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Jun 12, 2015
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My DD's current 12U team has great parents, a great group of girls, and I really hope a majority, if not all, come back next year. We hang out, drink a few beers, and there's no drama, divas, or anyone that's a giant PITA. I'm hoping this year never ends, but sadly it's already halfway over...

Here too! This is the first time there hasn't been a single player on DD's team that I think we'd be better off without, and the parents have not caused any drama. It's like a freaking miracle. But spring is only just starting and anything could happen. As of this moment, I would be thrilled to take this entire team into fall. It seems almost impossible to get more than half a team to stay put from year to year though.
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
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So, I see a few different opinions here. Let me throw this out and ask a question. How does this "family" work when a large percentage of girls move to different teams every few years?

I've mentioned it a few times, but my family is pretty much made up of introverts. We want to be with each other. Family time is near "Holy" to us. Our best friends are few and far between, the rest are "acquaintances". My daughter can really only call one girl on the team somewhat of a "friend". She doesn't want to be around any of the other girls, outside of practices or games, period. She tried once on a traveling weekend. She got excited when they wanted to go to the weight room. Once in there, they all wanted to post selfies to instagram and complain about their bodies. That was it. She knew they were nothing like her so she never tried again. We do not attend "team outings". That being said, when it's practice and game time she's 100% GO. The team knows her strengths and she theirs. They work together in their positions well. I believe they won around 70% of their games in the spring and fall season. So that being said, is my daughter and our team wrong?

Now, let me loop back in that first point. In the spring season the team had 9 girls. However, they were a part of a very strong org in the state. Only strong teams were ever asked to be a part of the org. If you played a team from this org, you knew you were in for a fight even if you had never seen them before. After the spring season was over, our #1 pitcher left. Every other stayed. My DD didn't leave. We picked up a few new girls, but no strong pitchers. The team was very strong on athletes, weak on pitching. After the fall season was over, we had lots of girls wanting to be on the team. Going into next spring, we're at 14 players with two new very strong pitchers. Those 8, including my DD, still remain. Why is my DD able to make it work without being "family"?

It'll be fine.

But man, it could be so much better. If there was a way your daughter could become good friends with the girls, there would most likely be improvements in their play and their lives. Having close friends is pretty wonderful.

Just about every family treasures their family time, so you're no different there. And it sounds like you get plenty of it if you don't have a lot of friends around. I'm not an introvert, but would respect those parents who are. However, I certainly wouldn't feel as close to them, wouldn't bond with them, wouldn't miss them when they're gone.
 
Last edited:
Apr 16, 2013
1,113
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It'll be fine.

But man, it could be so much better. If there was a way your daughter could become good friends with the girls...

That would be nice, but the girls are absolutely, nothing like her. Nothing against them, they're girly girls. That's just not my DD. I could list a lot of reasons, but I won't go there. :)
 
Feb 26, 2018
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My DD is still friends with girls from her last team, goes to school with some of them, and plays basketball with them. It was nice at our tourney this past weekend when she wanted to go watch one of their games, and we got to catch up with some of the parents we became good friends with. Even after they beat her old team on Saturday and eliminated them from the tournament, she messaged the pitcher and said good game. Softball is a small world, making friends, having fun, and competing is all part of the journey.
 

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