New to travel softball

[SoAZDad]

Look, there are no travel teams, C level or otherwise, that allow your family to take advantage of the rest of things that normal families do, regardless of whatever 'political' views you have. Be honest. What I see are some nice things that may happen, but justification to try and convince someone TB is something other than a full time commitment. It is a full time commitment. It is like saying we had a nice lunch at work; it is still work.

I don't have girls in travel softball and never did, so not my life, nor do I care what others think, I see what I see and hear what I hear and want people to be honest. It is often the parents who are living through it and not the kids. We find that out when the kids or the coaches quit later.

A psych professor told me in my mid-30s that all families are dysfunctional. So a family should strive for balance and accept they are not normal because no family is, its an ideal. It doesn't happen.

TB has already taught my DD life lessons and continued to bond us. The best HS coach in this area (which has a reputation of being pretty doggone good and has recently sent players to Stanford, Arizona, North Carolina, Tennessee, etc.) retired and the new self-proclaimed best coach in the program (fresh outta D1 ball with an anti-male swagger) had a NCAA pick team handed down but did not get a renewed contract. First lesson: just because you can play, doesn't mean you can coach. Second lesson: Lose the attitude and ask for help when you need it. The coach was a trainer at D1 schools and had a great conditioning program that made my slow, clumsy DD a faster, stronger, more graceful runner.

 

[Coach JV]

OILF for someone who coaches HS SB you have a lot of negative things to say about the sport and I just don't know why.

OMG thank you so very much. There is a place in every forum for some pessimism
but no place for outright bitterness and negativity

 

[RetiredCoach]

In regards to my DDs being heavily into fastpitch softball (school and TB): My ex-wife and I didn't see eye-to-eye on a lot of things but we agreed on our child rearing philosophy: "We are raising girls, not wimps!"

 

[SoGASoftball]

All I needed to read was...

Compared to non-athlete peers, female high school athletes are less likely to be sexually active, to use drugs, and to suffer from depression (Women's Sports Foundation, 2004).

I'm sold...

 

[NorthMS]

OILF, unless the men, who've done you wrong are on this site, please drop the man hate.

Your problem seems to be with men getting involved in a woman's sport. That's sexist. When I (father of 3 girls), come home from work, I have 2-3 girls meeting be at the car with gloves in hand. I can't tell you how rewarding it is to have them WANT to spend time with me. I will not apologize to being involved with their life. I will not apologize for enjoying it. I will not apologize for requiring that they put forth the effort in WHAT EVER they do. Sports are filled with life lessons that I still get to use today as an adult.

As far as normal goes... Today, normal is sitting on the couch texting or playing video games while you're 20 lbs overweight. Normal is children being coddled throughout childhood. Normal is parents constantly making excuses for their children. Normal is to NOT take responsibility for your actions. Normal is to think of yourself above all others.

You are right, we don't live a "normal" life and I'm damned proud of it.

 

[Cobb_of_Fury]

There are several Programs in the Pittsburgh area that are less... Driven and more instructive.
Take a look at the Pittsburgh Riot they have several teams at different talent levels.

Pittsburgh Riot Tryout Schedule - Hosted by: Team Impact PA Softball Club / Pittsburgh, PA

There are also several “Neighborhood” Travel Teams that may be a good fit.

Look at the Tri-state Fastpitch forum that I linked above for good local help.