- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Softball Recruits
Posted on 6/15/16 at 10:26 am to LSUAshlyn
Posted on 6/15/16 at 10:26 am to LSUAshlyn
Louisiana patriots gold and LA patriots are two different things. Gold team broke off about 4 years ago now to their own organization. They have placed in the top ten in the nation at ASA the last 4 years. They have a great team. I understand what you are trying to say about huge organizations in Cali being elite.... The point is LA does have a travel ball team right here that does compete with the best. Look them up!
0
Posted on 6/15/16 at 11:26 am to Sickdog24
I'm a Louisiana girl and I agree we have great players. I have said for over a year that I think the two best position players in the country in the class of 2016 are right here in our state.
We just don't have the numbers. The Patriots Gold are solid. That is a great finish in the ASA but few of the elite teams were there.
The tale will be told this year on how well the Patriots can compete on a national level since they have received there first ever invite to play in what most consider the true national championship tourney in Colorado. The IDT is the best tournament in the country and every team will be there.
Go Patriots!!
We just don't have the numbers. The Patriots Gold are solid. That is a great finish in the ASA but few of the elite teams were there.
The tale will be told this year on how well the Patriots can compete on a national level since they have received there first ever invite to play in what most consider the true national championship tourney in Colorado. The IDT is the best tournament in the country and every team will be there.
Go Patriots!!
Posted on 6/15/16 at 1:38 pm to LSUAshlyn
Obviously you know a ton about softball in this state. Leave out the patriots gold in your discussion about the best teams currently playing in the area? Try to discredit their 2nd place finish by saying most of the good teams weren't there. Guess we shall see this year just like you said! Do agree on one thing though... Louisiana does produce good talent but not in bunches! Wish we had more elite pitchers in the area for sure. Lsu ULL Mcneese Nichols all had great years in 2016. LSUE is always a force at the JC level. Louisiana softball is strong and will continue to be for years to come. Let's keep our top talent in this state!
Posted on 6/15/16 at 7:58 pm to Sickdog24
Louisiana has great athletes. They have mediocre travel ball coaching. It's not debatable. I'd personally pick Patriots over Voodoo but that's me.
They aren't top 10 in the nation. You can argue, use caps lock if you like, but it wouldn't change a thing. They can compete, there is no doubt. They'll win games and typically aren't an easy out, but they aren't beating the top 15 teams from Cali alone regularly. Would be hard to beat teams like the East Cobb Bullets regularly as well when they pull kids from the entire east coast, and snatch up the best kids from places like...Louisiana for tournaments here and there as well. Is what it is, don't take it personal.
I do agree on the local girls getting an unfair shake on the team though. It's a simple business decision on the coaches part. TOPS allows her to stick kids like Bourg, Corbello, Satchell, Lockwood etc on the bench with little to no cost. I'm not saying these girls are AA caliber, but I'm saying they could all start for a lot of programs throughout the country. But with the lack of a reputation for Louisiana travel ball and most Louisiana teams not playing in the best tournaments, it hinders our players to get national exposure during the recruiting cycle. Corbello is not as good as the 3 ladies before her, but she's a very capable pitcher on the D1 level. Bourg is a really solid all around athlete. Lockwood has elite speed. Satchell can play a lot of positions on the field very well and hit from what I'm told. The simple fact is though, most of these girls are happy to wear the uniform and be a part of the team. Out of state players come here to play and they are given the 1st shot. I've said it before, look at the players on the field. Very few are from in state.
The status quo will remain until these cheap quality players decide they'd rather not sit the bench, or TOPS is canceled. Then real money will have to given to local talent, or they'll go to other schools in state, or out.
They aren't top 10 in the nation. You can argue, use caps lock if you like, but it wouldn't change a thing. They can compete, there is no doubt. They'll win games and typically aren't an easy out, but they aren't beating the top 15 teams from Cali alone regularly. Would be hard to beat teams like the East Cobb Bullets regularly as well when they pull kids from the entire east coast, and snatch up the best kids from places like...Louisiana for tournaments here and there as well. Is what it is, don't take it personal.
