Softball on the Decline?

[wild man]

My LL team played a Game against another town that just 5 years ago had all leveles of LL and at least Two travel teams. The LL was kind of a feeder for travel ball. Now they have one LL team and No Travel team. They used to be among the best teams now they are at the bottom. Their HS has only 9 players for a Varsity and no JV for about 3 years. The Coach told me that the HS figures about Two years and the HS program is done. The girls that used to play SB now play Lacrosse, Spring Soccer , and Volleyball.

More and more I run into the same or similar situation. I think its because Softball if a Very hard sport to Play. Soccer is easy you just kick the Ball. I asked a few girls about why they dont play and all of them said the same thing. Softball is too hard. This spring they had 60 girls go out for Lacrosse.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Where in the world are you talking about? Up north or upper west?

Our HS had 45+ at tryouts. Only took 21 for varsity and jv *total. Girls are killing themselves lining up for TB teams right and left. We have had 13 sign this year to the next level in a small rural county.*

If anything I've seen a huge increase over the past 5 years. 10 years ago I didn't even know softball was considered a sport, now it seems to be the most popular of choice in the SEC states.*

 

[RubberBiscuit]

In the upper midwest I thought it was on the decline for a while there but then after some years you look at things and here we see cycles. Some years are heavy with numbers & talent. Other years it's almost dry...

Then on those years where it is heavy with numbers & talent there is usually a great motivated sole or two that inspire & coach these numbers through.

That's why it's so critical to get good coaching leaders out there to keep the population of potential DD's from concluding that dreaded phrase that you state => "Softball is too hard..."

 

[Amy in AZ.]

It has been on the decline here, for a few years. But, it is the economy here. LL is about 1/2 the size that it used to be. The school does offer good sports - soccer, softball, basketball and volleyball, though.

 

[marriard]

Softball is exploding here in South Florida.

Exposure on ESPN with the CWS and a variety of other major TV is only going to grow the sport faster. NPF and other pro opportunities need to exist to help continue to expand the sport and create the highest profile players (which is what the Olympics did).

And as much as Lacrosse is a growing sport they are along way from getting this level of exposure. I would consider the biggest competition soccer (World Cup exposure) and basketball (which has established pro leagues worldwide and the WNBA).

If you can develop the 'names' and the stages you have a platform for success. I can name a lot of the top woman players from softball, soccer and basketball. I couldn't name a single Lacrosse player.

 

[HornetsCoach]

lacrosse out competes baseball and softball in a lot of places and especially here on long island, and lacrosse has been for 30 years or so now.

the reason that lacrosse and soccer do better is some places is that baseball and softball are disfavored as being too 'slow', there just isn't as much action, certainly not as much constant running.

don't kid yourselves about any other reason. that is it.

that won't make sense to most people on this board because they are good coaches - everybody moves on every pitch, they cover, they back up up, they take secondary leads and they steal, they run in and off the field.

but it takes a good coach to teach softball that way, the other way, all the players standing around while one coach hits grounders, well - look this name up, my old roomates daughter, mcfadden, a world cup competitor, watch the speed she and her teamates place at - you can see what we are competing against.

 

[shockcoach]

5 years ago, I lost the best athlete I ever coached to lacrosse. She is now a senior in high school and ranked #1 in the state. While I was bummed that we lost her, I enjoy watching her succeed in something she loves. I've watched her a few times and I wish I could field a fastpitch team with the girls on the field playing lacrosse. Tremendous athletes and lots of speed!

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

Softball is still king (or queen) here , But Volleyball is starting to really flourish. There isnt a a lacrosse team anywhere near here , so I dont think softball will be losing girls to that anytime soon.

 

[MTR]

Lacrosse was the Spring sport for girls in the mid-60s in my area. For that matter, it replaced softball as the spring sport for female students.

IMO, a big part is expense and the type of skills. Don't get me wrong, many people couldn't throw and catch a lacrosse ball if their life depended on it. It is an extremely athletic sport which requires high level of fitness and skill, but maybe not as many individual skills.

Also, higher level of available participation and can play on just about any field.

 

[Ken Krause]

It seems to be somewhat in decline around here too. There aren't nearly as many quality travel teams as there were a few years ago and the caliber of high school ball doesn't seem to be as good as it once was. A lot of it seems to be the quality of coaching, or lack of it. Kids just aren't getting what they need and are quitting to play other sports or do other things.