Maud Parents- Please come to this month's School Board meeting to show your support for Junior High Softball for our girls. Now that we have a 6th, 7th, & 8th grade athletics program in place for them, let's give them a sport to compete in, besides basketball (which involves a small percentage of our girls). This would, in my opinion, be an excellent opportunity for our girls, and once initiated, I'm sure some of the other schools in the area would follow suit. They would just about have to, to remain competitive at the High School level in years to come.

Also, can anyone tell me what other schools in East Texas already have a Junior High Softball program? I know of Avery, Saltillo, and Sulphur Bluff.

You don't need JH softball - that is what select and league ball are for. That would be a waste of money on the part of Maud ISD, not to mention THERE IS NO ONE TO PLAY!! I've been coaching for almost 20 years and I have never heard of JH softball.

The kids need to play basketball and run track to improve athleticism. If the kid likes softball, they need to play for a select team to get some better coaching. There's another problem - who is going to coach this JH softball group? The JH coaches are in track, and the HS SB coach is a little busy with his/her varsity. Bad idea.

I am going to strongly disagree with you on this one. There are plenty of schools that do have Jr High softball. Most of the state of California has this and there are some even in the Houston area. My dd has been playing travel ball for 7 years in the Houston area and that has been great for her. She has progressed and at 16 is now playing for a top Gold program that is well respected. But she is a single player! It takes more than one really good player to make a team. So for all those other girls especially in the East Texas area that do not have the advantage of playing in one of the metroplex's, softball at the Jr. High level could be part of the answer.

*As for the players, they are players there. Besides there is always the possibility of drawing the interest of some girls that might have talent but have not had much exposure to softball.
*I am assuming that you don't think softball developes athleticism? hmmmm...... my dd never did play basketball or run track.
*Coaching, You do like most high schools.............use the existing coaching staff. The high school coaches that I know (and there are many) would love to have a program that is cultivating the jr. high girls getting them ready for high school ball. He/She can only work with what is in her district.
*Money............let them offer baseball at the jr. high level and see what the votes would be.

All this is JMO! Been around the game for close to 40 years between playing/coaching/raising 2 dd's

I would have to disagree also!

The only junior high leagues across the state are basically in small schools in East Texas and a few exist in Houston. It does help to develop a program, but with the limited number of softball coaches that exist in high schools, it is very difficult to have a season. Most softball coaches below the 4A level coach at least one other sport.

JH Softball is just like JH baseball. It is approved by the UIL, but most districts do not play due to lack of coaches and monetary issues. If you have the ability to do it, then great. Your kids will be a step ahead of others when they enter high school! The high school coach will have been able to implement their system and have the girls playing at an even higher level.

Very well put.

If you had the numbers/interest, who would coach it? A football coach needing a spring sport that knows nothing of the sport? Or would you go out there and hire someone with the knowledge to coach it. But would the district spend that extra effort on a JH program?

I agree that it would be great for us HS coaches to have that system at the lower ages like basketball or football and build our program to be better down the road.

And we don't even want to talk about pitching! Who will pitch, if you will have a pitcher, long innings (walks every batter)!

Hart's Bluff and Mt Pleasant Chapel Hill also was in the junior high softball with Avery, Saltillo and Sulphur Bluff

so blitz, do you know if thoes particular programs are doing good. Know their small but I have heard the interest is fairly high for the young players. The parents probably have to pay most of the part I guess due to budgets. But that's no different than Pee Wee football for small towns that have to travel.

JH softball would be great- MANY girl do not have the option to participate in select ball due to finances or time or whatever reason.

As far as I know, the school has a budget for the junior high softball teams. I know it will help the schools, because we got to experience for last year and the kids will come into high school knowing what we do and what we expect of them. Also, heard that a big school around these towns is considering junior high softball this year.

I agree. Next we would have to add a jr. high baseball program, where does it end? The kids are so busy now as it is. Would this cause more harm than good in the way that it would affect other programs(track,basketball,band,uil)? I feel the parent's passion for the game, but the logistics just don't justify adding the program. The particular schools that have been mentioned are known as baseball/softball/basketball schools. The coaches there have more time to devote to these sports because they don't have a football program. Is that what we want?? I,for one, am glad to sit under the Friday night lights and be proud of what East Texas football can do for the morale of a town. It feels good...real good. Please don't take this post in a bad way-I'm just stating the facts as I see them for what is in the best interests for all. Keep your passion for the game,but,I,too, suggest a select team or league play for individual development.

