Biggest problem is that a MS girl has joined a team but her parent thinks it best that she not really be part of that team and only show up when it suits her. She and her parents have to make a choice. Being on a team is not just about you. If you don't want to fully participate in team activities, don't be on the team.
Should she give up school ball?
- Thread starter Beeg
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radness
Possibilities & Opportunities!
- Dec 13, 2019
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unfortunately? or fortunetly? notice middle schools and high schools that don't have a lot of talent
tend to fluctuate rules/standards by allowing players to not have to attend all the time~ just as long as they can attend games. Players that are doing other sports (or other things) can go do their own thing and then show up to softball when it fits their schedule.
Ummm
Two sport athlete?
Or
Part time athlete?
tend to fluctuate rules/standards by allowing players to not have to attend all the time~ just as long as they can attend games. Players that are doing other sports (or other things) can go do their own thing and then show up to softball when it fits their schedule.
Ummm
Two sport athlete?
Or
Part time athlete?
radness
Possibilities & Opportunities!
- Dec 13, 2019
- 7,270
- 113
Agree in that
Everyone has to prioritize their own goals.
There may be a debate that going to a pitching lesson, while it is not with the team,
is still focusing on softball and both the middle school team and the players goals are both softball...
the lesson maybe a better place to be one day a week than the practice.
Plus it is a technical practice for the pitcher.
Would it then be OK to miss one practice a week to go train?!
Have students who do this.
These type of posts define peoples goals!!!
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agree that if you commit to a team, team should be the priority. but how doyou prioritize the team?
with what is described, to me, this girl can make her best contribution to the team by continuing her lessons and missing a few practices, because this will maintain/improve her skill level the most, and coach should recognize that. he should tell any malcontents, suzy was excused for the practices she missed (end of story, no further discussion). when they asked how they can get excused from practices, tell them when they take 3 hours of their day and XX$$ of their parents money to get private lessons on the skills that he is trying to develop, then they can be excused from practice.
BTW, DD will continue her lessons as much as possible during the season. it helps tremendously with her confidence, worth it for that alone. she will miss some (actually has missed last three weeks, instructor had to quarantine), but we will keep them going probably until august, then give her that month off. really helps that with kids only in school half days because of COVID, so we can see instructor in afternoons (no MS ball here).
with what is described, to me, this girl can make her best contribution to the team by continuing her lessons and missing a few practices, because this will maintain/improve her skill level the most, and coach should recognize that. he should tell any malcontents, suzy was excused for the practices she missed (end of story, no further discussion). when they asked how they can get excused from practices, tell them when they take 3 hours of their day and XX$$ of their parents money to get private lessons on the skills that he is trying to develop, then they can be excused from practice.
BTW, DD will continue her lessons as much as possible during the season. it helps tremendously with her confidence, worth it for that alone. she will miss some (actually has missed last three weeks, instructor had to quarantine), but we will keep them going probably until august, then give her that month off. really helps that with kids only in school half days because of COVID, so we can see instructor in afternoons (no MS ball here).
DDs TB coach also supports her missing a practice for her lessons (catching and hitting), he saw how much she improved over the winter with regular lessons. he even said she could miss weeknight league games for lessons, since they basically added those simply for reps, and it will let him give the #2 and #3 more innings.
- Jul 14, 2018
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Okay, so I’m in the minority here, all good 
I’m just not at all concerned that missing seven lessons is going to unwind what DD has spent the last 40 weeks working on. 40 weeks a year for the last five years, to take it a step further.
DD isn’t a stud pitcher with D1 dreams. She works hard at pitching because she’s one of two kids within three grade levels who can pitch, and her friends need her. School ball will always be her priority, YMMV.
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I’m just not at all concerned that missing seven lessons is going to unwind what DD has spent the last 40 weeks working on. 40 weeks a year for the last five years, to take it a step further.
DD isn’t a stud pitcher with D1 dreams. She works hard at pitching because she’s one of two kids within three grade levels who can pitch, and her friends need her. School ball will always be her priority, YMMV.
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This is the red flag. A coach who changes team rules in the middle of the season because of one person's complaints is going to be a problem.
FWIW, when our travel players miss our middle school team practices, I am sometimes happy about it because it frees up time/reps for the girls I really need to teach the basics. I do want them there sometimes when we're doing team stuff, but if it's just working on individual skills? Go take BP with your travel team.
