Not playing high school ball...does it matter?

It Does Matter.......

.....in one way or another. Theres not one TBR adult member who doesn't look back on our HS days and relive good and bad. If at all possible for a kid in HS, try to be a part of as many activities as you can. My DDs HS team is not good but she's had a ball playing. Many times folks have asked her, why she sticks around, and she, like all young kids answers, " I don't know!, maybe because I just love to play." ****Let kids be kids as long as they are kids!......they'll be grown before you want them to be grown.

 

Wow, Marlin, she sounds like someone I wish I had known. Of all the people that attend games, grandparents are the one's I love talking to. They are special people with a lot of great memories to share.

 

JMHO

I believe you should play through High School for a couple of reasons. Should you wish to play on at the next level the college coaches want to see how well you can deal with adversity as well as how well you do when things are running like a new watch. They also want to see if you can succeed academically while playing Ball. I believe it will help you grow as a player and it is definitely a time for you to shine like a 10 carat diamond.

 

fun ball

It hasn't been that many years ago, most kids felt that summer ball was the "fun" ball and HS ball was the "serious" ball. Has it switched now with the existence of TB?

 

H sS & summer ball

Back in the 80's & early 90"s when my DD played summer ball was some of the best fun times they was taught the basics and moved to Middle school & then to HS then TB & college I don"t believe she ever had a year she didn"t have fun playing with and against her friends

 

coach cragan made the (bold) most important remark. When my oldest DD interviewed at the next level this is one point they looked at, her grades and what she took during the spring semester. Our younger DD is lining up her hardest courses at this time to prove her worth.

 

REally ???

I didn't think travel ball really got started until the mid 90's, there was active travel ball in the 80's ??? Wow I need to be updated !!!




Guru

 

I played travel ball in high school and into college, both slow pitch and fastpitch. I graduated high school in 1980. This was Maryland for fastpitch and Delaware for slow pitch. We played a lot of tournaments at a military base, Aberdeen Proving Grounds. We even had an "Old Ladies League" for once you hit 18. Cal Ripkins stomping ground, used to play ball with his sister, actually against her.

 

I know that this isn't the same, but my DD chose as an eighth grader to not play middle school ball. The coach had decided to have practices on Saturdays, and said that players that chose TB would be penalized during weekday practices. She chose to do TB only, and regretted it almost immediately. (The school ball part, not the TB). The kids that she had grown up playing with resented her for not playing, saying that she thought she was too good for the team, and it put a strain on some very close relationships she had for years. When the team lost, she felt guilty for not being there to help. When the team won, she was sad she wasn't a part of it. When the team beat the hottest school in the conference (their first loss in 3 or 4 years), she was proud of her school for doing it, and devastated that she wasn't there. She is a JR now, playing for a coach that doesn't know how to figure ERAs (She's a pitcher, so that stings), and has decided to stick it out no matter what, just because of the feelings that linger from sitting out in Middle School. One of her friends transferred to another school this year, and they had played together since they were seven. Now they are on rival teams in the same conference, and there are some hurt feelings that are going to be difficult to face. Each player that quits, moves away, or abstains from playing takes something of value away, even if it's just the memories of their teammates. I know my DD wishes she had played, and so do I.

Best wishes to all, and to all, a good season.