Defense, can anybody play anywhere?

[_MIA_]

It is a parent's job to make sure their child is prepared for their softball future. Too many parents rely on their kid's coaches to get them to where they need be imo. This is partially why you see so much team hopping IMO.

My 10 YO DD (playing 12U) plays >95% of her innings at SS and the rest mainly at 2B with a few innings every season in the OF. When she first joined the team it was just the opposite, most of the innings at 2B (with the coach's kid playing SS). She likes her team(in general, it is not perfect but most situations will not be), they play a decent schedule for 12U (again not perfect) and the org at the higher ages is fairly competitive nationally (a bonus is the org head lets us use the indoor facility whenever we want to...). Coaching leaves a bit to be desired but I know enough so that it isn't really any issue. So knowing that she needs to be able to play the OF if necessary, but overall she is happy at the moment playing with her team, I make sure she gets her fly ball reps (she does get some, but not enough, in practice) when we go out to the field to practice by ourselves. Granted they are not game reps, but if you are able to track fly balls you are 3/4 of the way there in terms of OF play.

People say the sport is dying because kids want to be on their cell phones all day but to me it is really the parents who want to be on their cell phones all day and not bother to go out and spend some quality time with their kids (I also think some parents just do not know the amount of work that is required in order for their kid to reach their potential). I think very few 8-12 YO who would say no to a Dad or Mom if they were asked if they want to go hang out at the ballfield for an hour. Kids at that age just want to be around their idols (I know this doesn't last in general... ) I know people work a lot nowadays but an hour 2 or 3 times a week should be possible.

 

[radness]

It is a parent's job to make sure their child is prepared for their softball future. Too many parents rely on their kid's coaches to get them to where they need be imo. This is partially why you see so much team hopping IMO.

My 10 YO DD (playing 12U) plays >95% of her innings at SS and the rest mainly at 2B with a few innings every season in the OF. When she first joined the team it was just the opposite, most of the innings at 2B (with the coach's kid playing SS). She likes her team(in general, it is not perfect but most situations will not be), they play a decent schedule for 12U (again not perfect) and the org at the higher ages is fairly competitive nationally (a bonus is the org head lets us use the indoor facility whenever we want to...). Coaching leaves a bit to be desired but I know enough so that it isn't really any issue. So knowing that she needs to be able to play the OF if necessary, but overall she is happy at the moment playing with her team, I make sure she gets her fly ball reps (she does get some, but not enough, in practice) when we go out to the field to practice by ourselves. Granted they are not game reps, but if you are able to track fly balls you are 3/4 of the way there in terms of OF play.

People say the sport is dying because kids want to be on their cell phones all day but to me it is really the parents who want to be on their cell phones all day and not bother to go out and spend some quality time with their kids (I also think some parents just do not know the amount of work that is required in order for their kid to reach their potential). I think very few 8-12 YO who would say no to a Dad or Mom if they were asked if they want to go hang out at the ballfield for an hour. Kids at that age just want to be around their idols (I know this doesn't last in general... ) I know people work a lot nowadays but an hour 2 or 3 times a week should be possible.

Tend to concur with this.
Cel phone and what kids see...not sport specific tho.

Also note the 'Positional Playing Time' at early age.

I find it's an interesting point and agree...when people mention it's the parents responsibility to plan for the future of their kids... softball or otherwise. Often times in the younger age teams it's just parents coaching other parents kids. Just because someone is coaching a team does not mean they have an organized developed understanding of the direction or future people need to go. Appreciate all the volunteer work!.
Some good stuff!!
Some other stuff.
But mostly young teams, it is still parents coaching.
Not everyone has good people skills. Since travel ball is kinda
"Start a team do it yourself"
Its a basket of ??????

Add the mixture of families who are dedicated and families who think they are dedicated and families who are just happy to have their kids socializing.

it does sort itself out!
Age, time, $$$$, talent

*Notes on how teams seperating the crowd
notice in Southern California now the different brackets of top-tier teams and offerings like Triple Crown has their main tournament venues but also have hosted brackets where only certain teams are invited to attend. top tier teams in these past couple years are playing against each other more and more and the mainstream is doing the mainstream thing. Here in SoCal we have USA Preps which has become more popular but they are more D3 venues.

Travel ball
Notice in older age bracket tend to be more coaches who have invested more years and have a more developed understanding of the details and requirements to get into showcasing if that is the goal.
Thats only Maybe 30 or 40% of coaches.

The rest who figure out how to keep a team going from younger brackets
Learn to facilitate the tourny and showcasing.
And then theres still the 'figure it out as they go' scenarios even in older age brackets.

To pattar point
PARENTS PAYING ATTENTION
IS REALLY IMPORTANT
Its money time and their kids!!!!

