Maddie's Middle School Softball Tryouts

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
This afternoon is the tryout for Maddie's MS team. She's one of just two TB players in the school, with the other also being a catcher with a big bat. The rest of the team will be players from the local rec league, and possibly a couple of first-timers.

Honestly, I think the team is going to be pretty challenged. The prospects for pitching are fairly limited. HC's DD can pitch, but doesn't love it. The other girls with pitching experience are pretty raw.

The HC was Maddie's coach on a couple of all-star/select teams in 8U and 10U rec ball, and her DD played on Maddie's TB team for a few months at the end of 10U. She's a good rec ball level coach, and I trust her to not mess with Maddie's mechanics.

Although the HC asked me to be an AC for the team, I don't have the time available, so - for the first time - Maddie will be on her own. I think this aspect will be good for her.

Maddie's limitation right now is that she hasn't been able to throw overhand for about a month due to a nerve irritation issue. She's working with a physical therapist, and things are getting better, but it will probably be a couple more weeks until she is back to throwing. HC is aware of the issue, and will work around it. She wants Maddie's bat, for sure.

It's been 2 years since Maddie has played rec ball, and I'm curious to see how she adapts to being in the mix with rec-level players again.
 
Last edited:
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
Please keep us posted! DD is old enough to try out for our middle school feeder program this year, in June or July. From what I saw of some of the teams last year (went to watch her BFF play) it'll be a similar situation. It really was closer to rec ball than TB. I will say her BFF is a totally different player than she was before. She's DD's catcher and holy cow, that kid's arm has gotten amazing. I think playing 12U rules just increased her throwing strength so much. She wasn't a bad catcher before playing on that team, by any means, but she's a beast now. I'll be curious what you think. We're on the fence about it but leanings towards doing it, since most of our TB team will be playing anyway.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
While there are quite a few of Maddie's former rec ball teammates that are currently playing TB, only one goes to Maddie's school. By contrast, a couple of Maddie's TB teammates have school teams that are almost entirely filled with TB players.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
Just a thought, if she's having arm trouble why not let the other catcher run with the middle school gig. Have her rest the arm for the summer season by playing 1B. I'm sure she can save a lot of errant throws at 1B in MS which is probably close to glorified rec ball. And she save her arm, not a lot of big time throws you have to make as a 1B.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
I think it will be a great experience for Maddie. HS ball is definitely different than travel ball, at least when playing for a school like Maddie's or my DD's. Our varsity team this year will only have 3 returning starters, and only 2 players with travel ball experience. And just like you, we play in a district loaded with travel ball players. I think our weakest opponent has 5 travel ball players. And there is one team I am familiar with that has travel ball players on their bench because they have so many of them. Completely different world... But I look at it as a chance to demonstrate some leadership and prepare herself for travel ball in the summer. From a distance it seems like Maddie is already demonstrating some of those same leadership qualities that are incredibly important behind the dish. Good luck!
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Having no pitching can make for long games. No time limit or run limits.

We destroyed some teams in MS, got destroyed some games.
 
Jan 22, 2011
1,610
113
Hope Maddie heals quickly!

Sweet Lou has a great suggestion about playing 1B.

My DD's MS team last fall had 3 players with All-Star experience, 3 other players who had rec experience, and 7 who had never played before. Plus 8 of them were 6th graders.

My DD was hurt last fall, so only played one game... at 1B. She went to all the games and had a blast in the dugout, plus about half the practices.

Really wish she could have pitched a couple innings in a couple games, but getting healthy was the important thing.

We went 1-7, but it was fun teaching fundamentals to girls who hadn't learned any bad habits yet.
 
Last edited:
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
This is actually the great thing about MS sports. No, I am serious.

A lot of girls try out new sports in MS. Sometimes they are pretty bad, sometimes they have talent but need some work at it. It's great to find some diamonds in the rough. My DD 1 didn't play competitive sports until 7th grade, found two she was good at, and played softball one year in HS. If she had kept up with it, she could've been a really good plater.

The biggest thing about a team like this will be the social aspect, playing with girls in the same school. Yeah. they might lose a lot of games. In the meantime, if your DD can help out the kids who aren't as experienced, she will have some great teammates in HS!
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Just a thought, if she's having arm trouble why not let the other catcher run with the middle school gig. Have her rest the arm for the summer season by playing 1B. I'm sure she can save a lot of errant throws at 1B in MS which is probably close to glorified rec ball. And she save her arm, not a lot of big time throws you have to make as a 1B.

It's very possible that Maddie won't play catcher at all with this team, and certainly not until she is 100%. The other TB catcher is pretty solid, and there's a rec catcher who is reasonably serviceable at this level. 1B is pretty likely, but it's not my call, and I'm fine with whatever the HC decides.

In So Cal TB, there is no "wait for the summer season" period. Even rec leagues are already started.

... it was fun teaching fundamentals to girls who hadn't learned any bad habits yet.

That made me literally LOL. We get a lot of bad habits to break with girls moving from rec to TB.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
A lot of girls try out new sports in MS. Sometimes they are pretty bad, sometimes they have talent but need some work at it. It's great to find some diamonds in the rough.

Maddie played volleyball for the first time in 6th grade, and did well with it (her BFF is a club VB player). She also played this past fall until she hurt her knee goofing off at home. She will probably play VB again next year.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,468
Members
21,443
Latest member
sstop28
Top