Last High School Game for a 2022; Need to Vent

[CMMom1740]

OP here; I understand the philosophical discussion of "play your seniors" vs. "play the best nine," but it doesn't apply to the situation I described. My DD is both a senior and a four-year starter. Not someone who has never played in the starting lineup before. So that argument just isn't relevant here.

What was described by way of context and as background was that my DD has gone from being the starting catcher for every game last year (and being chosen for 1st Team All-Region) to being a very occasional fill-in for catcher. We weren't thrilled, of course, but we learned to live with it. The specific incident I'm still chafed about was that last game and DD being pulled from what everyone knew was very possibly going to be her last at bat in HS. And being pulled for HC to let a sophomore who had four hits all season bat for her. Anyone who can legitimately say that, in my position, they'd be totally cool with that decision is either lying or so laid back as to be almost without a pulse. My opinion of course. Yes, I'm a parent. No, I'm not unbiased. But the reactions of the people around us who were either there or have heard the details tell me that I'm not alone in feeling the decision was a) stupid in terms of game strategy and b) thoughtless on the part of HC.

 

[ang2bmd]

So you have no concept of what the OP is talking about. It doesn't apply to you -- my guess is it doesn't apply to most of the people here who are preaching best 9 and all-knowing coaches' eyes. This is a forum for parents of girls who are stars and rarely sit, much less get benched, who always play and when they aren't it's considered a slight because people here are convinced their daughter's rewards are based only on their talents and efforts.

Of course you think underclassmen should play -- you're daughter is an underclassman. Of course the parents of 12-year-olds think freshmen should start because they can see a time not too far away where their daughter is a freshman. The casual dismissal of the feelings of those girls and their parents -- the ones who get get replaced by your superstar daughters -- is revealing. it's easy to say to someone else that their disappointment are "just a part of life" when it's not something you've experienced or dealt with.

Wow....talk about someone that can't read an entire post. My kid is a star at her primary sport. She rides a lot of pine in her 3rd and probably will continue to even as an upper classman and that's ok with me because she earns her spots as every kid should. If she earns a starting spot as an upperclassmen that's great if an underclassmen is better than her then thats what should happen. My younger child is a role player in pretty much everything. She works hard but she's just not gifted like her sister. I don't think she should get to play because she works hard. My parent heart breaks for the OPS daughter but I don't think the coach was wrong just because she was a senior. Our coach made the opposite decision in our last game and let an injured senior have 1 last at bat. Game wasn't a blow out but it wasn't likely we would pull it out either. Some of the girls including other seniors felt like the coach gave up on them since we knew this kiddo wasn't 100%. Coaches can't win. Ops coach did what they thought was right in the moment. I personally was a bench warmer beat out of my position as a senior after having been a starter as a junior and I still think the best should play. I do also believe in senior day. Seniors get to start but I don't believe you sacrifice the game either.

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[JumboJack]

A LOT of parents posting in this thread are in for a big surprise once their DD starts playing college ball.


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[ang2bmd]

OP here; I understand the philosophical discussion of "play your seniors" vs. "play the best nine," but it doesn't apply to the situation I described. My DD is both a senior and a four-year starter. Not someone who has never played in the starting lineup before. So that argument just isn't relevant here.

What was described by way of context and as background was that my DD has gone from being the starting catcher for every game last year (and being chosen for 1st Team All-Region) to being a very occasional fill-in for catcher. We weren't thrilled, of course, but we learned to live with it. The specific incident I'm still chafed about was that last game and DD being pulled from what everyone knew was very possibly going to be her last at bat in HS. And being pulled for HC to let a sophomore who had four hits all season bat for her. Anyone who can legitimately say that, in my position, they'd be totally cool with that decision is either lying or so laid back as to be almost without a pulse. My opinion of course. Yes, I'm a parent. No, I'm not unbiased. But the reactions of the people around us who were either there or have heard the details tell me that I'm not alone in feeling the decision was a) stupid in terms of game strategy and b) thoughtless on the part of HC.

As a parent I totally get what you're saying. As an objective observer I would have to know a whole lot more about your team and coach to decide about the poor strategy and/or thoughtlessness but I am absolutely sorry that your daughter had to feel this. I hope she is able to set it aside and remember her softball years for the whole of what they were

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[JayW]

As a parent I totally get what you're saying. As an objective observer I would have to know a whole lot more about your team and coach to decide about the poor strategy and/or thoughtlessness but I am absolutely sorry that your daughter had to feel this. I hope she is able to set it aside and remember her softball years for the whole of what they were

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I think this sums up the whole thread. None of us have any perspective on what reason the coach had for using a pinch hitter in a specific game situation. That’s probably why the conversation devolved into a senior v underclassman debate. And I’m pretty sure that everyone here emphathizes with a young woman facing emotional pain. Good luck to the DD going forward and in college.

 

[Tatonka]

Seems like a lot of folks are also missing the context provided repeatedly by the OP that this wasn't simple a one-time, specific case of pulling her from her last at bat but rather an evolving scenario of reduced playing time in favor of another kid. Now, was there a reason for that? Maybe, and maybe it was good reason... we will likely never know. But, stop defending every coach in every scenario please. Many just plain suck. Admit it, you might just feel better.

 

[JayW]

Seems like a lot of folks are also missing the context provided repeatedly by the OP that this wasn't simple a one-time, specific case of pulling her from her last at bat but rather an evolving scenario of reduced playing time in favor of another kid. Now, was there a reason for that? Maybe, and maybe it was good reason... we will likely never know. But, stop defending every coach in every scenario please. Many just plain suck. Admit it, you might just feel better.

not true. she was moved from C to DP 1/4 through the season. so she was playing her normal position at regionals. nobody is defending the coach in this particular case because nobody here witnessed what happened. i do think that most people are saying play the better player regardless of seniority. pretty sure nobody said all coaches do the right thing, or are good at their jobs.

 

[whiporee]

Except that “better players” is in the eyes of the coach. I doubt there are many cases of coaches doing anything but that, but “better” is subjective. I just happen to think seniority —leadership and loyalty — factors into that “better” equation than most people here do.


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[Tatonka]

Ummm, well how do you interpret this from the OP earlier today as well as her initial post describing this evolving situation?
"What was described by way of context and as background was that my DD has gone from being the starting catcher for every game last year (and being chosen for 1st Team All-Region) to being a very occasional fill-in for catcher."

JayW, you may have felt I was responding just to you with my last post. I wasn't. My comment about defending every coach in every scenario was a generalization of what occurs on DFP quite frequently not this specific example. Capisce?

 

[JayW]

it wasn’t “evolving” - she used to be the catcher and then she wasn’t. no capiche, but you are free to have your own opinion.