College Expectations

[splinterpicker]

Seams every ones goal is for their dd to play college ball. Besides some money for school, what are your expectations?I look at it as an introduction to the real world. Kind of a first job. Is it better than working a 40hr a week job? I do not have any clue because I did not play a sport in college, I worked. I think most do not have a clue as to what reality is playing a sport at a college level.

 

[JAD]

It would be interesting to calculate the $/hour that a softball scholarship is worth compared to a regular 40hr/week job!

 

[RubberBiscuit]

My opinion:

High end sports is like the armed services in a way. It provides sooooo much life experience but compressed into an earlier age. The HUGE experience of sacrifice/reward is second to none. From my perspective it produces earlier matured and more disciplined individuals that are more ready for life in work-teams and relationships.

I have a son going into the marines now. Unfortunately he is just getting his first REAL taste of sacrifice/reward at a much later age. At least he has finally pulled the trigger on something in life. I am just as proud of him now.

I hope that all youths pull that trigger on the HUGE sacrifice/reward experience, regardless of what it is, before they get thrust out on their own. Builds character. Builds better citizens.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Seams every ones goal is for their dd to play college ball.

I'd be curious to know how accurate this presumption is. I'm obsessed with softball right now, but it's not my goal that my daughter play in college. My goal is to help her reach whatever her goal is, which at the moment is simply to hit better and make her high school team as early as possible.

 

[3'sDad]

DD is inetersted in playing at the next level. She won't play for UCLA, Stanford, Arizona, Georgia, etc., but she could have the opportunity to play for Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Middlebury or Amherst.

One of my friends has a DD who plays for Penn - she had the chance to pitch on ESPN last week and almost knock off Arizona.....never thought that would happen. That experience will last her a lifetime.

 

[splinterpicker]

I'd be curious to know how accurate this presumption is. I'm obsessed with softball right now, but it's not my goal that my daughter play in college. My goal is to help her reach whatever her goal is, which at the moment is simply to hit better and make her high school team as early as possible.

Have you noticed how tournaments have changed. It has become centered around recruiting. I am pretty sure not all but most have college on the mind at least where I live. My dd and myself have no idea what to expect if she gets an oppurtunity to play in college.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Have you noticed how tournaments have changed. It has become centered around recruiting. I am pretty sure not all but most have college on the mind at least where I live. .

We're still in 14U, so I haven't seen much difference yet. The 16U/18U crowd is probably no more than 20 percent of TB players.

I'm not necessarily disputing what you say, though. Just curious what percent of parents w/ TB players really view college softball as a goal.

 

[MsDinosaur]

DD is inetersted in playing at the next level. She won't play for UCLA, Stanford, Arizona, Georgia, etc., but she could have the opportunity to play for Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Middlebury or Amherst.

One of my friends has a DD who plays for Penn - she had the chance to pitch on ESPN last week and almost knock off Arizona.....never thought that would happen. That experience will last her a lifetime.

I don't know if DD will play in college. I also don't see her playing for a major D1, but perhaps the combination of grades, test scores and softball could get her in the door at a selective school. At any rate, I think playing softball has already done a lot for her. She's learned to get along with people and she's learned to work hard for what she wants. These lessons should serve her well in life, with or without college ball.

 

[joemcq51]

I will be the first to admit it. I want my DD to play in college. I would love for that college to be D1, though probably more like a D2. I will list out my reasons in no particular order.

1. She wants to play in college. I would love for her to be able to play and achieve her goal.
2. I played sports to a pretty high level. It taught me lessons that I carry with me still. Leadership, competetiveness, discipline, sportsmanship, etc...
3. Bonding experience. It is something we share. I do not want that to end.
4. Financial benefit to my DD. If she should be able to get some money towards school, with her academics and money I have saved, perhaps she can walk away with a 4 year degree in her desired field and not owe a ton of money in student loans. That would be terriffic.

I have no dream of saving tens of thousands of dollars personally. If it were about the money for me, I could have easily saved what I am spending on softball and would have a lot more in the bank than I currently do.

I feel like I am one of the lucky ones. (so far) I would say that my DD is in a very good position to continue her playing days into college. She has made it through the awkward 10U and 12U years, where lots of kids find other interests. She enjoys playing with older girls and looks forward to her time in HS. She no longer plays because daddy makes her. She plays for the love of the game. I would honestly say, that she has a shot. She could be one of the 5%er's that actually play in college. I hope she is. If she isn't, we will move on and hopefully look back at our time with a smile.

 

[Rocketech1]

Curious to know what your thoughts are and what would your DD do if she could get into a Top 25 school for academics but "only" a D1 partial or full scholarship playing softball for a program outside the Top 25 for athletics?