[logic]

Have you ever seen our softball field? When you're asking a team to dress in a mobile home for a game...I would imagine it isn't easy to recruit here as high school girls tend to like new, clean, shiny, etc.

[BJWilliams]

Talked to one of the SIDs tonight and word is the new softball field will go in over across from the Wingate in that same general area where the new intramural fields went in. Havent heard a timetable but itll certainly help things once its in (I think when I heard the rumor about the old baseball stadium they were supposed to be in for the 2014 season so Id venture a guess they want that same sort of timetable for this new one as well)

[PAmedic]

Good news. now go get us a definitive construction schedule complete with blueprints. Thanks in advance.

[ballcoach15]

That's good news. There is no reason why LU cannot have the best softball facility in the state.

[Purple Haize]

Good news. now go get us a definitive construction schedule complete with blueprints. Thanks in advance.

Always a key word.

[logic]

I must say though ballcoach, after basketball, I would argue the next highest profile NCAA women's sport is Volleyball. Softball I am afraid doesn't even come close. It was only an Olympic sport from 1996 - 2008, and not only does volleyball enjoy worldwide court participation, but beach volleyball has become a popular Olympic sport as well.

At the NCAA Division I level, some 329 schools sponsor volleyball, compared to 286 for softball.

Big-time women's volleyball averages more spectators than our baseball games to put it in perspective.


http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wis ... ndance.pdf

[ballcoach15]

Regardless of number of schools playing, softball is a bigger sport within the NCAA than volleyball. And softball is one sport in which LU could be a lot better than current status of program.

[Purple Haize]

Regardless of number of schools playing, softball is a bigger sport within the NCAA than volleyball. And softball is one sport in which LU could be a lot better than current status of program.

That's your geographical bias. Go west of the Mississippi and into the West and Southwest. VB is king.

[Sly Fox]

I was thinking the same thing. I've covered the Womens College World Series where there were just a couple of thousand in attendance in OKC. I covered Big XII softball for years with a smattering of fans at best in relatively large stadiums. Volleyball draws MUCH better than softball. And this is in a baseball-crazy state. Both volleyball & softball have strong grassroots participation but volleyball has a much stronger following in the college ranks in my part of the country.

[PAmedic]

same up north

[ballcoach15]

Seating is limited at Women's CWS in OKC. I have thought about going myself a couple times.

[logic]

Volleyball has better attendance nationwide
More TV coverage...Look at FSN, we broadcast men's and women's basketball, baseball, and volleyball. No other male or female sports have consistent telecasts.
It is an Olympic sport (has been since 1964)
It's little sister beach volleyball is an Olympic sport
Internationally there are 220 different volleyball federations vs. 127 for softball
I already mentioned more Division I volleyball programs


I would also argue that when compared to watching men play, volleyball is more comparable to men's volleyball than softball is to baseball. I cannot explain that other than to say that when you see Detinee Hooker jump and swing, it looks more comparable to men playing than any softball player I've seen compared to men playing baseball. I guess I'm saying from an athletic point of view, purely physical point of view, it features athletes that are closer in physical stats to men than softball.

[youtube]

[/youtube]


Haize maybe you can explain that better. Hooker is 6'4 and not only is she a member of the USA Olympic Volleyball Team, she is also the NCAA Indoor Champion in the high Jump as well, and apparently features a 42 inch vertical.

Now think about what kind of athlete that is, male or female. 6'4 with a 42 inch vertical. We would love to get football and basketball players here with those stats. That seems so absurd I'm not even sure I believe it, but every single news article I've researched says 42 or 43 inches and she can apparently touch 11 feet. They MUST have measured the jump with an approach, but who knows for sure.

In my humble opinion when you're looking at pure female athleticism, and a sport where women perform as close to their male counterparts as possible, I think volleyball is right up there with women's basketball if not better.

[Purple Haize]

You cannot put my name and 'hooker' in the same paragraph. It was a simple misunderstanding I just thought they needed a ride home, then change for 100, but it was all cleared up.......

SLY-- you are really comfortable agreeing with me more. I'm sure you feel liberated!

[BJWilliams]

you cant really put softball and baseball together in a discussion because the rules are completely different. I would have to agree with Purple also about how big Volleyball is out west

[logic]

you cant really put softball and baseball together in a discussion because the rules are completely different. I would have to agree with Purple also about how big Volleyball is out west

Forget the left coast. They gave up their volleyball crown in the late 90's. It's a nationwide phenomenon now and the left coast controls it no more.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wis ... ndance.pdf

6 of the 10 largest draws are Big Ten schools.


Looking at high school numbers, softball slips to 5th - http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=7495

"An additional 33,984 girls participated in high school sports last year, making the all-time record total 3,207,533. This also marks the 23rd consecutive year for an increase in the number of female participants. Outdoor track and field (468,747), basketball (435,885) and volleyball (418,903) continued to be the top three participatory sports for girls, with volleyball up 9,571 participants from 2010-11.

Soccer (370,975) surpassed fast-pitch softball (367,023) as the fourth most-popular girls sport, up 9,419 from last year, while cross country (212,262), tennis (180,870), swimming and diving (160,456), competitive spirit squads (108,307) and lacrosse (74,993) completed the top 10. Along with soccer and volleyball, cross country, competitive spirit squads and lacrosse all had increased participation from 2010-11."

[4everfsu]

Maybe one day we can be as good as USF...

http://www2.tbo.com/sports/usf-bulls/20 ... ar-628649/