My DD feels bad for a girl on her college team

[Jordan]

I think she should just keep being encouraging and friendly and just let things play out....sounds like she needs somework in the outfield and could stand a little more pop in her bat. Hopefully she will just keep working at those things and get better then who knows next year she might be in the lineup and in left field.

I told my DD just to encourage her and be a friend. The freshman is really determined to improve and become better hopefully next year the coaches will notice her growth.

 

[Fluid Fastpitch]

You can definitely learn to slap, and that doesn't have to replace hitting righty. Nothing wrong with being more versatile - If she wants to learn to slap, teach her!

 

[murphdog]

Your DD should be friendly and encouraging but she absolutely should not say anything to the coaches unless they ask your DD for opinions since she’s in the outfield with her.

Fast isn’t always enough, especially if there’s people who can field and hit better. A lot of coaches go with older players if there are two close to the same ability because they know the older player better.

 

[flash277]

Well, it sounds like your DD's team has 19 players, they all don't play do they?.....It has to be hard when every player is a star on their high school/travel team, then they are relegated to the bench in college. I'm not sure how college teams are run, do the same 9-10 players always play?.....Do any bench players ever get to start a game?

As for height, my DD is short (5 foot at 15, she not growing much more) and she's bummed by it. I showed her the movie "Burn the Ships" and she saw that Kelley Montalvo played pro fastpitch and she's only 5 feet tall. You think coaches these days would judge someone on their skill and talent instead of their height and weight.

 

[Jordan]

Well, it sounds like your DD's team has 19 players, they all don't play do they?.....It has to be hard when every player is a star on their high school/travel team, then they are relegated to the bench in college. I'm not sure how college teams are run, do the same 9-10 players always play?.....Do any bench players ever get to start a game?

As for height, my DD is short (5 foot at 15, she not growing much more) and she's bummed by it. I showed her the movie "Burn the Ships" and she saw that Kelley Montalvo played pro fastpitch and she's only 5 feet tall. You think coaches these days would judge someone on their skill and talent instead of their height and weight.

Hmm I’m not really sure how the team is run since they’ve only had a few games but I think the same 9-10 play most of the time with the occasional switch and if you’re really good you might get to start as a freshman.... and yeah I know there are other girls on the team that don’t get to play which is sad because some of the girls that don’t get to play are really good but those girls get switched in every know and then and a few of the freshman have even gotten to bat. The only girl on the team who hasn’t gotten to bat is my DD’s freshman friend but the freshman is so determined to become better that I’m really hoping the coaches will recognize her improvement next year.

Edit: also yeah you would think height and weight wouldn’t matter because of how many pro softball players there have been that are short or big but this is a division 3 team and when my DD was a freshman we got warned multiple times that the coaches liked girls over 5’7 luckily my DD was 5’8 so she was able to play.

 

[Mocoso]

I feel for the freshman but I congratulate you for raising a kid that has more empathy and brains then the coaches... small minded coaches if they think size dictates hitting skill... small size only means that kid has to work harder and have better form and perseverance to stand up to the stereotype that’s so prevalent... Altuve isn’t tall wonder if his coach said he can’t hit? Oh wait he cheats too!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Strike2]

My dd and the freshman won and both got laser timed and my DD got a 5.5 and this freshman got a freaking 5.23...

When I was in HS, this was in my range for the 40yd on grass. At best, that was considered average. Fortunately, I wasn't trying to be a running back or receiver, who all clocked in under 5 sec. In college or the pros, you'd better be immensely strong or Tom Brady to get away with running that slow. When I go and watch our HS basketball teams, I get a lesson on just how much faster the guys play.

 

[Jordan]

When I was in HS, this was in my range for the 40yd on grass. At best, that was considered average. Fortunately, I wasn't trying to be a running back or receiver, who all clocked in under 5 sec. In college or the pros, you'd better be immensely strong or Tom Brady to get away with running that slow. When I go and watch our HS basketball teams, I get a lesson on just how much faster the guys play.

Well I mean these are two 18 year old girls so of course they’re going to be slower than the guys but for a girl in college softball the freshman is actually really fast both 2.74 and 5.23 are blazingly fast times in softball which is why everyone was so surprised when we found out the freshman got those times because we were all thinking “If she’s that fast why isn’t she with a better team”

 

[Jordan]

Update:

My DD’s team has a trip to Florida for a tournament in a week and my DD is wondering if the freshman will play. I told her the freshman would probably just run but she seems upset by that. My DD also hurt her ankle (if you want to know about that I made another discussion all about her ankle) and her only reaction when she told me about it was “Maybe the freshman will get to play since I’m hurt” and my reaction was “ she probably won’t... know please tell me your okay before I call every hospital around” I promise she didn’t hurt herself on purpose but my DD really has a positive outlook on life meanwhile I’m a mess over her hurt ankle (not that bad it’s only a little swollen but still I’m worried). That’s all I just wanted to update you guys about. If the freshman gets to play at all wether it be running, hitting, or playing the field I’ll be sure to update you guys. It’s a two week long tournament but I can only go for a few days because of work so I should have an update next week around Wednesday and hopefully an update after the tournament ends on March 2nd.

 

[Jordan]

Yeah so the freshman didn’t get to play... like at all. She didn’t even touch the dirt. She didn’t hit, she didn’t field, and she didn’t even run. They actually put someone with slower than average speed in to run for someone instead of the freshman. My DD says the freshman was literally told to keep book which is pretty insulting. I’m still holding out hope though that she’ll get to play eventually.

Also if your wondering my DD’s ankle healed and luckily she was able to play