Everyone can play college softball?

[chinamigarden]

There are private schools out there who survive on the students who want to play college sports. They have high tuition and low academic standings, but they will take just about any athlete into just about any sport. They will even give you a "scholarship" which brings your tuition down to the average tuition of just about any other college around. There is a University not too far from me where more then half the students play some sort of varsity sport. over 50% of them were not recruited by any other college. 3 years ago the softball coach quit after about 5 games and they couldn't replace her, so softball was done for the year.

Its a vanity thing, they recruit students based on being able to offer them the ability to say "I played college softball" for the rest of your life.

Now is this the same as saying I went to Florida, Arizona, Michigan, or even Wayne State or Grand Valley or any good program at any level no. But 99% of the people out there have no idea that it isn't.

 

[29dad]

D1, D2, D3, NAIA, JUCO, club... "everyone" is an exaggeration, but not by much.

 

[Jojo]

Short answer is "YES".

There was a player on my DD's team that had no intention of playing college ball. She played with the team because she'd played with them since she was little and enjoyed the game and camaraderie. She didn't train outside of practice.--She played right field.
One tournament she was laughing while telling everyone that she was approached by a scout wanting her to play for their school. She saod she asked them, "What did you like best about me?, the pop fly I dropped or the slow grounder that went through my legs!"

Long answer..It's not about just playing in college. It's about choices. Where you want to play, the type of school you want to play for, the $$$$$$. The better the talent the more choices you get. You just want to play in college and don't want to put the work in, then there are plenty of JUCO's out in West TX looking for players.

 

[chinamigarden]

I know, and thought that I put "LOL" in my response. I did not.

I went and looked at a D-III school that had an exceptional coach who had turned their program around. He was trying to convince my dd to attend there though he knew it would not happen. In talking to him, he admitted that he would not be at the school much longer because the administration really didn't want to put much into the program and he had had it. Sure enough, he left and that team went 3-32 this year. They were short gamed most of the games this year. I guess any player desperate enough to find a college to play at could play there. Of course, being a D-III there aren't any athletic scholarships involved and so, the players are there either playing their way or with some type of academic scholarship.

I have spoken to lots of parents who say that their kid is being offered an attractive package to play softball for a DIII school. Are you telling me that they are lying? Yeah I know they are, I just love acting surprised.

 

[sluggers]

Anyway, does everyone get to play in college if they want to?

Everyone can be a on a team if they want to...there are some pretty bad D3 teams out there. So, yes, anyone can be on the softball team. Whether someone can *PLAY* (as opposed to sit the bench most of the time) is different.

 

[3'sDad]

Amy was really spot on. Score 30 on your ACT or 2000 on the SAT and your options to play (not sit the bench) at many academic D III schools increase. They have to field teams and the number of players with these test scores is finite, so the odds of playing increase. At many of the academic D III's 40% of the students on campus play an NCAA sport; the student body are true student-athletes.

Score above 700/32 on your Math SAS/ACT and the "Institutes of Technology" all become interested since they also have to field teams.

 

[canyonjoe]

Is it the same for baseball. I think I have a couple of years of eligibility left

 

[riseball]

Amy was really spot on. Score 30 on your ACT or 2000 on the SAT and your options to play (not sit the bench) at many academic D III schools increase. They have to field teams and the number of players with these test scores is finite, so the odds of playing increase. At many of the academic D III's 40% of the students on campus play an NCAA sport; the student body are true student-athletes.

Score above 700/32 on your Math SAS/ACT and the "Institutes of Technology" all become interested since they also have to field teams.

There are just as many opportunities for those that are not academically nor athletically gifted in D1, D2, JUCO, and NAIA programs. The idea that D1 somehow equates to a high level of competitiveness is one of college softballs greatest myths. There are very competitive and awful programs at every level. Find the one that is the best fit.

 

[marriard]

Everyone can be a on a team if they want to...there are some pretty bad D3 teams out there. So, yes, anyone can be on the softball team. Whether someone can *PLAY* (as opposed to sit the bench most of the time) is different.

There are some really, really miserable D1 and D2 schools out there as well.

If you want the chance to play 'good' college softball that is different. If you just wanted to play, there are lots of teams who need to fill a roster.

I know I have told the story of the team we saw this year who happened to be in town and were a last minute replacement due to weather to play a local D2 school (who are pretty good though they didn't make the D2 championship this year). This D2 team would struggle to compete in 12U - I know we could hit their best pitcher - she wasn't crossing 45mph. They couldn't field bunts, LF & RF couldn't catch a fly ball and never looked like they were ever going to - and they were not much at hitting either. And they WON 16 games this year. And the same pitcher was 'all conference' with a 7.30 ERA.

Go look at the stats for the bottom ranked D1 schools - any team from the 'Southwestern' conference will do. Jackson State was ranked 237 in D1 and they were the clear best team in the conference (28-29 overall, 16-1 in conference) - they had the SWAC pitcher of the year at 13-13 overall and a 3.99 ERA - so you can imagine what the bottom of that conference looks like (if you want to look search Alcorn Softball).

 

[NEF]

I have spoken to lots of parents who say that their kid is being offered an attractive package to play softball for a DIII school. Are you telling me that they are lying? Yeah I know they are, I just love acting surprised.

Wouldn't doubt it. In attending camps, DIII coaches have said they have creative ways of getting funding for kids. Not softball money but "academic money for certain majors, grants and award monies. One actually said they played DIII baseball and didn't think he could afford it until some "funding" became available.