real power comes from the legs first. She has to have hog legs.
Then it come from her wrists and hand. She has to have "man hands".
then it is the technique. As much as you all want power with a forum board. You will not get it without the first two in this short post.
My DD does not struggle with her Identity. No one was thrown under the bus.
It is just a story about my life from a man who is the primary caregiver to his DD. Most have wives.
relax ... It is not a big deal. Just can be a big deal to a 16 year old and deciding where she belongs in her little...
None of these comments were made about teammates. Please do not take it out of context. It is the most difficult part of the sport to try to make conversation. It does exist though. To deny it is naive.
There is a reason pro softball players, pro basketball players, many female sports struggle...
Exactly. This aspect of a young females mind is of great importance to them. I understand, because I listen and study what is going on, and what she says. Most Dads do not do this. Most Dads have a wife who takes care of much of this.
You are exactly right. Talk to your wife. She knows...
I have my place. Do not worry.
I live through DD, sure as everyone does. If not ... You become OLD, and fast. I take her out to eat, as well as her friends, and talk about what young ladies want to talk about. It is a great life. Not married (widowed) as I. Enjoy doting on DD.
We made our...
I like you. We have ours. We walk tall in our town. We have one more season to be on top.
My obviously could not make it because in her mind, she did not have the "right stuff". I get that, and truly understand that.
But the people in our town love her because of who she is. Because of her...
Wrong, wrong and wrong. My DD was super committed at playing ball at 4 years old. Achieved level in the game many dream about. I beg you ... Do not wipe away the effort she made and the commitment she worked so very hard for... For well over a decade!!!
It is our pride. The folks who were...
This sounds admirable from a parents perspective.
What if your DD's weakness is social? What happens when she has no friends and sits in the lunchroom alone? If when she is on the softball field and she treats dad like crap, because she does not want to be there? How do you explain when at the...
The worst part of this is the safety aspect.
It happens occasionally in travel softball too. Some of the pitchers and third baseman have no clue how vulnerable they are against good A level hitters.
Had a game where an obvious overmatched third baseman was playing have way up the line. An a...
It becomes what the players wants to do in life. For most good softball players, these type decisions start to create conflicts at about 16 years old.
Up to then, the really good players are super committed, and face any and all battles every other softball player faces. Some are really good...
Unfortunately highly successful at softball is only a means to and end, of which for most of even the most committed, is getting half of your college paid for.
Eventually softball ends. Talk to Juniors and Seniors is college softball. I thoroughly respect the young ladies who make the extended...
High School softball is a no parent sport.
Judge the tryout player by her talent. She makes it or she does not, based on that.
If the player has a problem with the coaches, or playing time, it is up to the player only to initiate and have a discussion with said coach.
It is imperative at the...
I agree with this trend as we are seeing similar.
Part of it is the economy. Folks do not have the disposal income to partake.
Another part is the changing value of a college education. For many, just having a job is needed. The job prospects for many college degrees are not there. So much...
Find a team, possibly a B or even C team, that will let her play every inning and bat every time.
Travel softball is a time honored system. Until you play against the A teams, and show them what your DD has specifically against their A pitchers ... You don't stand a chance.
These A level...
I disagree to the extent, everything is about the players talent.
If the player is good enough, and works hard enough, she will eventually get where she deserves to be.
Without money, there are ways. Play local, get recruited locally. Go to a local D2 school, or walk on to a D1 school? Once...
Ponzi style is way too strong of a representation.
Large orgs create plenty of benefit in coaching and exposure for all their teams. Across all age groups. Especially their #1 and #2 travel teams. But they are also in the business of promoting the organization itself. There is overhead ...
Little can be done in 4 days.
Try to shorten the swing. Consider a light bat. When young, and before DD learned how to effectively time different speeds, she carried and used two different weight bats. A heavy one for the slow pitchers, and a lighter one for fast pitchers.
Granted, it was only...
It is both a cause and result of a good swing.
I like the use of the term "hip fire". Technically some will disagree with this term, and they may be correct. However the term is only a communication term to get a player to change for the better. If the player responds correctly to this term in...
Agreed.
When my DD was young (5 to 12 years old) she lived in a batting cage. Started early with a softball machine. Graduated to a 40 mph baseball machine. And finally mastered a 60 mph baseball machine around 11 years old.
This gave her a distinct advantage to developing a tight, quick...
There are teams I know of who placed higher at the PGF in CA just recently, than has placed at this ASA Tourney.
72 colleges are pretty good. the ASA folks are top shelf and especially should be congratulated for putting on a fantastic tourney much more accessable by the fact of 136 teams in...