If I only knew then what I know now....

[Comin2getcha]

I would like to direct this post to the 10u and 12u parents out there... I wish someone would have enlightened me earlier, my life would have been a whole lot simpler and less stressful...

My DD started playing travel 2nd year 10u. We had done 8u and 10u All Stars and had stars in our eyes. Our first travel ball coach did some amazing things with our girls with very little daddy ball influence. From 12u-16u we bumped around a bit went to 2 million tryouts but just couldn't seem to find the right team and NEVER a top org. team. We changed teams for a myriad of reason, I will admit that I was force behind most of the moves.... You see my DD was progressing... every season she got better and better. In the younger divisions she was not the top player but she was always among the top players ...she could just never catch a break.... as she got older her competitors growth started to slow down and plateau while she continued to improve and grow. By first year 16u it was becoming quite clear we had a pretty good little player on our hands and we FINALLY hooked up with a coach who realized that. He got her in touch with one of the TOP pitching coaches in the US and in less than a year she had improved by leaps and bounds... At this point a D1 college was not at all out of the question... but most top D1 Softball schools were recruiting for players 2 and 3 years younger than her. We were starting to panic and think her window of opportunity was more like a keyhole of opportunity. BUT...... because her TB coach highly stressed academics (DD's GPA was always 4.0+) all of a sudden high academic schools by the dozens started to come to see her play and showed interest... It was amazing... now the summer before her senior year my DD will be going to college... not a D1 but one of, if not the TOP college in the US that will not only give her the opportunity to play the sport she loves for 4 more years but she will have educational opportunities she would have never gotten at a D1 softball school. I am so proud of her and I am so happy her coach steered us in the right direction and helped us put our heads in the right place...

Moral of the story... sorry it was so long... Yes there are girls that will be chosen to play at those TOP D1 softball schools... but there will be 100 times as many that don't... there are so many schools with so many good programs ..personally I think there is a college fit for every girls that wants to play beyond HS whether is DI DII DIII or NAIA... if the school isn't offering what your daughter is interested in doing then who cares about how good the softball program is....
It has to be about her and not you or your ego....
A wise man once told me... "let her drive the bus" I didn't get it then but I do now Thank you RT
Make school THE most important thing in your DDs life because with out that you have nothing thank you for your wisdom, encouragement and direction LS you are amazing!!!!

The End

[PairOfAces]

Nice story, thanks for sharing. Continued success to your DD, in softball and after.

[orange socks]

You are absolutely right! I just found out today that a girl we know just verballed to one of the Ivies and she didn't really start playing TB seriously until recently (last year or so). She usually played League and Summer All-stars. Guess what. To my knowledge she has not taken any pitching lesson other than DVD's and working with her bucket dad. Just plain ol' hard work. That's all. She will be a senior this year and I am so happy for her.

[rfmnz]

Good post. Thanks for sharing. Always appreciate wisdom from ppl that have been through it. Hopefully this post continues to grow so I can glean some insight from your 20/20 hindsight (good n bad).

[Eric F]

As someone whose DD is right at the start of her TB journey (2nd year 10U), this is good advice for us to keep in mind as we move forward. Thanks.

[DonnieS]

Eric, welcome onto the site. You have so much fun ahead of you. As you read this stuff, some of us may sound a bit cynical at times. We are, but I dont think any of us would do things much differently.

[Mark H]

Good for her. Highlights the importance of academics in terms of opening doors. Can't be over emphasized.

[jonriv]

Good for her. Highlights the importance of academics in terms of opening doors. Can't be over emphasized.

Grades, Grades, Grade………………………………...

[Pale Rider]

Eric, welcome onto the site. You have so much fun ahead of you. As you read this stuff, some of us may sound a bit cynical at times. We are, but I dont think any of us would do things much differently.

Cynical?...Nah

[jc14bar]

I have been saying this for years. Its one of my mottos when I coach HS, or TB.

I tell my kids, you are a Student/Athlete, Student 1st Athlete 2nd. You could be an amazing ball player, but if you have not grades, even the big schools won't want you. If you can't make grades to play, you are no good to the school.

Good post.

JC