If it wasn't for the possibility of playing softball in college...

[uncdrew]

Ok I will start this off by admitting I am a numbers guy. Question for those of you that travel for the purposes of scholarships. Do you consider if you are spending more on travel ball than the actual scholarships might be worth? Or is it more about your daughters reaching goals of playing softball at an elite level? Those things are different to me. I just know some that are spending a fortune on kids for travel ball and I am not sure their specific kids wouldn’t benefit much more with a college savings account.

With all that said I spend a lot also because my kid loves it. I hope she plays some level college just because it means I get to watch her play a little longer. Just interesting to see the different reasons people have.


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We're not there yet, as my DD just turned 13. But we do plan on making college campus visits, regardless of softball. So some of the cost of a clinic on a campus would have been spent (for some schools) anyway. If she might get into Penn State and wants to go to Penn State, we will try to take a trip to see Penn State. I assume that can be somewhat packaged with a softball clinic on campus.

Right?

 

[Westwind]

Sadly even if your DD gets to play in college - it doesn't mean she's going to be a starter. It's cool it's a top D1 school and you get a scholarship but if she's sitting the bench - that's no fun. So much changes going from being a top player on your TB team to playing in college. It's a balance between going to play so you can play or wanting to be at a big school.

DD played with a lot of kids who went to smaller schools with the idea of getting to play sooner rather than later and still did not see the field as freshmen or sophomores.

These were not marginal players either.

Playing time has little to do with how good you are or how hard you work. It can be a mystery.

DD played with an exceptional athlete among exceptional athletes. Exceptional student. Exceptional person. A true leader. She won *many* big games with home runs and extra base hits when it looked like we were taking the “L”. The coaches decided her senior year, during the heat of the season, to not start her. Her stats were among the best in “one of those“ conferences. They would almost grudgingly put her in later in the game and she would dutifully win the game for us. These are not bozo coaches either. I’m sure they had reasons (that I did not agree with), but they are the ones making big salaries and driving program cars.

Don’t think for a minute that you can predict what level your dd will always play… She will have to be very good AND she will have to have Luck on her side. Thats at any level you care to look at.

That’s Lucky. Capital “L”.

 

[radness]

Only 61.8 % enrolled in college.

What can softball do?!
Possibly being around other people that are focused on some sort of goal helps in the pursuit of the goal!

Estimated probability of competing in college athletics

Estimated probability of competing in college athletics

www.ncaa.org

Can still remember the influence when
Travel ball as we know it today started in the same brink of years where women were starting to be awarded scholarships!

 

[Strike2]

Well, we didn't do it for four years of HS. She's a junior, so this is our first year of crazy travel. Last year was more regional with the exception of the Sparkler and Legacy. Once she's committed, it will get dialed back a little.

The real money is in academics. She goes for all kinds of hitting and pitching lessons, but the most important lessons she takes are for her SAT class.

Upper-level privates are insane at over $80K per year. I don't know many families who can afford that cost out-of-pocket without assistance.

You're absolutely right about the real money being in academics. A great SAT/ACT/GPA is worth more than a batting average for the vast majority.

I've got two kids in school right now...both at a D1 private. Yes, that is the sticker price for some privates, but be cautious about equating price with "better". Most academically capable students don't pay anywhere near the sticker price at any school. Many private schools ultimately price themselves to be competitive with comparable public universities. What is studied in college is ultimately more important than where, how much was paid, or even whether someone played on a ball team.

 

[Chilixa]

We're not there yet, as my DD just turned 13. But we do plan on making college campus visits, regardless of softball. So some of the cost of a clinic on a campus would have been spent (for some schools) anyway. If she might get into Penn State and wants to go to Penn State, we will try to take a trip to see Penn State. I assume that can be somewhat packaged with a softball clinic on campus.

Right?

My question was really out of curiosity not that there is a right or wrong way to do things. I just think some would be surprised to realize that their return on investment for travel ball might not be as good as they think if they are just trying to get a scholarship. So combining a softball camp with a school your daughter already has interest in makes a ton of sense to me. I selfishly hope my daughter ends up playing in college so I can watch. She might choose a college for completely different reasons and that is ok.


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[uncdrew]

All I can say is I've had the opportunity to spend way more quality time with both of my daughters than most other parents can dream of, and that's because of softball. My kids don't drink, don't take drugs, are good students, treat people with respect, and are a lot of fun to be around. I wouldn't trade this time with them for all the money in the world.

Yup.

I spend this money for me, not her.

Kind of joking. But honestly, I love being a softball dad. It might be my #1 hobby. I should probably get another hobby. Or another kid.

 

[uncdrew]

My question was really out of curiosity not that there is a right or wrong way to do things. I just think some would be surprised to realize that their return on investment for travel ball might not be as good as they think if they are just trying to get a scholarship. So combining a softball camp with a school your daughter already has interest in makes a ton of sense to me. I selfishly hope my daughter ends up playing in college so I can watch. She might choose a college for completely different reasons and that is ok.


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Yes, for sure. And I think it goes for any sport. If it's 100% financial, you don't spend money on the kid and make them study all the time. Invest your money wisely, lead the kid towards academic scholarships.

 

[Westwind]

Another example: Local kid gets recruited to a mid major as a corner infielder. BIG bat. She shows up at school and gets ignored by the coaches.

In the spring of her freshman year, all the catchers are injured. The Hall Of Fame coach gets in front of the team and says “Who here can catch?”

The corner infielder, who was up until now ignored, speaks up.

Starts every inning for four years. Swings at bad pitches. Gets screamed at because she is trying to hit the ball hard. Sets every school record there is and most conference hitting records. Is a holy terror at the plate. Saves the team over and over and over again.

She was Lucky. Lucky that the Hall Of Fame coach was out of catchers and wasn’t able to make the bad choice she wanted to make.

 

[GKCO]

Absolutely would still be playing. Anyone who uses the cost of travel ball as an "investment" for college is dumb as rocks. Most kids don't get a full ride and like 5% of players even play in college. You do this because your kid loves it and team sports builds character. I laugh at the parents who think their kid is going to school for free.

 

[_MIA_]

and make them study all the time

and then they get to college and are burned out and don't do crap I have Indian colleagues in my department who went to the IITs and this was common there. I didn't have that problem..I don't think I did any schoolwork at home till my Jr. year in HS and that was only because the classes I was taking were actually interesting(to me) at that point.