I like how people get on here and talk about schools that don't have football and we have more time to devote to other sports. What you may not realize is that because of this we have less coaches on staff and therefore all coaches have to help out and coach a minimum of 3 and some cases 4 sports. We just don't have coaches who only coach football and are forced to coach other sports they could care less about. I am not saying that is like that at most schools that have football, but I would guess that 40-45 percent would only coach football if given the chance.
Before you say that I am bashing football, I am not, you can find mein the stands watching on Friday night. Nothing better in Texas on a Friday night.

You would not have to start a JH baseball program because you started a JH softball program. These are separate sports, and should be deliberated separately. A JH softball program would not “harm” other programs any more than the programs that we already have, and if by chance it did, it would be because that’s where the interests of the students and parents lie. Shouldn’t the School Board’s decisions be in line with the community’s interests? Ask around. Talk to the parents of the JH girls in our school. I think you’ll find overwhelming support for this endeavor. According to one poster’s logic the school’s playing don’t have a football program so they are known as baseball/softball/basketball schools. Does that mean that we are to let football dominate our entire athletics program? I appreciate the poster’s love for football, but we fare pretty well in baseball and softball as well, right now. The Friday night lights are fine for the boys- I go to most of the games myself, but where does that leave our girls? Are they second-class citizens, not to be afforded the same opportunities to compete in athletics as the boys? I guess you could consider JH softball a waste of money if you don’t consider the girls as being equally important. We currently bus the boys to Texarkana, and last year, a lot further than that- for practice! But the year before, the Softball team was not allowed to play in a tournament in Longview, I’m told, because it was too far. There are teams out there to play, and the cost would be nowhere near what we spend on other sports.

I’m not a big volleyball fan, but that was an attempt to do something for the girls that failed, and I’d hate to see another opportunity for them pass by. You can say that select ball is the answer, but due to time, money, and other constraints, most of our girls will not be playing select ball, and for whatever reason, our summer league is on the decline. A High School baseball coach, at Maud once told me “In a 1A school, we don’t have the time to teach them everything about the game; we pretty much just have to manage the talent that we have”. Where does that leave our High School team in a few years?

In regards to the comment about playing basketball and running track-Softball doesn’t improve athleticism? And, as far as the coach thing goes, we have a teacher who was a coach for many years before he came here. I don’t know that he would be interested in the job, but I’ll bet he hasn’t been asked. I’ll get off my soap box now, but this is something that SHOULD be considered.

MaudDad, I have no axe to grind on this issue. Also, I don't think football dominates the whole program since we also have had much success in the past few years with baseball,softball,track, and powerlifting. I think our whole athletic program has gained much respect from other schools. Our girls treated as second class citizens? I don't think so. The volleyball issue died because of lack of interest. If there are plenty of girls interested in jr. high softball, and the monetary & coaching issues can be resolved, go for it. Blitz, I know we don't have any coaches here, either, that just coach one sport or just even two sports. You can find them year-round coaching whatever sport is in season.
They probably know our kids better than we do because of all the time spent with them.

When I mentioned the other towns as baseball/softball/basketball schools, I wasn't trying to demean them-just stating facts. How else do you refer to them? That is what they are known for. Yes, I love football. It can bring a community together like no other sport in East Texas! I have no answers as to "why". A good program generates a lot of money for the school...a winning program brings in alot more. We need these monies to help support the other sports. Yes, I also love basketball,baseball, and softball! I don't know about the basketball games, but I know it's hard to bring in the same amount of money at the gate for baseball/softball games. We could be a "jack of all trades and master of none" school. Been there,done that. Not a whole lot of pride in it. Why haven't more schools installed the jr high softball program-that is the question that needs to be addressed. Again, I stress, I am all for the girls having a jr high softball program if the interest is there & the addressed question is answered. Just one more question-why is the summer league on a decline? Are there not enough local parents or girls interested, or is it not having enough teams from other towns to play? I apologise for the novel.

JMO- Rec/league ball is "c" ball at its best. It does not offer much competition for girls. To often by the time they are 9 or 10 either the player or the parent wants something more competitive. They find a "b" level travel ball team to play tournaments with and then progress from there. Until the league representatives realize there needs to be a progression in the level of play and that aggressiveness is okay with these girls we will continue to see the decline. The other issue is that most "dads" have never even watched a fast pitch softball game. So their coaching ability is great in the younger ages but does not hold up in the older division.

