Baseball dad

[Amy in AZ.]

My DD played baseball at age 9. It was the only league that I could find where they could catch and throw.

Rec is so awful around here, that I would suggest my students do it, except they are pitching students.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Purists might be upset with the concept, but woudn't it be great if there was something called "girls baseball" similar to A league of their Own. You could use the same diamonds/ball fields and equipment as the boys. A lot of the young softball girls I coach love practicing overhand pitching like the boys just for the fun of it and would be very good at it if they devoted as much time to it as they do with the windmill pitch. Unfortunately, fastpitch softball would probably become obsolete as the girls playing baseball would choose that sport over softball.

 

[BB Coach]

Why the bias against girls playing baseball? Do you know that we have a woman's national baseball team and that there are many girls out there starting on their HS Varsity baseball teams? There is quite a movement out there to keep girls playing baseball thanks to organizations like Baseball for All and others. Check out E 60 this coming Tuesday when they profile a young lady from FL that is dominating the boys.

My dd played FP and Babe Ruth (60/90) this year. It was her 1st year playing FP and her first year on the big diamond. She had a great time and was very succesful at both. The successful girl baseball players will be able to switch to FP anytime they want and will be successful there as well. OP says that the girl has a beautiful swing and a rocket for an arm. Why would you believe she won't continue to have success? Baseball and softball are not strength sports but more hand/eye coordination, intelegence and speed sports. Players play regardless of gender! That said, the young lady should play what SHE wants. It is her experience not her dad's. Maybe you could suggest she try both for a year.

 

[fastpitch]

I know of a similar situation. 11yo girl played baseball since she was 5 and was one of the best players in Little League majors (basically 12u) baseball. Her dad would only let her play Little league baseball and not LL softball because at this age in our area the boys are much more competitive than the girls in LL. He was hesitant about club softball so I asked him to watch the girls on our club team and now she plays both club softball and LL baseball and is doing well in both. She loves both sports now but will probably quit baseball after next year which would be her last year of Little League majors.

 

[3DD'sDAD]

Please no-one get offended by what I am about to say as I fully support both sports and have coached both at the travel ball level. IMHO girls at an early age will become bored with baseball quicker than with softball. Softball is a much faster sport played by either gender. Granted at the rec level, any type of "ball" can be slow and painful to watch. But in the more skilled divisions, softball is a much faster sport. Comparitively speaking, watching any of the League Champioinship Series versus the WCWS, no comparison in keeping my attention - softball all day. The recent All Star Game was interesting though. The quality of pitching moved the game along nicely, but the general public wants to see homeruns, not strike outs. I guess I am in the minority. I would much rather watch a low scoring game in either sport.

Back to the thread though.....BB Coach has a great suggestion...have her try both and decide. Hopefully Dad will understand and suport her decision whichever it may be.

 

[Coach JV]

this is a whole new meaning of 'daddy ball'

 

[wild man]

Well I cant talk to mom in this case because she hasent got one any more. She lives alone with dad.
As far as girls playing baseball their is an area I believe in Indiana where there is no softball any more because they started playing baseball and liked it more.

My Daughter too playd baseball but when she made the switch she likes FP more now. One thing for girls that is huge is being eith their friends.
Also our LL softball is fairly competitive, And I think that helps a lot.
I really dont think that his problem is thinking FP is not tough enough I just think he is a "not real nice guy" If you get my drift.

 

[mudbug]

In all likelihood, shes not going to get a college scholarship to play baseball. She has a great opportunity to do so in softball.

The best reason to play softball though is that it is a better game. I will freely admit that fastpitch is a better game, faster paced, more technically demanding, and more interesting to watch than baseball, and I played baseball for many yrs. Years ago in some areas, boys and men played fastpitch in preference to baseball too.

 

[Lozza]

More men play softball in Australia than baseball. (I still remember an American we had on my state league team being in awe over the men) They play very, very hard too.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

You tried. That is all you can do.

We can't save every kid that comes along and you really don't want this guy and whatever his problem might be.