Why College Softball is Different….

[Vertigo]

So I’m finally lucky enough to see DD’s college team play their first games this week and I imagine what I’m witnessing is how it is at the majority of schools. ALL of the parents cheer for each other’s kids! You could walk up to the field and have no idea which kid belongs to who because of the support for all of the players.

I guess it is ultimately because for the majority of college players, this is it for them. There is no more competition to get recruited from your travel team or to make the HS team. I mean, I’m sure there is internal competition to land a starting role but if there is on DD’s team, I don’t see it.

It is so refreshing to be associated with a team where all anyone cares about is a team win, not individual stats!!

 

[_MIA_]

I am great at cheering for everybody else’s kids

 

[vicimus]

Funny you should mention that, since someone came up to my wife today at DD's game and asked her which player was hers because he couldn't tell, since she cheered for every girl. ;-) Although, that has always been our way regardless of the level and regardless of the sport.

 

[HunterMO]

Funny you should mention that, since someone came up to my wife today at DD's game and asked her which player was hers because he couldn't tell, since she cheered for every girl. ;-) Although, that has always been our way regardless of the level and regardless of the sport.

This is how youth sports should be. Unfortunate that it’s not the case as a whole.

 

[Northball]

... ALL of the parents cheer for each other’s kids!...

That's what we saw for my DD. D3 team with no grand expectations, just to be competitive with the team in the other dugout and with a little luck, be in the mix for a conference championship. Cheers for all the players, and vocal appreciation for exceptional plays by the opponents. Even had a few post-game prayers of gratitude with both teams forming a circle on the field.

 

[Lance Steckler]

honestly, with good travel teams, this is how it is as well.

 

[jdint]

honestly, with good travel teams, this is how it is as well.

That's what I was thinking. I've never experienced anything different.

 

[HunterMO]

honestly, with good travel teams, this is how it is as well.

We are fortunate to have both DD’s school ball and TB teams be this way. But I have seen and heard the other side as well.

 

[AnotherSoftballDad]

My kid is a freshman in high school.

This is how I feel about our high school team and it's pretty cool.

Loud positive parents cheering every kid and really into the game.

Every time a kid gets a hit it's like they just won the world series.

It totally makes since though. It's hard to keep that energy up when you play 8 games in a weekend.

 

[Cannonball]

So I’m finally lucky enough to see DD’s college team play their first games this week and I imagine what I’m witnessing is how it is at the majority of schools. ALL of the parents cheer for each other’s kids! You could walk up to the field and have no idea which kid belongs to who because of the support for all of the players.

I guess it is ultimately because for the majority of college players, this is it for them. There is no more competition to get recruited from your travel team or to make the HS team. I mean, I’m sure there is internal competition to land a starting role but if there is on DD’s team, I don’t see it.

It is so refreshing to be associated with a team where all anyone cares about is a team win, not individual stats!!

Your mileage may vary with this. I've seen both in the same program but in different years. During my dd's freshman year, after she hit a big fly, another dad came up and said to me that while I might think that my dd has power, she doesn't. His daughter does and she will show it. That caught me totally off guard. I never talked about BB and her power. Mostly, that year, the wife and I didn't talk to anyone.

One more story since I can't help myself. BB was about to break the single-season home run record for her school. (It wasn't that many so I didn't think it was a big deal.) As most of you know, they play DH on the weekend. In between games, I go to my car to get some sandwiches for the wife and me. A player is crying in the parking lot and is upset that she is not the one who is going to break the record. Her mom says that's ok, you're better than her she will start making more outs. I thought that this lady was a friend. We learned our lesson.