H.S. numbers down?

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a few of our h.s. coaches have mentioned that numbers seem slightly down in h.s. programs this year, is anyone else experiencing this? if so, thoughts on the reasons?
such as players quit for jobs, out side interests, lack of commitment, sick of softball????

Talking to many coaches across the spectrum of various sports, seems like players do not have the passion or commitment to h.s. sports like in years past. Thoughts?

 

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Magic. I started a post under General Softball a couple days back. Seems like it may be isolated to more rural areas and not economy driven. Don't think anything definite was determined from the post.

In our case several of our better players (who have played travel ball for years) are not coming out. Almost all juniors. After talking with other parents, I guess our girls are pursuing other interest.

 

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I have heard numbers being down also ......At my DD`s school numbers are down for a few reasons, new head coach at varsity level, Lacross, Track, lack of feeder program, are some of the issues I have heard...
I have also heard from a parent the other nite that "softball was a dying sport because of not being an Olympic sport" (?) Not sure about that one at all...I think some numbers are down not just in softball but in alot of sports because now-a days there are not may girls who play multiple sports Now they seem to focus on one sport...Also I know in a few schools her in NWO Lacross is getting to be HUGE.....just my thoughts...

 

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I think its nothing more then this, its no longer for the casual player. Just a very short time ago the bigger schools would have 4 or 5 travel kids on their varsity. Now look at schools like AW, Springfield, Maumee etc. Loaded with Travel kids or kids that play in summer programs. Forcing the kids that just dont want to make that kind of committment to the sport, out. Kids are really specializing in their sports now, kids that are just looking for something to do are heading towards la crosse and Track in the spring. Kids know whats going on lol, so I think they see the writting on the wall.

 

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I think it has to do with the skill level involved in Fastpitch, and it takes lots of work to be successful. I think some just don't have the commitment level. It's surprising how many kids want to play travel ball but won't play h.s. yet to play at the Varsity level or 16u quality travel it takes the same type of skilled, dedicated player.

 

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The costs to play sports in high school is way to expensive. Why play when 75% of the time you are not getting looked at by the colleges, becuase they go to all the travel tournments to scout. I would rather pay the travel team costs than the school costs. The travel tourneys seem to be full everywhere you go.

 

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Ours are down as well.....some are not playing due to grueling work in honors classes....some say they aren't playing due to politics.....some don't like the coach etc......what isn't good is that if the numbers are not up.....some schools will be forced to field only a JV and Varsity team......not so good for upcoming freshman who may not have a freshman team if there aren't enough players.....

 

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It was told to me that our small little D3 school had 35 show up for tryouts this year.

 

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I think it has to do with the skill level involved in Fastpitch, and it takes lots of work to be successful. I think some just don't have the commitment level. It's surprising how many kids want to play travel ball but won't play h.s. yet to play at the Varsity level or 16u quality travel it takes the same type of skilled, dedicated player.

I cant see somebody not playing High School ball and being able to keep up with the kids on their travel teams who just played an entire softball season.

There was a girl the past 2 years that played travel but not High School ball. That was the varsity coaches fault. She played Basketball and V-Ball, the basketball team was still in the state playoffs when pitchers and catchers started. He had a Mandatory conditioning during pitchers and catchers for every player. Yes I know what the rules are, but that was his rule. She approached him about it, saying she wasnt going to be there and he took a hard line about it so she never came back lol.

Something to keep in mind, sometimes the fire just isnt there to play anymore. Most of us have played sports and there comes a time when its over for you. Some it comes earlier then it does for others. If a kid doenst want to play, move on without them. For every 1 kid that doesnt want to play there are 2 more that do.

