Seton Hall Softball Coach

[EP Dad]

This is just sad.

Y! SPORTS

• When one player, who had pitched a total of three innings all season, asked to have off one weekend to spend a last weekend with her Marine husband before he shipped out for a tour of Afghanistan, Smith allegedly replied, "You’re needed here Friday and Saturday. As long as the other pitchers aren’t hurt, maybe you can go home early Sunday. But I’m not going to look favorably upon this."

• Two sophomore players were given the opportunity to make a presentation to Johnson & Johnson as part of their classwork at the Business School, but would have to miss a team trip to San Diego. Smith reportedly told the rest of the team that the sophomores, non-starters, were "choosing that team over this team," and added that if they missed that trip, they would be suspended for all other away trips. (She later relented.)

• Smith may have capriciously cut a player for missing games to attend class, after initially telling the players that skipping games was acceptable. One player claimed to have missed 20 classes in the spring semester alone because of softball commitments.

• Players charged that Smith exceeded the NCAA's practice limit of 20 hours per week by making players arrive 15 minutes early. Smith also allegedly ordered a player to do the team's laundry at 1 a.m. while on a road trip at a Jacksonville, Fla. Holiday Inn. And Smith apparently at least once divided the team into workout groups with names such as "aborted fetuses" and "booze bags."

• Former coach Ray Vander May was told when he was fired in 2012 that the school would honor the scholarship commitments made to his recruits, and now has been told that Smith will not be honoring those scholarships. He refused to take extra severance pay in return for signing a confidentiality agreement.

 

[sluggers]

And your point is? College coaches are paid to win. If they lose, they get fired. There was a time many years ago when it didn't matter if the softball coach won or lost, but those days are long gone.

D1 college softball is not like HS softball or TB. The expectations for players are sky-high. If a player doesn't like it, all she has to do is say the magic words, "I quit."

If a girl does not want to deal with the stress and demands of college sports, then *DON'T PLAY*.

• When one player, who had pitched a total of three innings all season, asked to have off one weekend to spend a last weekend with her Marine husband before he shipped out for a tour of Afghanistan, Smith allegedly replied, "You’re needed here Friday and Saturday. As long as the other pitchers aren’t hurt, maybe you can go home early Sunday. But I’m not going to look favorably upon this."

Honestly, this sounds like one of those "don't look too closely 'cause something doesn't add up" complaint.

She is a backup pitcher. It is her job to be the backup. It is not like she can say, "Oh, put me on the Monday-Tuesday backup pitcher shift instead of the Friday-Saturday shift."

If she doesn't like her job, quit.

• Two sophomore players were given the opportunity to make a presentation to Johnson & Johnson as part of their classwork at the Business School, but would have to miss a team trip to San Diego. Smith reportedly told the rest of the team that the sophomores, non-starters, were "choosing that team over this team," and added that if they missed that trip, they would be suspended for all other away trips. (She later relented.)

Again, so what? Playing college softball is optional. If you don't want to put up with the coach's crap, then quit. It is a simple world.

• Smith may have capriciously cut a player for missing games to attend class, after initially telling the players that skipping games was acceptable. One player claimed to have missed 20 classes in the spring semester alone because of softball commitments.

Welcome to the real world of college sports...

Players charged that Smith exceeded the NCAA's practice limit of 20 hours per week by making players arrive 15 minutes early.

This is just the "if you are on time, you are late" rule of practice and work.

Smith also allegedly ordered a player to do the team's laundry at 1 a.m. while on a road trip at a Jacksonville, Fla. Holiday Inn.

Oh no!! How can anyone expect a college student to stay up until 2 AM?

And Smith apparently at least once divided the team into workout groups with names such as "aborted fetuses" and "booze bags."

Sticks and stones...

Former coach Ray Vander May was told when he was fired in 2012 that the school would honor the scholarship commitments made to his recruits, and now has been told that Smith will not be honoring those scholarships. He refused to take extra severance pay in return for signing a confidentiality agreement.

Hmmm...I have a feeling this information is coming from players unhappy about the coaching change.

 

[EP Dad]

I stand corrected.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

As long as the school is paying for your education, you are at their disposal. It is too bad about the girl and the military husband, but once you start letting the girls go, for whatever reason - then, the next girl thinks that her excuse is legitimate, too. (I am not sure why her Marine husband couldn't come to her. Maybe he was on base, though.)

I truthfully think that college softball is worse than a 40 hr. a week job, except that you supposedly like playing softball.

 

[sluggers]

As you might know, my DD#1 played D1 softball. DD#3 played D3 basketball. After seeing what DD#1 put up with in order to play D1 softball, I encouraged DD#3 to play D3. If a player plays D1, she has to put the sport ahead of everything else.

Full story about Seton Hall softball

 

[EP Dad]

As you might know, my DD#1 played D1 softball. DD#3 played D3 basketball. After seeing what DD#1 put up with in order to play D1 softball, I encouraged DD#3 to play D3. If a player plays D1, she has to put the sport ahead of everything else.

Full story about Seton Hall softball

I still do stand corrected.

But, after reading that story don't you think some of that stuff is a little excessive?

 

[David Carter]

The article says the kid went home saw off her husband and nothing else happened to her.... that the coach was disappointed in her somehow for letting the team down is just pathetic but hey that just reveals her character not anything worth getting too upset about. I read somewhere else that there were not any scholarships actually pulled at least not this year so exactly what is the big deal. so a senior got cut because she could not get along with the new coach I am sure this is not the first time that has happened.

Ive been to several local college double headers and girls go from game one straight to locker room then back out for game two they visit with there parent after game two...which seems understandable to me and I don't see how you can complain about missing class that comes with the territory, and again for the girls that had a big class project they got to do the project and in the end nothing happened.

Sounds like new coach is trying to put her stamp on the program and these girls just ended up on the coaches bad side, does not mean coach is not a jerk especially to those they don't like but it is kind of strange how all the girls complaining seem to be the bench sitters at that point you should be keeping your head down and putting forth maximum effort, not rocking the boat.

 

[joemcq51]

Honestly, the article sounds like a bunch of sour grapes from an ousted coach and a couple players loyal to the coach who brought them in. Why would a fired coach be keeping tabs on the new coach? Players get cut at that level all the time. A senior who gets cut at this point in the season, still gets their school paid for. It really sounds like there is much more to this story. The school looks to be standing by the current coach. I woud say if there was anyhting at all to it, Seton Hall would have made some sort of a different statement. Scholarships at D1 are always year to year. If a player does not live up to potential, they aren't guaranteed a full ride. Looks like this coach will use the scholarship money to bring in her own recruits, who fit her concept a little better. Like Sluggers said, the player can quit at any time.

 

[sluggers]

But, after reading that story don't you think some of that stuff is a little excessive?

I wouldn't put up with it, but I didn't play college sports. (I had no desire and no aptitude, so everyone was happy.)

What Coach Paige did is not uncommon. Both my DDs endured worse. If a player wants to play intercollegiate sports in a winning program, then this is pretty much what she will encounter. Some coaches dress it up better than another.

 

[InsidePitch]

DD practiced at Seton Hall last fall, usually after the college team finished. I have met the coach and watched her team practice. I did not see anything out of the ordinary. Obviously my view was very limited. If I had to guess, her size and youthful appearance may have let some think they could do what they wanted and she had to nip it in the bud.