Wanting to play travel ball instead of high school season

[ANNASDAD]

As a high school AD I hear it all the time from parents. The best line so far was a mom last year who said “even my daughters boyfriend thinks she should be playing”.

I too have definitely heard that one!

 

[sluggers]

Speed of the game and talent level.
Our middle age daughter wants to stay on track at her competitive level.
3 local high school options the high school coaches have no competitive experience beyond coming from rec ball. Not even upper age competitive travel.

All large suburban areas, such as Chicagoland or SoCal, have some HS teams better than almost all of the local TB teams.

The participation rules were created for basketball and football, not softball. So, to get the rules changed, you have to battle HS football...and good luck to you with that.

 

[ANNASDAD]

Guys, as far as school ball goes, guess I’m in both camps? I hated HS ball with the first coaches when Anna started playing as a 7th grader. They were very well known in our County, a strong family name, they were absolutely the best coaches around.....in Little League baseball.....in 1975!

I honestly could have cared less if she played school ball after that first year! In fact I was called down to the dugout fence during a practice (well before I coached the team) and was asked about my allegiance to the school team.....apparently the coaches threw in a weekend tournament that would have interfered with a TB team camp at a college the same date.

This HS coach said “Anna said she can’t go with us to this tournament, she said she’s got a camp with her TB team....so which is more important to you?” I remember looking this coach in the face and asking, are you serious? TB absolutely takes precedence over this $hit show! You would have thought I slapped him! That moment set the tone with us! He absolutely knew where I stood!

Fast forward a couple of years and me and one of my best friends are coaching the team, now I have to be careful with me coaching and my daughter playing. I pretty much never worked with Anna, it was pretty much with the girls who would try to catch a ball with their face!

I know a lot of people complain about parents ruining the TB experience, they’re was 3 families in those last two years of school ball that I wanted them to have a car wreck on the way to some games, mostly the moms (not really, but I hope you get my point!), they were nasty, vindictive, winches that I used to look at their husbands and just shake my head, like sorry man, glad I’m not you!

Winning a State Championship, a Conference tournament championship, and runner-up in State in a 12 month span didn’t matter, cause that little no playing, could care less, mom where’s my pancake flat glove at little Susie didn’t get to start!

I want to coach a team full of orphans!

 

[sluggers]

Every single coach thinks high school screws up players. To much improper techniques. Bad habit forming environment. They get lazy.

You talked to people you have a vested interest in knocking HS ball.

TB coaches are selling a product to parents, and they knock every other softball group...whether it is a rival TB org or the local HS.

There are lots of awful TB coaches out there.

 

[sluggers]

IL is same. You can play TB and school ball at same time, last I looked they shut school ball down again.

MS is in the fall, HS spring.

Usually, Illinois does allow a kid to play on a TB team while her HS team is active.

There is a suggestion that there will be an exception for 2021 due to covid-19.

 

[radness]

You talked to people you have a vested interest in knocking HS ball.

TB coaches are selling a product to parents, and they knock every other softball group...whether it is a rival TB org or the local HS.

There are lots of awful TB coaches out there.

Those opinions also have a vested interest in the players reaching their goals.

To your point of awful tb coaches also out there. Yep that happens too! However travel ball players can pick a team that is hopefully more in line with them.
Be more selective about what coach they play for.

As i previously posted.
Think its best to let people make a decision that works best for them.


@sluggers
..ps...your grievances are showing.
"coaches selling a product"...
You have brought that up befor start a post on it.

 

[Towny9]

As a high school coach of a very successful team with multiple first round picks, 2 major league all stars, and multiple state titles - the kids we had that chose weekend travel tournaments over high school practices were usually the kids who didn’t start for us, and after they chose their travel team over us, probably never played much for us again. When you are one of the top HS programs you can do that. Most travel teams in our area try their best to stay away from HS conflicts to not put the kids in that position.

With that said - I fully acknowledge that my perspective is tilted because of that. If my DD went to a HS where the team and coaching was awful I’m sure I would feel very different about TB vs. HS.

 

[NBECoach]

Face it there are awful coaches in both HS and TB. But I find that HS coaches are more likely to be held accountable for performance. It may not be much but they are paid. Around here most TB coaches are not paid.

 

[radness]

Face it there are awful coaches in both HS and TB. But I find that HS coaches are more likely to be held accountable for performance. It may not be much but they are paid. Around here most TB coaches are not paid.

Thats a good point and question!
Maybe a poll?
Do you think coaches are held accountable?
H.S. how much
Tb how much

 

[BT3100]

Rumor in our area was the HS coach was horrible, didn't know the game etc. 20 plus years and made playoffs every year by accident I guess.
I went to the first fall practice when DD was a freshman. Took about 10 minutes to see this guy knows his stuff. I don't question anything if someone knows more than me and is willing to put the time and effort in. DD has become a better player due in part to HS softball.