HS Sports vs. Travel Softball

[fastpitch]

I was reading a post earlier about a girl/parent conflicted about attending a college softball showcase but had a HS soccer game conflict and if they should tell coach. There was a strong sentiment that she should not miss the soccer game and shouldn't have committed to HS soccer if she knew she had a showcase to go to... even for just one day.

I'm really just trying to get more insight here. My DD isn't in HS yet, and softball is currently her main sport, but she does like to play other sports "for fun". Her travel softball team plays year round. Fall, Winter, Spring and requires a them first commitment. Does that mean she should not play any other HS sport since there is a chance there might be a conflict with an off season sport?

Is the general consensus HS sports come first? Our HS isn't very competitive regarding sports. Her travel softball team is very competitive and is whats important to her. If my DD was in the situation as the soccer player missing a game for a softball showcase, she would go to the softball showcase without hesitation and just take the consequences from her soccer coach. Is that a bad thing? Should she just not do any other sport? Again... just trying to understand what people are thinking here.

 

[joemcq51]

I think if you are upfront with the HS coach and it is only one game, it would be ok. If it is going to be more than that, I would say don't play the other sport. It wouldn't be fair to the girls who have made the commitment to the HS team. It may be just for fun for your DD, but for someone else's DD it could be the most important team she is on. JMHO

 

[Ajaywill]

Each individual situation is unique and could have many variables. As a general rule, I would say that the sport that is "in season" should be the primary focus.

In your case, however, you stated that your DD is very committed to her travel SB team and that team requires a year-round committment. Since you know that up front, it should make the decision a bit more straightforward. If she wants to play on that team, she honors that committment. If she wants to play other sports "for fun", perhaps she should consider finding another travel SB team with out the level of committment of the first team.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I consider high school sports the same as band, choir, etc. You really let the other kids down, when you aren't there. For some of them, it is their only activity. I am a former teacher, though, so maybe I see things differently. I can remember many times, I sat through a Spring concert, when I would have rather been at softball.

Generally, it is girls that want out of school sports. I have never seen a boy miss football or basketball. The coach would probably cut them.

I do know that the major D1 coaches want girls with multiple talents, so maybe playing year around softball, isn't the thing to do.

One of my softball students that is 16, just started a home school program, because she is a professional rodeo athlete. She tried several schools and they all made a big deal out of her missing every Friday. So, she is has internet classes, that are free, that she can do on her own schedule. She does have to be very organized, but she trains her horses, comes to my lessons, twice a week, does her classes and then, goes to her 18U team. I think she has figured out what works for her.

 

[sluggers]

Holy cow, is there no room in a child's life to do something other than "play softball"?

A kid is a teenager only once in her life. If she has the opportunity to play HS sports, she should do so. She can't go back at 23YOA and play one game of HS volleyball or one set of HS tennis. If a child is blessed enough to be able to play multiple sports, she should do it.

There are things she can get out of HS sports that she won't get from playing travel ball:

1) Interviews by the local newspaper.
2) Her stats in the newspaper each week.
3) Her name announced over the PA system at school.
4) Wearing the "team clothing" the day of the game.
5) Have her class teachers tell her how great she was in yesterday's game.

My DD isn't in HS yet, and softball is currently her main sport, but she does like to play other sports "for fun". .... Does that mean she should not play any other HS sport since there is a chance there might be a conflict with an off season sport?

Heaven forbid that a child should have fun playing sports. Don't they know how serious it is?

 

[undergroundga]

Most of the tb programs around here don't do anything during school ball season. I hope my dd does play for our schools. There is just something about representing your school that tb doesn't have. Plus I rarely read about club stats in local papers or player profiles. But if you want your dd to be prepared to play in college tb is where you get that(atleast around here anyway).
Kids should be allowed to play in multiple sports or any activity. They are only young once. Dd plays softball(ofcourse), soccer, basketball, drama, and is heavily involved in our church. But if you give her a choice she will choose softball everytime(for now anyway). It is softball that she is outside practicing for almost everyday.

 

[NJSOFTBALL]

Ray you said it perfect. You only come around once, Enjoy the ride.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

My DD chose softball over all other sports.

What that means to her is:
*She plays HS softball (no TB softball during HS season in California)
*no more HS soccer
*no more HS shotput
*no more HS volleyball
*100% softball after HS softball in spring, all summer and all fall...

That is really all there is to it. She can still play Basketball in the winter, it keeps her in shape!

It's pretty simple...

 

[chinamigarden]

When you join a team, the team is counting on you being there and participating to the best of your ability. If due to other commitments you are unable to be counted on then you should not be on that team.

I am not a fan of any sports team that makes a year round commitment mandatory, especially for kids who aren't even in HS yet. How do kids figure out what they like if they are only allowed to do one thing. Sure they love it, its their only option.

 

[BrianMonk]

Pretty much in the same boat as you fastpitch

As of right now, my daughter doesn’t have much interest in any other sport. She’s giving up basketball this year as:

1) She’s not much of a bball player so her interest waned
2) It wasn’t as much fun for her even though her team was good
3) Leaving some of the drama of the team has some benefits. Fortunately for the team, the drama is decreasing as the girls get older.

She does do choir and speech but those don’t typically interfere with her softball schedule.

Next year in H.S. it’s remotely possible she’ll want to go out for the boys soccer team in the fall. She most certainly won’t be a key contributor or much of any contributor on that team. I suspect she’ll want to play with her softball team over the soccer team if (or when) push comes to shove. If the coach would like a “practice” player she may go out, if that’s not what they’re looking for, she won’t go out. If she does, it’ll strictly be for fun and conditioning, not game time, and that will be known up front.

My middle daughter is on the basketball team but is a bomb squad kinda kid. She has fun as some of her friends are on the team. How long that lasts? – her choice. Band will be her thing.

My youngest won’t play any school sports – doubt she blows a horn either. She likes ice skating and it is a perfect fit for her personality. She does enjoy softball but with her class, she has zero percent chance of making the J.H. team when she gets to 7th grade.

Life is still good.