"HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!!

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

How would you have handled this situation? (Differently?)

One of the girls in our organization approached me this weekend with a problem. Her HS Coach told her (and the other freshmen) that they would not be playing Varsity because freshmen dont have the maturity to play at that level.

She is a solid player who has played and practiced on a regular basis with my 18s and extremely capable of handling her position.

I suggested that she quietly, and privately, meet with the coach and explain how much she plays (including that she plays with the 18s) and that she would like the opportunity to show what she can do for him. I then told her that if he still insists that she play JV, that she respectfully decline and work independantly on her game throughout the HS season.

As a Coach and an umpire who calls a lot of JV and Varsity games, I believe that her self confidence and recognition of the hard work put in this past fall and winter is more important than sitting in a cold dugout on a poor team just because the Varsity coach wouldnt give her the opportunity.

If she would be given the opportunity to earn the position and gets beaten out - that's one thing. To be relegated to a squad because of her school class is something else.

What would you have done?

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

That's EXACTLY what happened to my DD! Coach just automatically put freshman on either the freshman or JV team. There was JUST NO WAY that a freshman could be better than one of the SENIOR pitchers! Freshman needed to "mature" some too, because they wouldn't fit in with the older girls. She never got a chance to prove herself.

Truth was that there were a couple senior pitchers who "deserved" playing time, even at the expense of a losing season. So she just went ahead and played -dominated - JV, which probably dumbed down her skills for a couple months. But in the end, it didn't really matter. The experience opened her eyes (and mine) to some of the realities of high school softball.

Should she have done it differently? Probably not. She just took the frame of mind that so many others do when confronted with the realities of high school softball - SPRING TRAINING!

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

Wow Dave- I hope that isn't a common occurrance - if so many girls will miss out on playing for their school but I can see where if not given a fair chance that many would opt for travel teams and practice. Are there many folks that have had experiences similar to Dave's palyer?

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

i've seen on here others refer to this sort of thing happening in life and in your job. its true. we don't always like the outcome. its not up to us. I would hope a coach would put his best 9 players out there. no matter what age. But my dd who was the #2 pitcher to a senior pitched Jv. she could have easily been a position player on varsity but is a pitcher first so #1 pitched Varsity and #2 pitched Jv. I would think incoming freshman are getting ahead of themselves thinking they will make varsity. heck we haven't even had try outs yet and maybe the coach will see how she does at Freshman or JV and move her up to varsity after a few games? i'd rather be moved up then moved down after a few.

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

I witnessed a HS coach get the credit for winning back-to-back D-1 state championships and the real credit was actually with the travel coaches. The HS coach did not develop the girls playing skills; he just used the skills from travel ball in the correct way during games.

Isn't this what some travel coaches do? They hold tryouts and only take the elite of the elite. Most don't want the girls that need a little help in some areas. They want them already coached. And when they win, who takes the credit?

We are fortunate, our HS coach is a Travel Coach as well. He will field his best 9. I am sure of that!

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

I suggested that she quietly, and privately, meet with the coach and explain how much she plays (including that she plays with the 18s) and that she would like the opportunity to show what she can do for him. ?I then told her that if he still insists that she play JV, that she respectfully decline and work independantly on her game throughout the HS season.

With all due respect to you Dave (you've been in softball longer than me) I'm not sure I would have handled this quite the same. I would have suggested she talk to the coach in hopes that he would try her out. But if he didn't I would have let my dd play on the JV. Probably dominate because the talent pool is not as high. But she will be a senior player one day, and if he is still coaching what are her chances of playing for him when she wouldn't play in her JV years. Plus she is showing her school pride and spirit. The HS coach will be watching those JV games and if he is losing you never know what could happen. He could pull her up because she has so much more talent. IMHO

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

Interesting comments by all.

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

Here is the thing between HS ball and travel ball that always confuses me. The OHSAA web site for softball shows on its 2007 Calendar the date of April 30th as the date non-interscholastic competition is no longer permitted. Isn?t this the official date that a girl on a high school team is no longer permitted to participate with her travel team? If so, why do many HS coaches say a girl can?t practice with her travel ball team once she has gone through her HS team tryouts and officially makes her HS team? If a girl still wants to practice on Sundays with her travel team until this date, why would a HS coach object?

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

Hillbrook, I believe that OHSAA bylaw 10.1.3 states that once a player plays in a scrimmage or official game then they are unable to attend any travel practices. I would double check me because I'm quoting from memory.

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

From Bigtrain:

High school softball is for moms & dads, press clippings and wearing your school's uniform. It's a great experience that the masses can enjoy.
Travel softball is for training, competing against the best in the world and earning athletic scholarships. This is for about .1 percent of the population.

"I love it...Loook at this Hardcore Softball Attitude...you don't have to like it you just have to try and beat it. ? ?This kind of walk and talk makes National Champions and colleges love that ?_ _ _ _.? ?Just forget it's coming from Bigtrain if that bother's you. ?

It all speaks for itself.

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

I personally dont think he could have said it any better

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

Hey Hitter how are you doing? ? ?I have two words that totally render Bigtrains words foolish, ? Fairfield Freedom. ? ? For every mom and dad at the hs game there are a pair at the travel game. ? Competeing against the best in the world, ? yes I have seen them out at the dustiest place on earth, ?Harrison that is. ? ?Come on you know that travel ball is about the walking tacos, ?and your favorite the burritos.

 

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Re: "HIGH SCHOOL", more important than emphasized!

Dont you mean the gravel pit? has to be the worst parking lot in existence.

Im sure his travel ball experiences didnt include the likes of them lol. As for tacos and burritos, you get a jump on me with your school ball starting up. bon apetit !