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Should the freshman play (did some searching graduated high school with a 0.510 BA)


  • Total voters
    14
Feb 13, 2020
70
18
My DD is a sophomore In college and she still lives with me because I’m a very cool father. However, my coolness is not the point of this post. At the beginning of the softball season a new freshman joined the team and at first my DD feared her. My DD has always been one of the fastest on her teams and she is the fastest on her college team. My DD runs a 2.9-3.1 (yes I know these aren’t out of this world but this is a division 3 college team so not many fast girls are on her team). Or she used to be the fastest until this freshman came along. After the first few days of practice the college decided to time everyone’s 20 yard dash times and have the two fastest times race on a laser times 20 yard dash. The winners were my DD and the freshman girl. The two of them raced and my DD got destroyed. My dd was laser timed at a 2.96 and the freshman girl got a freaking 2.74... so of course my DD came home upset and told me she was going to get replaced. I told my DD “you’re a lefty slapper and she’s a right hitter... she’s not going to replace you” and thankfully that calmed my DD down. . . And then they did the same thing with 40 yard dashes. 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... so you can imagine how my DD reacted when she got home... except she came home feeling bad for the girl which shocked me. My DD told me that she overheard the coaches talking about the results and she heard them say something along the lines of C1:”Oh wow that freshman is fast... look she was able to beat DD in both 20 and 40yd dashes” C2: “Can she hit well?” C1”Do you see how small she is there’s no way she can hit” C2: “So you just wanna use her as a runner? What if she can hit” C1:”I really don’t care if she can hit because she’s not a power hitter and bats on the right side” C2: “ Oh okay so we’ll just run her” C1: “Yeah”....... My DD came home ready to punch those coaches in the face. She told me that the girl was probably 5’4 and slim but she wasn’t weak and could actually outhit some of the bigger girls. My DD never had to go through this because she is 5’8 but she still feels really bad for this girl. Then a few days later my DD came back even more frustrated because the team had scrimmaged. One team was made up of the started my DD included while the other team was all the people who didn’t play the freshman included. The size of the team this year meant that the starter team had just enough players while the non starters team had 1 extra player... and guess who they say yep the sat the freshman. My DD was furious because she watched the freshman and she sat the whole time and didn’t even get to play the field or hit. My DD asked me to post this on here to see if there is anything she can do to help the freshman get to play. My DD is literally ready to teach this freshman how to slaphit just so she can play. Any advice would be wonderful.

Edit: also please vote in the poll
 
Last edited:
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
If she can really hit well from the right side then I think she just needs to keep encouraging her.

As a coach it can be easy to pigeon hole someone but if she keeps at it she should be able to turn them around.

Biggest thing is the girl needs reps in practice, even if she isn't hitting bombs those line drives to the gap that one or two hop to the fence will get any coaches attention.

What position does she play sounds like she would be great at CF (or any OF position) if she has played outfield...but if she was a SS (tons of girls are) it might take some effort to learn to read balls in the outfield. Can't tell you how many games are lost because girls in the outfield don't know what they are doing....as we always say errors in the infield cost bases in outfield those are runs.
 
May 7, 2015
842
93
SoCal
Do I feel bad for the situation, yes. Can you make other peoples problems your own and solve them, nope. If your DD and this freshman are friends and not competing for the same spot, then encourage her to work on hitting (a lot!). If they are competing, then I know what I'd do. Hopefully there is a nice resolution to the issue. Sports are often very harsh to individuals
 
Feb 13, 2020
70
18
If she can really hit well from the right side then I think she just needs to keep encouraging her.

As a coach it can be easy to pigeon hole someone but if she keeps at it she should be able to turn them around.

Biggest thing is the girl needs reps in practice, even if she isn't hitting bombs those line drives to the gap that one or two hop to the fence will get any coaches attention.

