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Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Pattar you need a double shot of positivity. Your DD is very athletic. Some of the skinniest wiry 10 year olds turn out to be the best when they mature. And that 12 y/o that is 5'8' and weighs 170 lbs and hits bombs never makes it past 14u.
You know who was a wiry athletic kid? Me..how did that work out (hint: I make money now sitting my fat rear in front of a computer all day doing a job which I have enough talent to be good but not great at) ?

Anyway this thread isn't about my kid I only gave my opinion on her when she was brought up by Rad...
 
Last edited:

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Pattar you need a double shot of positivity. Your DD is very athletic. Some of the skinniest wiry 10 year olds turn out to be the best when they mature. And that 12 y/o that is 5'8' and weighs 170 lbs and hits bombs never makes it past 14u.

You're onto something there. I've seen more than a few 12U/14U ball mashers eat their way out of this game. One look at the parents often shows the future. On an off week, I took DD to watch a friend play ball. There were some "lower level" 18U teams playing, and I asked DD what differences she saw between her team and what she's watching now. She correctly answered "size and speed". There were many "bigger" girls playing who weren't any stronger at the plate than the more athletic kids DD plays with, but they could barely move. The overall quality of play wasn't bad, but the tempo was much slower and the margin for error on defense much greater because many couldn't run very well. Even the slower runners on DD's team would be well above average among the group we watched.
 
Apr 23, 2014
389
43
East Jabib
On the contrary, I think the live streaming of games has been an advantage for some players who have the benefit of a multitude of game footage at the coach’s disposal versus in person, maybe two at bat opportunities. We’ve see a ton of college coach traffic on the games and practices we have streamed. I think several of our players are getting exposure they wouldn’t have had previously due to the coaches ability to review archived games.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
A few coaches close to us told us to wait till after fall season to committ.
They wanted to see a few more offers.
DD had a goal and she commited to her #1 school. I cant imagine how she'd feel if we waited.
Last September there was a frenzy for highly sought after kids. Unless a kid is/was weighing multiple offers I think most 21s who had heavy interest have committed. So I see Pattars point to a degree. Schools were throwing around money last September/October.
2021s not commited may need to make a new list and must be on team this fall that gets on good fields.
2022s will be okay I imagine. September 1 is coming. Schools that contacted DD followed her and her team for 2-3 years. These schools know who they want.
 
May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
You're onto something there. I've seen more than a few 12U/14U ball mashers eat their way out of this game. One look at the parents often shows the future. On an off week, I took DD to watch a friend play ball. There were some "lower level" 18U teams playing, and I asked DD what differences she saw between her team and what she's watching now. She correctly answered "size and speed". There were many "bigger" girls playing who weren't any stronger at the plate than the more athletic kids DD plays with, but they could barely move. The overall quality of play wasn't bad, but the tempo was much slower and the margin for error on defense much greater because many couldn't run very well. Even the slower runners on DD's team would be well above average among the group we watched.

DD is 5'11" 140# and loves playing 1B and is pretty dang awesome there.
BUT... most rosters have "larger girls" that are un-athletic,
and guess where most coaches try and hide that type of player on defense?
(especially if that "larger girl" can mash the ball on offense...)

But recently with her travel club, the regular 1B sustained an injury, and DD got her shot and has really excelled there.
Making outs that others would not have made. (especially balls in foul territory, and errant, off target trows to her from the infield...)
She now splits time there, and is very thankful!
But she still loves playing LF as well.

She is a 2021 and un-committed.
Her college goals are to play, but also wants to attend a top engineering school.
D1 is a recruiting long-shot at this point, but her top choices are DIII anyway.
(she does have some good DIII prospects in the works, but needs to apply and gain admissions first)
I hope a serious resurgence does not nix fall recruiting tournaments,
or I'm not too sure how it's going to happen for her.

With DI/DII "dead" until Sept 01,
I wonder what Pennsbury Academic camp, and/or Headfirst Honor Roll Camp will look like?
(or if they will even take place)
I suppose if they are crawling with rabid DIII coaches representing schools on her list, it won't be a letdown for us at all,
but we were hoping for opportunity to turn a few DI heads at these events this summer...
 
