With all due respect, in my opinion, Rec programs are not in trouble. Travel ball is not in trouble. Neither is school ball at any level. You may not see normalcy immediately but as a country we will return to some form of normalcy. Maybe it won't happen soon enough for some, but it will happen.
The original post asked about colleges (schools). Colleges are a business. While they are supposed to be in the business of learning, they compete for the tuition of all students to pay the bills---------and make money for a variety of reasons. Sports in general are a part of a much larger plan. They want students to aspire to be there.
Example; many of us enjoy being "Buckeyes" with a pride that can be overwhelming. I'm guilty of it. I did not attend OSU or play sports there. However, the dream of playing a major college sport, especially when their program is successful, is enough of a draw to get potential students to aspire to be a part of the "Scarlet and Grey" because they somehow feel connected if you understand what I mean.
Revenue from profitable sports programs can help a school achieve goals that can be mind-boggling. Other sports departments exist because the investment is made from profitable programs to help diversify the school. Fastpitch is a part of that diversification. Schools are not required to offer sports. Sport programs are a tool. While we understand the psychological implications for a developing mind, the importance of learning from the participation of playing a game can be achieved elsewhere. It's not all about the game.
Too much emphasis put on sports can have a negative impact, fogging our decision-making skills. We tend to overlook the true and beneficial life-lessons and opt to heighten the importance of playing a game and winning. The saying "It's not about winning or losing, it's about how you play the game" comes to mind. I read posts from many coaches and parents with unhealthy attitudes. They don't seem to get it. It's for this reason I encourage people to rethink the reasons why they are doing this and take the mentoring aspect seriously. You are influencing the minds of the future members of society. Some may be the leaders in your community or beyond. For most, none of it will be about fastpitch softball, baseball, football, or any other game--------except for an excuse to have a tailgate party.
We are dealing with a global pandemic. Some understand it, some don't. There's nothing political about it. There's nothing fake about it. A synthetic (man made) virus was released into the mainstream population of earth. This cannot be compared to any other virus or influenza. How this happened, why this happened, is still unknown. At the moment we need to focus on solving the problem and its effect on human life on our planet. The greatest country on the face of earth has accepted the challenge to come up with a vaccine. It will not eradicate the virus, at least not immediately. It will inoculate us against it in hopes that without a carrier (human beings) it will die on it's own. It takes a carrier to keep it alive. That's why safety precautions and extreme measures were asked of and eventually ordered to try and buy time for scientists to come up with a solution. If everyone would have participated, we wouldn't need an inoculation. The virus would have died.
If anyone dies from covid-19 that's too many. If anyone gets sick from covid-19, that's too many. An attitude of collateral damage is not a healthy attitude. "It didn't hurt me" is selfish. Look at wearing a mask, sanitizing, and social distancing in terms of fastpitch. Most everyone advocate safety gear for their girls playing the game. Many want even more equipment ordered by rules while others plead to parents to not let their daughter take the field without all the safety equipment available to them. Helmets, face masks, face masks on helmets, chin straps, heart guards, elbow protectors, fencing, padded fencing, break away bases, and safety netting. Limits on bat performance and core/compression limits on softballs. With all this common place in our game, why would you question wearing a mask, sanitizing, or social distancing so you can play the game now instead of later be an issue?
"It ain't cheatin unless you get caught" is an unhealthy mind set for any mentor to live by...........
