What is a good predictor for later success?

[BaldNBeautiful]

Last night I got involved in a discussion about how scores on ACT and SAT tests were a good predictor of future success in college. Not perfect by any stretch, but there is a direct correlation.

So I got to thinking, as a Middle School coach, what characteristics do successful HS players (think 16 U or 18U) display when they are in 12U or 14U?

Some thoughts: strong work ethic, athleticism, is it the desire to cutout some sports to focus more on softball and less on other sports?

I am the feeder program to our High School program. We as a MS program have done OK in this, but part of that is based on keeping larger than necessary numbers of players. Last year 35 tried out, and we kept 25 (for both JV and Varsity squads) 2 4 of those finished the season. 10 tried out for for HS, and they kept 8 of those.

I cannot keep twenty five players this coming season, it is counter productive on many levels.

 

[abbygale]

She enjoys focusing during the game/practice.

 

[Jojo]

Desire.

When I was coaching league, we had try-outs for 12u and there was girl there that had never played before. She couldn't throw, hit, field, but she was trying. When you tossed her a pop-fly she would scream! But she didn't run away from the ball, she ran toward it screaming. I gave her a few extra points on my score sheet, but eventually lost her to another team.
I talked to her dad about her and her desire to want to play, and then asked her to play for me on my fall team.

Found out the kid was talented in many different fields, but she wanted to play softball more than anything in the world.

She blossomed through the years and ended up getting a scholarship at a good D1 school playing second base. Most of those kids that were the best players that year, never made it that far, but she was the most determined.

Today whenever I get a new student, there are a lot of factors that determine whether they'll be successful, but just the desire and love of the game is a good indication.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Desire.

When I was coaching league, we had try-outs for 12u and there was girl there that had never played before. She couldn't throw, hit, field, but she was trying. When you tossed her a pop-fly she would scream! But she didn't run away from the ball, she ran toward it screaming. I gave her a few extra points on my score sheet, but eventually lost her to another team.
I talked to her dad about her and her desire to want to play, and then asked her to play for me on my fall team.

Found out the kid was talented in many different fields, but she wanted to play softball more than anything in the world.

She blossomed through the years and ended up getting a scholarship at a good D1 school playing second base. Most of those kids that were the best players that year, never made it that far, but she was the most determined.

Today whenever I get a new student, there are a lot of factors that determine whether they'll be successful, but just the desire and love of the game is a good indication.

Cool story. Fun to coach girls like that.

But if it's a new player, how can you be sure she'll fall in love with softball and stay with it?

I have a similar story, but it turned out differently. I took a player one fall who had played only rec ball, and not much of that. She was a travel hockey player. At age 12, she was the best player on a team of boys. She played center. She was very athletic, needless to say, and was looking for a new sport b/c she felt there was no future in girls hockey in a Southern state. Her desire and effort in softball were outstanding because she knew how to compete and she was naturally very competitive.

But after a couple of months of it, she decided softball wasn't for her. It didn't have enough non-stop action like hockey. She eventually found lacrosse, and now she's a star in that sport.

Desire is big, but to get the most out of that, you want a player that you know will be playing travel ball for the long haul. That's not always easy to predict, but that's the path to being good 3-4 years later.

 

[Jojo]

Desire is big, but to get the most out of that, you want a player that you know will be playing travel ball for the long haul. That's not always easy to predict, but that's the path to being good 3-4 years later.

Knowing that is the desire to all of us coaches.

 

[sluggers]

Success depends on the talent of the girl, her love of the game, and her parents. I've seen kids with two of three, and they rarely become "good".

Future predictors of being "good" at 16U

1) Physical talent
2) Love of the game.
3) Private coaching.
4) Parents who are financially able to support playing TB.
5) Parents who are sufficiently stable to accept the ups and downs of sports.
6) Parents who will invest the time in helping their DD with the sport.
7) Parents who understand how little they know about the game.

 

[chinamigarden]

Can she think the game. Does she hustle. Can she read a ball off the bat. If you have a 12u player who can do these 3 things and is at least somewhat athletic she do well at HS age. As long as she continues to play and develop.

I just realized this was in the pitching forum so I would ad this. The willingness to work on her craft during her off season. She doesn't have to give up basketball or volleyball or track... All she has to do is carve out the time during her off season and work on pitching. It can be done with a full schedule. Like the old adage goes, if you want something done ask a busy person.

 

[Jojo]

There are so many unseen variables that will happen with a lot of softball players.

Will they lose interest?
Will their parents lose interest?
Will they discover another sport?
Will they decide they want to be a cheerleader?--gosh, I've so many good softball players go to cheerleading.
Will they decide they need more social time with friends?
Will they decide they need more social time with boys?

You just never know.

 

[starsnuffer]

Attitude, effort, athleticism, and the ability to pick up what is being taught quickly. Softball skills do not matter too much at that age, so long as the kid is coachable.

-W

 

[CoogansBluff]

There are so many unseen variables that will happen with a lot of softball players.

Will they lose interest?
Will their parents lose interest?
Will they discover another sport?
Will they decide they want to be a cheerleader?--gosh, I've so many good softball players go to cheerleading.
Will they decide they need more social time with friends?
Will they decide they need more social time with boys?

You just never know.

I think this gets to the heart of it - commitment level.

The best predictor is whether the player is playing travel ball and will continue to play travel ball.

Hustle and attitude and talent are great, but how much of it is being invested into softball? A girl w/ average hustle, attitude and talent is going to do pretty well in high school if she's a year-round softball player.

Another underrated predictor of future success is current success. I think sometimes we can out-smart ourselves trying to project potential. If one player is better right now, then whatever made that happen is likely to keep it that way.