 

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Our HS numbers are down also ( Bloom Carroll )- as of right now we only have 9 girls showing up for practice. We will not have a JV team. Hard to believe that we went from having back to back State Champions in '06 & '07 and now can't field a complete team. Looking up though - for the first time in a long time we have enough girls to field a 7th grade & a 8th grade team but rumor has it that they will need to move 2 of our 7th graders up to play 8th grade ball in order to even the teams out to 12 players each. Now the only issue is - do you take 2 of your best 7th graders and take away from your 7th grade team ??
We have 6 players on our 7th grade team that are currently playing travel ball - compared to only 1 on the 8th grade team

 

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Our's are down. Too many sports now are putting demands on kids to play all year. Example my 8'th grader already has open gym for high school weight lifting to play on the varisty so@@@@er team next year. This After Track practice and she still has softball going on, plus indoor so@@@er two days a week.. When do kids get time to be kids and to study , which is far more important than sports. We use to have 3 high school softball teams. Even Rec is down from 8 teams to 4 teams in the 12U teams.

 

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Our HS numbers are down also ( Bloom Carroll )- as of right now we only have 9 girls showing up for practice. We will not have a JV team. Hard to believe that we went from having back to back State Champions in '06 & '07 and now can't field a complete team. Looking up though - for the first time in a long time we have enough girls to field a 7th grade & a 8th grade team but rumor has it that they will need to move 2 of our 7th graders up to play 8th grade ball in order to even the teams out to 12 players each. Now the only issue is - do you take 2 of your best 7th graders and take away from your 7th grade team ??
We have 6 players on our 7th grade team that are currently playing travel ball - compared to only 1 on the 8th grade team

I dont know what kind of league your in, so if I am way off please ignore it, but why not just have 2 teams made up of 7th and 8th graders. Balance each team out, so your developing more players at different positions. I am sure that the 8th grade team and 7th grade dont each have 9 kids that play 9 different positions. Just a thought.

 

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I dont know what kind of league your in, so if I am way off please ignore it, but why not just have 2 teams made up of 7th and 8th graders. Balance each team out, so your developing more players at different positions. I am sure that the 8th grade team and 7th grade dont each have 9 kids that play 9 different positions. Just a thought.

We are a sanctioned OHSAA school. 8 graders can not play down - but 7th can play up. In the past we have had a combination 7/8 team that played a 8th grade schedule.

 

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We are a sanctioned OHSAA school. 8 graders can not play down - but 7th can play up. In the past we have had a combination 7/8 team that played a 8th grade schedule.

Can you have 2 teams that play a 8th grade schedule? Just seems like trying to figure out who should move up is over complicating things, and in the end will probably irk a few parents lol. But I dont know your group so that might not be the case.

 

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Just seems like trying to figure out who should move up is over complicating things, and in the end will probably irk a few parents lol. But I dont know your group so that might not be the case.

 

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Are HS only had 19 show up this year (yes all are pitchers and catchers) New coach has alot to do with it.and the intrest of HS softball is down in are area do to soocer track and laCross.my senior DD isnt playing this year due to graduating early.

 

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Our numbers have declined the last 2 years. (Anthony Wayne D1). But we now have more travel players than in the past. I think so many of our players have opted for the travel teams over the rec leagues in the summer that we are losing the "casual player" as Uber states. But you know, right up the road at Springfield, I hear there numbers are continuing to grow. Maybe it's just cyclical, but I think it has to do with the gap being created between the casual player's ability and the girl who chooses to play most of the year.

 

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I think its nothing more then this, its no longer for the casual player. Just a very short time ago the bigger schools would have 4 or 5 travel kids on their varsity. Now look at schools like AW, Springfield, Maumee etc. Loaded with Travel kids or kids that play in summer programs. Forcing the kids that just dont want to make that kind of committment to the sport, out. Kids are really specializing in their sports now, kids that are just looking for something to do are heading towards la crosse and Track in the spring. Kids know whats going on lol, so I think they see the writting on the wall.

I think your on the right track there

 

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uber, that's terrble what the coach did to that kid who played basketball

 

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Not sure, but it seems to be just a general decline. I have heard Centerville, which is a large D1 HS has dropped their freshman team. Fairmont has just enough to field a freshman team. It is the age where even the talented players can sometimes lose their desire due to other distractions.