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ez_softball

Life at the diamond...
Apr 14, 2017
158
28
My daughter has worked hard to become an excellent player and has had a successful travel ball and HS career. She is entering her senior season of HS and just finished up playing up for one of the best 18U travel ball teams in the area. By the numbers she is one of the best players both offensively and defensively in either setting. If you look at offensive numbers she leads many areas and is top 3 in every meaningful category. Defensively she plays middle infield and has been a HS all-conference selection the past (2) seasons.

At this point, I literally have smaller, regional, college coaches calling me at home and emailing me with an interest in having her play for their programs. My daughter doesn't care and is basically saying that she's only willing to play for one specific college. IMHO, this isn't a situation where she has overshot her real potential with a dream D1 program. The school she wants to play for and attend is a local NAIA school where she knows the coach fairly well. I think she is talented enough to play for that school but there are no guarantees that the coach wants/needs her for his current roster.

I guess my question is, have others had similar issues with their own daughters and if so, how do they deal with helping their daughters keep an open mind to these other opportunities?
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Has your DD been in contact with the coach of her dream school to discuss whether there is an opportunity for her at that school?
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
So you said she is only willing to "PLAY" for one particular coach/school? The most important question is what college does your daughter want to "ATTEND." It obviously sounds like you daughter isn't very invested in "I have to play college softball", so what college does she want to attend academically, does she have fall backs in mind. I would answer these questions first...if she has her mind set on the one school both academically and softball then I would simply go to the coach since you said she knows them fairly well and just ask them what are the opportunities to play there next year. I wouldn't lead in with Im coming to school no matter what can i play because the next words any smart coach will say is "preffered walk on" and she might even promise a spot on the team just no money, if she is even moderately interested you could at least try and at a minimum get a quarter plus books or something...
 
Jun 11, 2012
741
63
Has your DD been in contact with the coach of her dream school to discuss whether there is an opportunity for her at that school?
This.
Your DD needs to email or call the coach and ask. Has the coach seen your DD play, have they talked about her playing there?
 

ez_softball

Life at the diamond...
Apr 14, 2017
158
28
Of course we have tied in the academic piece into the decision process because the education is really the point of all of this. So, yes, the school does meet those needs.
She also, has been in contact with the coach but it has been fairly informal to this point. He is local and has watched her teams play on numerous occasions. He's probably watched her play a dozen times over the past 2 years. I do think somewhere along the line something could materialize but my concern is what if it doesn't? I want to try and help her be open to these other potential opportunities.
 
Jun 11, 2012
741
63
Of course we have tied in the academic piece into the decision process because the education is really the point of all of this. So, yes, the school does meet those needs.
She also, has been in contact with the coach but it has been fairly informal to this point. He is local and has watched her teams play on numerous occasions. He's probably watched her play a dozen times over the past 2 years. I do think somewhere along the line something could materialize but my concern is what if it doesn't? I want to try and help her be open to these other potential opportunities.
She should send him an email and tell him that they are her number one school and that she’d love to continue her academic and softball career there. Put the ball in his court. He’ll either respond saying he wants her to play for him or he’ll dance around it.
 
Jul 9, 2016
240
28
Has your DD been in contact with the coach of her dream school to discuss whether there is an opportunity for her at that school?
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
This
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
DD was in a similar situation. Her journey started off with nearly a dozen schools, but after 2 years of visits and camps, she narrowed it down to two. Both offered her field of study (Physical Therapy), and both schools offered her a guaranteed seat into their Graduate program, which was her primary goal. One coach seemed to have some interest but was clear that DD would have to try out for the team just like her other players. She claimed that no one was guaranteed a spot. The other coach seemed much more interested, offering her a spot if she committed. After thinking about her decision, she ultimately decided on the first school. In her case, it was more about academics and she was more impressed with the facilities at the first school. DW and I did what we could to explain the softball situation to her, but she was confident that she would succeed at tryouts and make the team. She was also willing to take the chance that she would not make the team because she preferred this school that much. DW and I were both nervous about the decision, but we trusted her and were proud of her for making her choice based on academics. We supported her. It all worked out as she made the team following tryouts.

Unfortunately there is no guarantee in a situation like this. All you can do is make sure she understands all aspects of her decision, and trust that she will make the best decision for her. Best of luck to you and her.
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
Advice I offered my daughter ...

There is no guarantee in life. We can make decisions on what seems like the best odds. We can make decisions on gut instinct. We can play it safe and take what seems like the best thing to keep us in our comfort zone (I’m a player and I need to keep being a player). Or we can step outside of that and hopefully grow with the decision and its results.

No matter what, softball will not be your life in another 4-5 years.

Roll the dice and welcome to being an adult. :)
 
Apr 16, 2010
924
43
Alabama
Of course we have tied in the academic piece into the decision process because the education is really the point of all of this. So, yes, the school does meet those needs.
She also, has been in contact with the coach but it has been fairly informal to this point. He is local and has watched her teams play on numerous occasions. He's probably watched her play a dozen times over the past 2 years. I do think somewhere along the line something could materialize but my concern is what if it doesn't? I want to try and help her be open to these other potential opportunities.
It could also be the case of the coach knowing your DD has other opportunites to play at a higher level. The coach may not think they can get your DD to play for them so the focus is on girls they know they can get. She needs to make sure they know she is very interested and they are her #1.
 

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