Looking for advice in the 'life isn't fair" dept. re: HS Ball

[KCPRK]

Don't overanalyze it. DD plays HS with all the same challenges everyone mentions but she went in knowing it was possible. With that knowledge she decided she was playing HS ball for fun and social experience. Don't get me wrong-shes hardcore competitive but shes actually enjoying a team where shes almost invisible from a leader standpoint. Its a nice break to be able to hangout with friends, play some ball, go to team dinners, ride the bus to away games, team group texts etc etc. Shes confident that her ability will shine and IF they need her to do more they'll ask.

Therell never be scouts or college coaches at her hs games.

She knows that the other 10 months of the year shes playing hardcore A/Gold showcase ball and that's work-hard long hours. HS is a fun break.

 

[riseball]

My DD had a similar experience her Senior year. The other Senior pitcher and her mom were up the coaches butt and as a result got more innings. But when it counted my DD was in the circle and put up the better numbers. The coached hated my guts after I exposed that despite her claims she never played D1 softball.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Just replace 'High School Softball' with 'High School Cricket'. Think of it as a whole different game with a bunch of weird rules that seem somewhat familiar but you can never really completely understand.

 

[spleen1015]

Christie Ambrosi was an infielder her whole career growing up until she went to UCLA and they put her in the outfield. Then she won a gold medal with the national team as an outfielder.

 

[Anthony Vertuccio]

and you wonder why coaches pull their hair out! damned if you do...damned if you don't! Hey HS Sports is voluntary....College coaches don't care about HS Ball! you don't have to play if you are not happy!!

 

[obbay]

there's some good feedback here, thank you.

but getting a starting job on varsity as a freshman sounds more like an achievement than mistreatment to me.

I definitely agree, its just the social politics involved. Didn't mean to sound like a whiner, but I was whining. I think you read a little too much into the whine, but thats ok, I asked for it. My primary discomfort is kids being given the brass ring without having to earn it, thats all.

FP26- That's what I've been thinking and told DD. it makes sense. That being said, his starting SS is also (1) of his pitchers. In the past when those two have played on the same team, the coaches would play the two of them at the same time with one pitching and the other at 3B or SS. then one could go in for the other without anyone coming out of the game. I thought it might work for this team as well because it didn't take a lot of thought.

I was an OF and that was my preferred position. I played SS, 3B and C but OF was my favorite. DD is wired differently than me. she is wired for IF so I plan to talk up the OF thing and keep her psyched about it. just don't want her to lose her edge- and I also don't want her throwing her arm out!

 

[obbay]

I walked away before posting and then after I posted I saw a lot more responses.
All worth thanks but I couldn't do it so thank you CP, KC, RB, GS, SP1015 and AV!
when you are on the outside looking in, you get a clearer view , so thanks for helping me see.
also Riseball, your post was great! Absolutely Fantastic!

 

[guero_gordo]

If you're fortunate enough to have a situation without the other BS, HS ball is still about finding the least-square peg for the round hole.
If the practices are halfway decent and your kid is in a position she can succeed in, you're way ahead of the game.

 

[MsDinosaur]

In the pre-season scrimmages the HS coach has been playing (2) other freshman at middle infield. DD is a better infielder than the other two, but he has been putting her in OF, because the other two can't play OF.

Bad outfield play at older ages will KILL you. If your daughter has decent speed and can track the ball (I'm guessing she does possess those skills based on what you've said), the school probably needs her there.

As FP26 pointed out, the coach may be looking for stability at MI.

...now to be a little parent-centric, would you want your DD's pitching stats to be based on Miss Lead-Foot as the SS, while all the other pitcher's stats are based on your DD at SS? Sure the coaches might remember to take that into account, but they might not.

Really, it sounds like your daughter has the right attitude so far: Play wherever the coach wants her and work to learn the position. Congratulations to her on making varsity!

 

[Little Angels Softball]

Whenever I start recruiting a new incoming batch of 10U girls for my next first-year 12U team, just about all the non-pitchers are either a SS (most) or a 1B. It makes sense as most 10U coaches see these as the most important positions on the field since outs can sometimes be hard to come by at 10U. In fact, I don't believe I have ever recruited an outfielder at 10U. The good players just don't get put out there even if it is the right fit for them.

Because they're all SS/1B, I have to sell the girls and their families on the other positions on the field or else we will have a very rough go of it if I can't.

My Sunday starting OF are two converted SS and one converted 1B. Our OF is also the strongest I've seen at 12U this year, and the girls who play out there LOVE IT and take great pride in their work.

Help your DD accept the OF. The extra skill set will be beneficial to her in the long run and will make her a more versatile player. And ... she just might end up loving it and being good at it!