Playing on a top level team not local to you ??

[BRsoftballDad]

My DD is going to be first year 12u this fall and into next spring. My question is for those that have joined top level national teams that are not local to you,

How did you realize it was time to tryout for one?
How do attending practices work if your several hrs away from this team?
How old was your DD when you made this commitment?

Lots of good info in this thread. I'll share our story which is pretty recent. First year 14u, on a local A class organization that had some pretty good success (3rd place in state tourney, first place finishes in local tourneys, etc). The issue was, we were not playing a national schedule. Heck, we could barely get away from the south Louisiana area. My DD wanted to play more of a national schedule so we knew our time was coming to an end with this team. We were just planning on doing it after the summer. Well, a national org from a city 4 hours away took notice of my daughter as a catcher. They reached out to me and for 3 months I turned them down because I wanted my DD to finish out the year. Well we finally broke down and listened to what they had to say. They came with a national schedule and the coaches made it too tempting to pass up. So we made the jump. As to your questions.....

We realized that it was time to leave our team and go to a national team when we realized that our goals did not align.
On weekends that we do not have a tournament, we will make the 4 hour trip north to do an all day practice. Otherwise, we work at home and my DD has a batting and catching coach that we see every week.
My DD was 13 and a first year 14u player when we left.

 

[_MIA_]

On weekends that we do not have a tournament, we will make the 4 hour trip north to do an all day practice.

This season DD (12's) had the opportunity to play on a "National team" (I mean at 12's that might be an oxymoron but they do play out of state for more than half their tournaments) that was about 4 hours away and more than anything else, the quoted was the issue. She also plays AAU basketball and her off weekends for softball are when she plays her bball tournaments. At 11 YO I am not ready to make her have to choose one over the other when she enjoys (and is pretty good) at both.

 

[ang2bmd]

We are very lucky that our national team supports my 3 sport incredibly athletic kiddo. To be fair we did give up the travel portion of soccer and basketball the summer before 8th grade and just played occasionally when she was needed by her old team and was available

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[radness]

What does top level national team mean?

Just asking as that can have big varriance in what that describes.
Could be just a more broader traveling schedule.
Or
A specific national tournament goal in schedule.
If so which one?
Or
Top 10 historically.
Or
Just one of the 100's teams that try hard chasing the top 10.

Well.... I dont even know. I just have in mind, a team that is consistently playing high level competition and can go to some of these big national tournaments and compete.
A respectable team that is not focusing on dominating the local travel schedule scene

This, as an example,
is an important part of people trying to make decisions without knowing what the choices look like.

Heres a suggestion for everyone~
There is value in going and watching events other than what people are accustomed to attending.

How many folks never make it to big sunday in tournaments?
Or playing pool play then never seeing what gold bracket looks like or even silver.
Also nationals as an example
usssa afa tcs pgf different levels,... even in colorado differences in sparkler, power pool, & idt.
attract different teams at different levels.
Big gap between
Platinum and Premier pgf.
Some folks who play platinum arent even aware there is a bracket more competitive being premier.

Suggestion is
If enjoying the sport and deciding to invest both time and money...do some fun research and go watch what else is out there!

Helps set goals!!!!

Wether just for fun
or elevate expectations...
Something in softball for everyone!

 

[_MIA_]

This, as an example,
is an important part of people trying to make decisions without knowing what the choices look like.

Heres a suggestion for everyone~
There is value in going and watching events other than what people are accustomed to attending.

How many folks never make it to big sunday in tournaments?
Or playing pool play then never seeing what gold bracket looks like or even silver.
Also nationals as an example
usssa afa tcs pgf different levels,... even in colorado differences in sparkler, power pool, & idt.
attract different teams at different levels.
Big gap between
Platinum and Premier pgf.
Some folks who play platinum arent even aware there is a bracket more competitive being premier.

Suggestion is
If enjoying the sport and deciding to invest both time and money...do some fun research and go watch what else is out there!

Helps set goals!!!!

Wether just for fun
or elevate expectations...
Something in softball for everyone!