Again JMO there is a different mentality in East Texas when it comes to our girls. We still are hanging on to the "little girls should be prim and proper" and are so far behind the metroplex areas. We need to find a way to encourage athleticism in our younger female athletes and realize they can and do have as much talent as their male counterparts. The only real difference is strength, and yes that does set them apart.

Until some of these issues we are going to continue to see the decline of "league/Rec" ball. Again JMO.

there many girl athletes that have gone on to play college ball in one sport or another from this area. to name a few in softball both of the collom girls from new boston, middlebrooks and johnson from le, several from atlanta and some from thigh. these girls didn't have jr high softball. your summer softball is what the girl and the parent make it. if you don't want c ball make it better. take your kid somewhere that they learn to be aggressive. most small towns don't have good summer programs. jr high softball is not the answer. a few games in the spring won't make your daughter a softball player. the coaches with any knowledge will not be coaching jr high. if your parents haven't watched a fast pitch game where are they getting the coach? most good softball players have parents that put in time, effort and sad to say money to make their kids competitive. as far boys vs girls in athletics you seem to know the problems. the problems don't go away talk title 9 to folks maybe that will help. quit waiting on someone to fix it, do it yourself. or take your daughter someplace in the summer where she learns what she needs to know. let them compete in other sports give them the opportunities that you would give your sons. teach them to lift weights that will make them stronger not necessarily make them big. school softball won't teach her what she needs to know she needs to play at a level to improve. i learned a long time ago sometimes you go out find the ways to fix the problems yourself.

just a thought but when are you going to play the games? varsity games are on tue and fri...so that will leave the varsity and sometimes jv, mon, wed, and thur to use the field to practice...are you going to take practice time away from your high school team?

then in jr high just about every kid comes out to play most sports....how many are you going to let on the team? a softball team with 40 kids would only be beneficial to the 9 that play....

summer programs on the decline, but there is alot of interest???? that really dont add up, if there is alot of interest then why the decline in the summer programs??? If there is alot of interest with the kids and parents then have a couple of teams coached by the dad's or mom's..then you will not have to grip about the football coach that dont know anything about softball, messing with little judy's swing and playing her in the wrong postition, casue everybody knows when she is not pitching she should be playing shortstop.

And I love fastpitch softball, but I just dont see the time and space needed in most jr highs to offer a quality program. JMO

what kind of budget does the Jr High at Maud ISD have? I couldnt imagine the travel expenses to play jr high softball, from Maud to the Houston area or California!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know about actually playing games, but if the high school coaches could have some "open practices" to see what coming up and if they have any pitching. It would be better to start some pitchers off in 7th grade than 10th. Pitching takes time and commitment just to be "good".

not sure it would be possible to learn to pitch in junior high softball. pitching is definitely a kid and parent thing. most high school coaches don't know much about fast pitch pitching. as far as summer softball. noone wants to put in the time to make it possible.

Hopefully the High School coach could point some kids toward a pitching coach. While on that subject, we might need to start a thread on pitching coaches cause it seems that most fly under radar. I found out about the one my daughter goes to thru another high school coach at another school distrist that I know and one day was just talking about pitching and he gave me a phone number.

I think that JH softball would be great ! Having coached for close to 20 yrs myself in Maud summer ball , I hated to see select teams because it broke up girls that started together with the ultimate goal of being a dominate team in highschool. If a player wants to play select ball thats great but we were fortunate enough have our girls stay together from T-ball up to highschool . Yes we went and played alot of tournaments for many years that had select teams. It did make us better !!! When we reached the HS level we went and played some of the larger schools and beat them . .We were still the little team from Maud and mouths dropped when we dominated some larger schools. In summerball we won a state title and in HS we reached the playoffs every year and for most of the girls, their senior year the ultimate goal of Austin was reached . Therefore I am for teams staying together from a young age all the way up. They know what the other ones are thinking and how they will react !!! I stand strongly behind MaudDad on support for JH softball and you will see a stronger HS team.

interesting thoughts on this thread by all. I ran into a parent over in LV at league play who drives all the way from Sulpher Springs to play. To me thats a long way for league play and when asked if SS has league, answer was no. Would Jr. High SB help over there, possibly. Heard that some of the 4A schools are approaching the board to try and get the program started. Probably just a months worth of playing but 6 to 7 weeks of practice. As far as SS fan going to Dallas, said it was still too far for him and his budget. Cost of playing select comes at a high $$ and this economy's not helping the situation for kids whose parents just lost their jobs or cut back in spending. So what's a parent to do?

too much, too soon, let a jr. high kid, be a kid, and let the play travel ball.

