Question for DukeDog4 and others whose girls have completed collegiate careers

Wisest advice ever about the recruiting process.

Quite honestly, I rarely mention or discuss managing DD's in softball. I have learned through this forum that it's a different world. Not to insunate it's better or worse..it's just different.

A few years ago a poster told me the difference between coaching a DD and coaching a baseball team. Girls have to feel good to play good: Guys have to play good to feel good. A very telling piece of advice! It may be one of the reasons for heavy turnover in college. I have no idea if this is true. I would defer to those who would know...but it is interesting.

 

I think you're right except that . . .

girls who are really 'ballplayers' are those who have defined themselves as such and, in fact, are like the boys . . . they have to play to feel good. These are the girls that D1 college coaches looking for.

 

the best

Best I have heard it explained
Wish I had said it

 

That explains a lot. For years I have had people tell me, "Braves, you just don't understand...." Thanks for clearing it up.

 

You hit the nail on the head and I agree with you. Only thing is unlike boys those girls represent a very small percentage of the girls playing the game and those are usually the ones that go to the d1 schools. Getting back to the original question not many girls end up playing more than 1 or 2 years of college ball if any at all.

 

I think we've pretty much answered it

The fact is softball (and sports in general) are just not as important to the majority female PARTICIPANTS as they are to guys who participate. In today's world girls have a more options than guys in many ways. If you're comparing softball to baseball, college ball is the end of the line for 99.5% of all softball players. On the other hand I've never met on college baseball player who didn't (at least secretly) think they were destined to be the next A-Rod or Andy Petite. Girls know this isn't there and simply decide to move on.

The problem for the college coach is trying to figure out who the "ballplayers" are. If you can design a sure-fire system to do this you'll sell a lot of books. My daughter's school will likely struggle this spring after the VA "Gatoraid POY" for 2009 (who was supposed to help another freshmen in the circle) walked away from the team prior to the first fall game.

 

Your right. As someone else posted the girls seem to want to get on with their adult life sooner than the boys do. Also in general girls even in HS are much more into academics than most of the boys are. Females just seem to become more career minded as they reach the end of high school and into college. Some think they want to play in college till they get there and then find out it is not as much fun as they thought it would be. More work than play.

 

As my wife keeps reminding me daily---women are much smarter and more mature than their counterparts

 

Oh mine says the same thing but we catch up and pass them at about 30 !! lol Well at least on the smarter part

 

Uhhh... we're supposed to grow up?