longhorn47
500+ Posts
Lost to Texas State again today. CDC, please bring Cat Osterman home! Way past time for Connie to go!!
Sure Quiet
- Thread starter flash34
- Start date
Regarding recruiting.....in today’s Dallas Morning News, there was information on all (softball, tennis, WBB, MBB, GOLF, Etc) recent sport signings. Almost all were for very small directional schools. Imbedded was a softball signing from Denton Guyer to Texas. Really looked out of place. I then noticed a significant article on signings with the lead part on this player. She is a catcher/third baseman from Denton Guyer. She had been anxious as most of the players she,had,been playing with and against had long since signed. Mentioned that a significant number committed as freshmen/sophomores. Her choices were Texas, Creighton and some other very small school. This player may be good but based on what I read, it gave me the feeling that Clark is scrambling late in the game to fill out roster. Texas should be getting these early commits and not have to scramble.
Well, this may make sense in a way.
Google tells me that there are 12 scholarships allotted for Division 1.
https://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/softball.htm
We have 18 players on the roster at this time. So, some may split scholarships and some maybe walkons.
Then, Texas in the Fall signing period signed 2 players:
http://texassports.com/news/2017/11...-its-2018-19-signing-class.aspx?path=softball
A pitcher(!!!!) and an IF.
But, Erica Wright did recently announce that she is not returning next year, even though she still has a year. So....that may have opened up one new scholarship for Connie - hence this recent Spring semester signing of the catcher from Guyer.
Also, Connie's always had a recruiting philosophy of having a Junior/Freshman catcher pairing, which makes sense since Taylor will be a Junior this Fall. Technically Regan Hathaway is listed as a catcher/OF....but who knows if and when she'll ever return.
Just channel flipping and I was watching some Big 10 softball. Striking difference in the body composition of Michigan players vs. Texas players.... I'm guessing our players average 20-30 pounds heavier. I wonder if it's a difference in recruiting, style of play or nutrition/conditioning?
Once again, in the name of LHN, the game 4/17 with Baylor is scheduled at 4:30. I was going to write an outraged letter to Del Conte, but then I looked at the baseball schedule. They have a game at 7:00 with UTRGV. So of course, their logic was that they set the softball team up at 4:30 so they wouldn't be in competition with the men's broadcast at 7:00.
They're pretty good at hiding empty bleachers on the broadcast.
Makes my 4 season tickets worthless. Not renewing.
They're pretty good at hiding empty bleachers on the broadcast.
Makes my 4 season tickets worthless. Not renewing.
EXACTLY why I didnt get season tix. As I mentioned in another post, they didnt even respond when i questioned game times when they were asking for my money before times were posted. Tisk tisk.....
Is anyone excited about our record? Seems like we havent played more than one good team in like 15 or more games. Texas sports is all excited about our 7-0 conference start, but Kansas, ISU and Tech have a combined 2-24 conference record as of today. I guess we're beating the teams we should.
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LOL, we play a ranked team and lose 3-0....Baylor. I predict we lose 6 or 7 of our final 11 games and everyone (in the UT circles) is going to wonder what happened. We have three with OSU, three with OU and two more with Baylor. We may lose them all, but surely we'll get a lucky break or two somewhere along the way.
That would leave us at 30-23 or 31-22, we'll make the tourney, get an appropriate seed and get knocked out in the first round.....again.
That would leave us at 30-23 or 31-22, we'll make the tourney, get an appropriate seed and get knocked out in the first round.....again.
Lost 2 of 3 against OSU as expected and should beat Texas Southern. Unless a miracle happens they'll get swept by trailer trash U leaving us 1-7 in our last 8 games against ranked teams.
This is totally embarrassing and need a new coach who can compete and not just beat bad teams.
This is totally embarrassing and need a new coach who can compete and not just beat bad teams.
Surprise!!!! We lose 6-0 to OU in the first game of the series.
We've scored a grand total of 6 runs in our last 6 games against ranked teams, but only 3 runs in our 5 losses. How painfully bad is this team?
We've scored a grand total of 6 runs in our last 6 games against ranked teams, but only 3 runs in our 5 losses. How painfully bad is this team?
anteater1973
25+ Posts
Since the 2013-14 season we are 1-14, including today, against OU. Including sweeps in '15 and '16 and losing to them 4 times in '17. Record against Baylor is better but not by a lot. How long will this continue?
Write a letter to the AD if you haven't already done so!
[email protected]
I've done it and his admin responded that it was read and feedback appreciated.
We lose yet again to OU 7-1.
My note to Mr Del Conte:
Dear Sir,
Good evening! There are several things on my mind regarding the current state of the softball program, but I would like to focus on results. After several years of following Texas softball, I no longer have confidence this staff is capable of producing an elite quality team who will compete for championships.
