talking about playing her at FB until she heals. Since there isn't another player that is a C, let alone a TB Catcher which DD is, and the other Senior catcher isn't that good according to the coaches, DD is hoping to play varsity as the starter. Right now she is all gung-ho to practice her Catching/ hitting and improving her technique in both as so she can earn that starting spot. If not, she will definitely get plenty of plate time on JV.

She is definitely looking forward to playing with her friends from school and sharing the school team spirit.

 

[guero_gordo]

All new to us, program is strong, but JV coach is good, so not really a big deal either way. Hoping she really likes it, DW enjoyed HS athletics, DD was pretty reluctant.
I'm looking forward to her friends(and yes their dads) getting to see what she's been doing on those lost weekends the last few years.
Also looking forward to saving a ton of money not traveling in the Spring.

 

[crystlemc]

DD is a freshman and she pitches. It is already pretty much established that she will be taking the starting spot from the senior who has held that spot the last 3 years. DD played weekday summer league with them and earned it. Unfortunately, by our state gestapo, HS players can't report until the end of February. We are looking forward to it.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I sure will miss being directly involved with HS sports this year. So I envy you guys/gals going thru it.

My only advice is, don't get wrapped up in the JV-V placement. Every year I see people poo poo all over themselves because freshman Sally or Steven didn't start V. These parents make it so miserable for everyone else, from the coaches, the other parents, the players, and usually their own kid.

Just because Sally doesn't start V as a 9th grader, does not mean she is a failure. MANY MANY times when a good freshman player is ( or is not ) promoted to V is due to the roster size and "timing". As an example my DD ( and dad too ) got lucky with the timing. DD started V all four years as a pitcher and DH. BUT, when DD was in 8th grade the HS graduated their first D1 pitcher. So..........if DD had been 4 years older and played WHILE the D1 girl did..........DD "might" have not played V until later in the school career or at least her V time "could" have been limited in the early years.

Just remember folks, those 4 years fly by. Enjoy the time with your kid and try to let the politics roll off your shoulder. YOUR attitude as a parent will make the experience a great one.......or a miserable one.

Good luck to all in the tryouts.

 

[Changeupmom]

agree with Goingdeep: Don't get hung up on varsity/JV thing. My dd's story. She is a pitcher and has been in lessons since 7th grade. She played local TB as a elementary kid, JR high ball and then made the move to a serious TB team about a hour away.Jr High pitcher most all games and threw excellent. HS came around with big hopes. She expected and played JV her first year(D1 pitcher a senior) Had a excellent 14u summer. Made JV 10th grade year. Accepted and had a .88 ERA. Continued to work on her skills, strength training and batting. Played competitive summers, winter leagues. Anxiously awaiting her time on the mound her JR year. She sat Varsity and was pulled down to JV some as a JR. Tb coaches laughed when she said she never threw Varsity. The current Sr. in her JR year threw every game, not as much experience, didn't hit her spots. Hard to watch. Lost league championship to wild pitching. Played competitively through the summer, made Queen of Diamonds cage pitcher, has great movement and increasing speed. Due to self marketing and TB she has recently signed to pitch at a D2 college in a competitive league. Never pitched Varsity. Who knows about this year, doesn't really matter as much. She knows she can throw, play college ball, but it was a rough road to travel. So don't get hung up on Varsity/JV thing. It may all work out anyway. Find good coaches, supportive peers and mentors and have fun.

 

[ScottyDont]

My DD is a freshman this year who will be trying out as a catcher for the varsity team. If she doesn't make the varsity squad, she likely will not play at all, since the JV coaches (and team) are awful and playing there would be a waste of time (she plays for one of the better 18U TB teams in the area). I think making varsity will be fairly easy for her, given the overall program reputation and past performance, but we'll see. Workouts start for them in a couple of weeks.

 

[chinamigarden]

We are 3 games into the HS basketball season here. Tryouts won't be until March.

 

[crystlemc]

C
As a coach, I would never establish anything or say anything before tryouts. We are not allowed to judge activities outside of tryouts or HS play in picking who starts. Even tryouts are often a poor judge of what kids should start. You often have to see what happens in scrimmages., plus attitude, etc. I know we are talking pitching here, so it's a little different, but I hope this is just parents talking and promises were not made one way or the other by the coach.

Every parent will be the parent of a senior who sacrificed and worked hard on the team, and when that times comes, they look at who should start differently. Even if a bright star comes in, I never promise her anything. She needs to work her a-- off to get a starting position. Sometimes, the senior may give way on her own, but you can't just run her off the team or to the bench.

Thanks for the concern...lol. DD goes to a very small D 4 school with a less than average team/program. The current pitcher has only ever played rec and HS ball, avgs about 45mph and 8 or so walks and multiple hit batters per game. I give the girl credit for trying. That is not just hearsay, I have seen it myself. They did the best with what they have. My DD is certainly no barn burner, but she is in the 50's with great movement and control. It is not just parent talk, I promise...lol. Honestly, I hope the Senior works to keep her spot. That makes my DD work that much harder. However, there has been talk that the Senior isn't going to bother playing this year.

Also, I am not hung up on the JV/V placement. I am 100% certain she will play Varsity since her school only has about 15 kids tryout. We have no JV...LOL. Like I said, I would rather the Senior beat my DD out for that spot so that DD has something to work for.

 

[alexander58]

Thanks for the concern...lol. DD goes to a very small D 4 school with a less than average team/program. The current pitcher has only ever played rec and HS ball, avgs about 45mph and 8 or so walks and multiple hit batters per game. I give the girl credit for trying. That is not just hearsay, I have seen it myself. They did the best with what they have. My DD is certainly no barn burner, but she is in the 50's with great movement and control. It is not just parent talk, I promise...lol. Honestly, I hope the Senior works to keep her spot. That makes my DD work that much harder. However, there has been talk that the Senior isn't going to bother playing this year.

Also, I am not hung up on the JV/V placement. I am 100% certain she will play Varsity since her school only has about 15 kids tryout. We have no JV...LOL. Like I said, I would rather the Senior beat my DD out for that spot so that DD has something to work for.

Sometimes teammates can make it hard on underclassmen that take starting spots from upperclassmen, regardless of obvious ability differences.