Apr 28, 2014
2,316
113
DD is 5'11" 140# and loves playing 1B and is pretty dang awesome there.
BUT... most rosters have "larger girls" that are un-athletic,
and guess where most coaches try and hide that type of player on defense?
(especially if that "larger girl" can mash the ball on offense...)

But recently with her travel club, the regular 1B sustained an injury, and DD got her shot and has really excelled there.
Making outs that others would not have made. (especially balls in foul territory, and errant, off target trows to her from the infield...)
She now splits time there, and is very thankful!
But she still loves playing LF as well.

She is a 2021 and un-committed.
Her college goals are to play, but also wants to attend a top engineering school.
D1 is a recruiting long-shot at this point, but her top choices are DIII anyway.
(she does have some good DIII prospects in the works, but needs to apply and gain admissions first)
I hope a serious resurgence does not nix fall recruiting tournaments,
or I'm not too sure how it's going to happen for her.

With DI/DII "dead" until Sept 01,
I wonder what Pennsbury Academic camp, and/or Headfirst Honor Roll Camp will look like?
(or if they will even take place)
I suppose if they are crawling with rabid DIII coaches representing schools on her list, it won't be a letdown for us at all,
but we were hoping for opportunity to turn a few DI heads at these events this summer...

If your DD wants to become an engineer D3 options maybe better. I attended Drexel and studied EE and tried to balance hockey and academic workload and it was too much. The first 2-3 years of an engineering degree require a massive amount of "Book time" and that is difficult with a 40 plus hour athletic commitment. D1 is not the end all be all that people say. It is certainly higher level ball but if an engineering degree is your DDs goal than her academics must come 1 and 1A..
Softball is a distant 3rd.
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
You have 4 years of eligibility if you know your good enough to play D1 all 4 years keep going to camps for your preferred colleges. You can tryout as a sophomore. Most D1 freshman rarely see the field almost a wasted year of eligibility. If you’re really committed to to playing softball for ncaa your journey is only over when you give up or get your 4 years in.

The best player I ever coached just let us know she quit softball this is her junior year and she was a starter, because softball was interfering with her classes. She hated it but she decided grades and graduation was more important.

good luck in all of these girls journey. It’s not over until they choose for it to be over, life is an adventure go live it.

That's a nice silver lining perspective. It sucks all around. All of this sucks. But trying to find solutions/alternatives is a better use of energy.
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
Amen, and what about the advantage that all the other division levels are getting? My DD had several D3 coaches watching her at the last tournament. Just none of her target schools... and she can't go to those target school's camps. :( I guess D3 coaches are considered expendable? Maybe that's it...

I know zip, zero, nada about recruiting. And as my DD is only 10, I may never learn this (depending on how far her drive, skill and passion take her).

Can you do private tryouts with schools? Kind of like you can with top travel teams? If against the rules, might they look to change the rules?
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
DD is 5'11" 140# and loves playing 1B and is pretty dang awesome there.
BUT... most rosters have "larger girls" that are un-athletic,
and guess where most coaches try and hide that type of player on defense?
(especially if that "larger girl" can mash the ball on offense...)

But recently with her travel club, the regular 1B sustained an injury, and DD got her shot and has really excelled there.
Making outs that others would not have made. (especially balls in foul territory, and errant, off target trows to her from the infield...)
She now splits time there, and is very thankful!
But she still loves playing LF as well.

She is a 2021 and un-committed.
Her college goals are to play, but also wants to attend a top engineering school.
D1 is a recruiting long-shot at this point, but her top choices are DIII anyway.
(she does have some good DIII prospects in the works, but needs to apply and gain admissions first)
I hope a serious resurgence does not nix fall recruiting tournaments,
or I'm not too sure how it's going to happen for her.

With DI/DII "dead" until Sept 01,
I wonder what Pennsbury Academic camp, and/or Headfirst Honor Roll Camp will look like?
(or if they will even take place)
I suppose if they are crawling with rabid DIII coaches representing schools on her list, it won't be a letdown for us at all,
but we were hoping for opportunity to turn a few DI heads at these events this summer...

Yup. Unfortunately the large, power-hitting, slower-running first baseman is a staple in this game. I don't really see it changing much.
 

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