Travel Ball Parent Confessions

[Michael N]

Based on what I have seen as far as Cheer scholarships go they are small and tough to get . Boise State University gives its Cheerleaders a 500 dollar a semester stipend and nothing more . Some of the bigger schools give out larger scholarships but they are basically looking for a gymnast that grew to tall . My oldest DD will probably get more money searching for Unicorns than she will for cheerleading . Thankfully she is a 4.0 student taking AP everything as well as belonging to National Honor Society , DECA and a former Vice President of the student council .

My hope for my youngest is that she will continue to play and be able to get a full or partial scholarship to a Junior College since she wants to go into a medical field .

I also just put a bunch of money into both of their college funds in case they get nothing at all

 

[chinamigarden]

That's what I thought. Just like the big "band" scholarships I hear people talk about. The big marching band scholarship is a $100 stipend to pay for gloves, shoes and to dry clean your uniform a time or 2 during the football season.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

My brother met his wife while he played D1 baseball. She was on full scholarship to the same D1, cheerleader. Still married with 2 boys.

Cheerleading Scholarships

Same thing applies in other sports/band/etc, amount of scholarship depends on talent and school.

 

[PA SB Dad]

I spend too much time on this forum!!

 

[Mike]

Back to the 1st and 3rd situation for a second. Our standard play is the catcher pops up for a throw down but instead snap throws to third, its pretty easy to at least get the runner in a rundown. Or, the catcher snap thows down to second but the pitcher cuts it and snap throws to third. It doesnt always work but at least you are not conceding anything. The second play I learned when I watched the USA team play the Portland all stars on their bound for bejing tour. Natasha Wately got picked off third in a 1st and 3rd situation and sprinted back to the dug out with her head hung very low, it was priceless.

As to my confession, I hate sports, I stopped playing sports mid way through highschool to hunt, fish, work, etc... I do this for my kids and their teamates, I consider it my responsiblity as a coach to get them ready for whatever level they wish to play at and I take it seriously. This forum is truely a godsend for learning and becoming a better coach, but when my kids move on I will forget youth sports even exist....until I have grandkids

 

[guero_gordo]

When I was in school many years ago, the maximum "band grant" was about 6% of tuition, and only a senior who had done it for 4 years had a chance to make that much....with a fair amount of buttkissing.

 

[Lozza]

That's why the cut off to SS, looks like a throw down but she's coming after the lead runner. Then we got 2 outs and your going to need 2 more runs to tie ( and 2 runs is a long way off mentally from 1 run ), championship game on the line, pressure on that next batter will be tough.

This is the oldest play in the book. I haven't seen it work well, ever. Even at U12 we were taught not not to ever fall for that play.

 

[Mike]

True Lozza, never used or fell for it, nor have I seen it work at games at I watch.

 

[tghorley]

Lozza and Mike, your statements reminds me of a play late in the 12u season last year. Our team was up by two runs in the last of a time limited game with two outs. There were runners on 1st and 3rd. The runner on 1st broke on the pitch and my DGD threw a line shot to second to get the runner.

The opposing coach came down the third baseline shaking his head. When congratulating our coach, he told him he didn't think you would throw through. Our coach gave away our secret and told him our team never throws to the cutoff.

Your are right, the oldest play in the book never works, but you can still use it to your advantage.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

This is the oldest play in the book. I haven't seen it work well, ever. Even at U12 we were taught not not to ever fall for that play.

You were probably taught not to swing at balls too, but bet you still fall for them.

You have to sell the play, you don't just "text book" run it.

That's why hidden ball trick still works in MLB, you don't use it every game.

You have to think outside the box in this sport. Most of what we do is a chess move to react the next 3 or 4 moves of your opponent. If your catcher repeatedly throws every steal-er out, I'm gonna quit running, or if she can't ever throw one out I'm running all day long. If you see us throw down in the same manner 3-4-5 times, you're going to think we are again ( and send that runner cause you don't have time to sit and wait to see this play unfold if done properly ) but the SS is going to stop the motion a few steps before and slightly ahead of 2nd. Or I'll use it early just to show it, and keep you guessing.

The cut off is a designed play that is either "corrective" or "diagnostic". Some never use it because simply.......they can't pull it off. Works best with opposing aggressive teams. I've used it successfully a few times, but I have to know the team will fall for the trap before I will attempt it.