Fracc

I would also add at some point in time your daughter will reach the point that she won't or can't get anything more out of working with you.  Eventually she reaches the skill level you can get her to or all she hears is blah-blah-blah-blah or both.  It happens to the best of us.  That is why there are pitching coaches and hitting instructors who do it full time as well as opportunities for extra work with travel ball coaches who I don't ever see turn down helping a player who asks for it.  The professional instructor will also help your daughter become more coachable.

Reality in college is daily work-outs and daily practice every day they can legally do it and games every week/weekend when the season is underway.  If your daughter is older and ready to start considering college then daily work-outs and more frequent playing should not be a burn-out situation as long as she wants to try to play at the next level.  You can see the difference when attending camps of kids who work nearly every day and those who don't.  I would not wait past the start of her freshman year to start attending camps.  Like it or not, big schools commit between 8th grade and end of Sophmore year.  If you live in a small town and don't play for one of the more recognized organizations around Houston or Dallas you have to go get seen in addition to playing travel ball.  There is a little more time if your daughter's aspirations are smaller D1 or D2/D3/JC/NAIA. By example, my daughter hit 5 college camps while playing a full travel schedule with twice weekly practices this past summer and did not take a weekend off between labor day and Thanksgiving.  She was off for the month of August except for a few try-outs / practices and she was off from Thanksgiving until start of high school ball except for two winter camps.  She takes formal batting lessons 60-90 minutes once per week and since she is of driving age she doesn't need me to go but always gives me an excited "c'mon dad" so that I'll go with her and she gets there 20 minutes early without fail.  Obviously is what she wants so therefore no burn-out.  She is already verbally committed and she is working even harder knowing that signing must still take place and the competition for playing time will be higher when she gets to college.

My daughter has been playing softball for 10 years now, 7 of those in travel ball.  Once you understand that your child wants to play, here are my tips on how to avoid burn-out.  It is not 100% perfect but I can back this up from experience.  1. At a young age - play for fun and a snow cone win or lose.  Cheer for both teams.  Parents are later embarrassed by their behavior during games years down the road realizing they treated their girls like gladiators in a life or death struggle.  If you are not one of those, I would like to meet you and take a picture because one has not existed in recorded history to date. 2. Starting out in travel ball - play for trophies and medals.  Travel, but not too much...two tournaments per month with practice once or twice per week is about right.  I have seen more lead to burn-out of both players and parents (including their wallets).  Focus on keeping it fun.  Laugh at your losses and celebrate when you win.  Stay in hotels and nearly get thrown out for being in the pool or hot tub after 10 pm.  Enjoy the team dinners as parents and players.  Coaches need to keep practices fresh with different drills.  Water balloon or silly string fights or playing in the puddles if a tournament gets rained out go a long way. 3. Avoid negative talk.  You will turn your kid off if they hear you complain about playing time, pitching time (the worst source IMO), the quality of the coaching, the performance of a teammate, etc.  They look up to you and your opinions will affect their attitude and ultimately their performance on the field.  If you don't turn your kid off, the negativity they absorb will be something her future coaches will find unappealing down the road. 4. Put in the work.  If your kid doesn't want to go or you won't get them to practice that is a sure sign you don't want to be there.  Use the logic of fulfilling your/her commitment for the rest of the season in either case to address short term frustration, laziness or dealing with the unpleasantries of life.  Work together as parents to help kids get to practice or tournaments.  5 Find success.  Few kids will be happy if they don't experience success, as a team first and personally second.  This is a slippery slope as team jumping rarely benefits the kid.  Shared success builds friendship throughout life and finding a group of kids that is equally committed will eventually yield success if they work together.  Success will usually motivate your child to work harder without your help. 6. Find balance.  There will be time that family obligations or school commitments require you to miss practice or a tournament...that is why teams carry more than 9 players.  Family first, softball second.  Communicate with the coach well in advance so he/she can make arrangements.  Most events that are legitimately worth beaking your commitment are known in advance and emergencies will always be understood.  If you are using other events to skip practice or games then you are already burned out. 7. Handle failure and feedback with care.  Your child will experience failure.  They make more outs than they get hits.  They know they did something (if not exactly what) wrong and they sure don't need you yelling through the fence or counseling them in the car after the game.  They want your approval and support, not your criticism.  They are still children.  This goes for coaches as well. 8. Support them in chasing their dream.  Take them to college softball camps or showcases if they think they want to play at the next level.  Pay for the batting or pitching lessons.  Do it with no complaints and a smile on your face. Enjoy it.  It all goes by too fast.

Congrats Jensen!

Congratulations Shanice!

Congrats Keeli!  Best of luck in the SEC!

Congratulations Gia!

Congratulations Raven!  LSUE not only gets a fantastic ball player but a great teammate and leader.

Congratulations Kayleigh!  Angelina gets a good ball player and a terrific person.

Congratulations Kassie and to David and Melinda.  Angelina is getting a great ball player.

You obviously have learned hard work is rewarded on and off the field.  Best of luck from a fellow ChemE.

Good luck ladies.  Wear that Green and Orange with pride!

[quote name="usedtobe33" post="1209946" timestamp="1334265898"] [quote author=Smoking Baby link=topic=97084.msg1208639#msg1208639 date=1334084627] I thought GCM beat BH recently?  Was that some kind of a pre-district warm-up? [/quote]In baseball.  You were dreaming about a district loss in softball.  LOL [/quote] Now THAT is funny!  LOL.

I expect they will finish but if they don't Blaney's car will be taken to display for the next year as the winner and Tommy Baldwin (owner) racing reportedly does not have another car!  LOL!