Need some advice

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I am looking for some advice fromt those wiser than myself.

My dd is a senior this year. Her high school coach is starting conditioning/hitting this Wednesday. He wants all his players to be there "because they can't get better if they don't practce". Understandable for sure.

I am under the impression that high school coaches can not coach "softball" at all until 2/25. Which means that someone else has to do the hitting portion and they can only condition WITHOUT the use of a ball and glove. Am I wrong?

My dd responded to her coach telling him that she has travel hitting on Wednesdays, but when she doesn't she will be there for sure. He was not happy. "How can I tell all the other girls to come to conditioning when my senior leader thinks her travel team is more important than her hs team." was his response.

Frankly, she conditions, plays and practices all year!! She is a standout on her hs team! It has nothing to do with which team is more important! It has to do with which practice will be more apt to get her ready for spring play!! Should she just drop it and not go to hs conditioning or should she talk to him about it? OR should I talk to him about it? I am actually a little upset about his response to her! This is open gym not tryouts or mandatory practice!

 

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As the HS coaches can not coach at this time I would think travel ball practice would be more advantageous to your dd but I imagine coach is concerned about team chemistry and other HS players not playing travel taking the attitude that if the star is not going why should they. Tough situation with good points on both sides. Lucky for us dd is not yet in HS and sons hs baseball coach told players go to travel.

 

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Either she is a leader on the HS team or she is not......it is really that simple.

Her being at the HS Conditioning is much more beneficial to that HS team for sure. It can not always be about her. Sometimes you need to think of what is best for that team. And the other girls seeing the best player work hard to get better will make them all work harder.

I am rather shocked you do not get this straight away. And also that you have interjected in the matter. She is a Senior. She should be making the decision and talking to the coach. Not you.

 

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Spartansd said exactly what I was thinking. My daughter is also a senior and gonna be the leader on her H.S team and I can't even imagine me getting involved in a softball matter whether it's travel or H.S. Their 17 and 18 year old ladies time for them to deal with issues on there own with input from parents at home. But they should have the contact with coaches. Is it possible to go to her hitting instructor a different day and avoid the situation all together. .

 

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If your DD plays select at a high level, has not signed yet, but still working towards a college offer, then the answer is clear to me. Do what benifits HER future. Some, but not all High School coaches are caught up in their own egos, not their players best interests. This is supposed to be voluntary off season work. The coach shouldn't iterject, or interfere, let alone try to shame a player in to attending.

When my DD can't make a team work out because she's with her hitting coach, it's a good thing. It means she's getting in hundreds of swings and getting better. She will lead by example on the field. We do however make every attempt to schedule around the school work outs. This being said, come late Feb. she better be there for everything, working harder than any other girl, and showcasing what her hard work in the off season acomplished.

If she has no intentions of playing college ball, I would find a comprimise, as they are both important to her. JMHO...For the record I have never been accused of being wise.

 

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I do agree that the decisions and correspondance is her responsibility.

 

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Can't she switch her travel hitting to another day in the week?

 

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Okay, before this gets out of hand!! I DID NOT TALK TO THE COACH OF HER HIGH SCHOOL TEAM!! I thought I made that clear. That was part of the advice I was looking for. Spartansdad, you made a good point. I was looking at it from the prespective of what generalsdad said. She is entertaining offers right now. Some college coaches are going to where she practices to see her. At this point I have only told my dd it was her decision. When the coach did the "senior leader" thing, I told her to let it go for now. She does have the feeling she needs to talk to him. But SHE is talking to him.

Her high school coach has not talked to a single college coach on her behalf. Her travel coach has and has opened up his practices for the coaches to come in for her pitching/hitting lessons and all the practices that she has.

I do understand where you are coming from Spartansdad (and thanks for opening my eyes to that) but, when she can make an open gym she will be there, when tryouts and mandatory practices start she will be at EVERY one of them. She is committed to softball whichever team she is on!

 

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Lewam3, This is a team hitting practice day. Her hitting lessons are a different day. So, no. Changing that is not an option.

 

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Either she is a leader on the HS team or she is not......it is really that simple.

Her being at the HS Conditioning is much more beneficial to that HS team for sure. It can not always be about her. Sometimes you need to think of what is best for that team. And the other girls seeing the best player work hard to get better will make them all work harder.

I am rather shocked you do not get this straight away. And also that you have interjected in the matter. She is a Senior. She should be making the decision and talking to the coach. Not you.

He didn't interject...... he was asking if he "should" talk to the coach? He never said he "did" talk to the coach. I do not agree with the rest of your post either. Her h.s. coach shouldn't try to make her feel like shes letting anyone down by missing. I agree it IS important for a girl to play w/ her h.s. espesially if she's the "standout"........ but frankly, a lot of girls will get more out of the travel workout whether it be hitting, infield, etc....than they will from a h.s. practice or workout.

