JV softball

I would be happy if our school had enough girls interested and dedicated enough to have a JV team.

 

Sounds very much like our school. Last year the Varsity and JV practiced together all the time and usually played double headers. From what I've heard, members of the varsity squad treated members of the JV squad like second class citizens. This included the JV cleaning up after every game and practices. This year, the practices were separate, though the JV practiced last (and often had to wait when the varsity practice ran over).

 

rain

and if there's predicted weather issues, many schools suddenly and conveniently change around stated game times so that if there's a rainout, the JV game would be the one washed out and the varsity game can be salvaged.

 

interesting; how?

very interesting. so is it an absolute softball requirement at this school for varsity and JV players to attend each other's games?

I like the interchangeable uniforms concept.

All standing exactly the same during national anthem...... wow. impressive.

 

JV at Western Harnett

While our Varsity and JV all try out together, once tryouts are over, they feel like 2 distinctly different teams. While JV always plays prior to Varsity and the girls then lickety-split for the baseball fields, I cannot say any less about Varsity who hits the baseball fields before playing.

However, JV and Varsity do work together to as much an extent as a player wants it to. Three varsity players this year, my own daughter included, have "dropped down" to JV to assist with pitching or catching - pulling double duty that night. And, with my daughter close to max out on games, when her ability to drop down ended she went to the coach and asked if she could coach first base (she aspires to coach one day) and has since been the first base coach for JV.

In our school's case, I believe it is the disparity between skill levels of the Varsity and JV that divide them. Our school is not one, this year, that had enough girls to fill two teams chock full of talent. And I think this is the case of a great deal of schools, which causes this obvious emotional division of the JV and Varsity.

 

Good Point.....But in our case there are kids that THINK there is a disparity, because the were awarded the "Varsity" uni. Sure hasn't spilled over to the field. I commend your daughter for coaching first. Sounds like a "SOFTBALL PLAYER" for sure

 

On further reflection, there does seem to be, if not exactly animosity, "active disinterest" between the varsity and JV programs.

The Varsity squad is young, graduating 2 seniors this year and I think only 2 or 3 next year. Several of these girls have been playing varsity since 7th or 8th grade. As such, most never played for the JV team, and don't have any concept of being a part of the JV team. (The school district rules don't allow 7th and 8th graders to play on a JV softball team; they must either play middle school or varsity.)

About half of the varsity team did sit down to watch some of the JV game during the lone JV/Varsity doubleheader. As soon at the JV game was over, all JV players had to board the bus to go back to the school unless a parent had given written permission for them to stay for the varsity game (and provide their own transportation.)

I've seen several of the JV players at varsity games since the JV season ended.

 

culture

I think it does take an honest commitment by coaches and players to develop and cultivate a true "program" culture to encompass the Varsity & JV as one.

 

What I find unusual about this entire thread is the different way that different schools run there program, I know in the short view, most HS coaches would probally preferr to practice just the varsity, and have a seprate staff for the jv team, what I do not understand is the playing at different sites on the same day, while we no longer practice seperately, we at one time did seperate the teams, in fact the jv's practiced at a different site. now we practice together and have done so for the past three years, and in the long run this is improving our softball team, practicing together means that when the jv player moves up to varsity they will not have to go thru a learning curve.
What makes me wonder is why there are so many schools that do not have jv teams this year. (as good a program as St. Stephens has, they did not field a jv team this year, in fact I think only two other teams in there conference fielded jv squad's)

 

Do girls watch other girls play at all?

This how you find out whether your kid is ballplayer or a girl who happens to play softball. Most are the latter. My college junior called me last night to ask if I was watching the UT/TAMU game on ESPNU. She's a ballplayer. . . . should have been studying for exams but wanted to watch Megan Gibson (probably will be NCAA player of the year with a 30-1 record and .350+ BA) throw the ball. Most of her college teammates probably don't who Megan Gibson is. Even college teams have their share of girls who play softball.