I do agree on the local girls getting an unfair shake on the team though. It's a simple business decision on the coaches part. TOPS allows her to stick kids like Bourg, Corbello, Satchell, Lockwood etc on the bench with little to no cost. I'm not saying these girls are AA caliber, but I'm saying they could all start for a lot of programs throughout the country. But with the lack of a reputation for Louisiana travel ball and most Louisiana teams not playing in the best tournaments, it hinders our players to get national exposure during the recruiting cycle. Corbello is not as good as the 3 ladies before her, but she's a very capable pitcher on the D1 level. Bourg is a really solid all around athlete. Lockwood has elite speed. Satchell can play a lot of positions on the field very well and hit from what I'm told. The simple fact is though, most of these girls are happy to wear the uniform and be a part of the team. Out of state players come here to play and they are given the 1st shot. I've said it before, look at the players on the field. Very few are from in state.
The status quo will remain until these cheap quality players decide they'd rather not sit the bench, or TOPS is canceled. Then real money will have to given to local talent, or they'll go to other schools in state, or out.
This post was edited on 6/15/16 at 8:10 pm
Posted on 6/15/16 at 8:24 pm to SBTigerFan
Good post SBTigerFan. I have followed LA travel ball for quite a while and I don't ever remember the Voodoo and the Patriots playing. I know the Voodoo has been a participant in some of the more prestigious tourneys over the years and I also know the Patriots are trying to compete more nationally than they have in past years.
The exposure thing may be changing, at least this year with Hemphill going to Bama and Dawson going to LSU. Both are considered nationally elite talents by pretty much every softball group in the country. For LA to have two top 10, all american type players in the same year is quite a feat.
Hemphill and Dawson have both made the PGF All American team and Dawson was just named to the USA Today All USA team that was released in the last few days. She is one of only 20 players in the country named to this All USA team and 11 out of the 20 were pitchers. That means she was selected to be one of the best 9 position players in the USA by this group.
Does it translate to the field, maybe not, but it is a great start on getting our athletes some well deserved national attention.
The exposure thing may be changing, at least this year with Hemphill going to Bama and Dawson going to LSU. Both are considered nationally elite talents by pretty much every softball group in the country. For LA to have two top 10, all american type players in the same year is quite a feat.
Hemphill and Dawson have both made the PGF All American team and Dawson was just named to the USA Today All USA team that was released in the last few days. She is one of only 20 players in the country named to this All USA team and 11 out of the 20 were pitchers. That means she was selected to be one of the best 9 position players in the USA by this group.
Does it translate to the field, maybe not, but it is a great start on getting our athletes some well deserved national attention.
Posted on 6/15/16 at 10:35 pm to LSUAshlyn
We've always had athletes, we need coaches in the travel ball world to improve. We also need more of an effort made in the early stages, 10U-14U to teach proper technique instead of worrying about winning. This method ensures you win in 16U-18U or at least hold your own against elite teams later on. Winning every weekend locally doesn't do a thing for your future, except hurt it. Just like posting highschool stats. It's cool. It's a nice feat for the girls, but it doesn't mean anything. A lot of these kids plays SS or P in HS, but they'll never see those spots in college. They hit .500+, but barely break .250 in college. It really is a completely different ball game, especially at the SEC level.
Posted on 6/16/16 at 2:02 pm to SBTigerFan
Not taking anything personal at all. Good post with some good insight. Patriot gold has made huge strides nationally over the last four years. Can they compete with elite teams that have 150k budget and fly kids in to play a tournaments?... No that's what I am trying to say. What I am saying is this... The biggest problem making the transition from high school to college offensively is facing elite pitching and defense. Easy to bat .500 when no one breaks on the ball and the pitcher throws 50 mph.
To truly get yourself ready for college girls need to face elite pitching and great pitchers need to learn how to get elite batters out. Think we could all agree that this is a huge issue in the state.
Competing against the country's best is the only way to find these things out. Travel ball is a very costly and lots of LA kids just don't have the means to play for certain teams.
ULL has done a nice job of keeping local girls on travel ball teams of their choice and developing them from there. They don't travel much but are developed in a system that translates well to their program. Would encourage all girls in this state to choose your college wisely... Go somewhere you are going to get on the field! Don't make your choice based on the color of the uniform or big names. There is a lot that needs to change in this state about softball. Unfortunately most decent coaches quit when their daughters move on in life. Ben Guidry and Billy Stears with the patriots gave their lives to this game and I have huge respect for that. My hope moving forward is that some of these ladies get back into coaching and build the game in this state that we all love.
To truly get yourself ready for college girls need to face elite pitching and great pitchers need to learn how to get elite batters out. Think we could all agree that this is a huge issue in the state.
Competing against the country's best is the only way to find these things out. Travel ball is a very costly and lots of LA kids just don't have the means to play for certain teams.
