Contemplating not playing HS next year

[DiamondDad316]

What is the perception of college coaches if the TB player doesn't play HS softball and opts for track? Maybe most of the TB players feel it's required to play HS ball. Maybe the college coach would be happy if the TB player did strength and agility training to prep for the TB season and college showcases. Seems like there is no right or wrong answer.

 

[ms244]

I think I get it now: "Sacrificing for the team is great, as long as it is someone else's DD sacrificing for the team. Because, obviously, my DD is better than everyone else on the team."

TB is wonderful, of course, since Daddy has personally selected the team so that his DD can be "happy" (i.e., playing every game and batting 4th) every game.

After all, being happy is all there is, right?

I'm not sure if you have a reading comprehension issue or just a high level of mistrust in what people post here. I'm pretty sure that what you are indicating in your post was not said by me, nor implied in any of my posts.

There is pride playing for your HS. But when does pride stop and enjoyment begin? I guess she should just "suck it up" so that the coach is happy, at the expense of the players?

 

[obbay]

Why would we want to "sacrifice" ...playing time that she would get on a travel team to play for the HS for a coach that doesn't reward hard work,

Sounds like your TB season overlaps HS season? Ours does not, so if things get ugly, TB is always there to look forward to at the end of the season.

What is the perception of college coaches if the TB player doesn't play HS softball and opts for track?

I have asked college coaches (one of which was Patrick Murphy) if this would be a problem or throw a red flag to the potential college coach. they said its not uncommon anymore and therefore not an issue. as long as she's playing TB, HS participation isn't a prerequisite. (They aren't going to leave their team during the season to go watch a high school team). It certainly didnt hurt Raven Chavanne!

An important thing to remember - If a college coach asks a recruit about their HS coach- DO NOT SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE, no matter how big of a jackass he or she is. find something positive in the experience.

 

[CoogansBluff]

I guess she should just "suck it up" so that the coach is happy, at the expense of the players?

Yes, IMO, she should suck it up.

Been thinking more about this thread. It's a good one. I regret if a previous post of mine sounded judgmental. Your DD has every right to feel however she feels.

But having given it more thought, my advice to her would be this --

It's not the time to discuss whether to play next season. Do that in the off-season. Right now, you're on the team. You're committed. Your job is to take whatever role you are given and do the best you can with it. It might be true that the coach's philosophy on pitchers' hitting is flawed, but you can't change that. You can only resist the urge to second-guess the coach or be negative about it. Don't resent or roll your eyes at teammates who are hitting .100. Encourage them. Pull for them. Be the best teammate possible. Teammates can pick up on disgruntled teammates. Don't be an energy vampire. At the end of the season, you should be able to say, 'I did everything I could this season to make this team better. If the coaches had let me, I could have done more, but I did all I could, and I approached every game and every practice with a positive attitude that made me and my teammates better.'

After the season, decide if you've had enough of that, or want to do it again.

 

[sluggers]

(Coogan's post is great.)

ms, I'm sorry to offend you. I wasn't specifically referencing anything you wrote...there were some other comments that suggested that if your DD isn't "happy" then she should quit. But, you did *not* say that.

My advice to you is to tell your DD, "Finish this season. Not everyone in the world will recognize your brilliance. If you don't want to play next year, fine. It is up to you."


Anyway:

Sports are designed to challenge the athlete, not to make the athlete happy.

But, TB is becoming more and more about making the kids (and parents) happy, not challenging them. Everyone gets to play in a "National Championship" tournament. Everyone gets to play on a "Gold" team. Everyone gets a medal. On almost all TB teams, the child doesn't have to do anything to get PT other than show up for the game. It has become a more expensive version of rec ball.

When the child plays in HS, she gets thrown into an environment where not everyone gets to play the position they want or as much playing time as they want.

Rather than explaining the basic facts (e.g., some kids are better than you; you are going to have to make the coach recognize your ability; some coaches are idiots, etc.--in other words, she has to deal with reality), some parents want to shield the child from the experience.

 

[dbias]

(Coogan's post is great.)

ms, I'm sorry to offend you. I wasn't specifically referencing anything you wrote...there were some other comments that suggested that if your DD isn't "happy" then she should quit. But, you did *not* say that.

My advice to you is to tell your DD, "Finish this season. Not everyone in the world will recognize your brilliance. If you don't want to play next year, fine. It is up to you."


Anyway:

Sports are designed to challenge the athlete, not to make the athlete happy.

But, TB is becoming more and more about making the kids (and parents) happy, not challenging them. Everyone gets to play in a "National Championship" tournament. Everyone gets to play on a "Gold" team. Everyone gets a medal. On almost all TB teams, the child doesn't have to do anything to get PT other than show up for the game. It has become a more expensive version of rec ball.

When the child plays in HS, she gets thrown into an environment where not everyone gets to play the position they want or as much playing time as they want.

Rather than explaining the basic facts (e.g., some kids are better than you; you are going to have to make the coach recognize your ability; some coaches are idiots, etc.--in other words, she has to deal with reality), some parents want to shield the child from the experience.

DD experiences run right through the middle of this thread.
Always played rec and TB and then HS and travel ball.
Rec and hs were with friends and for fun and reps. Always pitched in rec and pitched and played third in hs. TB was of course more serious, as serious as she could be anyway, and was always the highlight of her year. She played 18u TB for a team three hours away starting as 13 yo so she quickly learned what serious ball was all about and came to appreciate the rec and hs teams as time with friends and working on stuff.
She lived to bat and always got to up until college ball. She analyzed the other pitcher and gave advice to her teammates.
Now she pitches and that is it,even though the college coaches recruited her for her bat. But by the end of fall ball in college, her bat which was her pride and joy, never left the batbag. Would she prefer to bat? Yes but she knows her role and that is to stay loose btwn innings, go over upcoming batters with pitching coach and catcher and when done cheer.

So many variables are involved in every ones own situation that most advice will probably not exactly fit.

 

[cuzmail]

I have asked college coaches (one of which was Patrick Murphy) if this would be a problem or throw a red flag to the potential college coach. they said its not uncommon anymore and therefore not an issue. as long as she's playing TB, HS participation isn't a prerequisite. (They aren't going to leave their team during the season to go watch a high school team).

But if you ask a HS coach, they will tell you the world revolves around HS ball. They even get to sit with the recruit on signing day and look as good as possible in the pics - right?

 

[smddad]

What are the options if not playing HS ball?

Track team.

 

[Cannonball]

Speaking as a HS coach, take your dd off the team. Besides, she'll be better in the long run since HS isn't messing her up.

Edited to delete the rest of the commentary.

 

[chinamigarden]

If you and by you I mean everyone who is thinking about leaving a HS team. Leaving a team is one thing, but how you leave that team will follow you. Quit in the middle of the season, and everyone will hear about it, every kid's parent who is competing with your dd for a spot on a travel team will bring it up to the TB coaches (well you hear she is difficult, she quit her HS team mid season...). Do not go out with a blaze of glory and at tryouts tell the coach I am done with you and your simple ways... Do not quit at the team banquet...Do not quit at the last minute when the coach is already counting on her.

Your dd makes a phone call to the coach mid summer and says, due to the time requirement of softball I will not be able to play next season. I will be needing that time to pursue academics and other activities that will aid me in getting into college. Done, do not go into playing time, strategy, little suzy who can't catch the ball but plays... If this conversation goes more then a minute it was done wrong.