I am a head softball coach at a small school. Speaking for myself, I wouldn't touch JH softball with a ten foot pole. If our girls want to improve, then they need to play select ball. Period. Our very, very small staff has way too much on its plate to add JH softball.

As for the question about improving athleticism - softball is a skill/strategy sport which does not improve overall athleticism. Basketball improves footwork, reaction time, conditioning, vertical jumping, agility, mental toughness, anticipation, and focus. Track improves speed, agility, competitiveness, running form, etc. As a JH developing athlete, I would much rather the kids participate in these sports so that when they are 9th graders in the limited time I have them in softball, I can coach skills and strategy.

Standing around on the field watching the pitcher and catcher particpate in 90% of the action does not improve athleticism. This is what would happen in JH softball at a small school.

Good luck to Maud ISD in their decision process. If I was the Maud dad, I would not hold my breath.

The best bet in all honesty would be to take kids that are not running track in offseason, which might not be alot, that want to play softball in high school. You'd more than likely just take the 8th graders. And take them to the field during the period twice a week maybe and work on some fundamentals and see what you have. The thing you run into is basketball/volleyball offseason and fighting for time. But you could work out an offseason program that incorperates softball into the equation for the 8th graders if you really like to see the JH program have softball in it. I'm on board with world22 and middleoftheroad, it'd be hard to see as a head coach to share a field with a JH sport after school or the 50 million kids coming out, or having the budget to drive over 1-2 hours to play one game a week. Just MHO.

[quote name='Survivor' date='Oct 31 2009, 08:44 AM' post='1259355']
, casue everybody knows when she is not pitching she should be playing shortstop.



You forgot...she should also bat 1st, or 4th...just sayin'

okay i have to put in my 2 cents on Jr. High softball:
I can understand that some want to start a program in the Jr High level for the future High School Team but unless you are graduating 9 girls every yr, where will the up and coming Jr High girls fit in once they get to the High School Team. There are only a few that has the skills and ability to play at the High School level once they get there and then they have to prove they are better than the girls that have been playing Varsity level already, almost all schools in the east texas area don't have a JV team and the ones that do that i have seen treat their JV as " just playing time " for the girls on the team. I also agree with the ones saying that they need to go and play Select Ball, I have a Daughter who played League Ball until she was 10, I as most parents decided that league was not providing the competition needed to better her skills so her and I decided it was time to move to the next level and join a select travel team. Yes it's Hard to spend the money and time on the roads but that was a decision we made but by the time she got to High School she could hang and play at that level with no problems. I have to say it is up to the parents to get involved and teach or get the teaching for their kids if they are wanting to play at the High School Levels. The Coaches of High School Softball don't have the time to teach from basic softball skills to getting the team ready for district play. Pitchers, trust me Coaches that are established at a high school are looking deep in Jr. High for girls that play softball and who are pitchers.. so go get them lessons with a well known pitching coach and if you don't know one, i bet anything that your High School Coach can get you in touch with one somewhere.

I hope i didn't offend anyone but its just my opinion on the Topic at hand

Did it get passed?

They are putting it off until February.

Doesn't matter when it's "put off" for. It ain't gonna happen.

The Superintendent made up a survey concerning Junior High softball, and sent it home with the 6th and 7th grade girls Wednesday. They have to have them filled out and turned in by tomorrow, so we should have some idea of the community's support soon. Would information gathered for this purpose be considered "public" information? If someone wanted to personally see these completed survey forms, in which there is nothing but the student's name, their parent's name, questions about playing history, and whether or not the student would play if it is offered, would that be legal? I feel like community support will be there, so we'll see where it goes from here.

I am a small town high school softball coach. I would love to see jh softball but I am not giving up my field for a jh practice. So there lies another problem of practice places. I also dont want to give up my field for Monday night jh games. I do think softball gets the shaft at small schools because of the girls choosing to play softball and not running track. My girls have to go through off season before they come to sb practice, even though we are in the middle of our season. bigger schools have softball off season programs, just like they have for basketball and volleyball. So i think if it passes, way to go Maud and maybe other schools around this area will follow suit. But if it doesn't, all is well.

Having played softball my entire life, select ball is the best route to go. I played league ball and high school softball but the competition was in traveling. If not for summer ball I would have never gotten the exposure needed for the scholarship that I earned. College coaches dont have time to scout high school softball because they are in their seasons also. The college coaches come to summer ball tournaments.

