All Star Practice

[fastpitch]

With all due respect, unless you live and breath fastpitch in SoCal you really don't know how dedicated the players are and how competitive the teams are in tournaments, even at this age. Some 8U all-star teams ("B" Gold) will even have players that play winter travel ball and then come back to play rec ball in spring and all-stars in summer. Most tournaments play the regular 60ft base paths, you can steal 1B & 2B, and the top 2 teams from Districts move on to the State championships and play other teams from the Western region. Many 8U all-star players have been playing softball since they were 5YO, have private pitching and hitting coaches, attend softball camps in the off-season, and absolutely love the game.

I have to agree. I was visiting LA a few years ago and happened upon an 8U game. I asked around and I think it was a rec championship of some sort. I was very impressed at the level of focus and execution of these girls. My DD was at the time playing on a pretty good club 10U team here in the northeast. I thought either of these 8u rec teams wouldn't have a problem competing with a lot of 10u club teams from our area. They had pitching, catching and defense.

 

[Mike]

I can only imagine the amount of dissapointed and deflated kids you Californians unleash on the world. Please quit migrating to Washington. Good luck in 8u gold.

 

[sluggers]

8U all-star players have been playing softball since they were 5YO, have private pitching and hitting coaches, attend softball camps in the off-season, and absolutely love the game

Of course, they've never picked dandelions for their mothers and never played dress-up, but they can do that when they are out of college at 22 YOA.

 

[WinThemAll]

must resist urge to post snide comment...
must resist urge to post snide comment...

Dang now I need a new keyboard. . .from spitting my water all over my desk. . .too funny.

 

[starsnuffer]

We get a lot of this in California. I'm not bashing the intense softball at 8u, because it isn't just softball. It can be music, art, soccer, other sports, academics, ect.

The truth is that the peak performers in their peer groups at these young ages are rarely the peak performers within their peers in their teenage years, so one has to wonder why all the emphasis at young ages. If the goal is to produce superior athletes at later ages, then these programs are unsuccessful.

That said, I'll take insane parents with physically fit softball robot children over negligent parents with internet addicted obese children any day. Pick your poison I guess.

Good luck in all stars. For the record, we don't have 8u tournaments in NorCal, the insanity starts at 10u

-W

 

[amanda_cake]

Can someone please send some of these 8u girls to me in Virginia?

Someone asked me the other day if I'd ever consider switching organizations and coaching 8u. Currently, 10u softball is my passion. I play HS Varsity, I help coach 10u, 13u, and 16u (yes, I stay busy!) but I look forward to my 10u girls the most. I can't imagine having the patience for 8u, however... 8u in Cali? Might could do it.

 

[3'sDad]

8U here in the NJ is mainly coach pitch town rec ball. There are a few sets of parents that try 8U travel with some of the larger organizations, but we were not that involved with softball when DD was that age.

All I can remember from that age is the lsi of snack responsibilities for the parents after each game.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Good luck in all stars. For the record, we don't have 8u tournaments in NorCal...

...yet.

There are some people who are really pushing for 8u all-stars in NorCal. They tried a pilot program last summer that was small, but enjoyable for those who participated. It wasn't exactly all-stars as you know it, they just invited some girls out to play and those who said 'yes' were put on the team and they played a few Saturday friendlies. No trophies, no hoopla, just a way for the younger girls to keep on playing after the spring season was done.

Although not every league will choose to participate for one reason or another, I suspect we'll see 8u 'stars' again this summer.

I can't believe how fast the season has gone. We just turned in our 10u all-star nominations today and will be voting in about a week-and-a-half.

 

[starsnuffer]

10u is my favorite age group too, Amanda. Haven't coached it for a few years, being that my daughters are 12 and 6. Right now I'm doing 7u and 14u rec and 12u travel ball. I look forward to not coaching my oldest next year and focusing on the little one.

-W

 

[SD DAD]

I'll address a few things....

I can only speak for socal but my older played all stars in 8's and three hour practices was standard. A little more wasn't all that crazy. Here was the typical week for a month before tourneys started. Monday was a day off although 2/3 of the team saw their hitting coach on mondays. Tuesday, wednesday and thursday was practices starting at 5 and easily went into 8pm and i can tell you that there was absolutely no problem keeping their heads in practice. Just about the entire team with exception of two or three had been playing since the age of 5. back to the schedule....friday was cage time and then the schedule did not change when tournaments came around. This was for 8's all stars last season. Note that this specific league does not bring 10's down for all stars, they have had to play in 8's during the season. From various coaches that I know in the socal area, this is definitely the norm for 8u all stars. I honestly thought it was the norm throughout the country. I guess people really are serious when they talk about socal teams. My 8 year old has been seeing a pitching coach since 6 and a hitting coach since 6 1/2 and she's the number three pitcher. Number 1 and 2 have been with a pitching coach since 5.
the problem with this season wasn't having enough girls, in fact we have 13 on the team with 3 reserves. coaches were the problem since the one's that were set to do it, had an emergency come up.