Next steps for daughter finishing HS freshman year

LHV_NY_SB said:

My daughter would also prefer a bigger school, which limits D3 options.

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Same.

LHV_NY_SB said:

My daughter would also prefer a bigger school, which limits D3 options.

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DD's D3 school had an enrollment of 32,000 students (Bigger than many D1's) and it's in a big city. UT Dallas. They will be transitioning to D2 in the coming years.

LHV_NY_SB said:

My daughter would also prefer a bigger school, which limits D3 options.

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D3 in a big city is a good compromise.......ie look at how many D3 softball schools are within Boston city limits; my DDs even picked an all women's college because of the educational advantages, knowing they'd be in a city full of college-aged kids anyways......

NYU, MIT, U Chicago, Emory, CMU, Tufts, Wash U, U of Rochester, Case Western, all HA D3 and have total enrollments over 10k students and in cities. Plenty of options.

TwoPitcherFam said:

NYU, MIT, U Chicago, Emory, CMU, Tufts, Wash U, U of Rochester, Case Western, all HA D3 and have total enrollments over 10k students and in cities. Plenty of options.

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That's the list - although some of those require a plane.

Hello everyone! I wanted to come back and close the loop.

My daughter had a very successful HS season (first team all-region by the local paper as a freshman - although to be fair, her game does not compare with the older players on that team), and the 16U travel team she joined was a step up from the prior two years...although there was still too many USSSA games against non-competitive teams and not enough games against A-level teams.

But last night, she found out that she got a spot on one of the best travel teams in the region! It is one of their regional teams, and after being a 15 year-old playing with 16 year olds, she will be the 16 year old playing with mostly 15 year olds. I was very happy with that, as it will be a transition going to all A-level competitions. She probably played 10-12 games (out of 60) against that kind of competition this past fall/spring/summer. I think if she had joined their older 16 year old team - who just finished a full season of A-level ball - it might have been tough. This way, she can get the better coaching, have a full season playing this higher level of competition, and then move up to one of their 18U teams (they normally have three) in 2025-26.

The travel - even for a regional team - will be more than she has been doing. They will be in the New England's Finest showcase in Boston, another major tournament in Virginia Beach, as well as potentially places like Myrtle Beach and Nashville. While this is more travel than we want, that is what comes with playing on a top travel program in the region.

I think this was the best possible outcome - all things considered. College coaches know the program, and as long as she stays in the books (she attends a pretty good college prep school, she had a 3.7 GPA last semester, she is taking advanced math and science next year, etc.) and keeps working on her game, she will have some good opportunities down the line. But the most important thing, is the coaches are GREAT, she has already practiced with the team multiple times (and that seemed to go well), and this will inspire here to take her game to the next level.

Thanks to the board for all the feedback!

I know this thread kind of concluded but wanted to provide a little info especially as we are entering tryout season.

Someone mentioned playing in Florida with no college coaches present. It is important to know the recruiting calendar. If the team you are considering travels to warmer climates outside the recruiting window (basically anything after Thanksgiving and before the end of WCWS) you won't see coaches and it is purely for finding competitive games during a time when we don't have many other options in the Northeast.

Which leads to another point about regional vs national teams. If the goal is just to get recruited by a Northeast HA D3 then I think you will absolutely be able to do that on a regional team, especially since on campus camps are your best bet for getting on the radar of these coaches anyway. What I think you should not discount is the development opportunity of playing against top level competition that a national team provides. I know for my DD academics were our first priority in the recruiting process but also felt strongly that playing on a national team best prepared her to be successful right out of the gate. Certainly confidence wise she had no issues as a freshman in the Ivy league when she was coming off a summer of playing at PGF against Pac12 and SEC committed pitchers. Just think how prepared your DD will be to succeed at a HA D3 if she spends the next 3 years playing against predominantly D1 softball players.

benjey said:

I know this thread kind of concluded but wanted to provide a little info especially as we are entering tryout season.

Someone mentioned playing in Florida with no college coaches present. It is important to know the recruiting calendar. If the team you are considering travels to warmer climates outside the recruiting window (basically anything after Thanksgiving and before the end of WCWS) you won't see coaches and it is purely for finding competitive games during a time when we don't have many other options in the Northeast.

Which leads to another point about regional vs national teams. If the goal is just to get recruited by a Northeast HA D3 then I think you will absolutely be able to do that on a regional team, especially since on campus camps are your best bet for getting on the radar of these coaches anyway. What I think you should not discount is the development opportunity of playing against top level competition that a national team provides. I know for my DD academics were our first priority in the recruiting process but also felt strongly that playing on a national team best prepared her to be successful right out of the gate. Certainly confidence wise she had no issues as a freshman in the Ivy league when she was coming off a summer of playing at PGF against Pac12 and SEC committed pitchers. Just think how prepared your DD will be to succeed at a HA D3 if she spends the next 3 years playing against predominantly D1 softball players.

