School grades for travel ball

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I think the idea is noble because of what the coach is trying to emphasize, but I think it's a little over the top personally for some of the reasons others have mentioned. My approach is to bring up the subject of grades and how important they are to college coaches every couple of weeks when we are talking at the end of practice.

 

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I think its a great idea! My daughters former teams coaches just asked the girls who made High and low Honor roll to let them know their GPA and they post it on the Organizations Website. Gives all the girls something to strive for. Anyway, by the time most of these girls are in 16U most of the good Organization are already preparing Player Profiles (with GPA's) for them to take to tournaments and send to Colleges. My dd got a huge wake up call last year when it came time to give her coaches her GPA for her profile ( she didnt have the greatest freshman year) but it gave her something to strive for and her grades as of right now are pretty darn good!!

 

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I think the idea is noble because of what the coach is trying to emphasize, but I think it's a little over the top personally for some of the reasons others have mentioned. My approach is to bring up the subject of grades and how important they are to college coaches every couple of weeks when we are talking at the end of practice.

I think your approach is exactly the way it should be handled. Let those that have an interest in playing college ball know how important grades will be. They can't hear that enough.

 

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I have no problem with it and dont really understand why some parents get all bent out of shape over it? Maybe its because you are the parents that accually do care about their childs education. When i was in school i had to hold a c avg or no sports. Welp thats just what i did. Now kicking myself for not getting a better education I stress to my child that a c is not acceptable. My wife and I work with her on her studies everyday and I make her read and do book reports during summer break. Her only job is to get good grades and then PLAY sports.
I coach football for an inner city league. I harp to my players and parents that grades are first then sports. Of course All the parents agree with me yet most have bad grades and no one to care. But all their buddies know how many touchdowns he had tho. It makes me so angry and sad.
I guess my point is that we parents that put our childs grades first before sports are not the norm anymore and the world is not getting any better. (or maybe that is the case in Akron only) So Kudos to a coach that really cares about his girls enough to ask and the parents that acually care.

 

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I tell my girls that no matter what, they will have a career after college, whether they play softball or not. Receiving a college degree is something that no one can take away from them, but their softball careers will eventually end. If they put all of their eggs in the softball basket then they are short selling themselves.

 

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I have no problem with it and dont really understand why some parents get all bent out of shape over it? Maybe its because you are the parents that accually do care about their childs education. ??????

i guess im the one who got a little bent,but let me try and explain myself if i havent yet.

My dd plays 14u ball with a top notch org, her coach will ask how are the grades and she will tell him out of respect.
She knows how to hit an away,inside,drop,rise and the curve ball(doesnt succeed always) knows how to turn a double play,back-hand ect,ect...I will give all those kudos to her coach and private instuctors.
She also knows how to thank her mom and myself for working our butts off to try and make her dream of becomming a collage athlete a reality so guess what she is a 4.0 student who knows what it takes to get to collage from grades to on the field skills.
Do i care about grades...of course i do ! We as parents must lay out that map early on with all our children but it is how we raise them that will determine if they folow the correct route to what they want to become in life after collage.
Bottom line in my opinion is that we as parents need to be the only judgemental party with our dd's grades not select team coaches.
If i need a select team coach to tell my dd that she needs to bring her grades up to make it in collage and she doesnt relize that by 14u then i have failed her and i dont think i would be able to spend the thousands of dollars on her to play at an elite level.

 

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Okay, I just got done reading through my latest NFCA paper and the ranking of team GPA (those who reported) for All NCAA divisions as well as NAIA. I can honestly say that I was surprised that there were so many sub 3.0 teams, primarily DI & DII.

With that said, someone would have to have a very convincing argument to make me believe that these schools are concerned more about grades than they are winning. I now see why so many kids decide NOT to play once they get to college.

That is astonishing. I'm completely shocked. Thanks for sharing, and I guess the 85 mph pitcher with a 1.72 will be academically eligible. .

Musty,
I don't mind if someone is checking up on me for doing my job. Believe me, friends, TV, and the phone are also part of it. Ask my oldest. I don't think the coach is really playing the role of me, but more like enforcing what I'm saying. Grades first, then ball. I also sent a pm.

