7U or 8U???

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May 13, 2021
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If the only reason to play is for a kid to be the best they can be by the time they are 18 probably no need to start playing TB until 14u. That would give them plenty of time to learn all the situational stuff. Everything else they could learn at home or with private lessons with a hitting or pitching coach.
 
Feb 25, 2020
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Looks like kid pitch..either that or those Moms use some amazing anti-aging cream. Either way, I stand by my statement. Yeah they may learn situational stuff earlier but skills can be learned at home at a young age if a parent puts in the time.

Ya there are some amazing plays being made there(and fun being had). I think there is generally alot of time "wasted" on 10u and below, where the girls have to spend an inordinate amount of time to make improvements. It's not really wasted, it's just costing 10x the time at 8u than at 12u.

I think about this with pitching. Like, if you had 2 copies of the same player, and started the first version when they are 8 and the second version when theyre 11. How much better would the first version be at age 12 or 13...or 18? Probly no difference.

That being said, I know alot of girls/families really like playing softball so have at it IMO.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
If the only reason to play is for a kid to be the best they can be by the time they are 18 probably no need to start playing TB until 14u. That would give them plenty of time to learn all the situational stuff. Everything else they could learn at home or with private lessons with a hitting or pitching coach.
Nice sarcasm..

Here is the main reason kids play TB at 7U..so their parents can wear it like some medal of honor on FB.

Some parents take this whole "TB experience" thing too far...I can tell you that when my kids stop playing I am certainly not going to miss sweating my balls off all weekend listening to parents say things that most of the time make absolutely no sense or at the very least are extremely annoying (when I venture in from the OF because my wife is giving me dirty looks because my boys are causing havoc..)..

"Protect the plate" (with two strikes): No really?? I guess Suzy thought she was getting 4 strikes this AB.
"Not yours": This means the umpire called a strike on Suzy and you didn't think it was a strike
"Keep your eye on it": Not even going to go there
"Adjust": Yeah, Suzy missed that pitch by 3 feet..I think she knows she has to do something different.
 
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Jan 22, 2011
1,610
113
Been a few years since I saw that video. It's two rec all-star teams in towns right next to each other in Southern California. These players played spring rec league.

Basically, all of California is some sort of 8u player pitch. The local league my DD played in has modified it so the players just pitch 3 pitches the first half of the season and no walks second half of the season. I'm not 100pct sure, but I'm pretty sure 8u in SoCal allows some stealing in rec ball. I know in a good portion of California 8u rec All-Stars allows walks and stealing.

Most Nor Cal leagues have a pitcher or two who pitch like that in 8u.

A wise person on this forum once said in regards to pitching "let them have fun until their bodies change". In my opinion that should apply to the sport in general. 10u travel ball, let alone 8u travel, makes little sense to me. Fine if they want to do their summer All-Star tournaments and play some double headers in the fall against better players from other local leagues.

Parents thinking their children need to start travel second year 10u and/or 1st year 12u is killing the rec leagues in my area.

Travel ball that allows coach pitch makes no sense to me.

PS- At least two rec leagues in my area have presidents whose DD's stopped playing years ago. My DW will kill me, but I got asked last weekend if I would serve on the board of the rec league my DD hasn't played in since 2017.
 
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May 13, 2021
643
93
Nice sarcasm..

Here is the main reason kids play TB at 7U..so their parents can wear it like some medal of honor on FB.

Some parents take this whole "TB experience" thing too far...I can tell you that when my kids stop playing I am certainly not going to miss sweating my balls off all weekend listening to parents say things that most of the time make absolutely no sense or at the very least are extremely annoying (when I venture in from the OF because my wife is giving me dirty looks because my boys are causing havoc..)..

"Protect the plate" (with two strikes): No really?? I guess Suzy thought she was getting 4 strikes this AB.
"Not yours": This means the umpire called a strike on Suzy and you didn't think it was a strike
"Keep your eye on it": Not even going to go there
"Adjust": Yeah, Suzy missed that pitch by 3 feet..I think she knows she has to do something different.
For some people it is just about having fun and letting them enjoy whatever it is they like to do. If mine liked playing chess we would be going to chess tournaments.
 
Feb 25, 2020
953
93
Been a few years since I saw that video. It's two rec all-star teams in towns right next to each other in Southern California. These players played spring rec league.

Basically, all of California is some sort of 8u player pitch. The local league my DD played in has modified it so the players just pitch 3 pitches the first half of the season and no walks second half of the season. I'm not 100pct sure, but I'm pretty sure 8u in SoCal allows some stealing in rec ball. I know in a good portion of California 8u rec All-Stars allows walks and stealing.

Most Nor Cal leagues have a pitcher or two who that pitch like that in 8u.

A wise person on this forum once said in regards to pitching "let them have fun until their bodies change". In my opinion that should apply to the sport in general. 10u travel ball, let alone 8u travel, makes little sense to me. Fine if they want to do their summer All-Star tournaments and play some double headers in the fall against better players from other local leagues.

Parents thinking their children need to start travel second year 10u and/or 1st year 12u is killing the rec leagues in my area.

Travel ball that allows coach pitch makes no sense to me.

PS- At least two rec leagues in my area have presidents whose DD's stopped playing years ago. My DW will kill me, but I got asked last weekend if I would serve on the board of the rec league my DD hasn't played in since 2017.
Great insight thank you.

And Ya that is very different than here(NC not raleigh or charlotte). To get anything even close to that (at 10u!) you have to play "travel". And "travel" is really just a bunch of teams doing 1 day tourneys 2 hours or less from home. A league pretty much.

"Travel" makes no sense when you have neighbors playing like those 8u players! Wish it could be that way everywhere...

You should take that position btw... haha!
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
For some people it is just about having fun and letting them enjoy whatever it is they like to do. If mine liked playing chess we would be going to chess tournaments.
Of course..and for others it is for bragging on FB. Like I said, if you can afford it, knock yourself out. Just don't think that playing TB at 7U is a direct path to the 2038 Olympic team.
 
Feb 25, 2020
953
93
Of course..and for others it is for bragging on FB. Like I said, if you can afford it, knock yourself out. Just don't think that playing TB at 7U is a direct path to the 2038 Olympic team.

I dont think mr @lostcreek1 is taking flights and spending weeks in hotels this summer. Probly just drives an hour or two every other week so his DD can play some. And probly has fun practicing a few times a week...
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
I dont think mr @lostcreek1 is taking flights and spending weeks in hotels this summer. Probly just drives an hour or two every other week so his DD can play some. And probly has fun practicing a few times a week...
Never said he was. He was the one who said it was pricey. I am glad he is getting great instruction for his kid..3/4 of the 14U TB coaches here in OK stink...(like you are up 6-1 in the last inning and you play your IF in with the bases loaded stink..)
 
May 13, 2021
643
93
Never said he was. He was the one who said it was pricey. I am glad he is getting great instruction for his kid..3/4 of the 14U TB coaches here in OK stink...(like you are up 6-1 in the last inning and you play your IF in with the bases loaded stink..)
Bonesaw that is correct, it is mostly one day tournament within 1-2 hour drive. I said pricey compared to rec ball which around here is $40 to sign up and buy one uniform.
 

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