ULL has done a nice job of keeping local girls on travel ball teams of their choice and developing them from there. They don't travel much but are developed in a system that translates well to their program. Would encourage all girls in this state to choose your college wisely... Go somewhere you are going to get on the field! Don't make your choice based on the color of the uniform or big names. There is a lot that needs to change in this state about softball. Unfortunately most decent coaches quit when their daughters move on in life. Ben Guidry and Billy Stears with the patriots gave their lives to this game and I have huge respect for that. My hope moving forward is that some of these ladies get back into coaching and build the game in this state that we all love.
Posted on 6/16/16 at 8:38 pm to Sickdog24
See, now that is a good post, and what I was trying to say earlier when you said I was full of it! Lol. SB and Ashlyn hit the nail on the head. It is the travel coaching that has failed these Louisiana athletes by and large. Certainly, there are very talented girls, and there are good teams in LA. But the number of "polished" talented girls in LA, even per capita, is lower than other states because most (not all) coaches here simply recruit talent instead of trying to develop it. They are far too results oriented. She got the out? Great! We won the game? Great! We won a trophy? Great! They don't look at how she got the out, how they won the game, or how they won the trophy. And it's not just travel ball. I've seen high school coaches tell girls that they shouldn't have to teach fundamentals because that is learned in tee ball.
Basically, there are great ball players here, but the number so far pales in comparison to some other states that you see the disparity in recruiting a lot.
Basically, there are great ball players here, but the number so far pales in comparison to some other states that you see the disparity in recruiting a lot.
Posted on 6/17/16 at 7:34 am to Fratigerguy
High school ball is for fun only.
Posted on 6/17/16 at 8:38 am to SBTigerFan
quote:
High school ball is for fun only.
I concur. The problem lies when they aren't getting it in travel ball, and then their coach that has them 6 days a week, 4 months a year, more than a travel coach could hope to, is a bumbling idiot. With some definite exceptions, our girls in LA are at a definite disadvantage due to coaching.
Posted on 6/17/16 at 11:40 am to Fratigerguy
High school softball does have its place. If you are there to learn fundamentals you are looking in the wrong place. High school girls are never under more pressure than at the finals in sulphur. Playing in front of crowds and their peers in huge numbers tells you a little something about the kids and how they deal with the pressures of the game. This is a time when they are actually playing for their school and you always see the cream rise to the top! That being said I wish more principals would hire quality softball coaches and more of these ladies or men would be involved in the summer teams. This happens in baseball all the time with clusters of players from the same Parrish trying to compete nationally. Obviously the right people have to be involved to make this work. Have never seen much of this in softball and I wish it would change. Currently there aren't many high school coaches that are capable or willing to give up that much of their time. The only way to fix it is to get more college players to give back to this game. Get good coaches to mentor kids who show interest until they are ready. Few quality tournament teams to play for these days. These girls need quality instruction. Weed out some of the teams looking for the money grab and daddy ball! Louisiana girls deserve more!
Posted on 6/18/16 at 11:57 am to SBTigerFan
quote:
High school ball is for fun only.
I vehemently disagree. As a retired high school coach with 24 years as a head coach and 3 as an assistant and also 15 years coaching travel ball programs, there is real value in high school ball. In fact, there is real value in both. I am also one of the mail spokespeople for HS softball coaches in Texas.
I know my HS teams had fun because we were winning, but we worked hard the entire school year. Where the problem lies is when you get HS and Travel ball coaches who think that their programs are most important and do not work together. For the most part, I had great relationships with the travel ball kids on my high school team and vice versa when coaching TB.
I had my players in offseason in Fall semester and then on the field in the Spring. The best quote from one of my travel ball friends who was coaching several of my high school players was, "In the Fall season, you're getting them stronger and in better shape for us and we're getting them on the field to help your team be successful as well."
Most of us HS coaches know that the Fall and Summer travel seasons are when the most visual recruiting is going on. Since we all play basically the same days as the college teams in the Spring, it's very difficult for the college coaches to come out and watch the HS games. The Fall and Summer are the times they have time to get out and watch. So I always felt that if I can help make them better when I had them, they would have an advantage with their travel teams in recruiting.
HS ball is also rewarding in the time the student-athletes get to spend with their classmates to represent their school and community. This is very prevalent in smaller schools and in large communities with a single high school. I was always fortunate to coach in a city or town with a single HS -- from the time I started in a 1A school in Louisiana until I retired from a 5A school in Texas. The pride that the players have in being the best from their community and how that taught the kids teamwork for a common goal is invaluable as they go on in life from HS. In travel ball, even when I coached it, it was always about "me" with the players. Most times, they can only practice once or twice a week and all come from different communities - like an all-star team.
