MY DD got Signed

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May 8, 2008
35
0
South Florida
Hi all just wanted to share with all my friends today that my DD got signed this weekend and received a full scholarship. Thank you to all that gave me there advice and encouraging words. I am one proud parent and look forward to being involved at the college level. They grow up fast enjoy them!!!:)
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
As a suggestion from a parent who had two DDs play college sports:

Right now, *STOP* talking softball with your DD about softball, and start talking about her education, her degree, and her plans after college.

At this point, the college coaches are going to try to make make it seem that softball is the center of her life. As a parent, your job is to keep her focused on the really important part of college.

The reality is that the college coach gets paid based upon the performance of your DD. The coaches talk about academics, but, really, they could care less. It is up to *YOU* to make sure that the education is taken care of.

You need to talk to her about her grades, her classes, and all of that stuff. And, you need to put in a plan for exactly how long it is going to take for her to get her degree. Softball needs to put on the back burner. (It is just as well--your job is over as to softball. The coach has his/her own way of doing things, and your DD has to do it the way she is told by the coach. )

I have seen a huge number of kids that focus on sports in college and then stumble around after college trying to figure out "what is next". Don't let that happen to your child.

Whenever you talk to her, the first subject should be "education", the second should be "so, what parties did you go to over the weekend?", and the third should be softball.

JRW
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
Sluggers is right. The last 3 athletes that I have seen graduate - #1 took 5 years to graduate. #2 and had a degree that they weren't able to find a job in. (2 were in Sports Management and 1 was in History.)

One went back to add a teaching degree (on his own money), one is hoping that daddy pays for her to become a physical therapist, and one is working at Gold's Gym and refuses to take any more classes.

Also, they tell me that the coach dictated what courses they were to study and had the final say over their majors. (These were major D1 schools.) The reason for this is that the schools like to say that their team has a 3.0 grade average or whatever, so they want them in classes that aren't going to hurt the grade average.
 
May 8, 2008
35
0
South Florida
I appreciate the feedback!! My dd has made her choice of what she is taking and I am very involved. Education has always been #1 in our house - the rule was you were not allowed to be involved in sports if you couldn't keep the grades. My dd graduated with a 4.7 GPA and was involved in every sport with softball being her passion and outside of school volunteered at a animal sanctuary 20 hours a week. She is big on goal setting and she is going into criminal justice/ forensic science which she is so excited about and I know she will be very good at and I am always there to support and make sure that she is alright and headed in the right direction. SOFTBALL is just a fantastic bonus the she is great at!! Thank you all again!!

Lori:D
 
May 9, 2008
98
0
Congrats

Lori,

Congratulations. You must be very proud of your dd. :rolleyes:

What school did she sign with? What is your best advice for those parents who have daughters aspiring to the same heights you've already attained? Did the showcase tournaments give you the exposure you desired?

Best Regards,

Pops
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
Lori,

Softball is a business to the coaches. If they don't win, they get fired. If they win, then they get a bonus. So, winning to them is everything.

Put together a real plan for how your DD is going to get her degree. E.g., the coaches won't let her take 16 hours each semester. They will try to get her to take 18 hours in the fall, and 13 in the spring. That simply will not work. Also, she can forget taking courses with labs in the spring. It might interfere with softball practice, so she can't take them. (This causes some real problems when the lab is only offered in the spring...)

So, plan now for her to attend summer school or go an extra year. It is perfectly OK to do this, but you need to know this in advance so you won't be surprised when your DD is 12 hours short of the degree requirement in the spring of her senior year, and the classes she needs won't be offered until spring of the next year.
 
May 8, 2008
35
0
South Florida
Thank you everyone for the advice. This has been a great experience but in my dd'sjourney to this level I can tell you I have seen many things go on! But the one thing that I can tell you is that my dd has always had the passion for this sport and there is no telling where this is going to lead. I hope and encourage her every day that she plays the sport to the level that she wants and that she is capable of and I tell her that there are no limits she can do whatever she wants as long as she worksfor it - nothing gets handed to you. I am very fortunate and proud to have been a part of this journey with her and look forward to a new road!! The advice that I can offer to anyone that is taking this journey with their dd is always be supportive and when they get to a certain age you need to take a step back and let them make their own decisions and mistakes whatever they may be. Let the coaches do the coaching and the parents do the cheering, I saw too many parents involved in places they had no business being involved, it is not only unfair to the coaches that volunteer their precious time but it is also unfair to the girls. This sport with great coaches will teach your dd alot not only about the sport but about things that happen in their daily life and makes them stronger. My dd is playing her final tournament this weekend wit her travel team that she has been with for 3 years so this definetely is tough for her because she knows this is where she really is an adult and everything is changing and she has been the team captain for all 3 years and the first one to leave to play college ball. But she is ready for this new chapter in her life!!

Also to comment on the showcase tournaments, YES I think they are very valuable, but remember your dd has to put effort into actually inviting coaches to her games my dd did and received numerous offers from all different parts of the country, the local college offered the full scholarship and that is the one she chose not just because of the full scholarship but also because her father passed away just this past february so she really doesn't want to go to far away from home and I want her to achieve everything she wants academically without any worries in her head. Her focus is her education her passion is her sport!! She is a great role model for her sister who is 15 and a pitcher so the journey continues for us!!

I wouldn't have it any other way!!! Also the selfish part of me was so happy she chose the local college because I will be able to see more of her games than I wouldhave if she had gone out of state!!
 
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