Advise for 7th graders playing up on 9th grade team.

Local HS has enough girls for 4 teams this year. V, JV, B/JV2 and 9th grade. Problem is 40 plus girls 3 pitchers and 2 catchers. Head coach likes to keep roster size down for more playing time for all so wants to create 4 smaller roster teams.

Coach asked Booster Pres for names of players he thought could play up and named my twins as some. One P and one C. Both play travel.

Not worried about the skill side, DDP has done some emergency 14U subbing and held her own. And DDC is not afraid to throw down at all.


Its more about dealing with HS ball, older kids and maybe resentment they where brought in to play. That type of "stuff"


Even tho a bigger school area. 9th and 10th grade teams can look like rec ball sometimes. The better underclassmen in our area will always be up on JV/V.

They know a few of the 9th graders and wont be the only 7th/8th on team.

DD played on the 9th grade team as a 7th grader. There was no resentment, they were just happy to have a pitcher. Skill level is all over the place. She dominated some teams and got lit up by others. Great learning experience.

Being around upper classman as an 8th grader we had to talk about some of the things she was hearing. As a 7th grader around 9th graders the maturity level is still similar so that wasn't an issue.

Depends on the teamates. DD played 18u when she was 14. Never had an issue. Her teamates were all great kids and they treated her well, they seemed to respectfully exclude her from some of their extra curricular conversations. She also had an awesome Coach who stressed a positive environment, thats was probably the most important factor.