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

[Westwind]

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

Title IX.

Don’t ever forget that the government had to make the bastards do the right thing. From high schools to colleges.

 

[_MIA_]

Don’t ever forget that the government had to make the bastards do the right thing.

 

[GKCO]

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.

THIS. The quality time I get with my daughter who plays softball is priceless.

 

[nixxy311]

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.

Def this - DD is enlisting after HS and I thought I was going to get one more spring of her playing TB before she graduated. She decided not to play TB in the spring and it's been hard dealing with it. Another SB mom said - you knew SB would end but didn't expect to it end so abruptly and I think that's why it's worse. I did GC for all of her teams so I went to every game/tournament - was always the one who travelled so my husband could take care of our dogs. It was a good way to spend time with her.

My other daughter did All-Star cheer for a few years and that had a lot of travel/practices (expensive too) and luckily her schedule never really interfered with my SB DD.

It's amazing what we'll pay to be able to watch our kids do stuff they love

 

[jdint]

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.

This pretty much where I'm at also. When it's over I don't know what I'll do with myself. I guess go back to losing money at golf..

 

[ANNASDAD]

When it's over I don't know what I'll do with myself. I guess go back to losing money at golf..

There's always high-end glove collecting?

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Whenever we would go to a tournament and my daughter would have to miss a party, school event, or some other thing teenagers would do, she would always listen to a certain song. The song in question is "This Is The Life" by Dream Theater. The main line in the chorus is, "This is the life we belong to, a gift divine." It was her way of saying this is her path, and she's okay with everything that comes with it.

I am so proud of that kid.

 

[Gambler Bob]

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”.

That is hard to read. It sounds like this young lady really got the short end of the stick. Coaches can be terrible people in some cases. Coaches can also be a someone that people look up to.

 

[Gambler Bob]

THIS. The quality time I get with my daughter who plays softball is priceless.

I can't take anything you say seriously with that profile pic. You definitely win the award for best profile picture. lmao

 

[ANNASDAD]

Coaches can be terrible people in some cases. Coaches can also be a someone that people look up to.

Sooo much truth in these two simple sentences! Two of Anna's past coaches.....one male coach that I have so much respect for there's nothing I wouldn't do for the guy if he called me in need!

The other , a female coach.....if she was on fire I'd literally beat the brakes off of anyone trying to put the fire out!! I despise this woman, she was a demon, and being a demon is what drove her and made her happy! Besides my older mean sister, this is the only other woman I've ever wanted to punch in the face! Eventually this dumbass did her own self in but not until she made a lot of people miserable!

She's really the only mistake our organization president made the entire time we played there, and I've let him know about it multiple times!

So @Gambler Bob, your comment is 100% true! Hope no one here judges me for the "punch in the face" comment, but if you knew her or was around her any length of time you'd understand, I'm getting mad just writing this!