What is the goal of HS varsity softball?

[diamond14]

My outlook on coaching has always been: I will make the best {insert sport} player each individual can be. If I do my job and the athlete does the best they can, we will win games. That simple. In (most) HS, a coach is limited in recruiting players, so you work with what you have. you may face teams with better coaches or talent, such is life.
I believe that HS sports should be an extension of the academic experience, such that a individual learns what they need to be successful. Are some going to learn more, be better...sure and that is life. There is always going to variance in coaches abilities just as there are in a math faculty, and the frustrations are the same for many students/players.

 

[jhs6672]

Win and have fun..

 

[joe720]

Really depends on school and coach. In my town we have an outstanding group of younger girls who'll likely vie for a state championship in their class in a few years. Coach however won't play the talented girls over the older girls. Or even our good pitchers over older girls that can throw a ball generally towards the plate.

Pretty sure we have a first time coach and they generally don't seem like they have a good plan. IE putting slow runners in the top of the lineup, not moving defense to hitters, ect.

We've won every game despite the coach but will not continue to be successful once we reach stronger teams.

 

[OK04dad]

I would say to build as competitive a softball program as you can with the administration, coaches and players you have. Some schools are blessed with an administration that supports and encourages the softball program. Some are dealing with their program being placed behind several other sports. Some schools are blessed to have great coaching, some not so much. Some schools are blessed to have a great pool of players who come from a competitive level background, some are not. Obviously, it will end up being a combination of some sort from all of these.

Speaking as a parent of a freshman player, we have heard other parents (not necessarily from our DD's school) say that their daughter won't play school ball because the talent and coaching aren't there. For us, we have always believed that every chance to get on the field can be a learning experience. Our DD gets to play other positions than what she plays in TB, which is good for her to stretch her comfort zone. It's also about playing with upperclassmen (and underclassmen eventually) and learning how to forge a bond. Bus trips and overnight tournaments as a team. Another benefit to our DD was the off-season strength and training program. She was fortunate enough to have a coach that knows what they are doing and really helped her strength and agility.

 

[Stretch1]

For us win conference, our regional, sectional and state. We put the best team on the field regardless of year in school. I always have done that. I have to laugh when you say that high school training is more basic. I'll match my knowledge and teaching skills against any expert you have. I'll match my resume as well.

I’ve heard about you in circles for years I was beginning to think you were just a myth.

 

[Hawkeyes]

There is no 1 answer to this. Each program is different. I love Cannonball's response and i believe its taken years of hard work to build his program to that point. Unfortunately, not all programs are their. Smaller schools will have great ebs and flows of athletes and talent.

There may be times where its not the best interest of the program as a whole to bring up a younger player. On the flip side, that might be the piece that the team is missing. There is no 1 size fits all.

 

[tim_s]

Overall, the goal is to teach positive life lessons through sport........sport, after all, in this instance, is tied to education. Positive life lessons through sport is the ultimate goal, and there's lots that can be applied here.

From a competitive standpoint, the goal is to put the best team out there each and every day, and to win games. IMHOP this can and MUST be done not only without sacrificing those positive life lessons, but must reinforce them, i.e. a coach cannot sacrifice those lessons for a win.

I know this isn't always how it is done, but it is how it should be done, imho.

 

[Orange Socks]

Goal: don't get run ruled and make it to 7 innings!

 

[murphdog]

Speaking as a parent of a freshman player, we have heard other parents (not necessarily from our DD's school) say that their daughter won't play school ball because the talent and coaching aren't there. For us, we have always believed that every chance to get on the field can be a learning experience. Our DD gets to play other positions than what she plays in TB, which is good for her to stretch her comfort zone. It's also about playing with upperclassmen (and underclassmen eventually) and learning how to forge a bond. Bus trips and overnight tournaments as a team. Another benefit to our DD was the off-season strength and training program. She was fortunate enough to have a coach that knows what they are doing and really helped her strength and agility.

I responded earlier but this speaks a lot of truth.
When you are looking for a club team you are choosing the coach. That coach is choosing your DD to fill an immediate need in most cases. Makes sense, right?

Now take college, although you’ve met the coach and a few players you don’t really know much. Chances are you don’t know anything about most of the players. That coach is not looking to fill an immediate need, they are looking to fill a future need. And sometimes those future needs change causing an immediate need so the coach pulls a player off the bench and puts them in the spot your DD plays but your DD is not there until the following year. Now everything shifts, bench player excels and the following year that player starts where you think your DD should be.

A kid who has only played travel and is used to playing “their” position almost every inning of every game is likely going to react much differently to being on the bench or in a new position than a kid who played club and school ball and has learned how to adjust and deal with adversity.

 

[JStar00]

Winning the state championship and/or sending players on to college are in many ways beyond the control of the varsity coach; those things are the result of a developmental program that has to start well before HS.

Certainly you can refine and develop talent, but in order to be a serious state title contender you have to have a feeder program producing 3-4 top players a year and an ace pitcher every other year. To do that you either need a dynamite rec program or access to some high-level travel teams.