HS softball

Thanks

Batty- Thanks for putting into words what some high school age girls (and parents) have been feeling for quite some time. You hit the nail on the head.

 

Wow!! What a miserable experience!! Why are you waiting until her senior year to change schools? I'd love to hear the other side of this story. If what you say is true I'd be living outside the principal's office and the ad's office or in another district like it sounds like you finally decided to do.

Sure would like to know that school.

 

oooopsss parkdaddy on a soupbox, sorry guys

umm..while i do understand and sympathize w/ Batty's predictament (walked that road ourselves), and i understand the need to voice his/hers opinion on the state of THEIR hs ball team it should not be an indictment of hs ball as a whole. Our team may make state this year, may not. We have NEVER won a fastpitch state game. HOWEVER we will have at least 3 (could have been 4) young ladies who do or will play college ball. My suggestion is this: don't complain, either move or make it a point to HELP in some way. Now you may have a coach who doesn't want the help but there are other ways. I knew we were going to be in trouble, so even though i didn't want to coach anymore i stood up and said "I'll take the JV team" (both of mine have been or will be 4 yr. varsity starters). Sacrificed my time to help improve the teammates of my DDs. if that still doesn't work or you have no experience, go up the ladder. Believe it or not someone will listen. I had to go all the way to the county AD a couple of years ago to get what i needed.
People get on here and complain about their TB team or HS team or their situation w/ ball, or their coaches, or the umpires, or whatever. That's the great thing about this country. You have choices. Don't like it, stand up and do something about it.
Sorry Batty not trying to slam you and your first post,or single you out, but you did get me started on a rant and sometimes i have to fill my urge also LOL

 

Actions speak (and help) louder than words!! What you have done is exactly the right approach!! You make a positive difference!! If everyone did like you do softball would be much better off!! Great job!!!!!

 

Clarifications

After reading the replies, on both sides, to our post, I guess I will be making my second ever posting.

First to Cheeze, I never said nor implied ALL HS programs are like the one we are in. Please re-read the post. I clearly state that not ALL HS have spectacular programs. The vast majority are not, thankfully, like ours. I know of great HS programs, it is all we had ever heard about, and we looked forward to our daughter's HS years. We were unfortunately grossly disappointed in our particular program.

We have read posts on here, from coaches like yourself Cheeze, who make it apparent that they coach for all the right reasons and that players are selected to play for all the right reasons and players are recognized for all the right reasons. It is unfortunate that not all programs are run in the same way.

The point, of my post, was not that all HS programs are poorly run, but that SOME HS programs ARE poorly run. And the mere fact that a HS can demand that you withhold from playing TB or ride the pine/not make the team with them, is not always a clear a choice for some. The dd plays HS ball because she feels an obiligation to, she plays TB because she loves to.

Bitter? Darned skippy, although we would be more apt to say simply fed up. This is OUR child's memories, OUR child's hopes, and many of her friends memories and hopes.

On the negative side? Only in the terms of pointing out that there are HS whose programs are run and determined for all the wrong reasons.

It is a relief to know that college coaches do not put much weight on all-conference, all-district and all-state. I know many girls who will feel a great deal of weight taken off their shoulders when they become aware of this. Thank you for that information.

Softballphreak, unfortunately what I say is true. I wish it were not, for our daughter's sake. As far as why we waited until her senior year: During her freshman year we were hopeful, and then when we listened to her and started keeping our eyes open, we were still hopeful that it was just one bad year that would be replaced with three years of good memories. In year 2, when we realized it would not change, we had heard that the coach was leaving, and were again hopeful for a new beginning. Now, here we are in her junior year, and only found out 2 months ago this coach will continue on. Too late in the year to make a change that would allow her to be eligible for the 2009 season.

As far as going to the principal? The coach and principal are closely related - cousins. Do you really think that in a "it's who you know" system, that this would be effective? We are quite certain the dd would have found herself either riding the pine or not on the team had we said a word.

As for naming the school, just like we would not tell someone another's confidences, would it be constructive or destructive to reveal that name here?

Parklandsoftballdad: As far as volunteering to make a positive change in the program, we have both done that. Both of us coached very successful teams through rec ball, my wife played in high school, and our dd has been on the travel circuit for years. Our offers for "any kind of assistance we can offer you" were summarily dismissed with "We don't have the need for any help from parents."

As for climbing the ladder....again principal and coach are related. Any complaints to the district office would be harshly met and our dd would pay the price. I don't think they NCHSAA could do anything, or we would have tried.

Any idea would be welcome.

We don't feel slammed. And we like the soupbox.

One of the things we like about this board is that there are so many different sides and opinions on every story.

