my dislike for travel ball compared to high school ball

[DLauck]

As a high school coach I am not bashing travel ball completely

Why would you bash TB at all? Where does the majority of the colleges recruit from? HS ball or TB? Just wondering how you see it.

College coaches now go to TB exposure tourney's where they can see multiple recruits at once, instead of going to a HS game in the middle of April to see one or two players. The latter is the way it used be; college coaches had to actually go out and court a player, on their turf, and do some butt kissing. Now, thanks in large part to parents willing and able to send their DD's to the exposure tourney's, college coaches can save money and sit back and let the players come to them. This makes perfect sense to me.

College/University leaders have figured this out; why spend the money on recruiting (particularly in softball and baseball), when the parents of these HS players will do it for them? I'm not sure college/university leaders are "laughing to the bank", so to speak, but they have found a cost effective means for keeping softball and baseball programs up and running.

Now, is this the reason TB coaches think they have more of a handle on HS aged softball players? I'm not going to judge. If a parent wants me to help their DD get into a college, I will more than oblige. If the parent of one of my players seeks the assistance of a TB coach instead of me, I have no problem with that.

I believe there has to be some mutual respect between a HS coach, TB coach, pitching instructor, hitting instructor, etc. Certain life lessons can be taught to the teenagers when multiple stakeholders (adults in this matter) communicate and build relationships. Obviously, the opposite can happen as well; and the opposite is what turns so many players away from competition in many sports, not just softball.

[Frontloader]

Our high school coach makes it very hard not to bash. After the awards banquet, where he told our two all conf. freshman pitchers to get off the stage after recieving there awards. He informed them in front of the team that they were nt allegible for any team awards, that they had been awarded enough. He invited the kids to the house to have dinner and watch a vid on hitting. This vid is where he got all his hittting info. Threw the first part of the vid they were talking about how to hit. He is tell them, see i told you this stuff all year. With everyone watching a big X comes on the screen, then a coach comes on and say s Everything we just told you is wrong, anybody telling you to hit this way is wrong, do not listen to them. He left the room and the kids turned the vid off. I would think if i got a new vid i would watch more than the first min. before i told kids ,if theres one thing i know, its hittting! Got plenty of other stories and it s just our first year.

[slapperdad]

No matter what story you share frontloader, I won fair and square!

[SiddFinch]

As a high school coach I am not bashing travel ball completely

Why would you bash TB at all? Where does the majority of the colleges recruit from? HS ball or TB? Just wondering how you see it.

College coaches now go to TB exposure tourney's where they can see multiple recruits at once, instead of going to a HS game in the middle of April to see one or two players. The latter is the way it used be; college coaches had to actually go out and court a player, on their turf, and do some butt kissing. Now, thanks in large part to parents willing and able to send their DD's to the exposure tourney's, college coaches can save money and sit back and let the players come to them. This makes perfect sense to me.

College/University leaders have figured this out; why spend the money on recruiting (particularly in softball and baseball), when the parents of these HS players will do it for them? I'm not sure college/university leaders are "laughing to the bank", so to speak, but they have found a cost effective means for keeping softball and baseball programs up and running.

Now, is this the reason TB coaches think they have more of a handle on HS aged softball players? I'm not going to judge. If a parent wants me to help their DD get into a college, I will more than oblige. If the parent of one of my players seeks the assistance of a TB coach instead of me, I have no problem with that.

I believe there has to be some mutual respect between a HS coach, TB coach, pitching instructor, hitting instructor, etc. Certain life lessons can be taught to the teenagers when multiple stakeholders (adults in this matter) communicate and build relationships. Obviously, the opposite can happen as well; and the opposite is what turns so many players away from competition in many sports, not just softball.

So how long has Fastpitch been around? "The way it used to be." Coach, softball is still in the infant stages...lol Give me a break. Not sure how many coaches you saw recruiting your players in April, but I bet they had multiple options....lol Ever seen paint dry - that is what we endured watching in fastpitch 25 - 30 years ago. So, to the all the travel coaches that have grown this game, and taught the game to them like they were boys. Thank you, because I sure don't like to see paint dry.

[Frontloader]

Slapperdad, i will give you the win. At least our coach watched the first min. of a video, even if it was, what not to do. Which is worse, not knowing or thinking you know ? That is the question.

[softball_rules5]

Our high school coach makes it very hard not to bash. After the awards banquet, where he told our two all conf. freshman pitchers to get off the stage after recieving there awards. He informed them in front of the team that they were nt allegible for any team awards, that they had been awarded enough. He invited the kids to the house to have dinner and watch a vid on hitting. This vid is where he got all his hittting info. Threw the first part of the vid they were talking about how to hit. He is tell them, see i told you this stuff all year. With everyone watching a big X comes on the screen, then a coach comes on and say s Everything we just told you is wrong, anybody telling you to hit this way is wrong, do not listen to them. He left the room and the kids turned the vid off. I would think if i got a new vid i would watch more than the first min. before i told kids ,if theres one thing i know, its hittting! Got plenty of other stories and it s just our first year.

