High School Softball ,No Thanks I'll pass

[SCDad]

Our studs fight for varsity in 8th grade, against larger odds.

Do you have any varsity slots open for any 8th graders, or are they already "entitled" to older players?

What happens come playoff time? Here is where the JV kids are brought up, usually sit the bench, but know that is the best signal going they will make varsity next year.

Can your coaches have any continuity? preparing young ballplayers for the future? or do they just see who shows up each year, pick the best, cut the rest, and say we are doing what is best for the kids?

 

[Cannonball]

SCDad, we have state regulations that don't allow 8th graders to play on varsity. We have both 7th and 8th grade softball that plays for conference, regional, sectional, super sectional and state titles as does the High School. Should we have been in your system, the best play. We have a Varsity and a JV. If you are on the JV, you know that you have to work hard to gain one of the open spots on the varsity the next year. Per continuity, JV and Varsity most often practice together for a part of each practice so that everyone knows the system. We only have 2 coaches in the HS program for softball. We compete against school that have 5 or 6 coaches. Still, we beat them. You mentioned that your teams win or have won State Championships. I went to look at last year's State Championship Program. I couldn't find one. I found the names of several Section Champs. I'd appreciate reading about your school's program. Care to let me know who they are?

 

[SCDad]

Sent private message Cannonball.

 

[Cannonball]

Thank you! I appreciate it.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

This is getting more and more telling....

Do you believe a great 8th grader, should be moved up to varsity, so she can learn the ropes, and not make other players/parents "mad". Then start in 9th grade.

See, you are explaining why it is done how we do it. So people don't get "mad".

"Make other parents mad"?!?!?!? These parents & players that assume the entitlement (YES the entitlement) are just as selfish and even WORSE as they expect something for NOTHING! (DD doesn't work hard - the doesn't do nothing part - and DD gets her playing part regardless - the getting part) and just "putting your time in" DOES NOT qualify for effort!

This is very hypocritical on your part to say it's OK for the entitled senior and family to get mad but it's not OK for the freshman and family, who is better, to get mad as she lost the spot to a lesser player.

The only difference is our way teaches discipline (life lesson) ... and does not make people mad (bad team karma)..

It is not an entitlement. [/QUOTE]

What the #%$^!?!? Teaches discipline!?!?!?! All this flawed system teaches is to celebrate mediocrity. It teaches that hard work means nothing. It teaches coasting, just doing time, slackers.... Not in my country!

It is an entitlement system - look it up.

And let me rephrase what you meant to say : "... and does not make MY PREFERRED TIGHT NIT FAMILY OF OLIGARCHISTS people mad (bad team karma)"

It is a system, with a purpose, and it works. No one is getting anything free.

Ya Castro has a "system" for his fellow Cubans too...

How can you even think "No one is getting anything free"?!? Wow!

Holy cow I need a morning drink now because of this thread....... (jk - but still.....)

SC - trust me I am not "hating" on you as much as I am sooooo totally amazed by your thought processes. I would LOVE to have a long discussion some evening and get to the bottom of what makes you tick.....

 

[Easton33]

You need to find a balance and make sure the so-called young studs prove themselves before getting handed the prize. There are dangers in automatically thinking young studs are good... because of what? reputation? 3-4 tryouts? Have they performed in a game yet? Are they fully grown? Do they have any leadership skills? You get older kids these days quitting the team because their hard work and results are ignored. So have at it. I would like to know how the coaches really know who is good. HS coaches according to this board really don't get out much, and are bashed here as bad.

Rules should be in place that don't allow 7th and 8th graders to play HS ball, unless private school. Sounds like some places don't have enough players. But maybe they should look at what causes lack of interest in actual HS-age players.

No coach in right mind would put young stud in over let's say your district leading hitter with the most HRs who took you to the championship, who leads by example and puts in off season work.

