High school softball

[Towny9]

Central.

But of course each sport/team has a group of parents who care most or even only about their sport.

Understood. I am a HS AD. Football gets a bad rap with other sports. There is a perception that “they get everything”. Usually truth is that football brings in more money than most all other sports combined. It is also the most expensive sport by far.

 

[uncdrew]

Understood. I am a HS AD. Football gets a bad rap with other sports. There is a perception that “they get everything”. Usually truth is that football brings in more money than most all other sports combined. It is also the most expensive sport by far.

When we raise money for softball, we have to give some to football. It stinks.

 

[Eric F]

Yes. How many times have you've seen a player being recruited by a D1 coach who was a mediocre player on a HS team? More times than not, a kid at D1 is All State or All District/Region.

If you're only talking about D1, you're right. Most of those kids are probably going to be the best (or among the best) on ANY of their teams - HS or TB. The awards are simply a result of being a good ball player. However, I seriously doubt that a coach would pick Suzy over Sally because Suzy won more HS awards with a mediocre HS team, but Sally is the better player on a HS team deep with D1-level talent.

 

[Towny9]

When we raise money for softball, we have to give some to football. It stinks.

That makes no sense. Giving some to general athletics is different. If they are just straight giving it to football then that’s messed up.

 

[flash277]

When we raise money for softball, we have to give some to football. It stinks.

How does that happen? Just about everywhere football is the #1 fundraiser, and they definitely don't give to softball.

 

[PapaBear]

If you're only talking about D1, you're right. Most of those kids are probably going to be the best (or among the best) on ANY of their teams - HS or TB. The awards are simply a result of being a good ball player. However, I seriously doubt that a coach would pick Suzy over Sally because Suzy won more HS awards with a mediocre HS team, but Sally is the better player on a HS team deep with D1-level talent.

All scenarios are in place for what a coach is looking for between the scenario of Sally and Suzy. Coaches drill down to needs and if Suzy and Sally are equal, Suzy may be the nod being she’s able to capture and elevate her program from awful to mediocre. We all know a kid who plays HS and is able to make her team better, especially in the circle or big bat.

 

[Eric F]

All scenarios are in place for what a coach is looking for between the scenario of Sally and Suzy. Coaches drill down to needs and if Suzy and Sally are equal, Suzy may be the nod being she’s able to capture and elevate her program from awful to mediocre. We all know a kid who plays HS and is able to make her team better, especially in the circle or big bat.

Yes. I have witnessed that with my DD's HS team. The effect of one player can be significant.

 

[uncdrew]

How does that happen? Just about everywhere football is the #1 fundraiser, and they definitely don't give to softball.

I've been told that all fund-raising goes into a collective pot and is then distributed across all sports. So if softball collects $3,000 that goes into the pot and they get back a portion of it.

Now perhaps softball got some money from other sports fund-raising efforts, I don't know. Makes sense. But I've been told that softball gets less than it contributes. Kind of like federal tax money. Some states take out a lot more than they put in, and some states contribute more than they get out.

 

[Lance Steckler]

bet this reallocation malarkey went over well with donors. I know if I donated $100 to any school program (lacrosse, softball, etc. and found out even $0.01 went to any other program, that's the last cent that school would receive.

 

[nikkilugi]

Yes. How many times have you've seen a player being recruited by a D1 coach who was a mediocre player on a HS team? More times than not, a kid at D1 is All State or All District/Region.

My kid - as I stated in a post above. Did make Varsity HS her freshman year and had no season due to Covid so not sure how she would have done. Started every game Varsity HS Soph year (last year) and did horrible. Abysmal. Wanted to quit after HS - didn't make all anything - wasn't the best in anything but of course the potential was always there so coach kept her batting 4/5 in the lineup - she just never performed to her level of play. Seriously - bad. Average below .300 and the most strike outs she has ever recorded in her career. HS ended travel began and she went on to hit 12 HR in 30 games and had an average over .500 playing at TNJ, IDT and PGF in CA. Who knows what her deal was in HS but she just didn't perform at all. Come Sept 1 got an email from her future coach and was recruited, visited & committed and not a word was ever said about HS ball - none. Coach didn't care one bit and that's good because she prefers to never discuss last HS season again. Ever. FYI she is also the only 2023 on her HS team committed at this point and had the lowest HS stats out of all of them.

So maybe it's antidotal only for our one experience but my daughter is 100% living proof that some coaches don't give one rat's butt about HS ball performance because if they did she would be out.