 

Don't Fret over it,

Your are not alone in this misery that you call HS softball, I can tell you first hand about a player that was in a simular situtation this past year in our HS and ended up with a college scholarship with a D-1 program, not to mention the several other schools that were also offering oppurtunities to play at the next level. The young lady was a first time varsity player and was not even an experienced TB player, having only played one summer of TB with a local TB team at that. She had six games as a freshman in HS before JV team was dissolved for the season, finished season just practicing with varsity, did not play that summer but tryed playing in the fall with local TB, wasn't good enough to play but got to run the bases on occasion, that lasted two tourneys. Her sophmore year she starts in OF on JV, gets to play all season, then joins some teammates on TB team, holds her own and really starts to feel like she can play with these girls. In the fall of her junior year she switches over from being a right handed hitter to a lefty slapper, plays one fall tourney mixing left and right at bats so she can learn and still compete. Starts junior year of HS as starter in OF as full time LH slapper and struggles to hit consistently and gets benched for the remainder of season, now she has only had seven games for a total of 27 AB to learn how to hit LH and she doing this against state ranked teams from our area. Coach gives up on her and does not even give her another chance to get back in the mix for a starting position the rest of the season, she gets 8 more AB and is called to be the runner for the pitcher. She loeses intrest in the game and any confidence that she had while watching girls that would not put half the effort into the game she was and they were the one getting to play while she got the cold shoulder. Her skills diminished over the season and she could'nt wait for HS ball to end, she started working out with her trainer to get her back on track and playing TB with a team from another part of the state where they worked on her LH slapping, and got her confidence back. She attended a summer camp where she had an excellent experience and really did well in front of some college coaches and continued to play with the TB team playing the ASA 18U Showcase's. She did her part by e-mailing the coaches all the while and over the corse of the summer those coaches that saw her in the begining of the TB season saw the improvments she had made and set up visits for her to their schools. By the fall season she had played in front of several coaches many times and had several oppurtunities to play at the next level. This young lady will never get an all-state, all- region or any awards from her HS, because she is not a popular player on her HS team, but she is all-world when it comes to hard work and dedication, and that is whatmatters to the people that know the game and know what they'er doing. She can only wonder what to expect this, her senior year of HS, but she knows the season that matters starts in June. My advice to players in simular situtations would be to find the best TB team you can get on and work your tail off, because you only get one chance at this so you better do it right.

 

I know an extremely hard working 14 year old DD who has been through the ringer in TB the last 1 1/2 years, and is really looking forward to trying out for the high school team in a couple weeks as a Freshman. Thanks for the inspiration....

 

The Reader's Digest version of a very good post...

a player that was in a simular situtation this past year in our HS and ended up with a college scholarship with a D-1 program,

girls that would not put half the effort into the game she was

She attended a summer camp where she had an excellent experience and really did well in front of some college coaches

coaches that saw her in the begining of the TB season saw the improvments she had made and set up visits for her to their schools.

but she is all-world when it comes to hard work and dedication,

find the best TB team you can get on and work your tail off, because you only get one chance at this so you better do it right.


This young lady seems to have her "eyes on the prize"! A good lesson for all.

 

Oh Batty...
I feel your pain...you are right on the money...my DD was at a school that is a twin to your DD's, caused a stir around the local area when she was the last one cut over the objections of the asst coach (her tb coach),her freshman yr, she was heartbroken, knew she was *#^* over, esp when one of the "have's" daughter's apoligized to her. Next year, same parents were *^#* the tennis coach, which further broke her heart. Different bred of coach, I, and others,spoke to the new principle in his defense who realized the situation, asked if my dd would play softball...no. She wanted to transfer to a new school, so we let her, not a school known for softball, she was greeted warmly and started 2 years there, I helped out with gratitude from the coach, good first year and building year, next year, coach didn't want help from teachers on staff that offered, did still accept mine, but "rode" my dd and his own dd for the failures of the team (many had graduated and only had a core of a pitcher, ss, his dd and mine) to the point that neither dd played senior year. My dd chose not to continue playing tb or seek to play on the college level...so to sum up, you try to do the best for your dd, seek the best academic setting (which the new school was) and hope that the athletics come along, oh yes, she had great tennis experiences all 4 yrs, all conf, played in regionals, but she still has a sour taste in her mouth from that softball coach that bowed to the have's parents. I chalk it up to lifes lessons, good luck with finding the best school for your dd, she's lucky to have parents like you. And those of you who got on your soapboxes, raving, etc., you haven't been in this situation, it's different when there is the clique or relative groups to contend with.

 

QUESTION: Has anyone (in the past or present) considered not having their daughter play HS ball either because the coaching is severely lacking, or because their school is riddled with politics and an overall negative experience for their daughter?