What position does she play sounds like she would be great at CF (or any OF position) if she has played outfield...but if she was a SS (tons of girls are) it might take some effort to learn to read balls in the outfield. Can't tell you how many games are lost because girls in the outfield don't know what they are doing....as we always say errors in the infield cost bases in outfield those are runs.

According to my research and my DD the girl played a mix of 3rd, shortstop, and occasionally center field however it has been a while since she played center. However, the college is trying to turn her into the left fielder because my DD plays CF. The freshman is trying really hard to be a good outfielder and she is running her fastest in practice and is beating my DD to balls however the freshman has been struggling with the whole catching part. For example one practice the outfielders we’re practicing running up to the ball and catching it and the other outfielders were watching the freshman run up to a ball and they were all like oh my gosh she’s got it and then the freshman overran the ball and got hit in the leg with the ball. My DD asked her if she was okay and what happened and according to my DD the freshman laughed and said “Oh when I run it’s like all my other senses including sight get downgraded because all I can focus on is running”. So she is definitely struggling with the catching part but my DD says that she’s improving every practice and is getting better at catching but she still could use some tips with tracking the ball.

Edit: Yes my DD and the freshman are friends and she has even stayed over once and is a nice young lady... luckily the coach is very persistent on making the freshman the left fielder or else she and my DD would have to compete
 
Last edited:
Oct 14, 2016
77
33
What is wrong with being a role player. This freshman may end up leading the league in stolen bases, or may be the pinch runner when the team really needs a squeeze play executed.

The girl is a freshman. She has 4 years to develop into something outstanding. The hard part is over, she is fast. I would have your daughter talk to her about her gifts, and have the girl really focus on becoming the "lights out runner" she can be.

Softball games are won by teams of girls. Everyone has a place if they can recognize their usefulness to the team. It doesn't always have to be on the field, or at the plate.
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
I just don't like the narrow minded coaches. "Do you see how small she is, no way she can hit." Thats stupid. If she is 5'4" and weighs say 115 lbs. she is big enough to hit it out. Zia Norris UCLA .596 with 11 homers and 12 steals as a junior. She is listed at 5'3" but I doubt it . Come on coaches use your brain.
 
Feb 13, 2020
70
18
I just don't like the narrow minded coaches. "Do you see how small she is, no way she can hit." Thats stupid. If she is 5'4" and weighs say 115 lbs. she is big enough to hit it out. Zia Norris UCLA .596 with 11 homers and 12 steals as a junior. She is listed at 5'3" but I doubt it . Come on coaches use your brain.

That’s exactly how my DD feels. She feels like the coaches aren’t even giving the freshman a chance. My DD is so mad at the coaches because if they just let the freshman hit a few times they would realize that she’s a pretty good hitter. Sure she might not be hitting them out of the park every hit but she can hit them into the outfield and her speed makes up for the fact that she can’t hit as far as the bigger girls. Also yeah I think you’re right she looks like she weighs about 115 but I’m not sure

Edit: my DD is going to practice in a bit and she’s going to see the freshman should I ask her to say something to the freshman?
 
Last edited:
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
That’s exactly how my DD feels. She feels like the coaches aren’t even giving the freshman a chance. My DD is so mad at the coaches because if they just let the freshman hit a few times they would realize that she’s a pretty good hitter. Sure she might not be hitting them out of the park every hit but she can hit them into the outfield and her speed makes up for the fact that she can’t hit as far as the bigger girls. Also yeah I think you’re right she looks like she weighs about 115 but I’m not sure

Edit: my DD is going to practice in a bit and she’s going to see the freshman should I ask her to say something to the freshman?
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.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
The coaching staff is ____ ____ ____,
and weak for having that conversation within earshot of players.

Your dd sounds like she is learning some good life lessons!....and could probably help the entire program out by teaching the fast runner how to at least bunt from the left side. Since the coaches should be, after picking up a player who has a valuable skill set. Speed...
In the outfield helps too!
 
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