I will acknowledge that there are lazy coaches in High School ball, but there are also lazy coaches in Travel Ball as well. In TB you can go find a different team, but in HS ball you have to work it out and both are good lessons for the kids to learn from.
I'm not one to knock neither HS ball nor Travel Ball. Both have their places in our sport and give kids great opportunities to have success and move on to the next level.
Gotta go as I'm about to ride my bike over the fields here in Sugar Land to see some games in a PGF qualifier. Going to visit with some college coaches about players that I give lessons to in order to help them and their HS and TB coaches out.
Posted on 6/18/16 at 3:26 pm to 18handicap
We are all welcome to our opinions. The quality of softball, travel or HS in Texas is vastly greater than in Louisiana.
Kids go 4 years without playing HS ball and still go to college and become great players. That tells me all I need to know about HS softball.
Also, if you're trying to learn fundamentals in HS, you are seriously behind the curve.
Kids go 4 years without playing HS ball and still go to college and become great players. That tells me all I need to know about HS softball.
Also, if you're trying to learn fundamentals in HS, you are seriously behind the curve.
Posted on 6/18/16 at 5:19 pm to SBTigerFan
quote:
If you are there to learn fundamentals you are looking in the wrong place.
quote:
Also, if you're trying to learn fundamentals in HS, you are seriously behind the curve.
These two quotes so eloquently illustrate my point. You never, and I mean never, stop coaching or practicing fundamentals. Top college programs do it religiously. Major League Baseball players so it daily. This is the mindset that has put LA behind the 8 ball. "You're too old to be working fundamentals." El oh el. Mike Candrea worked fundamentals daily as coach of Team USA. If those ball players needed that, I'm pretty sure a high school freshman or sophomore will probably get some benefit out of it as well.
Posted on 6/18/16 at 10:31 pm to SBTigerFan
I would to love to read examples of those who didn't play any high school ball and were successful in College. I'll bet the list is very short...
You're right about the difference when crossing the Sabine River. Having that athletic period where I could work with my players all year is a big difference. I hate to say that as big LSU softball supporter.
You're right about the difference when crossing the Sabine River. Having that athletic period where I could work with my players all year is a big difference. I hate to say that as big LSU softball supporter.
This post was edited on 6/18/16 at 10:32 pm
Posted on 6/19/16 at 4:40 pm to Fratigerguy
There is a difference between reinforcing them and learning them, at least IMO.
Also, with the errors in the infield the last 3 years, are you certain coaches never stop working on them?
You're probably right. The list probably isn't long. Raven Chavanne is the only one that comes to mind. What I meant is I feel that there are things kids can learn and improve upon in HS, reps matter of course. But if they have you doing bad reps, what are you improving? I'm not advocating girls not play HS ball. For most it's the last chance they'll have to play. Just saying, it's not really a proving ground with the way things are setup today. If a kid played high level travel ball, was good at it, and ran track in HS instead of softball, I wouldn't see the issue.
Also, with the errors in the infield the last 3 years, are you certain coaches never stop working on them?
You're probably right. The list probably isn't long. Raven Chavanne is the only one that comes to mind. What I meant is I feel that there are things kids can learn and improve upon in HS, reps matter of course. But if they have you doing bad reps, what are you improving? I'm not advocating girls not play HS ball. For most it's the last chance they'll have to play. Just saying, it's not really a proving ground with the way things are setup today. If a kid played high level travel ball, was good at it, and ran track in HS instead of softball, I wouldn't see the issue.
This post was edited on 6/19/16 at 4:48 pm
Posted on 6/19/16 at 8:26 pm to SBTigerFan
I know a lot of College coaches and most would see an issue if the players didn't play HS ball.
I know of many players who weren't very good as freshmen in high school and because of their HS and travel coaches end of being late recruits for D1 because of their massive improvement
I know of many players who weren't very good as freshmen in high school and because of their HS and travel coaches end of being late recruits for D1 because of their massive improvement
Posted on 6/19/16 at 10:16 pm to 18handicap
I know NSU picked up a commitment from the 4A MVP in E.C. Delafield of North DeSoto. Any chance LSU would be interested in flipping her?
Posted on 6/20/16 at 11:53 am to smp4lsu
OF. But you should be careful posting on here about her. her dad Charlie watches this board and gets his panties in a wad when posters predict her future. She is the real deal though.
Page 4 of 6
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News