 

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I'm really surprised at some of these responses. If you research a lot of the top orgs in the state, one of their big recruiting points is how many kids have gone on to college through their program. These teams go to showcases so their kids can be seen by college coaches - coaches who care quite a bit that those kids also get good grades. I don't see how a travel coach can in good conscience recommend a player to a college coach without firsthand knowledge of their grades. I don't think this is the same thing as trying to "parent" but it is good due diligence. Also as others have mentioned, points we try to drive home to our kids sometimes sink in much better when they are driven home by someone other than us.

Another point I will make again as D-III programs get overlooked on this forum. A player with good grades but not quite a 4.0 is more likely to get an ACADEMIC scholarship if the softball coach wants her than if she isn't an athlete at all. Say what you want but I know firsthand that it happens.

 

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But why is the coach playing the role of you, the parent? If you as a parent have a kid that wants to go to college then you should be watching her grades and taking action if they slip. If cutting back her softball is part of that action then you should be doing it. You are in a better position as you are not limited to just softball. Maybe you make it a combo of softball, TV, hanging with friends etc. Shouldn't be the coaches job to find out which kids want to go to college and then make sure their grades are the best they can be.

And a coach shouldn't take the presumption that they can step in and help with parenting, uninvited. Nervy to me.

I absolutely agree!!! A lot of parents these days are just flat lazy! Give them an excuse to not be a responsible parent and they will jump all over it.

 

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Personally I think it is great when the coaches ask and keep an eye on grades. NOT because I think that if they do it I don't have to, but because it reinforces what I am already stressing to my kids.

My coaches in HS always kept up on our grades, and looking back now, I can tell you that as a teenager I was more apt to listen to what my coaches had to say. My parents were viewed as "just nagging me again", as most teens see their parents at some point or another.

Coaches checking grades certainly shouldn't take the place of parents focusing on grades, but is it so bad if your child knows that the coach is on the same page as the parent?

 

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My opinion of GPA's are the same with stats. They are all relative to the strength of the classes/ competition schedule. A kid with a 3.5 GPA taking all basic classes /standard classes ( many not even college prep courses) in no way compares to a kid with a 3.5 in all Honors and Advanced Placement Classes. Just like a kid with a batting average of .500 playing rec ball or even "B" level ball in no way compares to a kid batting .500 playing against high "A" level teams. I do remember in college many kids that played on the college teams that were majoring in what we called "token" majors, taking classes they could keep their C average and still participate. I also remember specifically taking a Literature course with a girl basketball player who was struggling with grades and she was given re-do's on test and projects that were not given to the rest of us to bring grades up.

 

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Lets have a talk between Head Coach of a travel ball team and a college coach recruiting one of his players.

College coach: Coach, I noticed that your shortstop has alot of potential and I liked what I saw today.

Travel ball coach: Yeah, she's a real nice player.

CC: Whats her work ethic like?

TBC: Fantastic. She's very motivated and is always striving to get better. She's been our leader on the field for the past 3 years.

CC: Whats her times on the base path?

TBC: 2.6 home to first. 11.98 home to home.

CC: Whats her bat like?

TBC: she's very patient at the plate. Very quick bat. She's hit in the 2 spot for me the past 2 season. She loves to be put in situations where she controls the pitcher.

CC: Attitude?

TBC: Always positive. Her teammates love playing with her.

CC: Whats her Grades like? Where does she rank in her class? GPA?

TBC: Not really sure. Her parents don't want me to be concerned with her grades because I'm just a travel ball coach.


It would be very sad for me as a coach to know everything about a girl on the field but not to know what is most important in her life. If you read my original post, all I am trying to do is offer help in any way I can for all girls that play for me. Yes, travel ball is not a school function and you don't have to be eligible to play. It is strictly for girls who love softball and want to get better and stay sharp for school ball. I understand all of that. If everybody agreed with these type of conversations, there wouldn't be an OFC website.

 

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I disagree its my job as a parent to make sure my dd gets good grades.

 

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What's the focus of the team?

If it's an exposure type team, then what classes are being taken, grade point average and ACT/SAT scores are important for the coach(es) to know. As defensewins points out, if asked, a travel coach can't tell the college coach, "Sorry that's your job to figure out."

You also need to surround yourself (or your daughter) with other recruitable athletes. You don't want your daughter to be stuck on the short bus team. You won't get much college action that way.

