New to travel softball

[SoAZDad]

Yes, busier. WAY busier. And I don't get to see all of my son's recitals (live, that is, I sit with him and let him tell me all about it as I watch the DVDs). So when there's a conflict, DW goes with DS (she never played sports but is a musician and danced, he is playing 3 instruments and takes 4 styles of dance) and I go with DD (I played a lot of baseball and other sports and my musical talent is limited to air kazoo). So we pump out a lot of money on dance costumes, instruments, music and dance lessons, premier tickets, and the whole TB expense list. But it works. When my boy does go to a tournament, he has a ball. There's nothing better for me that watching the girls yuk it up between games. Remember the golden rules: 1, the only thing you say after the game is "that was fun watching you play," and 2, the girls need to feel good to play good. The latter is especially important so you accommodate her and get her up earlier so she can braid her hair and tie all the bows and stuff like that.

Good luck and hold on tight.

 

[Lovemykiddos]

Thank you all so much for your input! I have a much better understanding of what we need to look for. Is there a directory or list of teams on line for the western PA area that anyone knows of? Thanks again!

 

[riseball]

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.

Being normal is vastly overrated. But then again there is no such thing as a normal family. It is a fantasy found in a Norman Rockwell paintings and re-runs on TVLand. If it is a full time commitment so what? That is better than sitting around doing nothing every weekend, wondering what your kids are doing while you obsess over your lawn. The TB life and the associated life lessons are far and away better for kids than what most families have. They commit to nothing, to have the freedom to do things, that they never end up doing. They are only committed to seeking some mythical "balance" in their lives.

I always find it interesting that OLIF is always so free to pontificate on the evils of TB, TB Coaches, TB Parents, and TB life yet by her own words she has no real experience with it.

 

[sluggers]

It is a fantasy found in a Norman Rockwell paintings

Wait...if Norman Rockwell paintings are fantasy, then the Chicago Cubs must be *winning*, right?



The Dugout, by Norman Rockwell, 1948.

 

[riseball]

Look. Admit you are a grown adult who is obsessed with a teen girl's sport, perhaps looking for converts who want to be accepted into something. It is not that hard to admit; certainly easier than shooting the messenger. I fought mine by not getting involved in it, easier because I had boys. I am glad I never had to play for coaches and for dads (and now moms) like the ones I see on here. Yeah, softball does not get you far as an adult, that is for sure. We had balance and it transfers into an adulthood with more possibilities.

No softball does not get you far in adult life as you well know. However, the life lessons learned by those that choose to make the most of the experience provide vast opportunities.

 

[Sweet Lou]

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.

Generally speaking kids who play sports are actually more likely to go to college than kids who don't.

There is a fairly long but good read here for those interested.

Facts: Sports Activity and Children | Project Play

two tidbits I found particularly interesting were these...

One study found that when coaches received training in skills and communicating effectively with kids, only five percent of children chose not to play the sport again. With untrained coaches, the attrition rate was 26 percent (Smoll and Smith, 1992). Yet, most youth coaches do not receive any training. Only 1 in 5 coaches of youth teams of children under age 14 say they have been trained in effective motivational technique, and just 1 in 3 in skills and tactics in the primary sport they coach, according to original data produced for the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society Program by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association through a survey of 43,000 households in 2013.

Parents of kids who make travel and other elite teams say they're happy -– 91 percent say their kid's club coach is great (University of Florida, ESPN Magazine, 2013). However, opinion about local youth sport leagues is not so positive. Parents of boys under age 15 more often have a favorable opinion of the NFL (71 percent), MLB (68 percent) and NBA (58 percent) than they do of their community youth football (49 percent), baseball (57 percent) and basketball (49 percent)

 

[riseball]

I think OLIF is bitter toward the whole TB world because it subjugates her world of High School Softball. She has made it clear that were it up to her there would only be rec-ball with practices and no weekend tournaments until 12U. And then after 14U only High School ball to prevent the overuse injuries and abuse by male TB coaches, and obsessive parents living vicariously through their kids. Strange thing is that she strongly advocates female, former player coaches. Yet seems to view Title IX as a godsend although it was the catalyst for the existing male dominance with respect to coaching of women's sports in college.

 

[grounded]

In all honesty...the packet that DD was given before her middle school graduation in June with the "Expectations" for the incoming HS softball players was WELL beyond what out travel coaches expect from us. From training on a skills level to strength/conditioning goals. Though we are working on it on our own, this consumes about 8 hrs week for a chance to play a game in spring...talk about crazy. Oh, female coach btw

 

[riseball]

In all honesty...the packet that DD was given before her middle school graduation in June with the "Expectations" for the incoming HS softball players was WELL beyond what out travel coaches expect from us. From training on a skills level to strength/conditioning goals. Though we are working on it on our own, this consumes about 8 hrs week for a chance to play a game in spring...talk about crazy. Oh, female coach btw

Not saying it is right or wrong but I always found it odd that HS coaches seem so big on strength and conditioning. Yet they typically play 1 game per day 2 - 3 times a week in a season consisting of 20 - 30 games. Then again given the generous amount of practice time, may they can afford that luxury.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Yeah, softball does not get you far as an adult, that is for sure.

One of the most inaccurate statements I have read in quite a while.....

TB has SINGLE HANDEDLY molded my DD into a young adult that is ready and confident to conquer whatever college and life in general has to throw at her.

Define stretch goals, go for them (with parents coaxing & support - especially when young), excel in something that requires blood/sweat/tears or otherwise you risk being unable to fight yourself out of a wet paper bag...

The masses of the "great generation" are being replaced by the "wuss generation" and categorical non-challenge lifestyles for kids gets them there on the express train.