I'm in Southern California and there is no 8U travel ball.
Thank goodness!
Thank goodness!
8U softball debate.... Your opinion please....
- Thread starter Rambler34
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My 7 YO plays rec and we have a summer 8U "travel" team, she tried out but didn't make it - they took all 8 YOs. But they will compete in just 5 tournaments, 4 of which are with in a 25 minute driving radius and the 5th about an hour away. Personally I think it is a great development tool for that age and my DD looks forward to trying out next year as one of the "older girls".
My 7 yo dd played rec. She will be playing 8u TB. The season starts memorial day and ends last weekend in June. Tournaments are within 30 minutes of our house. She enjoys the social aspect of softball. Tournaments are player pitch, that reverts to coach pitch after 4 called balls. Usually, all the kids receive medals at the tournaments. The rules are geared to be developmental. She was towed along last summer to tournaments for her older sister. She considered it a traveling playdate because of the other younger siblings that were in tow. This summer, she and some of the other younger siblings are playing which will make it enjoyable. If it wasn't fun for her, we wouldn't be doing it.
My 6yr just completed her first yr in t-ball. She was fortunate to make the A team allstars ( which i totally disagree with ). But Amy you are one that i really resoect your input on this website, but on this matter i have to disagree with you. I not for a full 8 tournament season for 8u, but i could see a 4 tournament season. besides i couldn't see holding my 6yr out of softball till she was 11yr. She loves the game that much after watching her old sis playing the last 3 yrs. Most of the 8u tournaments or the same as rookie ( baseball ). They use the machine pitch.
Thanks , Kevin
Just another side of this, many dads on another site call themselves goofy for spending the money and the time that they did on 10U softball. These are dads of the D1 girls.
I don't have any statistics about who drops out, but I think that these girls that start early are more likely to want to do something else later on.
I do have students that are 7 and 8, and softball is a lot for them. I am amazed about the amount of homework that these little kids have. (Some little girls arrive at lessons in a booster seat.)
There are a number of girls that come to me at 12 and 14 with over use injuries, imbalance muscle issues and just general overall poor mechanics. But, they insist "I have been playing for 4 years." I say "OK, but you still can't throw overhand."
Have fun. Make it fun. And don't let the girls hear you say "It would break my heart, if she quits."
I don't have any statistics about who drops out, but I think that these girls that start early are more likely to want to do something else later on.
I do have students that are 7 and 8, and softball is a lot for them. I am amazed about the amount of homework that these little kids have. (Some little girls arrive at lessons in a booster seat.)
There are a number of girls that come to me at 12 and 14 with over use injuries, imbalance muscle issues and just general overall poor mechanics. But, they insist "I have been playing for 4 years." I say "OK, but you still can't throw overhand."
Have fun. Make it fun. And don't let the girls hear you say "It would break my heart, if she quits."
I don't have any statistics about who drops out, but I think that these girls that start early are more likely to want to do something else later on.
Have fun. Make it fun. And don't let the girls hear you say "It would break my heart, if she quits."
Spot on!
Went to a tourn. in TN a few years ago and saw a 6U bracket. One team was dressed to the hilt, all the way down to matching bat bags, and the parents all had matching TShirts
!For the past two years, I have taken the youngest daughter (8) and put together a team after our rec season concluded and played in a couple of 8u tourneys to give them a taste of the experience.
All in all, softball is not as bad as "tot football."
- May 25, 2010
- 1,070
- 0
Let's see, you're in So Cal which has the best youth softball programs in the country and consistently produces most of the great players in each year group.
Starsnuffer is also in California.
I'm also in California.
Some people don't believe giving kids too much (of anything) too soon is detrimental to the long-term health of individuals and our society and their defensiveness of such lunacy is always on display, even though the massive economic meltdown we're trying to climb out of was the direct result of too many people being dissatisfied with a normal progression.
You're fooling yourself if you think the mentality of one isn't the same as the other.
- May 25, 2010
- 1,070
- 0
This is the second year our communities have put together 8u travel teams. I think it's a tremendous idea and I'm glad they did it. Certain girls like being around other girls that are athletic. My daughter likes playing with and against girls that are like her. The better girls don't like being stuck side by side with rec girls that don't want to be there. We played a rec game earlier this year where the first baseman was chanting softball sucks the whole game. If they didn't have 8u travel I'd have to stick out league play or move my daughter up to 10U and have her play there. My daughter likes to pitch. If I moved her into 10u last year and she's only 6/7 she would be pitching to girls that are four years older, one to two feet taller, and in some cases 100lbs heavier. I watched the 10U teams play this weekend. My daughter can pitch as fast and probably more accurately than 60/70% of the pitchers I watched in 10U but I don't want her to get hurt by having her compete against girls that physically outmatch her.
