Average grade by age classification

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Oct 1, 2014
2,219
113
USA
I'm curious as to what your experience is in various parts of the country as to what grade level (ie; 6, 7, -12th, college Freshman, Sophomore, etc.) your teams consist of at the different Age classes (10U - 18U). It always seemed that "playing up" was encouraged and even sometimes treated as a badge of honor by some people all the way up to 16/18U. It doesn't seem at all uncommon to see some really strong, younger teams playing up as a team, for example a strong 14A team playing 16's. Have you seen teams doing the opposite and bringing in rising college Sophomores for example, to play in an 18U tourney against these same teams that have 15 and 16 year high school Sophomores playing? It's legal according to the rule book right?
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
I do not think there is a rule.

Local rule was you could move your birthday up 1 year with not to much of an issue, 2 years you needed board approval.

TB you tried out for so they did not care to much about how young you were.

DD was trying out to move up an age group, she is a good fielder, and the 3rd baseman almost took her head off throwing from 3rd to 1st. That player moved up 2 age groups. :)
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Many rising college sophomores are still eligible to play 18U and it's not unusual to see it. Totally legal.

If a 16U team enters an 18U tournament this year, they could see players born in 2001. That's the choice they make...18U is big-girl ball. The difference between a rising sophomore college ball player and a solid recent HS graduate may not be very much, if anything.
 
Mar 14, 2017
453
43
Michigan
Many rising college sophomores are still eligible to play 18U and it's not unusual to see it. Totally legal.

If a 16U team enters an 18U tournament this year, they could see players born in 2001. That's the choice they make...18U is big-girl ball. The difference between a rising sophomore college ball player and a solid recent HS graduate may not be very much, if anything.
Isn't 18U- 18 and under? How many college sophomores are 18 or under. Average age of a college Freshman is 19, so how does this occur?
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
Isn't 18U- 18 and under? How many college sophomores are 18 or under. Average age of a college Freshman is 19, so how does this occur?
If they are 18 on Jan 1st, they are eligible. I used to love to get Spring Birthday kids as they could stay down vs their classmates with Fall birthdays that had to move up. At least until 16U/18U since most of the players had stopped growing.
 

BigSkyHi

All I know is I don't know
Jan 13, 2020
1,385
113
Moving up to an older age level. Good for bragging rights but the child never gets to be a super-star leading a team?
 
May 27, 2013
2,353
113
When dd was 15 she played on a travel team with a rising college sophomore at the 18U level. That team at the time was very graduating-senior heavy. Dd started playing 18U as a rising sophomore when she was 1st year 16U eligible. She just wanted to challenge herself more as the older girls were the competition she was facing as a HS pitcher.

Right now her 18U team consists of rising HS sophomores through soon to be college freshmen. Our lone 2023 totally belongs as she is extremely talented and fits right in. We have a very 2022-heavy class with only 2 2020’s. They actually are an extremely tight-knit team (for the range of ages) which I’d never thought I’d see at this level. It is extremely refreshing! No egos and they all focus on the “team” before “me” concept. Love it!!
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Moving up to an older age level. Good for bragging rights but the child never gets to be a super-star leading a team?
Actually works well when the decision is made because of talent level.
In some cases and especially in certain areas where there are not a lot of teams in same age bracket to offer mutilple talents levels.
Lower talent teams within age bracket dont help top tier player opportunity to learn and grow.
Hence move up age bracket.
 
Oct 1, 2014
2,219
113
USA
Completely understand the benefits of playing up if your kid can hang talent wise. Both of my DD's have done it since they were 13 playing on what was supposed to be a 14U team that morphed into a 16U team that played mostly 18U teams when in state (out of state tourneys were usually 16's). It was a good experience. They were more than ready to play HS Varsity as Freshmen (they were also just about the youngest kids in their class with late September BDays).

So yes, there are plenty of rising College Sophomores who are still 18 on Jan 1st of that year. I just wondered how often teams are put together with players who fit that description and have already played College ball. No tryouts, they may or may not have ever played for that organization before. Other than getting playing time (in games) the focus is not on skill development but rather bagging some wins against what seems like most would consider "true" 18U (not yet in College) teams.

Also, any opinions on how College Coaches feel about their athletes playing on teams like this or do they prefer something different to keep their players sharp?
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Also, any opinions on how College Coaches feel about their athletes playing on teams like this or do they prefer something different to keep their players sharp?
Can comment dont know any players that have come back from college to play 18u.


As far as mechanics ...
Do know college coaches that have 'requested' players to stick to what the college coaches are
'recommending' when the players go back home on break.
 

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