 

[KPower]

Late to the game here...

DD is a speedy lefty. She started pitching at 10U like just about every other girl but soon decided that she would rather play soccer than pitch. So she switched to catching. She was a good little catcher. She was always (until this year) tiny but very strong with a good arm and a quick mind. Pitchers loved her (still do - she catches for 5 different pitchers pitching lessons). She hasn't had much formal training but for whatever reason gets the job done well behind the plate. She has had umpires compliment her, opposing coaches compliment her and last summer had a DII college coach who she did not contact approach her TB coach about her. (She is currently 1st yr 16U).

2 years ago her TB coach had a player who was pretty much useless anywhere but behind the plate (where she was barely adequate) so he put DD in CF. DD LOVES CF...she loves the change of scenery and she is GOOD out there. She is fast, can read the ball well and has a cannon to throw runners out. She has made countless diving catches that I thought were going to drop.

She has also played a little 1st - but like I said - until this year she was short (5') now 5'6" - so she didn't play a lot there.

What's funny is - last fall during the HS State SB tourney our SS got hit and broke her hand. Our HS AC (who also coaches the #1 16U team in our state) told DD to get out and play SS. As a lefty. DD was terrified but this man has been coaching for nearly 30 years and she figured if he believed in her she needed to give it a try. Thankfully (or sadly) nothing came her way and she never touched the ball there...but it was kind of fun seeing her there. (Not that she would ever think she belongs there long term...).

So -I guess all that to say - yeah - you never know where you might be needed. Be willing and able to go where you're asked.

 

[sluggers]

Booming in California

No, it's not.

California Interscholastic Federation (the California body overseeing HS sports) released its participation results for 2019. The participation in HS softball was less in 2019 than in 2011, even though the total number of girls participating in California HS sports was up 15%.

The NFHS numbers show the same is true nationally. Participation in HS softball in 2011 was 373,000. Participation in 2019 was 362,000. Total girls participating in sports in 2011: 3,200,000. Total girls participating in 2019: 3,400,000.

 

[canyonjoe]

I don't expect every player can play every position well but by 14U you should know how to play them all (except P and C). I don't expect them to know all the nuances of the positions but they should have a good idea how to play them. We had a 14U team a couple of years ago where we had 6 players who could play anywhere (except P and C). It was so nice to have a team where we could always field a good defense when we needed. There are always going to be some kids who physically can't play some positions but all good players should aspire to be able to be versatile.

 

[MikeP]

I would agree with this statement. However, I would expand it to say most sports are dying a slow death for a multitude of reasons such as kids sitting in front of the TV with their game console 19 hours a day, their noses glued to their cellphones on social media and the overprotective parental fear of injury just to name a few.
[/QUOTE

No, it's not.

California Interscholastic Federation (the California body overseeing HS sports) released its participation results for 2019. The participation in HS softball was less in 2019 than in 2011, even though the total number of girls participating in California HS sports was up 15%.

The NFHS numbers show the same is true nationally. Participation in HS softball in 2011 was 373,000. Participation in 2019 was 362,000. Total girls participating in sports in 2011: 3,200,000. Total girls participating in 2019: 3,400,000.

Do you think it's because girls are just focusing on travel and not High School?

 

[radness]

No, it's not.

California Interscholastic Federation (the California body overseeing HS sports) released its participation results for 2019. The participation in HS softball was less in 2019 than in 2011, even though the total number of girls participating in California HS sports was up 15%.

The NFHS numbers show the same is true nationally. Participation in HS softball in 2011 was 373,000. Participation in 2019 was 362,000. Total girls participating in sports in 2011: 3,200,000. Total girls participating in 2019: 3,400,000.

See you are reffering to high school softball. Not club or travel softball.
JUST EYEBALLED those softball numbers lol really the chart shows minimal change! The margin adjusted by mearly a few hundered per year! Nothing dramatic there.
In numbers above 32000.
LOOK again!
Infact the chart shows higher #'s
2015-16-17-18 !!!!



In Calif High school softball is almost irrelevant to what travel is doing and has been doing for goal oriented athletes for college showcasing.

While i dont disagree with the chart you provided. Because it was helpful.

The overall statistics should be included if you are saying
the sport is dying.

Which it is NOT

While I do not have the links it is easy to Google. Can look up how many more females there are in sports, softball in particular, in all colleges Across the Nation and that number has risen tremendously. You can also look up ESPN and they literally had the highest amount of viewers watch Women's World Series over baseball World Series.

if you're only speaking about high school softball there are players who don't even care to participate in high school because of how terrible it is compared to how competitive travel ball is.

Another cause and effect to school sports diminishing is the cost to keep programs running.

