Skipping Tryouts This Year

[fistafury17]

My DD will start her HS sophomore year in a month and her schedule is heavy with Honors level courses.
She is a pitcher/slap hitter and played up with a 15UB team where she's got the 2nd highest AVG hitting and is #1 pitcher. She even subbed on an 18U A level team and held her own.
Unfortunately her current team is disbanding after this season and finding a new team may be a struggle. She's slight, 5'4" and 100lbs. and doesn't command much attention at tryouts.
I'm thinking it may be best to focus on academics, find a good strength coach, keep up with slapping and pitching lessons this off-season and see what we can find after HS ball ends in the spring.
How do you think a potential coach would feel about bringing on a player that didn't see the need to partake in a fall/winter schedule with a team?

 

[tomorrow]

Really depends on what level of team you are looking at in the spring. In general, pitchers have a different set of rules because of the great need of teams.

 

[jsoftballcoach]

Are you thinking about skipping tryouts because you think it may be a struggle?

Lots of players have a high academic standard, if she wants to play do not let size get in the way.

My DD was told she is small and would have trouble, well she’s 5’11 now and one of the better pitchers in the country.

Do not let size or perception hold you back. A pitchers job is to get outs. Many tryouts end with a scrimmage so go show them what’s up.


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[fistafury17]

There are a number of things in play. First, her academics are by far the priority. At times she's had to miss fall practices because of school work and coaches have said to be ok with it, but I could tell they weren't happy.
Also, the instruction and training given in many cases has been unimpressive, even from paid coaching. My thought is to take the money I'd spend on a full travel program and use it on personal coaching then negotiate something in the spring.
I'd never let her size get in the way of softball. She's quite talented, but introverted and doesn't leave a great impression on coaches.

 

[ang2bmd]

I always find this so interesting when people talk about academics being a priority and missing practice etc. My kiddo is a normal kid. Intelligent but not national merit type intelligent, good work ethic. Last year as a sophomore she had several honors classes including stem subjects. She played 3 varsity sports for her high school and flew all around the country playing ball with her true national team, never needed to miss anything and she still holds a 4.0. She still saw her friends. She still went to functions. She did not have a part time job….our choice. Our school must really be a slacker in the academic department if other schools are so rigorous parents feel they need to make this choice for a local A/B team.


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[krazykat]

If your DD can play, it will not be a problem finding a team in the spring. The older age groups rosters are more fluid than the younger teams.

 

[radness]

My DD will start her HS sophomore year in a month and her schedule is heavy with Honors level courses.
She is a pitcher/slap hitter and played up with a 15UB team where she's got the 2nd highest AVG hitting and is #1 pitcher. She even subbed on an 18U A level team and held her own.
Unfortunately her current team is disbanding after this season and finding a new team may be a struggle. She's slight, 5'4" and 100lbs. and doesn't command much attention at tryouts.
I'm thinking it may be best to focus on academics, find a good strength coach, keep up with slapping and pitching lessons this off-season and see what we can find after HS ball ends in the spring.
How do you think a potential coach would feel about bringing on a player that didn't see the need to partake in a fall/winter schedule with a team?

What is her goal in softball? High School goal or any other goal?

 

[Vertigo]

Some kids need to study more than others, just like some are more athletic than others. If you and she feel that softball will get in the way this fall or just want to see how she can handle her course schedule before committing to a team, there is no problem with that! There will be many A/B level teams doing the post-fall season scramble looking for players over the winter.

Honestly, academics will provide more scholarship opportunities than sports will. It should be the priority.

 

[radness]

Since your question is about softball, will reflect on the softball part

finding a new team may be a struggle.
She's slight, 5'4" and 100lbs. and doesn't command much attention at tryouts.

In a basic response (without knowing her goals) if you already think her going to a tryout is going to be a struggle,

How do you think a potential coach would feel about bringing on a player that

*didn't see the need to partake in a fall/winter schedule with a team?

Then you should know that this comment actually adds to it being more of a struggle. ( think you probably already know this but are looking for some sort of consolation)

*Basic response... it really comes down to the level of Team you are going to join when the time comes and if the coach can't pick up other players who may otherwise be better.


To the academic part with softball
( remember there are other players who have intense academic schedules while they are in high school who continue to play softball, so she's up against that competing for a spot also.
If she actually has a sb college goal, in college you have to do both academics and train and play the season.
If college sb is her goal learning to balance her time and facilitate everything she needs to do is a good life skill learned now)

 

[Vertigo]

So let me ask this question then - do players who get hurt and take a fall season off to go to PT and strength training get overlooked, too? As long as the player is taking lessons, hitting the gym, and working to get better, I don’t see the issue with not playing in the fall, especially since softball is notorious for the team scramble during the winter.