Is it a mistake?

[Catcher#17]

I am coming out of lurker status to pose a question.

This issue may have been dealt with before in older posts, so please feel free to direct me.

My DD has made the choice this year (sophomore year) to play a different HS sport than softball. She is still playing on a highly competitive showcase softball team year round. DD has always been a multi-sport athlete and has given up more than 1 sport to concentrate on softball. This year is the first year the "new" sport is offered as a school sport. She played last year on the club/rec team which didn't interfere with HS softball. This year it does. The new sport is fast paced, lots of running and lots of contact, which is what dd likes about it.

So, for recruiting purposes, are we making a mistake? The HS team is not usually a playoff contender. I know all the accolades that can come from doing well in HS ball that get you in the paper and can be put on a recruiting profile, but if dd really wants to have a chance to play another sport, is that going to be held against her by college coaches? She still loves softball, just craves a little variety.

 

[nanotech14]

It will only hurt her, if that other sport, of which I don't like to talk about is soccer. I can't believe I even went there.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

In my state being a great HS SB player will get you offers from local D2-D3 schools (mostly the latter).

So in my state if a girl had big D1 dreams she better be on a good travel team and do the national exposure circuit.

So whereever you are from you need to assess the exposure HS gives a player vs TB-A play. Then compare this to the girls college-level dreams (and capabilities).

I would bet the best place to get this answer is from other scholarship-hunting parents on your travel team.

 

[chinamigarden]

Playing LAX in HS will not hurt her chances as long as she is playing a full summer schedule. Make sure you send out a skills video and a profile to the schools your dd is interested in.

 

[Catcher#17]

No, she is not playing soccer!! That is one of the sports she gave up. She is playing LAX - you got it chinamigarden. Her TB team is playing a big showcase schedule and she is emailing colleges consistently with her video and profile.

I have assessed what exposure HS ball will give her and I just don't see her HS team getting deep into the post season. The exposure would come from selections to All-section team or the like and mentions in the newspaper. I have not seen any college coaches at our HS games.

 

[JAD]

As long as your DD is getting the exposure to college coaches from TB, she does not need to play HS softball. If she commits to a college to play softball, she could consult with the head coach of the college team on what the expectations will be.

Sidebar: If your DD is NOT going to play HS softball, the void in her time needs to be filled with a meaningful activity. When college coaches ask her about high school ball, she needs a well thought out and valid response. Playing another sport she loves is a valid response in my book, especially since most girls play TB 9 months out of the year.

 

[riseball]

Most college coaches could care less about HS Softball. One big D1 coach described it as rec-ball with lots of team spirit. As long as she is on a good exposure team and is doing something productive in another sport that compliments her softball career she is good to go. LAX workouts are brutal compared to softball and any college coach looking at her knows that she must be in great shape to play LAX.

More and more players in my home state are opting out of HS ball and run track to get faster and stronger. One very successful TB team in North Florida goes year round and plays weekends in Georgia during the Florida HS season. It just does not help a talented college bound softball player to spend 4 - 5 months playing down. This from someone whose daughter played HS Ball and was a National High School Player of the Year in 2011. She has stated numerous times that if she had it to do over again she would have not wasted a moment of her time with HS ball and skipped the frustration and drama.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Chances are college coaches won't ask and won't care that she isn't playing HS softball. I had a dad tell me that out of 7 colleges that interviewed his DD, only one asked about HS softball.

 

[riseball]

...every kid that has signed with a college from my state played HS ball...

Was not going to reply but I have to throw the BS flag on this one.

#1 How could you possibly know that? Where would you even get that information?

#2 Every kid that has signed with a college from my state drank water. As with your example it is highly doubtful that the two have anything to do with each other.

 

[guero_gordo]

She'll be able to run circles around the softball girls at the end of the season.