In my area, the folks in the rec league are rather upset when TB players stop playing rec league. Some of the TB coaches encourage it, others don't.
For my DD #3's TB team. 12 of the 13 girls signed up for rec league, and the one who didn't was injured at the beginning of the season. The coaches for the TB team always coach rec league together.
I have know some TB teams where the coaches' DDs played rec ball, but generally the other kids on the team did not.
The idea is, the TB players are spread out among the rec league teams. That helps develop the girls who have some talent. Girls learn to hit against good pitchers, and pitch against good hitters. Also, it forces the pitchers to really throw strikes, knowing that some of the girls will just stand there and watch the balls go by.
My DD #3 averages about 2.5 K per inning in rec league. (Sometimes she gets 4 or 5 K in an inning. Hey, these are rec league catchers, after all). Rec league is great pitching practice. She is 11u, and used the spring rec league games as a way to practice her change-up before trying it in TB play. As she gets older, and learns new pitches, rec league will be a great way for her to practice the new pitches.
Recently, fewer of the TB girls have been playing rec league. This has some really nasty effects on non-TB girls trying to learn the game. First off, the players with talent and little experience don't get to play with and against the really good players. Second, a lot of 5th graders had to play up for the 12u this spring, since very few of the 7th grade TB players played rec league, and the ones who played were not on the all-star team. Last year DD #3 was 10u playing up in 12u rec league, and she got to play against some strong 6th and 7th grade TB players. This year, there were only a few good 7th graders for her to play against.
So, while last year the local LL had a great 12u all-star team, this year's version lost every tournament game they played. Two years ago DD #1 got her first tournament experience as part of the 14u all-stars, and they even came in 3rd in a good tournament (they should've been 2nd, but was robbed by the refs!). Since then, the local LL hasn't been able to put together a 14u all-star team.
EDIT: Still, this is the effect of a rec league with strong players mixed in with the weak players and the beginners. I am all in favor of that. Putting all the strong players on one team defeats the whole purpose of rec league. The weaker teams have no chance against the stronger teams, and the weak players don't get the good experience of having strong teammates.
For my DD #3's TB team. 12 of the 13 girls signed up for rec league, and the one who didn't was injured at the beginning of the season. The coaches for the TB team always coach rec league together.
I have know some TB teams where the coaches' DDs played rec ball, but generally the other kids on the team did not.
The idea is, the TB players are spread out among the rec league teams. That helps develop the girls who have some talent. Girls learn to hit against good pitchers, and pitch against good hitters. Also, it forces the pitchers to really throw strikes, knowing that some of the girls will just stand there and watch the balls go by.
My DD #3 averages about 2.5 K per inning in rec league. (Sometimes she gets 4 or 5 K in an inning. Hey, these are rec league catchers, after all). Rec league is great pitching practice. She is 11u, and used the spring rec league games as a way to practice her change-up before trying it in TB play. As she gets older, and learns new pitches, rec league will be a great way for her to practice the new pitches.
Recently, fewer of the TB girls have been playing rec league. This has some really nasty effects on non-TB girls trying to learn the game. First off, the players with talent and little experience don't get to play with and against the really good players. Second, a lot of 5th graders had to play up for the 12u this spring, since very few of the 7th grade TB players played rec league, and the ones who played were not on the all-star team. Last year DD #3 was 10u playing up in 12u rec league, and she got to play against some strong 6th and 7th grade TB players. This year, there were only a few good 7th graders for her to play against.
So, while last year the local LL had a great 12u all-star team, this year's version lost every tournament game they played. Two years ago DD #1 got her first tournament experience as part of the 14u all-stars, and they even came in 3rd in a good tournament (they should've been 2nd, but was robbed by the refs!). Since then, the local LL hasn't been able to put together a 14u all-star team.
EDIT: Still, this is the effect of a rec league with strong players mixed in with the weak players and the beginners. I am all in favor of that. Putting all the strong players on one team defeats the whole purpose of rec league. The weaker teams have no chance against the stronger teams, and the weak players don't get the good experience of having strong teammates.
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