I believe a big part of the issue is being able to recruit the best players to come here. My daughter played on a national travel team called the Texas Blaze. During our time with the team there were many conversations among parents about recruiting. When I talked about UT, almost every parent said they would never send their daughter to Texas because the coaching is a joke. I blew it off and sent my daughter to the UT summer camp. I was present both days to see how the camp was run and was shocked. With players from all over the country attending, there was almost ZERO teaching of skills. My daughter even laughed and said she learns more in club practices than at camp. Coach Clark was present all of about 15 minutes in the opening meeting never to be seen again....at her own camp. There is a stark difference when attending other university camps.
After that experience I decided to ask around to parents of other teams and heard similar opinions. I tell you this because you need to know that in high school level elite organizations the players and families think Texas softball is a joke. Seeing results like losing 14 of the last 15 to OU pretty much confirms that. It's time Texas has a coaching staff capable of getting the best players and coaching them to perform at the highest possible level to compete for championships.
Thank you for your time!
Dear Sir,
Good evening! There are several things on my mind regarding the current state of the softball program, but I would like to focus on results. After several years of following Texas softball, I no longer have confidence this staff is capable of producing an elite quality team who will compete for championships.
I believe a big part of the issue is being able to recruit the best players to come here. My daughter played on a national travel team called the Texas Blaze. During our time with the team there were many conversations among parents about recruiting. When I talked about UT, almost every parent said they would never send their daughter to Texas because the coaching is a joke. I blew it off and sent my daughter to the UT summer camp. I was present both days to see how the camp was run and was shocked. With players from all over the country attending, there was almost ZERO teaching of skills. My daughter even laughed and said she learns more in club practices than at camp. Coach Clark was present all of about 15 minutes in the opening meeting never to be seen again....at her own camp. There is a stark difference when attending other university camps.
After that experience I decided to ask around to parents of other teams and heard similar opinions. I tell you this because you need to know that in high school level elite organizations the players and families think Texas softball is a joke. Seeing results like losing 14 of the last 15 to OU pretty much confirms that. It's time Texas has a coaching staff capable of getting the best players and coaching them to perform at the highest possible level to compete for championships.
Thank you for your time!
Agree with you Vol on the program, but after seeing club soccer in action (a friend's two girls and a grandniece), I cannot agree on any club situation being in the best interests of the player. Of the three one was deserving of the scholarship she received; one received a scholarship solely on her club coach's friendship with the college coach; and one (who was the playmaker for a state championship team) is going begging for a scholarship because her club coach left in the middle of her recruitment.
Club play has ruined basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball and is working on football. There is a place for everyone, but the pressure from the club coaches on their college counterparts (which is how the club coaches are measured) is ruining it for everyone. On top of that are the "agents", but they have always been around.
Club play has ruined basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball and is working on football. There is a place for everyone, but the pressure from the club coaches on their college counterparts (which is how the club coaches are measured) is ruining it for everyone. On top of that are the "agents", but they have always been around.
Almost all major colleges recruit from select organizations. When you start attending national championship caliber tournaments around the country the recruiters buzz around like honey bees to the flowers. Let me be clear that there are a lot of crappy select softball teams because anyone who can pay money will be on a team somewhere regardless of ability. The team my daughter played on is not that type of team. You are right that there are a lot of politics on some teams, but at the highest level of select softball the expectation is everyone gets a scholarship offer...period. It is so difficult to get on those teams once you finally get on the expectation can't be lowered. Not all are D-1 players, but they all go to competitive programs. I don't know anything about soccer, volleyball, etc or how they are run.
I am yet to see a top quality high school player who is good enough to play on a D-1 team who does not play select ball. I'm sure they exist somewhere, but I haven't seen it. Maybe many have the potential, but most D-1 programs don't recruit on potential....there just aren't enough scholarships to take that chance. Once in high school you can't possibly be developed enough to play at this level without playing outside of HS softball at an elite level with lots of private lessons, etc. There are a LOT of bad high school teams out there and the competition isn't difficult enough to develop great players, especially batting skills. The bigger HS teams that are really good are usually loaded with select players who play year round.
I'm not sure how you got scholarship offers out of the letter I wrote because my comments had nothing at all to do with scholarships or offers. It was all about the perception of the UT organization from those elite clubs based on coaching behaviors.
Texas can offer all they want, but the perception of the majority of players and parents is that UT is a joke and we will never have a shot at those players. The players we get are kids who we settled on, but may not be the exact player we wanted because the one we wanted ended up at a serious program like OU.
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Vol, select anything is all about how much scholarship money you can get. Otherwise why play at that leveI? 17-18 year olds just want to play.
