Is high school ball benefical

"My opinion, and it's only an opinion (to which I am entitled to one!), is that winning and losing in HS softball is LARGELY dependent upon being blessed enough to have a high caliber PITCHER and a high caliber CATCHER that just happens to live in your school's district."

^ absolutely true... if you have this and your pitcher can strikeout 15 you can beat anyone on a given day... corner gloves to field the bunts which will inevitably come from a quality opponent also help. We lived this exact scenario in our 4 years. NO matter how good your pitcher is however can you win with suspect gloves behind her if she isnt a strikeout pitcher of this caliber?

 

....ok, i hear ya pal. now, no doubt losing does not perpetuate a program and it damn sure sends many softball players to soccer. we all get that but here is my take on just winning.......lets compare.... "miss popular", head cheerleader, pretty girl gets by growing up just by by her looks....and then the "secretary with glasses and her hair up in a bun type young lady" who is not so popular but learns to UNDERSTAND that winning comes difficult in life.


Clark Kent, turned into Superman, pretty boy OJ went to jail.

Safe and happy hollidays to all for sure!

Marlin

 

High School ball should be a fun enjoyable time for the girls! If they have good coaching good for them! If they don't make the best of it have fun enjoy being on team with your friends. It should be an enjoyable 4 years.

If college coach's are interested in your DD you will know. When they come to her high school game they have already ID'd her and attempting to win the recruiting battle to recruit her, not the whole high school team.

 

Fishman Phd

Fishman........ you been digging in the dictionary again????? lol

 

STOP, your scaring the children...........

 

Money

If any of you have watched the Mecklenburg Co. school system issues, there are far more serious problems than athletics and the kids education is truly at stake. I love sports and especially softball but non revenue sports may become a thing of the past given the financial issues of our state and county school systems.
All girls sports have been slighted over the years and only basketball seems to get coaches that are truly hired with skills for coaching the game. Basketball brings in money, correct?
There are a number of quality HS coaches that do a great job and if there was more cooperation between HS and travel ball coaches, there could be greater appreciation of the roles played and the benefit to the girls they provide.
All the arm chair coaches need to walk a mile in the shoes of the teachers that are given the job of coaching because no one wants it due to the parents and other fans interaction and criticism! I have been a parent and a coach and understand both sides of the equation.

 

I would agree to a certain extent, but many HS coaches are handed the the job because they teach at the school.

 

I agree with this and with Ladyblues post. I will never understand why they don't change policy and give the job to a qualified volunteer. Many would do the job free of charge and even if they got paid at least you would have good coaches. Now you don't just give it to any parent or coach but it isn't that hard to ask a few questions in the community and do a little background checking to make sure you get GOOD people. Still have a teacher as an assistant to help keep up with the kids at school and be a school cantact person when the situation warranted that. I don't know for a fact some teachers take the job just to make a lil extra money. It's not a lot but still it's worth it to them

 

It's not just a matter of giving it to a teacher. Many teachers don't want it. They have to be coaxed in some cases. The extra money helps persuade some I'm sure. It's not like you have all these people fighting for this extra duty.

As far as volunteer "good" coaches, why not have them volunteer as assistant coaches.

I know of at least one situation where the teacher/coach really cared about the kids. His volunteer assistants (parents) were much more qualified to coach than he was. But their main concern was not the team as a whole; their main concern was their own kids and how much they would get out of it.

It ended up the coach being replaced the following season with a different teacher who wasn't as skilled as the coach they replaced. And the assistant coaches and their kids were gone. Result: what could have been a good program still hasn't recovered and may not even field a team this year.

Softball is a game (rec, HS, TB, or college), not a career path. Anyone looking to softball as a means to pay for an education is probably going to be very disappointed. They, and their kids, will find the game much more enjoyable if they let the kids enjoy their short game years.

 

In researching each volunteer for a "head coach" not having a child playing on that team would be one of the criteria. There are many volunteer assistants but I'm talking about head coaches. This is only if we want quality coaches at the high school level. I know there are some good HS coaches but many are less than qualified whether it be from lack of knowledge of the game or from lack of people skills. I know of some coaches who are more concerened about how they look, how they are precieved , or are just out there to be in control rather than to be there for the kids. they are coaching for the wrong reasons. It really kills a program. Believe me I have first hand knowledge of this