Reasons your athlete needs to be playing high school softball…even if they don’t want to be.
1. Creating an every game matters mentality - the high school play off structure is similar to the college one. Every game matters throughout your season and builds upon the previous one to get your team to play offs. The three days to win a championship and have another opportunity to win another one next weekend just doesn’t provide the same experience. 2. You don’t get to choose your high school coach like you do your travel ball coach. You must find a way to overcome adversity with a coach you don’t “like” or always agree with their philosophies. Do you check out and just count the days to the end of the season or do you make the best of it and control your controllables? You might not agree with your college coach or your college teammates someday, learning how to adapt to different philosophies NOW will help you in the future! 3. It might not be a team of super stars. How do you respond to playing with athletes who may not be as talented as you are? Are you a leader and step up to help them or do you just show up and do your job and leave? 4. Representing your community with athletes growing up in the same community is something you only get to do once. Your team being in the local paper. Being cheered on by community members you might not necessarily know but are alumni of your program. Games being attended by younger athletes who will wear your jersey someday. 5. If the life lessons your athlete will learn aren’t enough for you to encourage them to play high school softball it will make them more likely to play at the next level. Right, wrong, or otherwise a college coach is less likely to look at an athlete who doesn’t play high school softball. They want to see you overcome a tough situation, be a good teammate in tough moments, and know that you won’t quit when the going gets tough.
2 Comments
Ian D Bradley
3/10/2022 05:55:43 pm
Great read, my daughter struggles already with her high school, I will be sharing this with her🥎🤟
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Jim McGowan
3/11/2022 09:43:12 am
#BSVSB High School vs. Club Ball In most sports, club ball has had a significant impact on high school sports, and not necessarily a positives one. Instead of it being a cooperative venture they are often in competition with each other.I coached high school softball for 29 years, and as a club coach for a number of years. I have experienced both the positives and negatives of club and school ball. For the most part, club ball fields better athletes and usually better teams. They are comprised of “all stars” that are committed, motivated and want to compete at the collegiate level. Benefits are many… they are showcased, exposed and recruited. They play on pristine fields, stay in hotels and play in night games. All things high school teams cannot provide. All these players are chasing the elusive athletic scholarship. Truth be told, the vast majority of these players, if they even play college ball, receive “packages”, with most money coming from academic aid. There are very few Division 1 players from this area. There is a plethora of of travel teams where players and parents can choose from. This often encourages kids to be “jumpers”… going from team to team looking for the best deal deal. There is little loyalty and the turn over on teams is significant. This concerns me as loyalty and commitment should be core values of any team. Additionally, although I commend the time and commitment many coaches put forth, many of the coaches are parents. They may have the best of intentions, but oftentimes they are poorly trained. Not only in that sport specific area, but in how to coach the total athlete…physically, emotionally and psychologically. Although club ball can be highly competitive it often is not. Most tournament are timed games and do not go 7 innings. Strategy is compromised as athletes are shuffled in and out, as they are “being seen” by college recruiters. There is very little game pressure, no season ending losses, because if you lose their is always next weekend. I appreciate and support travel ball. However, I am a huge supporter of high school athletics. High school ball is for everyone who has the ability to compete. A number of players do not have the financial means to compete in club ball and school ball is their only option. When you coach a high school team you have a great opportunity to have a huge impact on your athletes, your school and your community. You have your players 6 days a week, 3 hours a day for 3 and half months… your chances to teach are endless. And I’m not only speaking of improving their athletic ability. I’m speaking of their social skills, and more importantly their life skills. Every day in the life of a coach provides a chance to change a life, perhaps even save a life. It is very special to take a group of athletes from the same community and create something truly significant. To work hard for a common goal, to become part of something greater than yourself can be life affirming and life changing. Decades later, players will be talking of the friendships they formed, the memories they made and hopefully the Championships the won on their high school team. I cherished the teams I coached and the players that meant so much to me. They will always be close to my heart. Coach McGowan🥎❤️
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