All the PGF National championship games from the past 5 years or so are archived on YouTube.

 

[CMMom1740]

DD played on a team that is located 6 hours from us this year. She was one of two out of state players on the team, although some of the others had a decent commute too. What wound up happening was that she never truly felt a part of the team because she was one of two who couldn't attend practices due to distance. Unfortunately, it wound up being a negative experience.

If I could turn back time, we probably would not have done it. I would only consider being a "distance" player on a team again if there were quite a few others doing the same thing. Even at 18U, cliques in the dugout can be toxic and that's how things turned out for us this year. We will not return to that team in August and will play locally again.

 

[Strike2]

What is the goal? Is it to play at the top level, play at some level, or get college paid for?

What's the desired post-college outcome?

I've seen some very good players whose opportunities narrowed considerably because their test scores sucked. I've seen some very, very good players get some nice opportunities, including P5, but not make it through one year at a school that's not even very selective because they were unprepared for college level classwork.

When entertaining youth softball offers that require huge dollar and time expenditures, keep in mind that a great academic resume that includes high test scores is usually worth more than just a high batting average. If you don't know how to prep your kid for an entrance exam, budget some money for that just as you would hitting lessons.

Lastly, think about the overall consequence and likely outcome of being a college softball player. Will she be able to study what she wants? If not, will that light(er)weight major I see lots of athletes opt for be useful to her when she's done? Even with the athletic scholarships that might happen, what's the opportunity cost, and how much debt (and possible injuries) will she carry at the back end to make this dream happen?

 

[Westwind]

Friends dd who hit double digit hr’s last year on a P5 team just took the MCAT and will likely score plenty high. That team has turned out all kinds of medical professional candidates.

 

[Long Baller]

Lots of good info in this thread. I'll share our story which is pretty recent. First year 14u, on a local A class organization that had some pretty good success (3rd place in state tourney, first place finishes in local tourneys, etc). The issue was, we were not playing a national schedule. Heck, we could barely get away from the south Louisiana area. My DD wanted to play more of a national schedule so we knew our time was coming to an end with this team. We were just planning on doing it after the summer. Well, a national org from a city 4 hours away took notice of my daughter as a catcher. They reached out to me and for 3 months I turned them down because I wanted my DD to finish out the year. Well we finally broke down and listened to what they had to say. They came with a national schedule and the coaches made it too tempting to pass up. So we made the jump. As to your questions.....

We realized that it was time to leave our team and go to a national team when we realized that our goals did not align.
On weekends that we do not have a tournament, we will make the 4 hour trip north to do an all day practice. Otherwise, we work at home and my DD has a batting and catching coach that we see every week.
My DD was 13 and a first year 14u player when we left.

This was pretty much our path as well, except instead of an all-day practice, we traveled 4-5 hrs for a weekend practice. So we were already racking up hotel costs before the season even started.

 

[CFenton]

I have watched quite a few of the pgf premier championhips. Some good softball being played for sure at the younger age groups. Also mistakes I see often at local tournaments.

RADcatcher.. you make a good point with folks making decisions without knowing what the choices look like...

We arent making any choices anytime soon. But it does make me ponder another question and it is probably a family decision and REAL evaluation of DD's commitment and ability. But, If and when the opportunity presents itself, what is the main end goal for these DD's and families.

You see alot of these interviews/ players thanking folks. Many times they thank family (mom and dad) for pushing them or not letting them quit and how it was not always easy............ Or something along those lines

With that, I dont buy into the thought that every P5 level player was "All About" softball all the time. So what kind of Motherly/Fatherly knudging happens throughout the journey to help keep focus on an end goal (not knowing what it is). Like I said I would love to see her become a gator one day (really any big softball school, as long as its SECbut we are Gator fans.),but at 10-12 I have know idea what my daughters life goals are at this point and I am not dumb enough to think she will follow my every guidance as she is entering an intresting part of her life (Soon).
I have caught enough of her pitches over the last few years to completly admit we dont alway see eye to eye!!!!!