Move up to 12U or stay another year at 10U?

[ksswanson5]

My daughter's team will be moving up to 11s (12U), but she has the option to stay 10U another year. Should she? Our issue is that she is the #3 pitcher behind the coaches' daughters. This will not change if she moves up. However, if she stays 10U her opportunity to pitch may improve but it would be with a different coach. She has a very good arm and it's been frustrating for us that she hasn't gotten the same amount of mound experience as the other two. She is a 1st baseman that occasionally is used to pitch when the other two girls start having meltdowns. Her coach says she's very valuable at 1st and it always seems to be an ordeal when they need to replace her. The other two pitchers swap out at shortstop. Is it better for her to stay 10U and most likely have opportunity to pitch more (which is what she loves to do) or stay with this team (she really likes her teammates but we do not see the pitching situation getting any better). Any suggestions?

 

[gvm]

if she moves up with her team,she will be a great 1st base when she grows up,but not much of a pitcher?

 

[MagicDad]

We had the choice last fall to move up or not and decided to stay at 10U. We're in a little different situation, my DD is not a pitcher but she does play first base. We felt that there was no rush for her to play up at that time and we wanted her to get as much playing time and training as possible. Another factor was who and what kind of team she was playing on. If her team wasn't at the same skill level she was at, we would have moved up. We didn't want her to be the best on the team just one of the better players. It would have been a long year if her team wasn't any good. DW and I feel that 10u was more of a training year and a year for her to grow her skills. After all the games we played this past year there wasn't to many players that can play first base like she can and that all has to do with the traing and her coaches. I never knew there was so much to learn about first base. I always thought you just stick a tall kid there that could catch, boy was I wrong. We are happy with what we decided and have no second thoughts. Good luck in making your choice, either way you go I'm sure it'll be the right one for you and your DD.

 

[2bucketdad]

The question you have to ask yourself if on which team will my dd's skills and fundamentals be improved which team will she get better training for the next level.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Let your daughter decide. If she needs help, tell her the pros and cons. Her 'development' right now isn't as important as her ownership of what she's doing. This thread has too much parent perspective and not enough kid, imho.

 

[NVfishing]

Our organization has made it a rule. You only move up when your age determines you move up. To some extent I would like to have my DD move up because she won't be challenged next year in this age group.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Our organization has made it a rule. You only move up when your age determines you move up.

Ugh!!!! Went through the same silliness with the organization I'm leaving. Age is not the determining factor for playing level. Ability is. If a kid can play with and COMPETE well while playing up then she needs to be there. Other than that they need to stay at their age level.

 

[quincy]

I do not know if this is TB or Rec.
10YOA DD and DW teamed up on me and DD played 12U this year, DD is a lot better after this year playing against better players. The game in our League was a lot different.

With that said DD wants to pitch, if that meant playing 8U she would play there if they still allowed her too. We knew going into 12U she would be able to pitch so it made it an easier decision.

 

[Angus T]

Pitchers need to pitch. Mine will be going into her 2nd year of 12U and she has pitched a lot. This (without a doubt) is one of the main reasons she has excelled. My only wish is that she could have had two years at 10U instead of one year (her sole year @ 10U was her first in TB).

Playing behind coaches daughters seems to be a common theme (mine is a coach's daughter). Hopefully your coaches will look at performance and effort vs last names.

 

[xplosion10U]

My DD was in the same situation last year. She was the #3, played first base, and was an average batter in her first year in 10U. We were asked to move up, but we decided to stay in 10U. DD has excelled this year, solidified #1 pitcher, and she has been ripping the cover off the ball all summer.