Post by Admin on Dec 13, 2012 22:27:51 GMT -5
Is it that important?
For many sports, playing high school ball is important. It allows athletes to have visibility locally.
Because of the onslaught of travel teams and tournaments, playing high school softball is not the crucial link to a college career that it once was.
Therefore, there are many considerations athletes should make before playing high school ball:
1. The experience level of the coach.In many school systems, coaches are merely teachers or interested community members who may or may not know softball. Low pay and long hours makes high school coaching less appealing than it used to be. Check out the coach before your child attends tryouts. What is their background? How successful have they been? How many of their athletes have gone on to play in college? What college connections does the high school coach have?
2. Conflicts with other schedules. In many areas, high school ball schedules will conflict with travel ball. Some high school coaches actually forbid their athletes from playing travel ball during the high school season and vice versa. Make sure you know what the high school schedule is and how it will impact travel schedules. In most cases, 16/ 18 and under teams know that many of their players may be on high school teams and will avoid scheduling tournaments during the season.
3. Strength of the high school program. How strong is the high school team? How good are the teams they play? Will there be other good players on the team? Being the best player on a bad team will not benefit most players. Will this be a high visibility team in the community? What kind of tradition exists in the program? How do the girls interact with each other?
Also, consider playing time, and if a pitcher, pitching time. Will your daughter get to play, or will she be relugated to the bench in favor of older players?
4. What does your daughter want? For many teenagers, playing a high school sport is a way of connecting with peers. Does your daughter want to play? Will it help her make friends? If so, you may want to consider it, especially for Freshmen and transfer students.
Dealing with HIGH School Coaches
First of all, you have to understand that a high school coach is not out to get your kid. And, just because your daughter plays travel ball does not mean that your daughter will make the VARSITY team as a FRESHMAN ( or at all for that matter.)
When you deal with the coach, follow these simple rules:
1. Talk to the coach before tryouts to get a feeling for his/her philosophy. Find out what the rules are and which issues are up for discussion. Most coaches have a meeting prior to the season to fill athletes and their parents in on rules, philosophy, etc. If you have any concerns, express them politely and in a meeting with the coach.
2. Assess your daughter's abilities objectively. She may be a good player, but maybe she is not as good as some of the current players. A year of Junior Varsity may be good for her. If she doesn't make the team, ask the coach to tell you what she needs to work on. Also, remember that a lot of teams will bring kids up during the season if there are injuries or if she shines at JV.
3. If you have a problem, wait 24 hours and then talk to the coach. Don't catch her right after a practice or game. Give yourself time to cool down. Write down your thoughts. Better yet, let your daughter talk to the coach. While you are waiting, don't gossip or vent to other parents.
4. Remember, your kid is not the only player. There are others. There is a team. The coach needs to look out for those other players and for the team. Your kid my not like playing a certain position, but the team may need her to play there.
www.softballmom.org/highschoolball.html
For many sports, playing high school ball is important. It allows athletes to have visibility locally.
Because of the onslaught of travel teams and tournaments, playing high school softball is not the crucial link to a college career that it once was.
Therefore, there are many considerations athletes should make before playing high school ball:
1. The experience level of the coach.In many school systems, coaches are merely teachers or interested community members who may or may not know softball. Low pay and long hours makes high school coaching less appealing than it used to be. Check out the coach before your child attends tryouts. What is their background? How successful have they been? How many of their athletes have gone on to play in college? What college connections does the high school coach have?
2. Conflicts with other schedules. In many areas, high school ball schedules will conflict with travel ball. Some high school coaches actually forbid their athletes from playing travel ball during the high school season and vice versa. Make sure you know what the high school schedule is and how it will impact travel schedules. In most cases, 16/ 18 and under teams know that many of their players may be on high school teams and will avoid scheduling tournaments during the season.
3. Strength of the high school program. How strong is the high school team? How good are the teams they play? Will there be other good players on the team? Being the best player on a bad team will not benefit most players. Will this be a high visibility team in the community? What kind of tradition exists in the program? How do the girls interact with each other?
Also, consider playing time, and if a pitcher, pitching time. Will your daughter get to play, or will she be relugated to the bench in favor of older players?
4. What does your daughter want? For many teenagers, playing a high school sport is a way of connecting with peers. Does your daughter want to play? Will it help her make friends? If so, you may want to consider it, especially for Freshmen and transfer students.
Dealing with HIGH School Coaches
First of all, you have to understand that a high school coach is not out to get your kid. And, just because your daughter plays travel ball does not mean that your daughter will make the VARSITY team as a FRESHMAN ( or at all for that matter.)
When you deal with the coach, follow these simple rules:
1. Talk to the coach before tryouts to get a feeling for his/her philosophy. Find out what the rules are and which issues are up for discussion. Most coaches have a meeting prior to the season to fill athletes and their parents in on rules, philosophy, etc. If you have any concerns, express them politely and in a meeting with the coach.
2. Assess your daughter's abilities objectively. She may be a good player, but maybe she is not as good as some of the current players. A year of Junior Varsity may be good for her. If she doesn't make the team, ask the coach to tell you what she needs to work on. Also, remember that a lot of teams will bring kids up during the season if there are injuries or if she shines at JV.
3. If you have a problem, wait 24 hours and then talk to the coach. Don't catch her right after a practice or game. Give yourself time to cool down. Write down your thoughts. Better yet, let your daughter talk to the coach. While you are waiting, don't gossip or vent to other parents.
4. Remember, your kid is not the only player. There are others. There is a team. The coach needs to look out for those other players and for the team. Your kid my not like playing a certain position, but the team may need her to play there.
www.softballmom.org/highschoolball.html