Lady Lightning Gold Program 2015 verbal commits

Congrats LLG Ladies!

Congrats to all the LLG ladies on your commitments.
It's a great thing when dreams come true! We're happy for you!
And also a big congratulations to the LLG coaches who have helped them get there!
Rick McHone and the Cardinals

 

Hey fastpitchdad...I happen to know that 2019 pretty well. She sought out the best most competitive team/schedule she could find. She walked away from a sure thing to play for Corn, started all over again, worked her way up in the program. She played THE best competition possible this year, in ten states coast to coast. She went to two NCSU camps, Coach Ry traveled across the US to watch her play. She spent 10 hours on a visit with coaching staff and administration officials. Hours researching schools degrees and courses of study. I could go on and on...

Corn is a great coach, his program is tough and it is meant to be that way. She has either played for or worked out with all of the LLG coaches, they are all great and deserve to be commended for giving their time to these ladies.

BTW besides positioning her to be seen because she was playing for a top drawer club...Corn did nothing to force an offer let alone force her to accept one. That decision was left to her and her parents who all think she made a great choice.

Next time just send out a congratulations and keep the negative thoughts out of it.

 

Lady Lightning Prospects are coached
By Pedy Roberts and based out of SC.

 

I stand firmly by all of my comments, a 14 year old girl has no business making a decision like this at her age and if you or anyone else can't understand why, well then you just don't have a clue. Let me give you some insight, the changes that an adolescent child will go through in a 2 year span is quite drastic. No matter how grounded you think they are or the drive and desire you think they have, it will change. Almost all girls that hit the TB circuit have had it pounded into their heads by their parents and coaches you can play at the D1 level if you work hard, play hard and be a team player.

I can tell you first hand as a former coach, recruiting director & parent a 14 year old girl or boy DOES NOT have the mental capacity to make this type of decisions. If you disagree that's fine as I really don't care, I was merely posting what a lot of others think as well. The fact that college coaches are looking at 14U teams play so they don't miss out on what they think will POSSIBLY be the next great thing for their program doesn't make it right or acceptable to me. Let me pose this question, is it or would it be acceptable for a 12 year to make such a decision??? I would like to hear your answer and why

Now onto another item, if you think an that individual that calls another person a "PAB = Punk A** B*TCH is an example of a good coach..... well then I would say you don't know what a good coach is sir. If that's the type of person that you want coaching your kid, then that's your downfall or maybe both of you are just "2 peas in a pod" and then that speaks volumes for itself. As far as what you referred to as my negative thoughts, just because you perceived it to be negative maybe you realized that there is something wrong with that information being put our there. As always, when you post something on the internet not everyone will agree with it so don't be surprised when others make the choice to speak out against it.

 

Way to go girls. I am really excited for all the girls that reach their goals / dreams.

 

Brag the right way

I am a little confused on such an upscale program could leave Pedy Roberts off the list of coaches since it's showing he has most of the commitments.

 

Toot--Toot !!

 

I believe that the big D1 college coaches are to blame for setting the bar very high for everyone else.The TB coaches are showcasing what they want to see.Both parties are taking a chance and things can happen and they both understand that. How many people on TBR have emailed or called Pat Murphy and said your recruiting to early your recruiting babies?I can tell you he really don't care what people think his pay check and job is always on the line.If we don't preform at our jobs then we also could be looking for a new job.I don't think it is our place to judge any kid or coach especially since we aren't in their shoes or know the details.Recruiting gets younger and younger every year and yet we all still play and coach the game we all love. None of theses kids are guaranteed anything until they sign that NLI and then after that only the first year.Congrats on getting these kids committed and putting them all in the position to be seen and congrats to those kids for putting in the work. I also don't agree with the dollar statement about other TB teams besides the LL some people can't afford or make the time to carry their kids all over the country.It cost a college tuition to play for the LL every year between fees and travel expenses.So are you really saving money for college since you really paid for it before they even step foot on campus? Just my two cents!!

 

Ucballer, I agree with portions of your response but I still believe the coach has the responsibility to help a young girl make a good decision at the right time and 14 years old isn't the right time. I understand each coach wants to put their kids in the right tournament and situation so the kid can excel and make the most of any and all opportunities. What I believe to be the issue is girls get very enamor at the idea of playing at the collegiate level at such an early age and being in tournaments with college coaches watching them would only make it natural for them to feel compelled to make such a decision at the wrong time. In my opinion, as a coach and manager, the coaches need to be more diligent with NOT letting a child make a life changing decision at age 14. I posed a question that no one has answered of yet. If a 14 year old is capable of making this type of decision then why isn't a 12 year old???? How young is too young??????


Regardless of what any of the top tier D1 coaches are doing or any collegiate coach is doing, any form of recruiting of a kid that age is just absurd and just because college coaches maybe looking, doesn't make it the right thing to do either.

 

You can't blanket it for every situation. It depends on the player, the family, the offer and the school along with the travel ball organization's experiences with the school / coach. The right school, the right kid, the right family and the right travel coach are perfectly capable of making this decision.


It is too easy to say ... they are too young, don't commit early, they are not mature enough... but let's make this real world:


Answer this, you have a stud high school freshman, a family with limited resources financially, a 75% offer to her dream school and a college coach giving a December 31 deadline for an answer or they move on to the next player? (I do not know this to be the case in this situation). Is the travel coach supposed to say... don't commit - you are too young?


[The situation above is hypothetical only - not about anyone specific].