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Exactly!! My DD was well prepared when she got to school after playing 3 years on an 18U Gold team. Immediate impact player from the get go. If you want to play on a local team with/against local type talent, then that is the player you will be. As they say Iron sharpens Iron. Playing on a solid National type with great coaching will aid in player development and will make it easier to pick the school. Coaches like to see their future players playing against solid talent. If you are okay paying for the travel, then go for it!!! I loved it and miss it today.

The first time future college coach came to watch DD(sept of Jr year), she hit a towering fly ball to the warning track vs a great JUCO program. Watched her play behind the dish for an inning and saw all he needed to see. Before he left he talked to DD's coach and said I want your pitcher (future All American) and your catcher.

benjey said:

I know this thread kind of concluded but wanted to provide a little info especially as we are entering tryout season.

Someone mentioned playing in Florida with no college coaches present. It is important to know the recruiting calendar. If the team you are considering travels to warmer climates outside the recruiting window (basically anything after Thanksgiving and before the end of WCWS) you won't see coaches and it is purely for finding competitive games during a time when we don't have many other options in the Northeast.

Which leads to another point about regional vs national teams. If the goal is just to get recruited by a Northeast HA D3 then I think you will absolutely be able to do that on a regional team, especially since on campus camps are your best bet for getting on the radar of these coaches anyway. What I think you should not discount is the development opportunity of playing against top level competition that a national team provides. I know for my DD academics were our first priority in the recruiting process but also felt strongly that playing on a national team best prepared her to be successful right out of the gate. Certainly confidence wise she had no issues as a freshman in the Ivy league when she was coming off a summer of playing at PGF against Pac12 and SEC committed pitchers. Just think how prepared your DD will be to succeed at a HA D3 if she spends the next 3 years playing against predominantly D1 softball players.

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I appreciate that perspective. First of all, while this team is a "regional" team, they are a well-known program, so in terms of college exposure I think she will be fine with the showcase schedule that they will be playing - I have been told that they play in the right pools in these showcases.

I am leaving the door open to see what happens this upcoming season. Her current team was probably 70-75% USSSA B tournaments, whereas the team next year will be playing zero USSSA - it will all be A-level and showcase games - which is a major step up in class for her. Even if she wanted to play for their national team, going from USSSA pitching velo to National travel-team velo is too big of a jump for her right now, IMO. If she handles this transition year well, and shows that she can move up in class, then when she moves to 18U the following year (between sophomore and junior year), we can have a discussion.

This program's 18U National team is pretty much all D1 commits - which is great if that is what you are looking for. For our daughter, she is hoping for softball to help her get into a great HA D3 school. My guess is schools like Tufts or Case Western (who I think were both in the D3 CWS this season) are full of D1 level players who made the choice to go to a great HA D3 school that also has a great softball program. Another option is the Ivys - our HS has a good relationship with most of them from an academic perspective, and my sense is the demands on an Ivy D1 athlete are less than, say, a Big East D1 program like Georgetown or Villanova (forget the major conferences).

At this point, her talent and progression will determine what options are available to her within this program, but even the 18U regional kids are all college commits (a mix of lower-level D1 and D3), so I think it will serve her well. I think it is great for those kids (and their parents) who want to commit to 2-3 years of a 16U/18U National travel program. I don't think my daughter wants that right now, and my wife and I DEFINITELY don't want that. I don't want my HS sophomore daughter getting on a plane 5-8 times a season - with either my wife or I having to go with her. For us, at least, the juice isn't worth the squeeze...but for those girls and their parents who want to do that, I say go for it!

bebopdeluxe said:

I don't think my daughter wants that right now, and my wife and I DEFINITELY don't want that. I don't want my HS sophomore daughter getting on a plane 5-8 times a season - with either my wife or I having to go with her.

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DD was lucky with her team. They didn't travel in the fall since there are enough local events (HTX) and the coach had been doing it long enough to realize the team didn't need to travel to be seen. Summer tourneys-Drive to Colorado for IDT and then it depended on where TCS Nat's, Jo Cup (when it was good) were. Usually 2 flights a year, paid via SW Rapid Reward points. If she was still playing, we'd probably be in Indiana this week for Alliance. Once you get to 16U/18U every tourney seems to be a "Showcase" since coaches were usually there, except for the warm up Round Robin type of events. Enjoy the ride.