What about DII

[bobbyb]

Thanks for the input on this. Mine says she wants to play college if she gets a chance so we are starting to look at DII and III. She excels in math and an academic scholarship is possible. There is a nearby college that is one of the best engineering schools in the country. I get torn about it...cause I hope she puts her math skills to use but they do not have softball... She bounces around on what she wants to be or do right now. I do want to prepare her mentally for what she may be up against.

As a follow up question are there many situations....where girls play softball for their first couple years... then move on full time to their career studies? Do DII or III colleges expect that? Look down on it etc?

 

[sluggers]

are there many situations....where girls play softball for their first couple years... then move on full time to their career studies?

Yes. At the end of each year, the coach has a meeting with each player and discusses next year. Sometimes the coach says, "We're glad to have you on the team. But, you aren't going to get any playing time." Sometimes the coach says, "We've got some great freshman coming in, and we have to make room on next year's roster for a few more kids. So, you are going to have a very difficult time making the team next year."

College sports is entirely about the athlete. You DD should play a college sport only if she has a burning desire to do so. If she doesn't have that desire, she is wasting her time. The time and emotional commitment is very, very significant.

A parent isn't going to be there to drag DD out of bed at 5AM so she can be at the weight room at 6AM because the football team has the weight room from 7AM to noon. A parent isn't going to be on the team bus at 9 PM to make her DD do chemistry homework while her teammates are throwing ice at each other.