The journey continues but sort of really begins and a thank you to you all!

[MidwestFastpitchDad]

My DD has some big goals. I’ve been perusing this forum and gaining a ton of advice and insight-so thank you to the people who share their knowledge and experiences as we navigate this game and community.

As she enters HS after this summer, I didn’t think it was too early to start finding paths to reach her goals. I don’t think it necessary to say if a goal seems out of reach. I try to contextualize everything and be honest.

DD wants to go D1 and talking law school. We know kids change their minds every ten minutes about the foods and clothes and music they like, but she’s been on this mindset for a bit now.

We have driven home the idea that her goals will not fall into her lap-it’s gonna be a battle uphill and she’s gonna have to put in a lot of work and personal development.

For the moment, she’s going for it. I’m excited and nervous for her, but we are gonna be here for it cheering the whole time.

But again, a thank you to the regular posters who have either - made this journey or their kids have-share their stories. I hope I can join in along with you all at some point


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[PJR202]

Good luck to her! It's a grind to get there and even more so to STAY there. I've always felt very lucky that my kid (upcoming junior) has no interest in playing travel or playing after high school. But she's still learning a lot about herself and how to work toward goals. She's also learning about instructing pitching as she progresses with her own pitching, and is thinking she may get into instructing when she's in college. Not only is it fun and rewarding, but it'll beat the pants off the pay she could get from any other job she gets while in school.

 

[Orange Socks]

There are many different paths to the next level. It is never too early. I would make the goal-To play in college regardless of Division. There is lots of great softball being played in all divisions. My DD had to start emailing college in 8th grade since kids were committing so early.
Is she in a reputable TB program with good coaching and a history of helping place players into college?
Does she have the skill set?
Has she starting attending camps?
Does she have a list of 20 schools that match (skill, academics, financial, distance, etc) to start with?
Dream school, good fit, back ups?
Has she starting emailing these coaches?

The goal is to find a reason to mark off schools off your list as fast as possible so you don't waste your time with those schools and then back fill as necessary. Spend your time and energy on the right schools with the right fit. It will take several years to know what that even is. My DD was spinning her wheels in schools that she thought was the right fit and then all of a sudden her school entered the list and become THE school in less than 2 months, after many years of looking at the wrong schools. Be open and honest and seek trusted counsel from parents that have done it. Not from the ones that are in the middle of it.

Instead sitting back and being a cheerleader, you need to be an active participant helping your DD, leading your DD, advising, pushing, being annoying, knowing when to push the gas and knowing when to let up.

Lots of great advise on this board. Use the search function and you will find topics, conversations that are worth gold.

 

[murphdog]

I suggest driving to some local colleges and walking around the campus. Pick one small, one large, one city, one more suburban.
This was a huge help when DD was starting to look. The last thing you want is for her to get there freshman year and realize that the school is too big/small/whatever and she doesn’t like that.
She needs to reach out to schools that she’d be happy at if softball ends for some reason.

DD talked to schools of all levels and decided D3 was best for her because she wanted a real college experience while playing ball and most D1s have a lot more travel than she wanted. I’m glad she did because she ended up in an accelerated grad school program that likely wouldn’t have worked out in a higher level program.

 

[MidwestFastpitchDad]

There are many different paths to the next level. It is never too early. I would make the goal-To play in college regardless of Division. There is lots of great softball being played in all divisions. My DD had to start emailing college in 8th grade since kids were committing so early.
Is she in a reputable TB program with good coaching and a history of helping place players into college?
Does she have the skill set?
Has she starting attending camps?
Does she have a list of 20 schools that match (skill, academics, financial, distance, etc) to start with?
Dream school, good fit, back ups?
Has she starting emailing these coaches?

The goal is to find a reason to mark off schools off your list as fast as possible so you don't waste your time with those schools and then back fill as necessary. Spend your time and energy on the right schools with the right fit. It will take several years to know what that even is. My DD was spinning her wheels in schools that she thought was the right fit and then all of a sudden her school entered the list and become THE school in less than 2 months, after many years of looking at the wrong schools. Be open and honest and seek trusted counsel from parents that have done it. Not from the ones that are in the middle of it.

Instead sitting back and being a cheerleader, you need to be an active participant helping your DD, leading your DD, advising, pushing, being annoying, knowing when to push the gas and knowing when to let up.

Lots of great advise on this board. Use the search function and you will find topics, conversations that are worth gold.

She is in a decent travel program now which does have commits every year.

We have really accelerated our research on this. She did her first came a few weeks ago. We plan to try for 3 or 4 next year and anything we can find in the winter during break.

I would say her abilities are all hers to earn. She is very driven and she will put in the work. I would not call her a natural athlete, but she’s been doubted so often and I love seeing her show the naysayers what’s what.

She does very well academically and she knows that’s often the top question for most athletes entering college.

We haven’t quite started a list of schools, but I know it’s important to have one so that she can feel good about wherever she lands.

We plan to start visiting school in our area this school year when we can-especially to catch a game.


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[cvsoftball]

Her goal should be to be better today than she was yesterday, mechnically and mentally.

 

[Orange Socks]

She is in a decent travel program now which does have commits every year.

We have really accelerated our research on this. She did her first came a few weeks ago. We plan to try for 3 or 4 next year and anything we can find in the winter during break.

I would say her abilities are all hers to earn. She is very driven and she will put in the work. I would not call her a natural athlete, but she’s been doubted so often and I love seeing her show the naysayers what’s what.

She does very well academically and she knows that’s often the top question for most athletes entering college.

We haven’t quite started a list of schools, but I know it’s important to have one so that she can feel good about wherever she lands.

We plan to start visiting school in our area this school year when we can-especially to catch a game.


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Your TB program should be talking to your players/parents about recruiting starting at age 14U to lay the ground work. What does your fall schedule look like? Your team should already be entered in showcases in your region especially if she will be in HS this fall.

If you don't have a list of schools, then who would you even start to email or know which camps to focus on? This should be THE number 1 thing to do ASAP. Do not attend any camps unless you know that this school is on your list. Otherwise it's just an added Expense vs an Investment.

Most parents that are/have been recruited will be in Colorado this week, hopefully they will chime in when they get back home.

 

[Agbracing]

It is an awesome time when they put out their goals and start putting a plan together to achieve them. To me it’s a huge lesson in life that will teach them if they reach it or not. My DD at an early age had the goal to play in OKC and started working towards it with a plan. She literally divided schools by WCWS contenders and just power 5 schools. So don’t let big dreams scare her. (I do not recommend this approach for the record)

Understand as the parents you have to be just as committed as your daughter. Choosing the right travel organization and coaches that can guide you in the right direction. The team playing in the right tournaments and in the good divisions. You helping her with social media and emails. The hours spent at lessons or extra work at home. It truly is a marathon and not a sprint.

Just entering high school her grades will now be more important then before. If she is thinking law school then she probably understands how important they will be in the long run. There will be events at school or with friends that she will miss. It takes doing the small things that others are not willing to do. It will have lots of ups and downs. Times she will want to quit and times she is having the time of her life. As a parent try to keep her as even as possible.

But as a parent when they commit to the dream school that can make all their dreams come true and there is no doubt they found the right fit it will make you very proud. It might not end up being a d1 school and it might be medical instead of law but all the sacrifices will become worth it. It might seem like forever away but trust me the time flies by and in a few blinks they are a senior.