HR balls-At what point do you stop caring?

[Orange Socks]

My DD hasn't hit one yet, but has been hitting the top of the fence lately. She's a tall very gangly 14 year old. Hopefully she will grow into her 10.5 shoes.

I only ask this question because of the following: DD is taking hitting and catching lessons from a current NFP player who recently broke the career HR record for her school. While I am shagging balls in the outfield while DD is hitting front toss I notice that almost all of the balls have writing on them. As I take a closer look I realize that these are special HR balls. Each ball says which part of the field she hit the balls, date and other significant milestone achieved. I asked her where did these balls come from. She says non nonchalantly, Oh they where in my dad's garage and I needed some balls for practice. Aggghhhh!!!! As a dad, I am pulling my hair out thinking each of those meant something. But then I think to myself, I guess if you do this on the regular then it becomes no big deal.

So...at what point do you start throwing the balls back in to the field? I secretly hope that happens, but then I hope that never happens. I guess it depends on DD.

Thoughts?

 

[JAD]

It is different for everyone, but I stopped tracking them down after around her 5th....

 

[iMlearning]

Yep... It just depends. Some may be more important than others. DD kept one that was taken out of a pond when it was really cold out but her teammates got it out and brought it to our house later that night. That meant a lot to her.
Others, she could care less about.

 

[sbmom19]

We have DD's first one in a case with an engraved plate wwith all the details. We have a couple more that she kept because of either where or when they happened. If she hits a walk off or a grand slam we would definitely grab it but other than that we just put them back into play. If someone gives them to DD she just puts them in the coach's bucket or in her bag and then they end up in our bucket...

 

[Bubrox]

DD1's HS coach keeps everyone his girls hit and then presents them to the girls at their year end Banquet. TB we always get the 1st one hit. DD2 12U team has about 5 girls who could go yard this year. (2 of them have) One of the Moms made a rolling trophy for every time a HR is hit. The girl who hits it signs the ball that's w/ the trophy and keeps it until a diifferent girl hits a HR.

 

[cuzmail]

So...at what point do you start throwing the balls back in to the field? Thoughts?

As you know, DD hasn't hit one over yet. She plays pepper with the fence when allowed to hit away, but her coaches usually want her to slap and get the speed on base.

 

[chinamigarden]

#1 holds a special place (along with the others) in her coaches practice ball bucket, right next to the balls from all of her no hitters She has a couple of balls that were given to her as MVP of tournies, or some such thing. But we never kept any others.

 

[sbmom19]

I should add that DH and I care about each and every one. We just don't collect them...

 

[fastpitchaddict]

I'm not sure. DD has hit two, but I hope she hits enough that we stop feeling the need to keep them.

 

[YOCOACH]

I can honestly say my DD still wants them after the 67th she's hit so far by the age of 16. I'm not trying to brag, just stating a fact and that she still wants them. I have three sections of shelves that I have built for her that hold 25 each. I'm quickly running out of wall room for another. I hope she quits wanting to keep them sooner rather than later.