This is the straw man theory. Who would support what you are saying? If district leading hitter lost her spot on defense, the leading district hitter would be replacing someone else at a different position with comparable fielding skills. Worst case is she is DH. Having a freshman outplay you is not leading by example.
Rules are in place to keep 7 and 8th graders off of high school fields. In the state I live in, you get 2 years of Jr High, and 4 of high school. You step on that field as an 8th grader, you have lost your senior year.

Best person plays, competition is key to excellence. If skills are comparable, older girl gets the job. No one should get a free ride because of how old they are or who their parents are.

 

[Easton33]

Not at all what I meant. I mean a young hitting stud the coach may have heard about or that the parents are buzzing about. But that young stud has to earn the spot too and not be handed it. We are not talking senior citziens here versus 30 year olds. It is a stereotype that you get over the hill and complacent. That should not be assumed. A loyal player who produces should be rewarded, or else you get churn and burn teams, which is what we now have in real life workplace, where no one stays at a job, and turnover is rampant. So how's that for life lessons.

Everyone earns their position and that is the flavor of this topic. Freshman or Senior, best player plays. You get team with less talented players when seniority dictates playing time vs ability and weaker teams are the result. They are rewarded, with making the team. The reason you get churn and burn teams is because you leave no avenue for girls to get better and win the starting position. Your way of thinking does not promote American Exceptionalism, but American Mediocrity. What we have in the real life workplace is perpetuated by a president that believes people are "entitled" to certain things. The turnover is rampant because companies can get cheaper labor with the same skill set because of the high unemployment rate. ( Again, this can be directly linked to people in high political offices that share some of the same entitlement views expressed here.) To answer your question of how is that for a life lesson.... I think it is a terrible example and hopefully you will move to the "informed" voter category before next election.

 

[CJ D]

I don't know of a high school coach in our area who employs the seniority system....thankfully.

I don't see it in college. I don't see it in professional sports. I rarely see it in the workplace, except for in civil service and in unions. And speaking as a civil service employee, it is a shining example of mediocrity!

I'm not sure how we can honestly say that we are teaching valuable life lessons that no matter what you do or how hard you try or how good you are or how much more qualified you are that you shouldn't take that spot or that job. But just hang around long enough and you can have that spot given to you! There is no possible way you can tell me that system gets the best out of people. Does it get enough out to accomplish what you want? Obviously. If your program is tops in the state, it is adequate. But is it truly getting the most out of the players?

 

[MsDinosaur]

Best person plays, competition is key to excellence. If skills are comparable, older girl gets the job.

This seems entirely reasonable to me.

BTW, our district also does not have 7th and 8th graders on the HS teams, only 9-12 grades are eligible.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I've enjoyed reading this thread, some of it makes sense and some not so much. A few posters are talking about the "experience" of the upper classmen. But what I look at is the level of experience. Who would actually have "better experience"? Who would have faced better pitching? Who would have seen better coached teams? Who would have faced better competition?
1) A senior who has played in the local rec league here whole life and 3 years of HS.
2) A freshman who has played A travelball abroad her whole life.

I've seen it first hand, they crying of the upper classmen AND the parents. When my DD's group finished up their 8th grade middle school season the BS started even before the beginning of the 9th grade year. My girls had set the WTAC record for runs scored to runs allowed.........214 runs 25 allowed. ( to my knowledge it still stands ) The older girls parents started the "my kid's a senior, she earned her spot", "they've put in the time", "this is her year". <-------yawn

It really put the coach in a bad spot, he knew the 9 freshmen were hands above the entire rest of the team. Booster club meetings were insane with the older parents complaining even BEFORE the season started. Finally I went to coach's office and "asked" him to just play the four seniors to keep the poop from rising. Long story short, these AMAZING seniors...........well we didn't even make it out of districts that year. The next 3 years in a row with those "freshmen newbies", we made it to state.

The elite 8th grade class, and those older parents STILL despise us to this day.

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