H.S. Team as a Gauge for College?

[marriard]

Let me see if I can dial in this topic... that may be a sensitive issue. However could be an important thing to take a look at.
The topic is in line with other recent posts regarding players having emotional crossover to their sport experience.

(Bring this question up because noticed there are people with back-to-back frustrating years in high school, where it seems as though it's unreasonable frustration, and yet they think they're going to go off to college and suddenly have a different experience that will be purified. If in 4 years of high school ball cannot work out being either flexible or fitting in or handling the adversity. Seems that is an indicator to take into strong consideration!)

In my experience, the experience in HS normally has little to no bearing on how the experience is in college.

There are a few exceptions - the total idiot family etc., the problem child, etc.

But here are some reasons I see:

1. For the most part - the players parents have a LOT less influence on the experience. This can go in al sorts of directions.
2. Depending on the college (and the HS); how softball is treated can be VERY different.
3. The players are normally not the same players you normally see when you are not in HS (unless you stay local and probably a non-D1 level). Most of the time your HS freshman have played against or with most of their HS teammates (and opponent players) in travel
4. Same with coaches (and changes in coaches)
5. There is a very different age dynamic. In college your seniors are 22-24 yrs old. In HS your freshman are 13-14. The dynamics are MUCH different (good or bad)
6. The team spends WAY more time together in college. You often eat together, travel is longer, double headers are intense, etc. It is a very different experience - you are not going home to mum and dad.

Looking back at all the players my DD played with in HS and college - it has been a real mixed bag and some real surprises (and some expected).

 

[CoachJD]

Let me see if I can dial in this topic... that may be a sensitive issue. However could be an important thing to take a look at.
The topic is in line with other recent posts regarding players having emotional crossover to their sport experience.


Using playing in high school as a gauge for college. (Not talking about the Talent level of the high school team for college.)
Rather in particular using high school & team *dynamic as a gauge.

(Not a travel team wear people quit and leave whenever they want. Much easier than having to transfer to a different school to play.)

Acknowledging,
Needing to be able to function within a school & team Dynamic are equally important because the situation includes a combined commitment to the same place.

Question
From the high school team experience~
if a player cannot handle the different social aspects, that include coaching decisions and teammate interactions, with school schedule,
if a player cannot handle that. (Like they are crying or always want to quit or have anger towards it. Having resentment and experiencing individual frustration.)

Is that a good enough gauge signaling that person is not suited to go forward to play on a college team?


(Bring this question up because noticed there are people with back-to-back frustrating years in high school, where it seems as though it's unreasonable frustration, and yet they think they're going to go off to college and suddenly have a different experience that will be purified. If in 4 years of high school ball cannot work out being either flexible or fitting in or handling the adversity. Seems that is an indicator to take into strong consideration!)

For players who want to play at the college level, I think you've identified the biggest benefit of HS ball.

I think if you can't handle the aspects you mentioned at the HS level, that stuff seems like it would only be more difficult at the college level. Unless the HS team is a uniquely bad situation (as in really not the player's fault at all), I don't see it getting better for them in college.

Of course, simply not wanting to play for a terrible HS team isn't in itself a red flag.

 

[RADcatchers]

In college your seniors are 22-24 yrs old. In HS your freshman are 13-14.

Like this age part of the topic.

H.S. 14 yr old freshman going to school with & playing with 18 yr old seniors.
(Lots of transitioning into a more grown up person)
For 4 years ~ what should be developmental years.
~ in preparation years!

In preparation for the next decision that *could be college. Which potentially will have more pressure.


These two comparisons~

~H.S. Seniors
17,18 years old

~College freshman can also be 17, 18 years old.

In basic same age group taking on what can be greater pressure because it is now College.

The in preparation years are important!

 

[IndyHScoach]

And in a related yet separate topic. Can parents handle the school vs travel dynamic. It’s a different animal. Your dd has been a starter for 2 years and a 9th grader you never saw before is much better then your dd and they both play SS. Now moving into her junior year your dd is told she is playing CF or second. How do you handle that?

As a high school coach, I do not care how the parent handles it. How does the player handle it?
If this athlete is going to any college and thinks she is guaranteed to be the best SS in the program then she is living in the dream world. The coaches job(in college) is to always be looking for the best players. That means better players than what they currently have on their roster. Any player that has a coach promise them playing time or even worse promise them a certain position should look for a different school, because they are probably lying to them.

 

[RADcatchers]

Any player that has a coach promise them playing time or even worse promise them a certain position should look for a different school, because they are probably lying to them.

Ohhhh there is a really good topic inside what you wrote!

 

[CoachJD]

. The coaches job(in college) is to always be looking for the best players. That means better players than what they currently have on their roster.

While I don't do it ruthlessly (and I also don't have a large enough student body to truly put this into practice), I say the same thing to my HS players.

In theory, nobody has a spot. In practice, of course my varsity team has around 12 spots filled for the spring already because I know everybody and I know how good they are. I'm open to being surprised, of course.

I think having this approach at the HS level is good, though it's probably tougher to strike the balance of fostering good, healthy competition than in college. In college, if someone really gets pushed out they can just transfer and move on. In HS, those kids are either quitting or grumbling and possibly bringing negativity to the team.

But I think we're ultimately doing them a favor as HS coaches by having that approach. Last year, my #1 opening day pitcher finished the year #3 because she's been struggling and it's been a long, fruitless process trying to bring her back to where she was. The positive here is she is also our best overall player, so she never actually lost playing time, and she's also the kid I've been closest to in all my years coaching, so we can have those hard conversations. While the plan is to get her back to pitching this year, I think she also has come to realize that her path to college is not as a pitcher, and in recent months I've seen her put a lot more work into other aspects of her game.

 

[IndyHScoach]

While I don't do it ruthlessly (and I also don't have a large enough student body to truly put this into practice), I say the same thing to my HS players.

In theory, nobody has a spot. In practice, of course my varsity team has around 12 spots filled for the spring already because I know everybody and I know how good they are. I'm open to being surprised, of course.

I think having this approach at the HS level is good, though it's probably tougher to strike the balance of fostering good, healthy competition than in college. In college, if someone really gets pushed out they can just transfer and move on. In HS, those kids are either quitting or grumbling and possibly bringing negativity to the team.

But I think we're ultimately doing them a favor as HS coaches by having that approach. Last year, my #1 opening day pitcher finished the year #3 because she's been struggling and it's been a long, fruitless process trying to bring her back to where she was. The positive here is she is also our best overall player, so she never actually lost playing time, and she's also the kid I've been closest to in all my years coaching, so we can have those hard conversations. While the plan is to get her back to pitching this year, I think she also has come to realize that her path to college is not as a pitcher, and in recent months I've seen her put a lot more work into other aspects of her game.

I agree, it is good when an athlete can accept a challenge.

This year I have moved on from being the Head Coach at a smaller school to being an assistant at a bigger school that has a lot more competition for spots. The JV at this new school would beat the varsity from my previous school. Watching the competition at this new school is fun. This school has had success in the past with a state finals appearance recently. So, there are more players trying out and some players moving in to be part of the program. Currently there are close to 40 girls trying out this fall for the spring season.

I was talking to a player today about the program making cuts and that some of those cuts will be players that play travel ball. (Yes, there are that many that play travel.) With the attitude today though most will give up working hard to try and make the team next year. (If there are cuts it won't be until the spring.) These girls can see where they stand now and make a decision to work hard this winter.