What If You're NOT Looking For a Scholarship?

[quincy]

It is a SB forum so it seems like life or death but very few players stay involved in SB after college.

 

[sluggers]

Do we plan her career as if we *are* looking for a scholarship, i.e. play showcase tournaments, attend school's camps, contact HC and AC? How do schools take non-scholarship athletes? Open try-outs? What is that scenario like?

It really is pretty easy to get on a team...she just has to be better than everyone else on the field.

You think I'm kidding, but I'm not.

Kids become good at softball because they love playing the game. If they love playing the game (rather than the camaraderie of being with other girls), they will want to become good at it. They want to become as good as they possibly can at the sport. Kids who work really hard at becoming "good" play (not sit on the bench and watch) in college.

If your DD (not *YOU*) wants to play in college, she has to maker herself a really good player.

That means:

1) Going to a private a coach.
2) Playing *LOTS* of softball.
3) Getting on a team where she will learn to play advanced softball. I.e., she has to play on a team that plays to win and has some good coaches.

 

[grcsftbll]

We're just going on the assumption ours will want to play in college. She's 8. Lol! Really we have no idea what will happen, I figure we'll do our best to have that opportunity available in case she decides that's what she wants. If she does play in college I don't care about the division, I'd like her to stay close enough to home I can make a lot of her games. She'll probably end up in Alaska or something. It's annoying how kids start getting their own ideas about what they want in their lives. Oh well.

 

[RetiredCoach]

I've taken the advice that I've given many on this forum about my DDs playing in college, "Take a chill pill!"

I have talented DDs who pitch and play but do not work half as hard as, it seems, most of the players/pitchers on the forum. However, I would rank them just below elite level players. Imagine if they worked at it more, where they would be? But that's for them and not me!

My 16 yr old DD had some clarity in her softball playing ambitions. She has decided, for now at least, that she wants to be a chiropractor. She may want to play in college but does not want to play for a program that "owns" you. So, we are looking at DIII possibilities. This precludes a scholarship... Oh well, a lot less pressure.

My 14 yr old DD, who knows? She could go either way. We will wait and see.

The point of this point: "Take a chill pill!".

 

[SoCalASABlue]

Your daughter should also learn about the life of a DI athlete at a school like Alabama - the sport is their job, 40+ hours a week. You will probably not be majoring in engineering, sciences, etc.

FWIW - anecdotal I know - but when DD went on an D3 overnight visit, the head coach and assistant coach (both of whom played lower level D1 softball at UIC) both told the dozen or so girls on the visit (and the parents) that if they had to do it over again, they would not have gone D1. They had no social life whatsoever and softball was stressed over studies.

 

[MNDad]

Tomorrow DD leaves on her journey playing D1 softball and majoring in Engineering. We’ll find out soon how it works out.

 

[KCM]

My 16U could care less if she gets offered a scholarship or not. Now she does want to be the best at what she does - pitcher and 1st base. In my opinion she is a low elite level player, throws mid 50's, has great movement, shows no emotion, contact hitter, lays down a great bunt and does not hesitate to run bases as told. D1 prospect in my opinion - No but I have been surprised at what college recruits get her paper work out of her folder. Every show case she has some one pick up her profile sheet. I think her greatest selling point is not her skill as a player but her ambitions as a leader, always talking to her infield, smiles at every pitch, respects the umps and hustles all the time.

I decided 2 years ago she controls her destiny with the sport, I coach (as an AC now) her team but she also can leave at any time (as all my players can). She plays for other teams as a pick up player but always comes back to me for advice (makes me a proud daddy).

So my suggestion is chill out and do not push her. You will surprised at how much her desire to play will grow.