High School Fastpitch 5 (the truth)

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"She is a freshman and will definitely make the Varsity. I am not even sure there will be enough girls to make a JV. And the talent is pretty weak. But she loves the girls and knows over half the team from playing with them on school teams and such. We have no pitching....like literally no pitchers and she knows the team will be weak. But she just loves playing and figures they will get better and win some games.

I am probably the bigger problem. I have grown accustom to watching very good travel ball. And I am not sure I will be able to withstand 4-5 errors a game and multiple walks.....there I go again being a snob......I am just bummed because it may be a 4 year pull of bad teams. But the school is great and my kids love it there. It just has a really poor softball team. Good coach just not enough talent. And they play in a good league so at least my DD will see good pitching."

• the key in developing a very good HS program is to start it in the pee wee program and keep as many of them together as long you can. Our HS program has always been fairly strong, but it went thru the roof (state final appearance) last year with the first group of girls (juniors) who were brought thru from pee wees and stayed and played together. More than half travel ball players also but most also played rec together thru 8th grade and built that bond that now exist at the HS level. The classes below them have followed that same pattern and the future is very bright down thru the ranks. Keystone, Poland and Strasburg are a few others that I know do this.

 

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The whole reason I posted on this thread is that there are 3 other threads on the same subject and it seems like almost everyone who posted has nothing good to say about High School softball, My DD is a senior and I don't want to miss a minute because she will never play in High School again , I have no control how anyone else plays so I try not to let it beat me up it is what it is , as long as she does her part to help her team win is what really matters to me I am just proud to watch her play , I will bite my lip as I watch the Earned Arrogant players walk by after the game in there own group and the non TB players in there own group. I like what Uber said about the parents involvement and not being involved sooooo true . I guess it comes down to this if your DD is not happy or you the parent are not happy with your High School team, move to Hoover or Keystone where probably all there players are TB players. High School softball 1#

 

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Bill (ice_dad) ... good post ... I agree ... though believe it or not, I have seen a few (not most) high school players who were like Harley described ... especially if their team isn't very strong and not playing for a lot. There are also more than a few travel ball coaches and dad who are very arrogant about travel vs. high school, and unfortunately that rubs off on the girls sometimes.

To me, both experiences can be great in their own way for both the player and their family, and to not enjoy them for what they each are is a wonderful opportunity wasted. I know my DD cherished both experiences, even though her high school team never won the conference or made it to regionals while she was there.

My teachings are based upon you play for the name above the number on the back of jersey and just as important for the team of whomever you signed up for and made the cut for. Never sell-out to playing down, ever... never settle for losing a quarter flipping contest and bottomline never settle for being 70% of YOU. Anything else less is a down play on yourself and if you chose to dumb youself down, well, you failed YOU!

As coachjwb said, live it up! So what if your team is terrible and you end up a less than .500 team, hindsight will be your worst enemy down the road when only "YOU" can look back and judge your personal committment level. Go hard, go strong, for YOUR NAME for YOUR TEAMS!!!

 

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• the key in developing a very good HS program is to start it in the pee wee program and keep as many of them together as long you can. Our HS program has always been fairly strong, but it went thru the roof (state final appearance) last year with the first group of girls (juniors) who were brought thru from pee wees and stayed and played together. More than half travel ball players also but most also played rec together thru 8th grade and built that bond that now exist at the HS level. The classes below them have followed that same pattern and the future is very bright down thru the ranks. Keystone, Poland and Strasburg are a few others that I know do this.

do you mean setting up the annual clinic and herding the cattle through various stations in 2 hours for $30-50isn't going to cut it??? Uh-oh... I know some districts in trouble. I love the stations where punching bags are hung with care from the basketball rims for all to beat to death and the 25 minute tossing sessions.

 

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As a side note.

I am very curious how my DD will handle the losing.

In travel when you lose it is followed by misery (OK so maybe extreme by my wife is the coach and losing is a 4 letter word). So my DD is used to being pushed and well yelled at when they lose. And she is also used to girls when they go 0-? in a game, to be hitting of the tee between games and being a bit edgy. I have gone to many of our HS games and I am not sure these are the traits of many of the girls. There are many that are truly just having fun. So I am very interested how the DD will handle this kind of commitment. I have not really said much because her mother played at this HS and when she/we started this softball thing it was all about getting good and helping the HS to a State Championship (wife lost in quarters and semis...when she was there). So she still has that dream. I think she realizes it is not going to happen this year but I do not think she has realized they may never get out of District in her 4 years.

This is going to be an interesting 4 year ride.

If that was truly the goal, why isn't there a pitcher at your HS from your TB team?