I was just trying to point out that it is as corrupt as the agent world. All kids should be judged by their ability; not if their parents can afford to pay for them to be on a select team. Select coaches should be treated as agents and kept away from college coaches.
You do realize that camps are a way college coaches can get legal money to their players. Angela Kelly spends almost 100% of her time at her camps, but the better players still choose not to go to Texas. As you and others have pointed out - there are big issues on the women's athletic side at Texas.
I was just trying to point out that it is as corrupt as the agent world. All kids should be judged by their ability; not if their parents can afford to pay for them to be on a select team. Select coaches should be treated as agents and kept away from college coaches.
You do realize that camps are a way college coaches can get legal money to their players. Angela Kelly spends almost 100% of her time at her camps, but the better players still choose not to go to Texas. As you and others have pointed out - there are big issues on the women's athletic side at Texas.
You are exactly right about being all about scholarship money, but the scholarship money goes there because the players are better not because of politics and sleazy backroom deals. I'm sure there are lot's of nasty sleazy select coaches and organizations out there, but I haven't had the pleasure of being a part of one here in Texas. I've seen more nasty ruthless parents than coaches.
Many of the major select organizations have political or personal ties to specific D1 teams. Call it sleazy or call it years of relationship building, whatever. That doesn't mean those schools will take a player from that organization if they don't think the kid has what it takes. Put two kids side by side with the same ability and the school will probably take from the coach they know. Usually because they know what training and experience they are getting from experience.
Again, that's totally off the subject of select parents and kids thinking UT is a joke. That has nothing to do with what you bring up. If that perception doesn't change we'll never get the players we really need to win here. Even if we get them I don't think our current staff can coach them to a championship.
Many of the major select organizations have political or personal ties to specific D1 teams. Call it sleazy or call it years of relationship building, whatever. That doesn't mean those schools will take a player from that organization if they don't think the kid has what it takes. Put two kids side by side with the same ability and the school will probably take from the coach they know. Usually because they know what training and experience they are getting from experience.
Again, that's totally off the subject of select parents and kids thinking UT is a joke. That has nothing to do with what you bring up. If that perception doesn't change we'll never get the players we really need to win here. Even if we get them I don't think our current staff can coach them to a championship.
Right on schedule being swept yet again by OU, but we'll get back on track with a double header Wednesday against 13-30 Incarnate Word who we "dominated" 2-0 earlier in the year.
Maybe we get a split against Baylor to end the season.
Maybe we get a split against Baylor to end the season.
Only to go to a Region hosted by A&M or Baylor or ULL, win the first game and then lose 2 in a row and.....on to next year!
Kinda interesting that softball wasn’t included on the Texas Tour. Can’t have all the sports represented but perhaps it would be too uncomfortable for the coach or DC to answer pointed questions. Noticed that Incarnate Word lost two more yesterday so Horns record on surface looks better. I am thinking on a quiet Thursday in May that we are seeing the last month before a change is made. In my fair and biased opinion, there is 0.956% chance “status quo” is the post season decision. On what basis would DC stay with current set-up? He is way too smart to do so.
I received the obligatory, "We'll make sure Mr. Del Conte sees this." response. I really wonder if he sees these emails. He seems like the kind of guy who would get pissed if he didnt.
He seems like a smart guy. If Baylor wins both of the remaining games we would be something like 3-15 against ranked opponents this year. That's a total guess but I've looked at the schedule quite a bit. Surely with those results combined with knowing the fan unrest and poor attendance compared to previous years he'll make a change.
One can only hope. However, the interesting issue will be what happens with Chris Plonsky when CdC pulls the trigger on the first women's program.
utwheels86
25+ Posts
I think it’s only a matter of time before DelConte makes some changes. To his credit, he did say he would evaluate every facet of Athletics and make appropriate changes as needed. I think he will in this case.
I think that's kinda what you would expect. I'm guessing he has admin(s) who go through all of his mail, weed out the crazies, and then sort them according to the subject matter: football, baseball, softball, and so forth. Then, he can go through the subject matter at set times. Just a guess on my part - no inside information. At least it's acknowledged.
I was thinking about this the other day. Men's basketball, he's going to give Shaka another year. Women's basketball, no problems. Football, at least 2 more years. Golf, Tennis, Swimming all are doing outstanding, as is volleyball. That only leaves baseball, which is on an upswing, and softball as contenders for review. Only Connie, with 21+ years is under any serious consideration....well maybe who is the next or permanent track coach. Unless someone knows someone in the admin, we'll know the few weeks/months after we eventually flame out in the tournament.
Racer, Pierce will get at least one more year, otherwise, you covered everything else. Football is a separate animal as the revenue generator. If Herman doesn't win 9 Regular Season games in 2018, issues will be raised due to the level of spending on that program.
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