 

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If your DD plays select at a high level, has not signed yet, but still working towards a college offer, then the answer is clear to me. Do what benifits HER future. Some, but not all High School coaches are caught up in their own egos, not their players best interests. This is supposed to be voluntary off season work. The coach shouldn't iterject, or interfere, let alone try to shame a player in to attending.

When my DD can't make a team work out because she's with her hitting coach, it's a good thing. It means she's getting in hundreds of swings and getting better. She will lead by example on the field. We do however make every attempt to schedule around the school work outs. This being said, come late Feb. she better be there for everything, working harder than any other girl, and showcasing what her hard work in the off season acomplished.

If she has no intentions of playing college ball, I would find a comprimise, as they are both important to her. JMHO...For the record I have never been accused of being wise.

As a High school coach for 5 years I completely agree. I wanted all my kids getting the best training possible weather it was HS open gyms or travel ball practices. Playing and practicing at the higher level is priorty especially for those kids that have the opportunity to play in college.

 

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As a High school coach for 5 years I completely agree. I wanted all my kids getting the best training possible weather it was HS open gyms or travel ball practices. Playing and practicing at the higher level is priorty especially for those kids that have the opportunity to play in college.

Attaboy !!

Now, can you meet with every other HS coach in Ohio and try to explain this to them? We always see "power struggles" where HS coaches think that they know more than Travel coaches. (and sometimes, vice versa)

 

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I have some mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I do think your DD has an opportunity, and perhaps a responsibility to be recognized as being a leader, so perhaps there is some merit for her being at least at the first conditioning as long as she isn't going to be missing an opportunity to meet a college coach at her hitting practice that she is interested in talking with. With that being said, based on his comments that "travel ball is more important to her than high school ball", clearly this high school coach is one of those who doesn't understand the fact that she is learning so much more and improving the skills that will help her be the best high school player she can be.

Even though she will surely get more out of her hitting practices than the high school conditioning, I'm sure it isn't going to significantly impact her hitting in the long run if she misses a few of those practices to attend the high school sessions and set a good example. If I were her, I might want to let some of the other girls on the team know that if she misses some of the conditioning sessions, it's only because she is taking hitting lessons at the same time. I know my DD missed some of her conditioning sessions when she was in high school because she was taking pitching lessons. She was a co-captain of the team, but did let her teammates and coaches know why she was missing.

 

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Unfortunately, the core problem in this thread seldom has a win win answer. As mentioned, egos come in to play and high school coaches in general are not as mature and intelligent as fpitchdad. I would like to share a different point of view.

You are paying for your travel ball experience with out of pocket money. They should be more forgiving to a sticky situation than an inmature high school coach. Yes I know the rules and you pay taxes argument but that seldom matters with school ball egos. I don't know your high school coach and I'm profiling here but most carry a grudge. If you can't reschedule your travel team stuff, it might be easier to stroke the school coach and jump thru their hoop on this one. I'd like to think they would be open-minded and understanding but if not, salvage your senior experience first. Your travel coach will be more, should be more, of a professional about the situation.

 

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A wise man once told me school ball always trumps travel ball. He was even a travel ball coach!

 

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We were lucky:

1st coach didn't have conditioning of any kind but that led to no improvement from our team ( we had very athletic girls).
Catch 22.

our current coach understands or adjust school schedule to benefit team. I'm sorry only my youngest gets to play for him for 1 year.
I think being a leader of her school team makes a difference on what she needs to do. Being a leader she needs to lead by example and needs to show up for team practice. Hitting can be done or practiced at other times and hopefully travel coach understands this. Good luck.

 

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Maybe her travel coach can reach out to his college contacts he has made on her behalf and advise them she will be at HS conditioning. Working on the core of the team as the senior leader. I think that is a big thing in college coaches eyes.

 

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I don't mean to hijack this thread, but wanted to add a little twist to it along those same lines.

What about a HS team that has 3 or 4 underclassmen (freshman) that are practicing with their travel teams 2x/week? To date, the HS has not named a Coach, yet the upper-classmen who "run the program" insist on these 3-4 players showing up for non-instructional hitting time. Meanwhile, the girls that are playing basketball, etc. are exempt.

In the case of a Senior Captain, I could see a HS coach wanting her to participate (lead). That's more of a team perspective than an individual one. Though, communication to the rest of the team/parents could also serve as a valid explanation for her absence.

Transparency, as well as what's right for the players development should take precedence.

 

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Attaboy !!

Now, can you meet with every other HS coach in Ohio and try to explain this to them? We always see "power struggles" where HS coaches think that they know more than Travel coaches. (and sometimes, vice versa)

yeah, waiting for cows to fly...

I'm with you though.

 

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A wise man once told me school ball always trumps travel ball. He was even a travel ball coach!

sad but true. Reality is the school season knocks off the rust for the travel coaches to come out raring to go. LMAO. So, thanks for the pre-season! I know, not always true, but for some very true.