Playing up..... accept it or deny it?

[SSmom83]

Ok, my daughter is in 6th grade & the entire 7th grade softball Jr High team was all 6th graders.
Our 8th grade team was 2 8th graders, 1 6th grader(sister of an 8th grader so made since to move her up) and entirely 7th graders otherwise.
Our 8th grade team just won Regionals & are playing for a State position on Sat.
I can already see next years 8th grade team needing some of the 7th graders....
The good thing - if they are this good this year they will be that much better next year and you would LOVE to be a part of it.
The bad thing - #1 -the younger girls will sit the bench as "back ups", not get the playing time or experience. #2 - they will take all the GOOD players off our 7th grade team that we need! and if your daughter is one of those "good" players do you allow her to move up & not get as much playing time?

Dealing with the same in basketball right now... our athletic 7th & 8th graders are still in softball playoffs... and basketball games start next week - therefore what happens if they are still playing softball & they want to move up some of our girls... do you allow it? or deny it?

I was moved up my Freshman year onto Soph team... and Sophmore year onto Varsity - and initially I sat as an extra... when I did get in I played well - but wasn't often. (I was up for a reason, I was good - just the older girls were better) Then by the time I was a Senior... the Sophmores played more then me & that just p!ssed me off! and this was in both softball & basketball
After my experiences .... I am hesitant on letting her move up if asked, but will that just make the coaches see we won't work with them?
Anyone experience this or have an opinion they would like to share????

 

[InsidePitch]

Wow, where do you live that BB starts next week. We haven't even seen an email about BB yet.

Unfortunately it's school ball and you often don't have a lot of say. I'm not a fan of kids moving up for the sake of filling a spot on the pine. I'm sure any player that loves the game would rather play a lot on a lesser team than ride the pine. At least that is how I'd feel and how DD says she feels.

I have read of people moving to play for a different school but doubt that works for many.

 

[SSmom83]

We live in a little town (around 4,000) about 1 hour south of Chicago.

Yeah I'm not a huge fan of it either (especially after my experience with it) but don't want to tick off coaches & her not get played at all...

I guess just wanting opinions so if it does come up - I am prepared!

 

[quincy]

Not sure if DD enjoys practices or games more, she enjoys them both.

Big fan of a player being on the field during a game, everything changes and they need game experience.

If practicing with better Players means she has to sit for a little bit, that is OK. I think she would be good with that.

 

[SSmom83]

Not sure if DD enjoys practices or games more, she enjoys them both.

Big fan of a player being on the field during a game, everything changes and they need game experience.

If practicing with better Players means she has to sit for a little bit, that is OK. I think she would be good with that.

So you think the experience alone practicing with older/better players would be a good thing, even if she rides the pine during games for most of the season? (knowing she would play the following year when they graduate?) Never thought of it that way...

 

[quincy]

If she has the personality for it and she is in an environment that she can take advantage of working with better Players, yes.

 

[abbygale]

Go wherever is the best coaching and don't question it IF she has a realistic shot of breaking into the rotation. Doesn't matter if it's the 7th graders or the 8th graders. From that point, you work your butt off.

 

[FPMark]

Can she not play for the 7th grade team and fill in when needed on the 8th grade team? My DD is in 9th grade this year and is considered a "floater" on the varsity and JV teams. She playes every game with JV and is a sub on varsity (mostly runs for pitcher or catcher, but limited field time and at bats). She loves it.

 

[BB875]

I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but I believe if you found your daughter a competitive TB team (near Chicago you have plenty of options) she would gain much more than what any school softball could offer.

 

[dbias]

I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but I believe if you found your daughter a competitive TB team (near Chicago you have plenty of options) she would gain much more than what any school softball could offer.

That is what I thought too. TB is almost always more competitive. DD plays HS ball just for fun with her friends and school pride. The HS coach does things all the time that leaves many in the stands scratching their collective heads but I have now taken the stance that "it is what it is" and try to not get worked up over the HS team issues.