California Girls coming East

[jonriv]

TBJD let me add a testimonial to Team Primus what you call "promo" I call it a statementg of fact

This past June @ the Pennsbury Academic Camp I start chatting up The 2 team primus coaches, due to rain we'd moved indoors, "which one's your daughter" they ask "she's from Socal guys....the only one in shorts" by the time she had finished her workout they picked her up & had both an Big East & top academic DIII who liked her

Jonriv I just want to remind you that SoCal is the Mecca of fastpitch

I know it is, was just wondering why so many seemed to be traveling to the land of rain, ice and snow(and a thing called seasons)

[PDad]

Jonriv I just want to remind you that SoCal is the Mecca of fastpitch

I know it is, was just wondering why so many seemed to be traveling to the land of rain, ice and snow(and a thing called seasons)

Then you should realize the cause is simply equilibrium - the condition of a system in which all competing influences are balanced. Most of the best softball players are west of the creek and most of the colleges are east of it.

For the record, SoCal has 4 seasons:
1. Jackets (1 month)
2. Long sleeves (1 mo.)
3. Short sleeves (1 mo.)
4. Shorts and flip-flops (9 mos)

When people in SoCal want to play in the snow, they simply go up in the mountains and that's true for much of the year.

[Primus Sports]

jon......our families KNOW that the east coast offer the best opportunities for an excellent education, scholarship dollars, a chance to play at the appropriate collegiate level and the rich culture on the east coast.

Like the water supply, the opportunities our here for scholarship dollars are drying up.

[Cereal Kid]

DD had offers to stay close but the offers academic and athletic made it a no brainer to go east. Gives us another reason to travel.

[Mom2softball]

I can only write regarding my girls who both are from So Cal and ended up at a DIII top academic school back East. They started looking at colleges in 8th grade with the travel coaches preliminary guidance noted that softball is an opportunity to help get into the school of their choice or to get money for the school of their choice. Over their high school years they researched to find the best "fit" (over used word, but is a perfect description) and prioritized accordingly. They had various offers, but were set on their #1 because academics were first. Fortunately, they did get into their #1 and play softball and the school is a perfect fit for them.
I will add that they hung with the academically oriented kids and all those kids applied at the top academic schools back East too, so I do not think it is just a softball (or sports) thing. California UC schools are top academic schools too, but they are very big universities and many who chose East Coast schools, especially DIII schools, preferred smaller colleges. Again, to be redundant, finding the best fit for themselves.

[exD1dad]

I don't believe "opportunities" are drying up I believe a couple of things are what's driving more SoCal players East
1) the number of players has increased dramatically but the number of programs has remained the same
2) competition increased by greater participants has forced players to play where the slot is which is where the scools are..again that would be the other side of the Rocky mountains
3)Kids in SoCal play ball almost year round from 5 years of age, spend tens of thousands of their parents dollars & Lord knows countless hours focused solely on the game of softball, it's both their identity & life's passion...in other words until they are forced to stop why would they if that is all they've ever know? that's just learned human nature

[CoachKari]

I think another reason players are choosing DIII schools is that these schools affors the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities. Players at DIII schools can join sororities, clubs, participate in study abroad, volunteer, and more. Many girls are used to this and want to afford themselves of all the opportunities a school has to offer, not just the athletics. I played DI sports and I want my daughter, if she plays college softball, to play DIII.

[CTCBAT]

I think it's simply opportunity.

There aren't as many schools on the West Coast, or West of the Mississippi. The urban legend is with kids who play ball is that California kids are better. The same is said in baseball. Cathi Aradi's book (I didn't buy it but I was in an org that brought her out to speak) points that out. Parents are looking for money, and girls want to verbal/sign.

So...go where people are giving you money!

[jonriv]

I think it's simply opportunity.

There aren't as many schools on the West Coast, or West of the Mississippi. The urban legend is with kids who play ball is that California kids are better. The same is said in baseball. Cathi Aradi's book (I didn't buy it but I was in an org that brought her out to speak) points that out. Parents are looking for money, and girls want to verbal/sign.

So...go where people are giving you money!

You know that there is no athletic money at diii schools

[pac1012]

"Fit"... is overused but 100% accurate.

"Money"... isn't the draw as it doesn't exist in DIII

"Weather"... it's colder that SoCal. Ok, so is a large part of the planet. Maybe some kids can look and experience the world outside of LALA land.

"Education".... you mean having a professor who speaks English and can be understood, small class size, classes you WANT readily available, being in a lecture "hall" with 21 other people (not 370), being a student, a known entity with the professor, not just a number, being a student athlete at a school with professors, coaches and staff that understand you actually want an education and you know you are not going to be a professional softball player making $19,000 a year over a 2 year career ?????

Oh....