Does that make me a bucket mom in DE?

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May 23, 2021
7
3
Hi all! I’m a divorced mom (the struggles that go along co-parenting) trying to help my dd12 get better at the sport she just fell in love with. She never picked up a bat until her friend dragged her to a free softball clinic for our local rec league and we just wrapped up our 3rd rec season! We are looking for ways to improve and get more involved in the sport with the limitations we have (co-parenting and $). Any help and suggestions are welcomed since I’m new to team sports in general.


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May 6, 2015
2,397
113
"bucket parents" is normally relegated to parents of pitchers, who spend countless hours sitting on a 5 gallon bucket catching their DDs as they throw (generally nearly every day).

but for certain you are a softball mom! welcome to the insanity, abandon all hope ye who enter here ;)
 
May 23, 2021
7
3
"bucket parents" is normally relegated to parents of pitchers, who spend countless hours sitting on a 5 gallon bucket catching their DDs as they throw (generally nearly every day).

but for certain you are a softball mom! welcome to the insanity, abandon all hope ye who enter here ;)

Ah that makes sense. I have spend many hours learning how to pitch and soft tossing to her I don’t get to sit on a bucket but I do reach in one frequently


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Nov 25, 2012
1,437
83
USA
Hi all! I’m a divorced mom (the struggles that go along co-parenting) trying to help my dd12 get better at the sport she just fell in love with. She never picked up a bat until her friend dragged her to a free softball clinic for our local rec league and we just wrapped up our 3rd rec season! We are looking for ways to improve and get more involved in the sport with the limitations we have (co-parenting and $). Any help and suggestions are welcomed since I’m new to team sports in general.


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We are SO HAPPY you are here. You came to the right place for sure. We can help you!!! Welcome to DFP and I will be following your journey. Don't be shy! Ask questions and this community will help you out for sure!!!

S3
 
May 23, 2021
7
3
We are SO HAPPY you are here. You came to the right place for sure. We can help you!!! Welcome to DFP and I will be following your journey. Don't be shy! Ask questions and this community will help you out for sure!!!

S3

Thank you for the warm welcome!


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Jul 31, 2015
761
93
Welcome.

To answer your question directly -

helping her with reps at home every day, or nearly every day, is huge. She’ll get better, it will maximize your time together and deepen your relationship. You will never regret the time spent together.

Not gonna lie, softball can be a very expensive sport. Be sure to set a budget, in conjunction with her other parent if you can. Team fees, private lessons, equipment and travel can set you back $$$$. Best to plan in advance as much as possible.

The better and older she gets the more opportunities there will be to play away from your local area. How far are you willing to go? Some families are happy with playing locally, some regionally, and some opt to go all-in and get on planes each weekend (<—- don’t do this last one unless she’s being actively recruited by some very top colleges when she’s playing 16U).

It sounds stupid to think about at her age, but playing in college is the pinnacle for our sport, what are her/your aspirations for college play? Does she want to play as long as she can? Does she want to play in college?

Most young girls get attracted by the bright lights of playing for Florida, or Oklahoma or UCLA. That is normal and fine but keep in mind that there is a wide world of college softball beyond what you see on TV.
The junior colleges where I live in Northern California for instance offer a very high level of play, and attract some jaw-dropping talent.

As she moves towards 14u see if you can get a local club coach or someone who coached college players to give you an assessment of her skills and abilities. It’s usually apparent from about 13-14 years old how far a players natural skills might take her. In baseball this is called “projectability”. An honest assessment will also help you find the right level for club play (local, regional, national) and in searching for colleges.

At all times, follow her lead. She’s the pilot, you’re the navigator. Help her find her way to where she wants to go.

Enjoy the ride! The journey is truly the reward.
 
Last edited:
May 23, 2021
7
3
Welcome.

To answer your question directly -

helping her with reps at home every day, or nearly every day, is huge. She’ll get better, it will maximize your time together and deepen your relationship. You will never regret the time spent together.

Not gonna lie, softball can be a very expensive sport. Be sure to set a budget, in conjunction with her other parent if you can. Team fees, private lessons, equipment and travel can set you back $$$$. Best to plan in advance as much as possible.

The better and older she gets the more opportunities there will be to play away from your local area. How far are you willing to go? Some families are happy with playing locally, some regionally, and some opt to go all-in and get on planes each weekend (
It sounds stupid to think about at her age, but playing in college is the pinnacle for our sport, what are her/your aspirations for college play? Does she want to play as long as she can? Does she want to play in college?

Most young girls get attracted by the bright lights of playing for Florida, or Oklahoma or UCLA. That is normal and fine but keep in mind that there is a wide world of college softball beyond what you see on TV.
The junior colleges where I live in Northern California for instance offer a very high level of play, and attract some jaw-dropping talent.

As she moves towards 14u see if you can get a local club coach or someone who coached college players to give you an assessment of her skills and abilities. It’s usually apparent from about 13-14 years old how far a players natural skills might take her. In baseball this is called “projectability”. An honest assessment will also help you find the right level for club play (local, regional, national) and in searching for colleges.

At all times, follow her lead. She’s the pilot, you’re the navigator. Help her find her way to where she wants to go.

Enjoy the ride! The journey is truly the reward.

Thank you so much for all the insight. I honestly don’t see her playing in college as we just started this journey and already feel way behind on learning curve and financial constraints. She is happy and enjoys the game so I am willing to do as much I can to help her.


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Apr 26, 2019
222
43
Thank you so much for all the insight. I honestly don’t see her playing in college as we just started this journey and already feel way behind on learning curve and financial constraints. She is happy and enjoys the game so I am willing to do as much I can to help her.


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For equipment, bats in particular, places like Play it Again Sports or ebay are good venues to get a good bat for considerably less money than you'd spend on a new one.

My daughter just turned 12. She grows seemingly overnight, as do a lot of girls that age. Her bats typically last her a year (sometimes less) before she put grows them. Buying a used one in good condition can save you $200+ sometimes.
 

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