Is high school ball benefical

Players that truly love the game should definitely play HS softball unless they have a less than competitive attitude about HS ball.

Not all HS programs are bad; not all TB programs are good. There may be as much bad information in a TB program as there is in HS.

TB does have a major advantage of being able to select their team members.

As far as being noticed by college coaches, I've seen college coaches at HS games. The State Games, in particular, attract some college coaches.

If your main interest is what's the monetary payoff for HS ball then you don't need HS ball; and HS ball doesn't need you, either.

Most TB players that I know play for their HS teams. They are good for their HS teams and their HS teams are good for them.

As far as over use of players, I hardly think two games a week is going to wear a player down. TB plays 5 or more games a weekend during TB season.

Play ball!

 

Amen. I get so sick of all this get to the next level is all that is important crap. let the kids just have fun playing ball. Maybe pushing all that down their throat so much is why very few keep playing once they get to college

 

HS ball is VERY valuable . . .

from many perspectives. Skill development is dependent on repetition. School ball allows for practice 5/6 days per week. Every ground ball taken, pitch thrown, and bat swung should lead to improvement. Few TB teams practice very often and it's very difficult to work individually day after day. School ball replicates college ball in that it is a six day a week practice schedule. If a girl doesn't want to play school ball it may be because she really doesn't love the game that much. If she doesn't her college career is dead before it begins. Also, like college ball in school ball you don't get to choose your teammates. For pitchers, school ball is the place to learn a valuable mindset . . . to dominate . . . . a mindset you've got to have at the next level. Rec ball, school ball, travel ball . . . it's all ball.

The more you play the better you get. My daughter would have played 24/7/365 if I would have let her. Of course, with pitchers there's the issue of overuse but that's another thread. Real ballplayers may get 'worn out' but they don't get 'burnt out'. However, I don't think any kid is a 'ballplayer' before about 12 years old. Parents save your $$ and don't take that 9 year old to Colorado .

 

Here's that myth again

Very few keep playing? I know of no college team has any trouble filling its roster. What percentage of HS football players play college ball? How about volleyball? Fact is there are lots of reasons why girls don't play in college chief among them is that they weren't really that invested in the game to begin with! Many parents (and people on this board) are less than honest about how many truly elite kids there are . . . . there are very few. Even mid-major D1 rosters are full of kids that are fairly average athletes with above average skill sets. By the time you reach DII and III it's even less competitive (I know I'm going to blasted here . . . . yes there are some real good players in II & III). Fact is, almost any kid who wants to play college ball can (if daddy is willing to pay for it).

 

Do sports build character?

I prefer to think that sport reveals character.

 

I still think you have to evaluate your particular high school program. At some High school programs girls that are competitive get frustrated very fast. Put a competitive girl in a program where the coach spends two days of practice teaching them how to run out on the field and line up for the National Anthem, has girls that laugh when they strike out looking, and win one game a season and see how much fun she has. It can create memories that last a lifetime for sure.

 

Still, no reason not to play

Learning to deal with frustration is part of growing up. Every minute on the field is an opportunity to improve. Competitive girls in low-quality programs can focus on skill-development. I doubt many would be using this after-school time productively anyway since many teens report spending 3 to 5 hours per day on facebook; a total waste of time!

 

Agree with you on most of this, 1 many parents are not realistic about the talent of their child, 2 most anyone can be on a roster somewhere if you are willing to spend the cash. That is the one thing that most misunderstand and many dollars are wasted on, you do not have to play all over the country to play be on a collegiate roster. Now if you are a gold player and wish to play at a major D1 program then certainly go and play wherever you can. However in the past 4 years I have probably seen less then a 15 players who fit this catagory and I watch a lot of softball throughout NC and surrounding states.

 

You are on a roll this week... Those "clarity of thought" classes you are taking are working.

Too many overlook the journey as a only a way to reach the destination when the REAL enjoyment is actually the journey. HS ball is part of the journey. Try to enjoy the whole trip... you might find the destination not to your liking.

 

With all due respect I don't think you understand the amount of frustration that goes along with playing for a bad coach and a bad team for a competive player. You obviously have a decent program but there are some really bad coaches out there. Teachers who want to play "coach" and could care less about their team. Five days a week for four months a girl's senior year in high school is not worth the "benefits" of being the laughing stock of your school and conference. Every minute on the field is an opportunity to improve IF you are practicing the correct way. Most girls of this age will not disrespect their coach by doing something a different way than he tells them even if they know it is wrong and five days a week of practicing the wrong way is not a good thing. Dealing with frustration is a part of growing up, but if you have a choice to be frustrated to that extent, why would choose to do so? Believe it or not there are parents that can and do control the amount of facebook time their children have so if a kid is on facebook that much I blame the parents for not doing their job. Again, evaluate your particular program because when your daughter is miserable five days a week, you will be too.