My older DD is just starting her first season as a 14U. B-level club that plays mostly locally and some regionally. This is her fourth TB season and she still loves the game and the "travel ball lifestyle." She was something of a "late bloomer," if you can say that about a 13 year old, but she has turned herself into one of the more versatile and valuable members of the team, largely through hard work rather than raw athletic talent. As has been suggested on DFP by many others, we will reevaluate after every season to determine whether she wants to play the following season, what her goals are, if she is in the right situation, etc. Our focus right now is preparing her for HS softball. Our school's program is competitive and there are some really good teams (both public and private schools) in our area.
My younger DD is very different. She is the most athletic of my kids and every sport, physically, comes easy to her. I nudged (pushed?) her into playing travel ball as a 9-year old (newly forming 10U team) in the same organization associated with our local Little League. I agreed to help by being an official assistant coach. It was a disaster! Not my coaching necessarily (but perhaps that too
), but the experience for my daughter. My DD liked the idea of doing what her older sister was doing and playing with her friends, but she HATED losing her entire weekend and free time to the softball fields. We made it through the fall of that season. As we were getting ready for our offseason program (1 fielding and 1 batting practice a week), she broke down and told her mother she no longer wanted to play. Was afraid to tell me thinking I would be upset, etc. I initially hoped we could honor our commitment by making it through the spring. But it was hopeless. She was miserable. So, I had to pull out. Probably the best decision I made rather than trying to force her.
The good news is that my younger DD is still playing rec ball at the Little League and really enjoys it. The level of commitment, right now, is enough for her. When she "graduates" from LL in spring 2021, I will revisit travel ball for her if she still wants to play and has ideas of playing in HS. I hope so. But, even at 11 years old, it is her time and her life.
My younger DD is very different. She is the most athletic of my kids and every sport, physically, comes easy to her. I nudged (pushed?) her into playing travel ball as a 9-year old (newly forming 10U team) in the same organization associated with our local Little League. I agreed to help by being an official assistant coach. It was a disaster! Not my coaching necessarily (but perhaps that too
), but the experience for my daughter. My DD liked the idea of doing what her older sister was doing and playing with her friends, but she HATED losing her entire weekend and free time to the softball fields. We made it through the fall of that season. As we were getting ready for our offseason program (1 fielding and 1 batting practice a week), she broke down and told her mother she no longer wanted to play. Was afraid to tell me thinking I would be upset, etc. I initially hoped we could honor our commitment by making it through the spring. But it was hopeless. She was miserable. So, I had to pull out. Probably the best decision I made rather than trying to force her.The good news is that my younger DD is still playing rec ball at the Little League and really enjoys it. The level of commitment, right now, is enough for her. When she "graduates" from LL in spring 2021, I will revisit travel ball for her if she still wants to play and has ideas of playing in HS. I hope so. But, even at 11 years old, it is her time and her life.
