tpriddy

Nice post AMc! +1 for that. I can only speak for me and my family, but I want my kids shooting for the stars! I don't want them to just be satisfied with whatever comes thier way. I want them to work as hard as they can and strive to be the best at what they do. I want the best for my child. Softball is a sport that one of my daughters loves to play and if she wants to play at a TOP DIV 1 team in college I am going to do everything within my power to guide her and steer her in the right direction, and put her in the best situation to get her there. That all starts with the grades in school.

I'm not concerned about her being burnt out already. I'm wanting to actually push her harder, but I dont want to push so hard that i burn her out. That is why I started with "How much is too much?". I will have time to burn out after my youngest of three is out of the house. Two out of three kids playing 4 different select sports, who has time to be burnt out. I just believe my oldest which is the softball player has the potential to be a really good softball player and I want to push her harder to help her reach her full potential, but I dont want to do if it will cause resentment and burn her out. Me and my wife constantly talk and communicate with her, no problems there, but sometimes KIDS say what they think thier parents want to hear as well. Craig asked a question at practice one time to the team one time that has always stuck with her. He asked the team to think about it and give an honest answer "What do they love to do? Is it hang with friends, go to the mall, play soccer etc,etc."  so she thought about it and she answered that "she loves to play softball" so then he proceded to tell them "If it is softball that you love to do then don't ever complain to your parents about missing out on something, because you are already doing what you love to do and you are not missing out on anything." Since that day she has never complained about missing out on something. I know life happens and it may bring her somewhere else, but right now in the current  I want to know, How hard is too hard? We allow her a ton of down time to be a kid. But, is it pushing to hard to make her go hit outside off the tee everyday for an hour? or is it something you suggest to her? or is something she has to just decide on her own to go out and do it? I also know there is no one right answer too.

How much is too much? While most of us hope one day that our daughters can one day play at the college level and be successful, when is it enough? After my daughter has played select softball for approx 4 years and talking to many people in the softball community I have come to find out that most of the Gold or high level coaches own daughters either A. Chose not to play softball in college or B. Started playing at the college level and decided they have had enough softball. Then there is C. Didn't even finish playing High School or Gold Level softball because of burnout. So how often and how hard should we work them out? We can have dreams for them, but if it is not their dream will it ever happen? Sometimes I think there is so much drama, anxiety and emotion amongst parents in select softball world it turns the girls off and it is no longer fun for them. It almost seems as if the kids are working a job for their parents. My daughter says she wants it and works hard for it, I'm just afraid she will end up being a casulty of burn out. Let me preference this, she has never once said she is tired of playing or doesnt like playing anymore. 

Congrats to Cassidy and The GT Shockers 2000 team!

I don't know what you mean by riff raff, but as someone that graduated from PNG and now has younger kids in Lumberton, I went and watched my first Lumberton Varsity Volleyball game and I dont think I could have picked a better game to go watch. The ladies on the court for both teams gave it everything they had. I am a fan of these Lumberton ladies and will be attending the playoff games if my schedule allows me to. Lumberton from my understanding is a yound team. The student body for Lumberton was in full force like I have never seen before at a HS Volleyball game. It was nice to see so many kids from the student body attend a Volleyball game. I'm sure you probably heard the students were acting up, but all that I saw was the student body fully engaged and cheering very loud. There was some booing of one young lady for PNG that I believe used to attend Lumberton, so I'm sure people took that the wrong way. I did see a PNG parent or fan come across the court after the game pointing and shaking his finger at somebody but dont know what that was about. It was a very intense and hard fought battle that could have easily went Lumberton's way. Great game to both teams and Good Luck in the playoffs to both teams. 

Nice Job Ali! Congrats and Good Luck from your extended Shocker family.

Congratulations to all of the new GT Shockers 14U team mates! Welcome to the Shockers family!!!! I'm looking forward to this upcoming Fall and Spring. We have a lot to look forward to!

So who is the new coach at Lumberton?

[u]18U[/u] GT Shockers OOC Orange Crush Beaumont Blast Young Guns (?) Unleeshed (?) Intensity (?) [u]16U[/u] No Mercy Southern Surge Aftershock [u]14U[/u] GT Shockers OOC Unleeshed Young Guns Beaumont Blast Mid County MOJO GT Gators (?) 12U GT Shockers (2) Unleeshed Bayou Bats Orange Crush OOC Triple Threat No Mercy (?) Nitro (?) 10U GT Shockers Orange Crush Young Guns This is a list of teams in the area that I can think of. I'm sure I missed a few or some of these teams may not be playing anymore. If I missed your team I'm sorry for the mistake. Pirates, what is your opinion of what a true select team is or should be? My opinion is that every girl on every team on this list works hard at getting better at softball and nothing should be taken away from anyone of them. Also, some parents and players have different wants, needs and expectations for what will work for them. Sure some teams are better than others. That happens in MLB. The Astros are in last place does that make them a minor league team? JMO

Congrats Ray! I love to see some long ball!

Nice job guys! It is amazing that the girls were able to beat that heat and battle back to the if game. I'm sure they are sleeping good this morning.

Congrats to Bailey Beard on her first HR! A three run BOMB! First of many to come I'm sure!  :D

If the tournament today and tomorrow is a preview for next month It should be Great! ;D

The Shockers 99 (12U) team competed in its first tournament of the year and their first ever 14U tournament in Houston and placed 4th out of 12 teams. The girls went 6-2 on the weekend only losing to the TX Warriors out of the Santa Fe area. The girls battled hard all weekend against the cold weather and good competition. Keep it up ladies.  :)

Ok, enough is enough. I came on here to tell the girls (parents) that the girls are doing good and to keep up the good work. There was no bragging just another proud parent. Obviously you don’t like the Shockers organization for whatever reason, so be it that is your right to have that opinion and your right to voice it on a public forum. But it is also my right to voice my opinions about you. What I don't understand is why you are worried about it affecting your granddaughter if you stated who you are, if you don't even like the organization. It should make a hill of beans to you if you don’t want any backlash. What it sounds like to me is jealousy and ignorance on your part. No feathers to ruffle hear, I could care less who you are and I wouldn’t want you be associated with me to begin with. I was taught to respect my elders, but respect also has to be earned and I would never respect a person like you. Everybody in the 12U softball community knows who I am and knows what I am about and knows I would do anything for any kid at any age group on any team to help them be successful including your granddaughter. I have done things to ruffle feathers in the past, but I don't look back. I stay positive and do what I think is right for my family and my kids. If you ever want to talk softball give me a call or PM me. Troy Priddy