Take all of your jr high girls to tournments. This could be a dad or mom who knows the game. Get the girls playing together before h.s. Playing in tournments will get them some very good competion.

travel ball, select ball, travel ball, select ball........

As a high school coach I agree that the ideal thing is for all my players to play on these travel-select teams. The simple fact is though, they don't all do it. In fact few do.

It's not the players that do play on the travel teams that I would like Jr. High softball for. Its the ones that don't play. Here at a small school its those girls that make or break your team. 1A teams depend on these girls to fill a roll.

Even if the program is about letting everyone play, it is still 7-9 weeks of practice for the girls that they otherwise wouldn't get. Who knows? The extra work on softball might spur more parents to look at the summer ball teams as a way to get their daughters better.

My sentiments exactly GatorGrad84. My daughter does play select/travel ball. We go back and forth all summer and fall, from Little Rock to Dallas playing tournaments, and there is quite a bit of difference in the level of competition between that and the local summer league. I am not pursuing this to build my daughter's skills (not to say that she doesn't need work too), as much as to get those girls together that have never seen that level of play and give them a 2-3 year jump on what they would have had by playing a more competitive game than the local summer league offers. This would also give the coaches an early look at what they have coming up, and give the girls time to play together and "gel" as a team. How disheartening is it for those few that do put in all the extra time and effort playing select ball, only to go back to playing High School ball with 90% of their team not being ready for the next level?

"You are not pursuing this to build your daughter's skills, but to show the other girls that level of play."
What level of play do you think they are going to see. I am guessing Maud has two or three girls that play select and Avery has two or three and Simms has two or three and so on and so on. This is the summer league team with a couple of girls the also play select or travel ball.

So if you play select ball you are ready for the next level as you said in your other statement, No sir you are saying it is disheartning for your daughter to have to play with girls that are not as good as her.

And for all of you reading the post I personally know Coach Callahan at Maud and he said there has not been one parent of a Jr. high kid ask him about what he thinks on this subject. You know the dumb football coach (that is for you people who think small schools just stick someone over there to coach girls softball) that took them to Austin with his wife as his assistant 2 years ago and won there district last year and got beat in the third round, and before he took it over was the year they were supposed to win it all, when they got beat out in the first round, or so I have heard.

I think it is a great idea when young kids get to play any kind of ball. Maybe you MaudDad should just coach the summer league team and put them in select ball tournaments which is legal. Get out and hit pavement get sponsors so you can show the other girls the level your daughter is at so maybe they will be ready for the next level and for high school to play with your daughter so you or is it your daughter that won't be so disheartend.

I am a head softball coach at a 2A school in the College Station area. We are starting JH softball this year. I have 25 girls in my HS program and 28 signed up for the JH program. Me and my assistant coach all of them. There is no conflict with softball/track. They do their track workout, whether they run in the meets or not, during athletics then come to me for practice from 3:30-4:45. My varstiy/JV players report to us at 4:45 when they are done with their track practice. Our JH has five games on monday nights and have a preseason and post season tournament. They run their JH track meets on fridays. I agree that they should play select ball but that is expensive and not all kids have that option available to them. I havent seen an argument on here that I agree with. It doenst cost us a dime, except the gas that it cost to get to the games. We use volunteer officials and they use their athletic clothes for their uniform. We will have a fund raiser and buy them nicer stuff when the time comes. Its really not anything that being organized wont take are of. Im also the offensive coordinator for football. Im stretched a little thin in the spring but if it helps to build my program Im willing to do - without a stipend.

Maud they got a squad

Sir, you totally misinterpreted what I was saying. I said I wanted to get the girls together that have never seen that level of play (select/tournament ball), and give them a 2-3 year jump on what they would have had by playing a more competitive game than the local summer league offers. I did not say my daughter was ready for the next level, nor did I say that the other girls were not as good as her. In fact, I said that my daughter needs work too. As for the level of play I expect them to see, it should, IMO be more competitive than summer league, in that the coaches from all the schools involved will be preparing the girls for their HS program. I know a lot of these girls, and see potential in them, but for whatever reason, unlike the girls you spoke of in your post, whom a lot of which did play tournament ball, they don't play select ball, and under the current circumstances, won't see another level of play until High School. And yes, it would be disheartening to see this ENTIRE GROUP of girls not play up to their potential.