where's the upperclassmen?

Seeme to be lots of HS freshmen/ soph's playing major roles, making all-conf, pitching lots of major innings, sometimes the primary pitchers for some teams, playing important def. positions, etc.
Many freshmen going straight to varsity & many are starters there.

I know that much of this is due to travel ball experience, but are we losing a high percent of players after their soph year, due to what.......burnout, seeing better talented players coming along that are younger therefore fear of less PT, other?

 

Good Question

My thoughts:

1. Boyfriends
2. Jobs
3. Maturity level ( I think they know more about what they want to put up with and if they don't like certain situations, they won't play).
4. Have come to realization they won't play in college, or, they do not want to play in college. Knowing this, they spend time and energy looking for more constructive things to do. ( In this case, #2 above applies, for all you young ladies reading. #1 does not). Or, perhaps other future college preparedness activities...
5. Burnout from travel ball. I agree with earlier post somewhere that starting 8U or 10U is nuts. No offense here, but as entertaining as it has been to watch that age level play, I'm wondering why that age is out playing in 90 deg heat for ten hours a day??? Also, I'm not a pitching dad, but when is it O.K. to start throwing at that level full time?

In case you're wondering, My oldest DD falls under second half of #4 above - this will be the first summer in five years that she has not travelled. I do believe, however, she'll play her senior year HS ball because of the group of girls she has played with all these years - you know, one last hoorah with her buddies!!

 

Agree with Pop 44

All these factors ring true. Also the fact is the mother nature typically begins to work against girls at age 15 of so. Many girls are as good as they will ever be @ age 15. If you check the rosters of your favorite college team you'll see the same trend . . . . very few seniors. Carolina only had one this year that played any innings . . . . C Cox. Girls just have more options that boys and are typically less invested in their "athletic persona".

 

I agree with what pop44 said. Especially with no. 3 maturity level but in a little different way. Many girls who play on a "high level" travelball team and then don't have a high school program up to that same level don't really enjoy it and become frustrated with the low level of coaching and the program in general. We have this very problem at SC right now and it is very frustrating. The girls don't have fun when they play on travelball and win then when they start school ball and lose a lot. But what do you do.

 

Also as the sport grows lower classmen who have played longer are just better players

 

agree

agree. great & true thoughts. also the quote about " Girls just have more options that boys and are typically less invested in their "athletic persona". found that to be true. I remember as a baseball player coming up, losses really bothered me........but my dd seems to take losses very much in stride; maybe that's the maturity mentioned.

 

If I may offer a different point of view............... Let your mind take you where it will. My dd is ready to quit school ball. She led her H.S. team in HR, RBI but was 4th in B.A. She was passed by for All-Conference although 3 talented teammates made it. Although she has been a 3B for the past several years she was put in the OF due to arm strength, so we were told. No matter how good you are in the OF the stigma is still there that outfielders are there for a reason. She is a rising JR. and says that she would rather have fun playing travel ball and take a chance on getting a scholarship on just that than to deal with the "politics" of H.S. ball. I may be crazy but I support her in this. I would rather her to leave the game at the H.S. level than to see her hurt or disrespected again.

 

This hits home pretty hard. #1, the couple of college coaches I spoke with about this (quitting high school and play exclusively travel) said any experience is good experience. Don't know if I agree if dd confidence is bashed, etc.. because lesser skilled players are in infield. Wonder if she was chosen to be "out there" only because coach figured she was the least likely to quit because of it. I can say, all great infielders make awesome outfielders, her skill level will show if you get many balls hit to the outfield. Likewise, I've seen some OK infielders play outfield, and it wasn't pretty. Unless you are on team with dominant pitching (we aren't) and she doesn't get any balls out there, she'll shine. Coach probably figures putting her out there is lesser of many evils. Problem is, and you are right, there is a stigma associated with OF. But you let her make a couple of nice running over the shoulder catches or make a nice throw to get a runner out - anyone who knows the game (few) will appreciate that. Hopefully, she is getting acknowledgement for being a good player - a good coach will see to that, especially as a kid in that situation, to me, is the ultimate team player. And don't worry, the other kids and parents on the team all know who the "players" are - don't let 'em tell you otherwise.