Are there any younger pitchers that will go to your HS? Just because you don't have any pitching this year doesn't mean you won't have some in another year or two.

 

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some girls just dont have the money or the backing to get into TB, it has become outrageous, the costs of some of the programs. Some parents just push it so they can have that CAL or FL vacation. Has the original poster ever been to a HS playoff or championship game? My niece played in a state champ game and she alone had over 80 people there, the whole team had over 600 spectators in attendence, it was standing room only on both sides. Akron/Ellet had one of the best ever softball programs starting with T-Ball through HS.

 

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Any of you that have played or coached should know its more than just a game. Growing up as a kid I would ride my bike 5 miles to practice, stay 2 hours afterwards playing catch, rundown, pepper, HR derby, I couldn't get enough!! And not once was it about playing in college, maybe fantasizing about playing in the majors alongside my idols, but I played because I loved it!!! My first born was a girl, and before her mother could put her in pageants we were outside playing catch and hitting balls, and again it was for the love of the game and nothing else. As she grew older we had a common bond that will be with us until they plant me in the ground!! I just can't get over how so many that frequent this forum are so narrowed minded and have the audacity to separate HS and TB like its tOSU vs Michigan!!! There is more to it then playing in college...many of you newbies better wake up to that fact and get back to enjoying the game with your daughters and quit focusing so hard on the "Golden Ticket" your killing your DD's love for the game and in the big realm of things killing the sport!!

 

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Any of you that have played or coached should know its more than just a game. Growing up as a kid I would ride my bike 5 miles to practice, stay 2 hours afterwards playing catch, rundown, pepper, HR derby, I couldn't get enough!! And not once was it about playing in college, maybe fantasizing about playing in the majors alongside my idols, but I played because I loved it!!! My first born was a girl, and before her mother could put her in pageants we were outside playing catch and hitting balls, and again it was for the love of the game and nothing else. As she grew older we had a common bond that will be with us until they plant me in the ground!! I just can't get over how so many that frequent this forum are so narrowed minded and have the audacity to separate HS and TB like its tOSU vs Michigan!!! There is more to it then playing in college...many of you newbies better wake up to that fact and get back to enjoying the game with your daughters and quit focusing so hard on the "Golden Ticket" your killing your DD's love for the game and in the big realm of things killing the sport!!

I agree with your TB vs HS comment 100%. What the nOObs don't get is, your kid will be a freshman then you blink your eye and god willing your walking her out for senior day... You don't get that time back. When your walking her out for senior day 90% of TB parents tear up a bit and in their mind wish for 1 more high school season. Especially since TB @ 14u is not TB @ 18u lol. Things are going to change quickly, please ENJOY it.

 

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I know my dd is looks forward to putting on the school colors. She has major pride in home town teams whether it is softball, basketball, volleyball, or track. On the flip side she really loves her travel ball team. I definitely attribute that to her coach and her teammates. DD just loves being part of the team and playing the game. We LOVE watching her playing the game!

 

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It seems to me that High School flows into summer Travel Ball, then into Fall Ball (either High School or Travel), Winter Conditioning, and then the Open Gyms ... repeat.

High School certainly benefits form Travel Ball but the opposite is also true. A year is a long time and having both is very beneficial for both the programs and the players. Both serve a valuable function, how valuable is up to the player, the community and the organizations.

 

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I agree with your TB vs HS comment 100%. What the nOObs don't get is, your kid will be a freshman then you blink your eye and god willing your walking her out for senior day... You don't get that time back. When your walking her out for senior day 90% of TB parents tear up a bit and in their mind wish for 1 more high school season. Especially since TB @ 14u is not TB @ 18u lol. Things are going to change quickly, please ENJOY it.

From a coach and a dad, very well said. Those that make it personal and too important, usually never enjoy it. From watching you handle it, you did it right...

 

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It's really interesting watching how our dd has matured over dealing with the different issues than can come up in TB and HS ball. With TB ball, you can always move to a better team (not talent-wise necessarily, but fitting in with coaches and players, but with School ball, you've just got to **** it up and deal with whatever comes up. I know it has made her a better person because of it.

 

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It's really interesting watching how our dd has matured over dealing with the different issues than can come up in TB and HS ball. With TB ball, you can always move to a better team (not talent-wise necessarily, but fitting in with coaches and players, but with School ball, you've just got to **** it up and deal with whatever comes up. I know it has made her a better person because of it.

Awesome post! Playing under the pressure and daily grind of h.s. is something more and more people see less value in.
Sports were designed to make us better people but sadly many never get that out of it. People that continuely never have positive experiences with school and travel teams, need to look at the common denominator, them selves.