Attrition in the HS Program

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Just wanted to know how much loss of upper classmen the other OFC members see in their HS programs and what the factors are in the players decision to leave the program. The district I had coached in for the past several years, regularly sees only 1 -2 seniors and 2-3 juniors sticking around. The seniors that do play often don't play their junior year but want to play their senior year and due to lack of the number of players trying out, the program needs them. This is a DI school. This year, a senior three year starting shortstop (best player on the team), senior two year starting center fielder and junior pitcher returning from injury who would have challenged for starting spot all walked away from the program. The previous year a similar scenario occurred with players that would have been starters. Being close to the program in the past and working with a few players from the program presently, I see and hear the usual issues (parents with too much influence over the head coach, AD that doesn't care, HC playing favorites, etc.) in this program. The same horror stories that have been posted and discussed on OFC in the past. For me the biggest sin a coach and program can make is to drive away players from a game they love. I know most of these girls mentioned will or have played travel ball but still, playing for your school and friends is part of the HS experience. I know this has turned into as much a vent as a question, so I thank the OFCers for their patience, but I hate to see these girls walking away from a sport that they love. So do other OFC members see upper classmen leaving the softball program in their district?

 

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Just a few other reasons upperclassmen quit ... they don't want to play behind younger girls who might be better than them, they realize they aren't going to play in college anymore, they decide they'd rather do other things like work or socialize with their time, they want to try or focus on another sport, etc. Not saying this is the case with your players, but have seen all of the above over the years ...

 

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My DD has decided not to play her senior season. The coach wasn't willing to be flexible with her work schedule and she had already decided not to play in college. Shes also very active in other programs and is Student Council president so she decided not to overload herself. She seems very confident in her decision so I support her on it 100%.

 

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In our local HS I have seen a number of travel ball players quit the HS program because of the politics and lack of quality coaching. Let's face it, players today do not have to play HS ball to get into college softball. I have discussed with several college recruiters and they tell me that they don't go to HS games normally to watch players (there are exceptions to the rule); they are more likely to attend select showcases and camps to see players. With that being said, I would never dissuade a player from playing HS ball because of all of the reasons you listed (playing with friends, school pride, etc.) but I have witnessed some very poor conduct from HS coaches and I can see where it isn't worth the hassle. Likewise with the players who decide they aren't going to play in college and want something different. We had a friend with a talented basketball player for a daughter. She was 6' tall and definitely going to get some offers, but not from the schools she wanted to attend so she skipped her junior and senior season to focus on other things. Part of life; things become mutually exclusive.

 

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We do not see it at our high school because there is an extreme amount of talent in our program. We have been to District Finals for 5 of the past 6 years, and should be there again this year. I believe success has a lot to do with it, and it makes the younger girls hungry to be a part of it. Considering the other schools our conference, I am not aware of any loss of upper classmen with our competition either. Our conference is very competitive and most of the girls stay. I think attrition also has a lot to do with the success of the program.

 

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I believe success has a lot to do with it, and it makes the younger girls hungry to be a part of it./QUOTE]

Our new coaching staff told our girls to consider yourself an athlete playing for your school, not girls playing softball.
goals are higher and expectations are higher and hopefully results will be higher. We lived through years of coaching staff with no expectation and girls had no drives and several talented girls quit and I believe this becomes a stiring stick and excuses manifests. High school boys in our school doesn't quit football or miss practice because they want to part of successful team, they wil sit on bench rather than quit and our new coaching staff wants to build this mentality. Until this happens I believe schools will continue to lose girls playing softball.

 

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I know lack of success has a lot to do with the situation in this district. One of the posters mentioned players dropping out due to players not getting a college offer and that is the case with one girl. Plenty of DII and DII offers but had her heart set on D1. Families with financial issues that require their DD to pay for car, gas and insurance also come into play many times. I suppose half or less of these girls fall into that category. Again the original post was just as much vent as question. Thanks for all the replies.

 

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I can't remember a time at our school where a senior didn't come back to play. These girls are very close, and it's good to see their commitment to their team and school.

I met a young lady from another school the other day and asked about her plans - she was thinking about not playing because:
1. She realized how much she liked having money from her job.
2. She's not playing in college.
3. She didn't want to take playing time away from the younger / more committed girls.

 

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Sue ... if she was sincere about #3, that's pretty amazing ... many upperclassmen I coached thought they were "entitled" to take playing time away from the younger girls!

 

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I can't remember a time at our school where a senior didn't come back to play. These girls are very close, and it's good to see their commitment to their team and school.

