(SB) Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Everything I've seen is on Instagram

 

From Lori Deckers Instagram..

So I'm going to talk about softball for a minute. I'm going to talk about coaches who promised us things that never happened. When your daughter commits in 8th grade and the college coaches promised they have her. No matter what, we have her. I trusted them and gave them my daughter. That was my first mistake. BUT, my daughter had a major injury and was taking out of the line up and program. 16 weeks later, she worked her way back in. She knew she would never be a starter because of her Injury but she did everything She could to learn. She sat next to the coaches and learned. She showed up before everyone, she worked as hard as she could to be a part of the team. She did what she had to do to be a part of the Gators. Here's the thing, when your coach doesn't talk to you for a week, doesn't acknowledge your presence and treats you like your not a part of your team, you have to figure out how to fit in. No lie, there were weeks where he didn't even say hi. I'm sure you all think that's crazy. It's the truth.

He's so amazing, it's Tim Walton. Well Tim Walton has his faults too. My daughter was in therapy because of him. Her best friends, if they would be real, told her you're right, you've been treated different. He was not kind to you. They told her to leave too. Oil and water do not mix. It happens so often in this program, however no one holds him accountable. It's time to hold him accountable. You can't just coach 5 people Tim. You can't just coach your best players Tim. If you want to be the best program out there, COACH!! Fucking COACH!

Ok, I will continue to be an advocate for players and have open conversations. Don't hate me for my feelings.

 

Notice how she doesn't say how Cali was injured and leaves the impression she was working her butt off and had a major softball injury. In fact, she was attacked by an avocado. And when she finally was able to play, she started 7 games but she "knew she would never be a starter". At least until it was end of season interview time when she demanded to be promised to start the next season.

 

Thanks for sharing. I have to say I believe her. Its not the first time ive heard this about him and certain players.

 

Yeah same. I’m a long time watcher of this forum and love everyone’s insight and the back and forth dialogue everyone brings. And I gotta say I believe her as well. Just hate how it’s all coming to light on social media. Things like that should be taken care of behind closed doors. Just my opinion.

 

I believe part of Decker’s mom’s story is true because I have heard and do believe Tim plays favorites with some of the players. But he plays favorites with the girls who are willing to be coached hard and want to be great. Everyone else he’ll give a chance but if they don’t show him that want, he basically pushes them to transfer. Have any of the players that have transferred under Tim’s tenure turned out to be great/more than merely ok? He knows what he’s doing.

 

Neither do about half the premium board. And they were raised here.

 

For what it's worth, Francesca is still posting...posted this two hours ago:

 

Don’t expect anything. Jmhfo. I know this is the era of ME and NIL but let’s have some faith in the brand. I understand that can be hard sometimes. This group of posters is the informed…those who see possibilities, informed possibilities. The hair is on fire Club f’s every real conversation. Let’s don’t encourage them.
Thanks.

 

We were hoping you knew.

 

That is literally every team. College or not. Girls who work hard and are all about the program are going to be perceived as favorites. If you show you are going to put in the work of course the coach is going to belive in you more and put more effort into you. Tim has even said before on podcasts and stuff along the lines of some players want more coaching so they get more coaching. Skylar Wallace for example. Mia for example. Kendra. Jocey. Katie. Im sure Taylor.

Everyone comes into a program starts with the same chance. What is done with that chnace is on the player. Thats not even just softball thats life. You have every opportunity to either better yourself, feel sorry for yourself and complain, or change the situation. Cali changed her situation. Good for her. But she never improved as a softball player there and now her mom who has all kinds of posts of partying with her daughter is whining about how its Waltons fault for all her hardships. Give me a break.

 

Meh, this is big boy sports, not daycare. Coach isn’t there to be your friend. Walton’s trophy case indicates he has a pretty good idea what he’s doing.

 

I really don't get it. She's promised in 8th grade and actually gets an offer five years later and is on the team. Is Decker's mom making the ridiculous claim that CTW offered her a starting position in five years? If you want out of the dugout, earn your way out of the dugout.

 

This. We all know these types of parents also. Kid can never do wrong and any setback is someone else’s’ doing.

 

She was offered and committed early before the rules changed. So her mother wants you to believe she was the hardest working and most coachable kid this side of Skylar Wallace but for no reason whatsoever Tim made her life so miserable she was forced to leave because her friends told her she should. I'm searching my memory for a kid that fits that wonderful profile that Tim made life so miserable they had to leave. Not finding one. I do remember Sarah Longley, for example, who was not a talented star but was treated like one. Or Bryn Thomas, who essentially never contributed anything on the field but certainly wasn't treated like dead weight. Or Mia, who stunk up the place for a whole year and Tim never gave up on her or made her life miserable. Or even Olivia Miller, who I'm sure would like more opportunity and probably thinks she deserves it but her mother is all in for the program. In thinking about the Cali Decker situation I think it would be wise to use some common sense.

 

More coaching is one thing, and of course the players that put the work in will naturally be favoured.
But more coaching isn't the same thing as ignoring a player, giving them the cold shoulder and literally blanking them. That's not ok.

 

She was unable to contribute anything to the team for 16 weeks because of a non-softball related injury. I don't doubt she didn't factor into much of anything team related at the time because time would be spent on those players who could contribute. But to accept at face value that she was totally ignored and treated like dirt because a mother with an axe to grind says so strikes me as a big leap. Whoever here said that it is likely certain Mia's mom and Cali's mom know each other and are in cahoots may well have a point. Why is she ranting now, three years later?

 

It is all so petty. Sorry, but your daughter just wasn't good enough. As was stated earlier, which of these players that transferred out went onto great success at their next stop? He plays the best players? What a crime.

 

You seem to automatically take what an ex players mother is saying over evidence we have seen from a program and coach for years on years. There is no chance in hell I'll belive tim treated somebody like that.

 

I mean the answer as to why she's doing it now is probably purely because someone already opened the door, so she figured why not?

Or she could have just seen an opportunity to stick the boot in. Who knows?