Midwest Fastpitch - keeptheboardcorrect@gmail.com

Midwest Fastpitch - keeptheboardcorrect@gmail.com
[ Midwest Fastpitch - keeptheboardcorrect@gmail.com ]

Selling the Dream

Posted by Old Coach on November 26, 2025, 7:44 am

Unfortunately, we've built an athletic ecosystem that is based on showcasing athletes for high-DI recruitment. You see it on here where parents are ridiculed for not playing the game. The vast majority of travel players don't have the talent and/or drive to make the game a considerable chunk of their lives. Don't get sucked in, spend your travel money wisely, listen to your daughters, and create the right situation for your family.

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by EagleEye on November 26, 2025, 1:04 pm, in reply to "Selling the Dream"

At 16U and up an athlete is playing because they want to for themselves. Granted, there are exceptions. Hopefully, they have enough self-awareness to have a feel for the direction they want to take in life. Part of that direction is their education and its value. I've always counseled players to think of softball as a way pay for part or all of their education. Choose the school for the education first and softball 2nd. The best educational fit for them could be worth millions over the course of their lives.

Entering into their favored pursuit with little to no college education debit puts them far, far ahead of those who are drowning in student loan debt.

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by @Old Coach on November 26, 2025, 9:14 am, in reply to "Selling the Dream"

The biggest obstacle to softball success is correctly evaluating your daughter's true talent. Honesty is a bitch.

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by @@old coach on November 26, 2025, 5:29 pm, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

I personally believe there is not a huge difference in talent between D2, D3, and NAIA. There is a big difference between SEC, ACC, some Big 10 schools, vs most of your mid majors.

I see how it could be difficult for many parents/players to understand where they fit in.

Daughter plays for the Bandits. There are a couple of players on her team that are going to play for D1 mid major schools. There are multiple players on my daughters high school team that are going to D2 and NAIA schools. Those D2 and NAIA playes are every bit as good as the a couple of the mid major players.

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by Pilgrim on November 27, 2025, 6:55 pm, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

These D2/NAIA commits, who couldn’t get any D1 offers, are as good as the mid-major Bandit commits? I’m trying to find this believable. What factors/evidence are you using to form that opinion?

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by Cletus on November 27, 2025, 11:50 am, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

The competition that a Bandit player is playing against vs. a high school player isn’t even the same sport. 55mph vs 65 with movement. Biggest difference between mid majors and ACC/SEC is size.

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by Sorry, Not Sorry on November 27, 2025, 10:30 am, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

There are visual differences between D1 and D2/D3/NAIA athletes. The game isn't close to the same game.

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by @Sorry on November 28, 2025, 7:51 am, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

I'm reading the post differently. I believe they're saying that between DII/DIII/NAIA, there's no difference, but I don't think the comparison includes DI players.

Personally, I feel that P4 and high-end mid-majors are a different breed, but once you get into the less competitive conferences, OVC, Horizon, etc., they're a lot closer to DII than P4.

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by @selling on November 28, 2025, 1:00 pm, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

I've watched my kids D2 team over the past 4 years scrimmage against P4 and mid major teams every season.

Her team beats mid major teams about 33% of the time. Her team does not beat the P4 teams.

The mid major games are typically close, even if they lose. The P4 are always lobsided.

They don't scrimmage against D3 so I have no experience there.

There is overlap between MM D1 and D2, but no overlap between P4 and D2 in my experience.

.02

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by @@Selling on November 30, 2025, 9:41 am, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

There's talent at every level, but it's more consistent where you think it would be. The only point I'd like to make is that scrimmages aren't indicative of the talent level. My youngest played Big Ten and scrimmages/fall ball, etc., didn't play starters or at least not for long. The point of the games was to play those who otherwise didn't get many innings. During the Spring, her team would see Top 25 programs and win a few by getting up early on a #4 pitcher, so it goes both ways.

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by @BigTen on December 3, 2025, 8:37 am, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

Your daughter must play for Minnesota! Bad!

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by Well on December 3, 2025, 4:02 pm, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

There are some damn good players on Minnesota.

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by In other words… on November 29, 2025, 2:15 pm, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

So what you are saying, based on your daughters D2 team, is the following:

SEC > non-SEC P4 > D1 mid-major > D2 > D3 with some overlap between adjacent levels

P.S. I took the liberty to slot D3 in there based on my knowledge and experiences. I Hope I’m close.

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by Agree on November 27, 2025, 10:28 am, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

I agree in large part to your opinion on this matter.

Re: Selling the Dream

Posted by Honestly on November 26, 2025, 2:54 pm, in reply to "Re: Selling the Dream"

These parents and many coaches are burning these kids out! Either by traveling many times out of state or playing over 70+games in a year. These parents are great thinking their 9u kid is going D1 because little Johnny or little suzie got in base twice with 3 errors made but they gave them hits. My next life I’m going to open up a soccer, volleyball or baseball/softball complex and make millions. These parents love drinking the juice.

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