Dude - SPELLCHECK!

As for the recruiting part, I can not disagree nor would I want too. If my player wants to play college, why would I want to discourage her an opportunity that would put her in front of more college coaches, that being TB. I understand the recruiting process (and it is better). It would be insane to think a college coach in season is going to take time out of his/her practice to go see a player 2 hours away when they could go to one tournament in the summer and see a dozen.The point I am trying to make is that TB is not the second coming or the holy grail (as I have seen both in person and on this board) and HS is not what it used to be (for good or bad). The point I am trying to make is that they both have a role to play, and its getting to the point where both are spending more time ripping each other apart instead of promoting the sport.


I guess we better enjoy HS sports for now, because with the current economic times it won't be long before all HS sports are strictly club and travel teams.

[DLauck]

So how long has Fastpitch been around? "The way it used to be." Coach, softball is still in the infant stages...lol Give me a break. Not sure how many coaches you saw recruiting your players in April, but I bet they had multiple options....lol Ever seen paint dry - that is what we endured watching in fastpitch 25 - 30 years ago. So, to the all the travel coaches that have grown this game, and taught the game to them like they were boys. Thank you, because I sure don't like to see paint dry.

Sidd,

My apologies for stating the obvious. Thankfully, the majority of readers and posters on this site have some comprehension skills.

As far as the "way it used to be" comment. Colleges/Universities have it figured out. They're not spending the money on recruiting like they used to; mostly because they don't have to anymore. The pendulum has swung, and the HS parents are covering the majority of costs. It wasn't always this way; I shouldn't have to explain this, but for you Sidd, I will.

[Nun40]

the problem with HS softball are with the rules and the length of the season. One of the rules that HS softball is the pitcher is not required to start with both feet on the mound. IHSAA needs to adjust it's rules away from Little League to ASA.

The HS season usually ends in June and if you are in the State finals then by the middle of June. This is not enough time for the TB teams to get ready for their showcase tournaments and Nationals. This is one of the reasons that Indiana does not do well in the Nationals and that does not help when it comes to getting the college scouts to take a better look.

IHSAA does not seed the teams so sometimes the best teams do not get to the final game.

Sometimes the HS coaches do not play the best players and don't have a clue when it comes to using their pitchers. HS softball is supposed to help players get better many times that does not happen and they regress. Now the question comes down to how important is TB?

Most of the colleges recruit from the Gold Nationals a key tournaments out West like the Hall of Fame In Oklahoma. You will not see many college scouts recruiting players from HS softball. For that reason TB is very important for players to have their best chance to get a good scholarship.

It's nice to play HS softball and play for your school but it is also very important to play TB if the players main goal is scholarship.


JJ

[slapperdad]

the problem with HS softball are with the rules and the length of the season. One of the rules that HS softball is the pitcher is not required to start with both feet on the mound. ISHAA needs to adjust it's rules away from Little League to ASA.

The IHSAA does not make the rules.

The HS season usually ends in June and if you are in the State finals then by the middle of June. This is not enough time for the TB teams to get ready for their showcase tournaments and Nationals. This is one of the reasons that Indiana does not do well in the Nationals and that does not help when it comes to getting the college scouts to take a better look.

The high school season begins tournament play in late may. The vast majority of players are done by Memorial weekend. Nationals are in late July or early August, how long does it take to prepare?

ISHAA does not seed the teams so sometimes the best teams do not get to the final game.

Wrestling is the only sport that's seeded. Having heard the powers that be discuss seeding sectionals, there is slim to no chance this will happen in any of our lifetimes.

Sometimes the HS coaches do not play the best players and don't have a clue when it comes to using their pitchers.

I think we're in total agreement here.

[softball_rules5]

Until we start playing softball in domes, don't expect the season to be shortened. This also directly correlates as to why teams from CA, FL, and TX usually do better at Nationals. OUTDOOR softball year round.

Seeding is a HUGE issue. One that I have found completely idiotic for years. You are basically telling schools your regular season means absolutely nothing, go play the biggest tournament of the year. Even in Illinois, they seed their entire State tournament two weeks before it begins.

As far as not playing the best, unless you want every school in Indiana to be an idependent that will never happen.

One final argument and then we just agree to disagree - a good player knows what it takes to maintain a certain level of play. Extra reps before and after practice, more BP, etc. Many work with a hitting coach during season (known or not known by HS coach). I also know many TB coaches do NOT work on specific individual skills during their season and work more team skills (i.e. defensive situations) so the potential fo regression is equally prevelant. Regression is as much a player issue as a coach issue.