I met a young lady from another school the other day and asked about her plans - she was thinking about not playing because:
1. She realized how much she liked having money from her job.
2. She's not playing in college.
3. She didn't want to take playing time away from the younger / more committed girls.

If #3 is true that team needs her leadership.

 

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2. She's not playing in college.
.

this is a SAD reality. I wish more kids would stick with it because they have "love for the game" and not get discouraged because they didn't verbal by the time they are juniors. Personally, i think the frenzy over early verbals is causing psychological damage to kids in that parents/kids are falling into the mindset that if it hasn't happened yet, it won't happen so maybe I should just give up and do something else- that is not true!! While the $$$$ at the "Top 25" schools will likely be gone, but there are plenty of Division 1 schools that are still looking for kids in the junior/senior classes.

 

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There is catch 22. You need strong upperclassmen to field a strong team, but if the team is not strong many players do not stay to be upperclassmen. Even elite freshmen will get tired of all the varsity playing time on a bad team when they can play travel ball on a good team. The role players will not put up with losing all the time either. You have to find some way to get the team to buy in. Either with a coaching change or by changing schedule to allow for more wins each year till you build the program or develop a youth program to feed better players to the high school. Any way you go it takes TIME.

 

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Same thing at our HS.

My wife and I were all excited for our Freshman DD until we found out the following:

#1 and #2 pitcher decided to leave school....

- best player and SS has decided she would rather work and just play travel

- next best pitcher transferred in 6 weeks after start of school year and is ineligible

- next best pitcher (who did not play last year...got cut....hurt wrist doing cheerleading and is done)

- next best pitcher is a Senior and has not played since Frosh year (travel or HS) and honestly calling her next best is realllllyyy stretching the concept


So basically year 1 is going to stink.

Year 2 is going to stink

Year 3...u guessed it probably stinko

My DD really loves the coach who is former college player and seems very solid. But no pitching = no team basically.

Oh well. Need to get a pitcher in the ranks. My girls are all short so we never really went the pitching route. My oldest tried it for about 2 months and realized it was a lost cause. She always wanted to side arm it........even had a harness put on and she still would side arm it.

 

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DD's HS team got a new coach this year...he's serious business, and a serious departure from coach that had been there last 9 years, which is great because the attrition has been the players who were dead weight, malcontents (though I am losing one of my "pre-game meeting" buddies)....4 returning players saw the writing on the wall and didn't even come out for conditioning, 4-5 others washed out during conditioning which has made room for 15 freshmen and 8th graders who are completely new to the program, and the quality of leadership they will get from the remaining upperclassmen (4 snrs and 3 jrs) will be much better.

For her school, attrition and change is a good thing for those that remain.

 

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Ours already told the girls there will be not cuts and is really excited about the incoming freshman class. We have one senior not returning with four returning. She told my dd that she's trying to prep for college and the additional workload amongst other reasons.

 

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DD's HS team got a new coach this year...he's serious business, and a serious departure from coach that had been there last 9 years, which is great because the attrition has been the players who were dead weight, malcontents (though I am losing one of my "pre-game meeting" buddies)....4 returning players saw the writing on the wall and didn't even come out for conditioning, 4-5 others washed out during conditioning which has made room for 15 freshmen and 8th graders who are completely new to the program, and the quality of leadership they will get from the remaining upperclassmen (4 snrs and 3 jrs) will be much better.

For her school, attrition and change is a good thing for those that remain.

Explain what you ment by 8th graders ????

 

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in KY middle schoolers can play in HS program with AD approval, and as long as a high schooler isn't cut from program to make room....my DD is a Jr, and this is her 5th year in HS ball...4th playing varsity.

 

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in KY middle schoolers can play in HS program with AD approval, and as long as a high schooler isn't cut from program to make room....my DD is a Jr, and this is her 5th year in HS ball...4th playing varsity.

Thanks, that is good for districts that strugle to field a team, or even Jv.

 

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One of the posters mentioned having a coach that excites the players to achieve and is all business. I had a couple of coaches in my HS career that I would have run through a wall for, others it took fear and intimidation to get me motivated. I think it was the belief that I was treated fairly and judged on my ability that made those coaches special. I worked my butt off for those coaches. A post mentioned having seven upper classmen starting on the varsity squad as leaders. That would be a huge plus for the program. When the HC says every year the freshman and sophomores will be the back bone of the program only to have most of them desert after a year or two wears thin after three or four years. Having a HC that the players can trust to be fair and impartial would be a welcome change.

 

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Thanks, that is good for districts that strugle to field a team, or even Jv.

It has a lot of positives...most of all, I feel, is that the middle school players that earn a spot in the program are often exposed to a higher level of coaching and don't have to wait to develop the skills they need to succeed in the system.