Is college softball for you?

Love

To play college ball you truly have to love the game and want to play it and be the best you can be, as earlier post indicated, we are not quite there as a whole in NC and SC. It is a great game but it takes a great deal of sacrifice and determination to play it at the highest level. When you do, it is a wonderful experience as anything you do well is more exciting and enjoyable.

 

Bingo!

There's a big difference between a 'girl who likes to play ball' and a 'ballplayer'. Nothing the matter with being the former but if you want to play ball in college, especially at the D1/D2 level, you'd better be the latter. Many girls don't realize they're not really ballplayers in because HS ball is (in many schools) barely coached and travel ball is often 'daddy ball'. Therefore, their resolve is really never tested until they reach college.

 

See a post like this every year, with links to the previous one. Its a good thing, love reading and will make my kid sit and read it.

I was going to say, it should be mandatory reading for every player that is seriously considering or thinks they want to play college ball. Then I got to thinking, I doubt many of those young ladies would be willing to believe they couldnt or won't do it. After all, as coaches and parents, we teach them to never give up right? there is usually lots of parents that hype that up for them and why would we think they wouldnt assume.

As far as the social life. I agree with DukeDog statements on the social aspect in that we have friends who played for the Huskies the last 4 years, and go up to watch. You hear them talk, they might not be socialites and all, but they get their fair share of out and about. and that they dont get tooo much time out and about....is that a bad thing?,,,not by this parenst standard, lol.


Interesting issue, it really is.

 

very well said.. the part I highlighted in bold is very thought provoking and insightfull.

 

For those who choose to play Division ball and can make the team I think that's great.

For those who don't make the Division team or who don't want to commit the time necessary to play Division ball there is a wonderful alternative. Club ball is very competitive and most all D1 schools have one or more club teams. There is a national conference with a championship tournament. The time commitment is up to the individual teams. NC State, for example, practices twice a week for a couple hours or so. State is very competitive, ranking in the top 10 nationally. They play UNC-CH, Duke, Georgia, Florida State, ECU, Maryland, Princeton, etc., etc. The team manages itself with unpaid (required) coaches. Jeff Hellman, Curt Wood have been coaching at State for years. State has had players that could have played D1. They even had an State D1 ex-player, Jen Chamberlain, fill in as an alternate a couple years back.

Bottom line: if you enjoy softball but you don't have the time to commit to it full time then check into club ball. Club ball is very satisfying. If you enjoy TB, you'll love club ball.

You owe it to yourself to at least check it out.

 

reality check...

Last year at the early signing period I went and looked at ALL the D1 schools in NC, and there were only 9 girls from NC signed by in state D1 schools. That is a very low percentage. Not sure what the number for girls who left NC to play D1 elsewhere. D2 and D3 schools were loaded. If you're DD is a HS Junior/Senior and she is considering playing in College (or in some cases Mom and Dad are considering her playing in college) and you have to go to message boards to get information on what it's like to train, work, play, and time committments....you're really looking in the wrong direction. There are some really good highly repsected college coaches and others who view this board who will give it to you straight if you ask them in person. They have a great love and passion for the game and are always willing to help. Not only that, but if you're DD is being considered for a NC school for sotfball, I bet the head coach would be a great source of imformation on committment. And to get the insight on the coach.....have DD talk to the players. She probably knows a couple or at the least has played against them enough coming up to know them. The other thing is don't kid yourself. If your DD is a Senior in HS and she is playing travel ball in a Fall tournament and you wonder why there are no college coaches at her showcase tournament, it's because they are on their campus' with the parents and their recruits at a football game. First you have to get there, and IF you do get there you should already know what it took to get you there. A TON of hard work! With that said...Phreak is right. There are a bunch of REALLY good Club teams out there. Actually, when you think about it....there's a team out there for anyone who wants one. I'm not trying to sound negative. If a DD can do it more power to her. It's a huge accomplishment. But sometimes I get the impression from some threads that people have softball scholarships stuck so far up where the sun doesn't shine they lose sight of reality. JMHO.

 

I'd like to think that we have some highly qualified members that have gone through the whole spectrum...including coaching at the college level. There is some excellent wisdom and experience on this board that has great value to many of our members. I hope people continue to visit this "message board" for information because you won't find it anywhere else for free.

As far as college coaches and going to ask them for information, they are very careful in what they say other than saying "hi"...and if you have a DD that has entered the recruiting process they WILL NOT talk to you during the non-contact period.

I think it's great that we have members that have been through the whole process and can relate to others what is has been like....including ex-college coaches.

 

Excellent advice

 

I agree everything above you said. But with all that said everyone's situation is different. Or maybe I should say every DD'a situation is different, coaches opinions may differ, etc. There is a whole spectrum of things that need to be looked at. I'd wouldn't bother me if I had to stand corrected on this message board regarding advise if I knew the person behind the username. I'm sure ANY coach is going to be careful in what they say when recruiting your DD. There are compliance regulations they have to follow. But I would like to think that as part of the recruiting process that they would be happy to answer any questions you might have when appropriate, in addition to just saying HI. I assumed that would be a given.

 

I misunderstood your post and thought you were suggesting for any parent at any time to approach a coach and ask them anything.

If you are referring during the recruiting period when a scout is interested in your DD? Of course, they will be happy to answer any question you have. That's a different time all together.

But at other times, when talking about a college coach and getting advice, it's very difficult for them. If they appear to be having a discussion with you and you have a DD that is being recruited (but it's not during contact time), they will be turned in. The worst thing that could ever happen to a recruiting coordinator is to receive a compliance violation. They will never work as a college coach again....anywhere. So they are extremely careful what they say, who they say it to, and when they say it.

I have witnessed parents getting their feelings hurt watching a coach walk away from them. The parents aren't aware of all the compliance issues and sometimes place a coach in a difficult position. They aren't trying to be rude...they just want to ensure there are no misunderstandings of contact.

Now, if they know who you are and they know it is not a recruiting situation, they will be happy to talk. But they tend to discourage discussions at a tournament...and do you know why? Because they are there to evaluate talent which is tough to do when parents come up to talk.

So I agree with you about a college coach enjoying discussing anything with a family they are recruiting, but other than that small window of time, it is extremely difficult for them to do that.

So where will people go to get much needed information about the recruiting process...I hope they use this site as one of their resources. There are many outstanding threads about it in our archives...some threads authored by college coaches.