Doesnt mean their not playing!!!

Seriously look up triple crown tournaments
( easy links TO LOOK)
Then LOOK at other tournament venues asa usssa fasa pgf across the nation!
Heck how many indoor facilities have popped up in ten years.
Sheeesh broaden the thinking view a bit lol
Sssooooo many teams!!!!

 

[djcarter1966]

Last spring was our last year of rec for this very reason. I tried to move girls every inning except for P & C (none of the rec girls would even try) but the other teams we played, the coaches were so concerned with winning. One team was dd's travel team that kept all of his girls except dd, she refused to play unless I coached another team. Pretty bad that a 9 yo could see how ridiculous it was. Two of the other coaches would have a travel player switch from 4 to 6 to 5 during an inning depending on where the runners were and who was hitting. I saw girls all season on other teams never leave the outfield and no other girls got a chance to pitch. I know there were others that wanted to, but they weren't "good" enough. I played in the same rec league 40 years ago and it's a shame what it has turned in to. Rant over, sorry but this struck a nerve.

This is always situation dependent in rec when I coached 12U I probably did pigeonhole girls too much but we had several girls, who had played very little or not at all, that I simply wouldn't put in the infield for safety reasons (maybe a little time a 2B and I positioned them almost in the grass and only against weak hitting teams). I had three or four pitchers and they rotated around the infield when not pithcing sometime in rec you are just stuck with what you have maybe at 8U and 10U not as big a deal but some of my girls at 12U rec could have played on any travel team they wanted (just had other things they were doing) and on the flip side had two girls in particular where my victory was simply to stop getting them to pick daisies in the outfield and focus on the game.

 

[sluggers]

While I do not have the links it is easy to Google. Can look up how many more females there are in sports, softball in particular, in all colleges Across the Nation and that number has risen tremendously.

Not in the last twenty years. There was a big uptick in the 1990s, when the SEC and the Big 10 were forced to add softball as an NCAA collegiate sports. But, Those days are long gone. The sport has been stagnant since then. It is losing ground to volleyball, field hockey and lacrosse.

You can also look up ESPN and they literally had the highest amount of viewers watch Women's World Series over baseball World Series.

That is literally wrong.

The average viewership for D1 baseball CWS was 1.97 million viewers. https://www.baseballamerica.com/sto...big-college-world-series-viewership-for-espn/

The viewership for the D1 softball CWS averaged around 1.4 million viewers. https://nfca.org/divnews/ncaa1/espn-s-softball-viewership-surges-in-2019

if you're only speaking about high school softball there are players who don't even care to participate in high school because of how terrible it is compared to how competitive travel ball is.

Another cause and effect to school sports diminishing is the cost to keep programs running.

Doesnt mean their not playing!!!

Seriously look up triple crown tournaments
( easy links TO LOOK)

The number of girls playing HS sports increased by 15% since 2011. The number of HS softball players declined in California. If the sport were truly "booming", the number of HS softball players would have increased along with the increase in number of girl athletes.

The number of tournaments and facilities reflects the amount of money spent on the sport, not the number of kids participating.

Sheeesh broaden the thinking view a bit lol

With due respect, I'm looking at the entire sport ecosystem--rec ball, travel ball, HS ball, and collegiate. You are focused on the narrow sliver of travel ball.

 

[YOCOACH]

Do you think it's because girls are just focusing on travel and not High School?

Not necessarily although my DD didn't play Senior year due to several factors and her college coach encouraged it.

On my rec team years ago (seems like decades now) I had more than several athletes that could have made top tier TB teams in my area. However, their older brother was into his Play Station and so they followed suit. Older brother was 7'2" at the age of 14 and was a heck of a BB player in his own right. They all dropped out of sports. The girls by second year 12U and the brother after second year 14U although the brother has a genetic disorder and had to drop out for medical reasons.

This is just one example of what I was talking about. I have many more about some of the others I pointed out.

That said, another part of the reason in my area is money. Many families just don't have the financial resources to move on since TB has become such a money grab in general IMO.

Any fan of the Sci-Fi genre can point to a multitude of movies and books where 'slaughterball' or some such silly name of a sport is the only sport offered in the future where an athlete actually physically participates while virtual gaming is the king. Heck, we see it going that way today. How many company sponsored gaming teams do we have today? Do you know how much the top gamers make?! They're like rock stars of the gaming world and more and more of the younger generations are not only tuning in to watch the tournaments, but dreaming of becoming a professional gamer.

Some may poo-poo Sci-fi but just think of how many of their storylines have come true today. People talking on wireless communicators (cellphones), Lasers, space exploration, spaceships, implantable intelligence augmentation (yes it's in trials as we speak) etc., etc. The list goes on and on.