The underlying issue could be

[RADcatchers]

The player may not want to continue playing softball.
___________________
What is that disappointment face all about?
You say you want to play softball but it seems like your performance is lacking? Your face and body language looks like you don't want to be there.
What then?

Could be,
Kids stuffing inside what they are thinking.
Aka- they're not talking about it.
Still can see
Body language
And
Performance results
>>> Which May tell the real story.

Perhaps parents just see their child as being emotional, perhaps they think they'll grow out of it.
While sometimes there is growing through those emotions.
Sometimes it's something more.

If the face and body language continue exhibiting what looks like not positive attributes. Think there is a discussion to be had.

DFP ~ Q & A
How long to wait to address this?

Once parent/child conversation gets implemented, how many weeks months or years do you continue with that situation?

 

[CoachCeetar]

Lots of people do things because of inertia. "I play softball because I play softball" is certainly one of them.

 

[YoungBuck]

Nothing wrong with going in a different direction.

As long as you're doing something.

 

[cvsoftball]

Good coaches are good teachers and good teachers know how to reach their students and help find the correct path forward.

 

[Rolling Hard]

There is always field hockey or the debate team or the chess club or surfing.
But seriously, I know coaches want to get their players in front of college coaches as much as possible but this can be over done. Kids need a break, a weekend off every once in a while. They need to go to homecoming or mini vacation. Softball 12 or 14 weeks in a row is exhausting both physically and mentally. I know college schedule is tough but they generally play 1 or 2 games per day. Some of these tournaments can have you at the park from 6 am till 10 pm.

 

[Orange Socks]

Some of these tournaments can have you at the park from 6 am till 10 pm.

That was our life 10U-14U. 16U/18U For Showcase tourneys, this nonsense pretty much stopped except some of the Nationals if you are bustin' you way through the loser's bracket, but even then it wasn't as stupid as some of these random local weekend tourneys.

 

[Cannonball]

This is an interesting topic. From long before my DD played at our HS, every senior who wanted to play in college was able to do so. Then, we had a long run, including my DD's year, where every senior played in college. Three years ago, we had a group of seniors in which none of them wanted to play in college. Every one of them received the same offers of help. Almost every parent wanted their child to play in college. Still, none did. This past year was the same. Now, we have a new group where most of the seniors want to play in college. I've found this strange in some regards but then again, the seniors who were playing their senior year that did not want to play in college were obviously playing because they loved the game simply for the game itself. BTW, almost all of our team year to year are at the top of their class so attending college was a focus of all of these various players.

 

[RADcatchers]

Good coaches are good teachers and good teachers know how to reach their students and help find the correct path forward.

But coaches don't make the decisions for families.
Aka- coach is not a family counselor.

They may control their roster and coaching team but they don't control the family and players decisions.
( parents are the connecting guidance for their kids, particular to emotional disposition and maturing)

 

[RADcatchers]

Kids need a break,

... and this situation can happen years and years before even considering College.

Burnout might be a subcategory of this topic but I don't think it is the only reason for this predicament to occur.

Example
Earlier transition stages say from rec to travel ball. Where there can become responsibility to Learning and Development that creates added dynamic that the player may not want to do.
The may become confronted with having to be coachable. But not want that level of recreational activity.
Opposite a situation where you sign up and get to play regardless of attitude or disposition. No requirement to be coachable.

 

[CoachJD]

It's also important to know why someone may not want to continue playing.

Do they have other interests?
Do they feel too much pressure?
Is their performance not living up to their expectations or their perceived expectations of others?
Is their current experience (bad team, bad coaching, etc.) affecting their enjoyment?
Have they just been playing too much softball and need a break?

We should not make a kid feel like they're forced to play, but also, the underlying reasons might not be that big of a deal but it seems like a huge deal to them because they're kids and everything is magnified.

Sometimes they need a break. Sometimes they need to just find something new to do. And sometimes they just need a conversation to ease their minds about whatever is bothering them.