Otherwise, the grades of my daughter are the responsiblity of my daughter, her mother and myself. I'd let my daughter tell her coach her grades, but if he/she wants to see her report card, I'd tell them to pack sand.

 

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Yep, and I would take it even farther. If you are an exposure type team and you are NOT having the type of success that could get you ranked in the top 5 in the state then instead of spending time working with the girls on their studies you should be working to get them playing better. Playing on a very successful team will do A LOT more for the girls getting recruited then their coach knowing their grades. College coaches know who the better teams are.

 

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I with you all the way. I think it's sad that so many think they should fill the role of parents to kids that are not there's. No wonder parents are slacking off, everyone else is doing the job for them starting with our schools. I don't want the coach of my daughter's recreational sport dealing with my daughter's grades, what she wears, when and who she dates, when and wear she drives, how much she talks on the phone, how much money she saves or anything else away from that sport..I WANT THEM TO COACH HER IN THAT SPORT.

My daughter is required to get B's or better. Doesn't have anything to do with softball. I agree that if you are going to meddle in some kid's life away from the field it should have been disclosed before they signed on. Very wrong to spring it after they joined the team.

I as a parent do not meddle in the what the coach does on the field and they should not meddle in what goes on away from the game. JMHO

Just checked, right now she has 4 A's and 3 B's. She lives another day.

I tend to agree Must here. It is a coaches job to coach. Not to police a childs life whether it is school work or other activities. That is parenting and a parents rsponsibility.

That does not mean that scholastics cannot be stressed by coaches and emphasized as to their importance. It also doesn't mean that parents cannot ask for help with guiding their child but for we as coaches to just take it upon ourself to monitor these family issues in a recreational situation is overstepping our bounds.

Just my opinion.

 

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CC: Whats her Grades like? Where does she rank in her class? GPA?

TBC: Not really sure. Her parents don't want me to be concerned with her grades because I'm just a travel ball coach.

How about this

TBC; Not really sure but her parents are right over there I am sure they would love to tell you

 

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In order for my dd to play travel for 2012, she must bring home no less than a 3.5 GPA. So if she wants to play next year, she must perform this year. I'm trying to get in-grained that even of you throw 85, has a drop that breaks 2 feet from the beginnin to the end of home plate, and whose change-up is 30 but only have a C average, then no one will go after you. However, if you have all of those things and a high GPA, you'll stress out about which college to choose and that is a good thing. So far it is working. 5 A's and 2 B's, now it I can just find a way to get her to throw 85. .

In other words, I completely agree with holding the girls accountable for thier grades. I think it would be more important to start earlier than 12 so by the time they are 14, it will be easier.

The3dm-I'll bench my oldest if she doesn't come home with less than a 3.2 (schoolwork doesn't come as easy for her thus the lower GPA). This was last year in the 8th grade that I set the standard. At that time her GPA was 2.3 to 2.5. This year, a 3.5. If a girl truly loves ball, then she'll do whatever it takes to play.

I agree somewhat, but if a girl is throwing that hard , with a great dropball and a great changeup, they will take you as long as you have a passing grade. I wouldn't tell the girls that, but there are always exceptions to the rule, and with all those pitches, she would be an exception. Don't take away what they love to do in the summer because of grades, as a parent , do your part to make sure they get the best grades they can get. That might be a c average for some kids.

 

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CC: Whats her Grades like? Where does she rank in her class? GPA?

TBC: Not really sure. Her parents don't want me to be concerned with her grades because I'm just a travel ball coach.

How about this

TBC; Not really sure but her parents are right over there I am sure they would love to tell you

Not to mention she better be one heck of a player to have collage coaches comming up to a 14u coach. And you better be playing in some high-end tournys.(not saying it doesnt happen but i have only heard of this happening a hand full of times at 14u around here and the girls were awsome on the ball field)

 

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How about this

TBC; Not really sure but her parents are right over there I am sure they would love to tell you

Not absolutely sure, but that may be a violation of NCAA rules... Furthermore, your travel coach can be a great ambassador for his players, why not let them?

Eventually the college coaches will want to know those grades. The sooner they know what kind of student your kid is, the sooner they will pencil her in and start following her as a potential recruit. Don't kid yourself - coaches rarely risk their scholarship dollars on academically ineligible players. If the ACT/SAT score is not there, they are looking elsewhere.