DD's new team?

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Oct 4, 2018
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Some of you might recall that I was asked to be an assistant coach again for our local travel team. I didn't want to really, but accepted.

Well, team disbanded. Head coach left, a few parents freaked and bailed. It's over.

Well tryouts were pretty much done around here, so the 6-7 girls on our team are scrambling to find new teams. I'm helping as I can as I know lots of the programs and coaches and know where the girls might fit well.

My DD had a few offers just based on her reputation and from my coaching friends, which is wonderful. Nice comfort to know she will have a home and she's respected and wanted. But we went to one of the top Org's "Last Call" tryout. Big outfit, good name, really good teams. It was very interesting to watch as many coaches were there just to get last looks at players that had come to their individual tryouts but weren't yet added. Coaches would tell the main dude: "Please call out #9 and hit some fly balls over her head. I want to see that" and then that would happen. There were about 30 girls but 40 coaches. Kind of intimidating (to me). All girls there well above average for 12U. This is a bit new to me so I'm piecing it all together on the fly, overhearing a word or two here and there.

So my DD is doing great on infielding and ok on outfielding but never once asked to do anything else. At this point I'm preparing my car ride home talk about how this tryout was really for players who had been going to all the tryouts. This "try out" is simply coaches trying to fill their last 1 or 2 spots with players they know.

We get to hitting. At this point tryout is going quickly, and coaches are just calling out for certain girls to move to the front of the line. Girls not called get about 3 pitches. My DD hits hers well, gets back in line and watches others. Then out of nowhere, they call my DD back to hit more. This time they give her 5 pitches, and she hits them all hard, 2 especially nice line drives to the gaps.

All of a sudden she's on a radar. Then they excuse all non pitcher/catchers, and I watch coaches seek out parents and have conversations. I see a girl or two smile hard enough to light up the city.

My DD is a pitcher, so I tag along to where they're headed. 8 pitchers, 4 catchers. So they double up, and my polite DD lets the other girl go first. Coaches ask them to warm up, and the girl in front of my DD does wrist snaps for 10 minutes. I'm close to getting my glove and bucket to work with my DD, but of course I don't. Finally a coach tells the girl to let my DD have her turn. My DD doesn't do snaps, so goes right into her normal warm up routine. After three throws I see coaches walking my way.

First one introduces herself and quickly makes an offer. I laugh and say "I wish you could see her pitch" and she says "Oh, I can see it".

Next coach in line also makes an offer.

Both coaches really complementary, respectful, etc. Great people. They mention how they love how she was grinning the entire try out, loving every minute of it.

By the time we're done chatting my daughter is fully warmed up and pitching from 40 feet. Every other player is gone from the area except my DD and the girl catching her. The 18U, 16U, 14U coaches from the org are huddled around the catcher, radar guns out. Asking my DD to throw various pitches. I wander over and ask them her speed. They too are complimentary and give advice and we talk and laugh. My DD is on cloud 9, having the time of her life. The coaches say there's movement on her fastball, and that her drop ball is dropping.

Man, it was a great moment. So proud of her. So happy to see her so happy.
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
Sounds real close to Anna’s journey going to a large, strong organization first year 14U. Coaches surrounding her and putting her under a microscope, she eat it up!

We were complete outsiders, didn’t know a single coach, parent, or player! It was a decision I made, it was tough for a week or so but the players just gravitated towards Anna.

It was a great decision to step out of our town (and our comfort zone) and take that leap of faith. Great organization, great coaches, and great parents, it worked out great!

Good luck to you and your DD both! Now you just need to get her a super nice glove to go with her new uniform! Oh wait..........never mind! ;)
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Nice. How did you choose the team she ended up on? Oh and you cannot tell a radar story without telling us what they clocked her at....j/k 😜
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
Thanks. It's going to now be a journey without any of her "softball friends" on her team.

Y'all told me that day would come, y'all explained and convinced me that it's the right thing... But I'm still sad. :(
When this was happening for my dd, she was sitting on the dugout bench when one of the players, her catcher, came up to her and said, "I need a best friend. Would you be my best friend." They are still best friends. My dd was 10 then and then have been best friends ever since. Your dd will make great friends.
 

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