8u Transition to 10u

[Razor011]

Just so I understand. you have a team made up of mostly 2nd year 8U, and last year in rec you destroyed everybody. Why would you stay in 8U rec if there was no competition last year? This year will be even worse. Sure, they are going to lose some in 10U, but the rec around me has lots of girls that lack basic fundamentals.

For Tourney's you'll continue to do 8U and evaluate from there. That sounds like a good idea to me.

My only hesitation would if you don't have any pitchers capable of throwing strikes. You need to have a girl (more is better), that can throw enough strikes that the team gets to play instead of just standing in the field. I've watched 32 out of 35 or so pitches be called balls. walk in 5 runs inning ends. That is not helpful to anyone.

good luck.

This is exactly my fear! It’s not the winning or losing of rec games that I’m concerned about. My main concern is would this even be beneficial to the needs of our girls. I’m not even sure of the quality of our pitcher, I’ve not seen her work, so i don’t want to judge her abilities. My oldest DD’s team rented a field for practices and practiced twice a week in place of rec games. I don’t see any value in playing 8u rec, we’re all in agreement there. But i will say that our winning so badly was mainly due to the fact that we are basically the only 8u tournament team in our league. So, there’s a huge gap. Most of our girls have been playing since they were 4 where the other teams were just beginning. I want them to love the game as much as our girls do, but getting pounded isn’t fun! So, yes, 8u rec is out completely. I’m just in depth practices would be more beneficial than 10u rec games (I’m not sure the quality of the rec teams at that age honestly either, so not sure what the fielding opportunities would be)


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[badmonkey]

This is exactly my fear! It’s not the winning or losing of rec games that I’m concerned about. My main concern is would this even be beneficial to the needs of our girls. I’m not even sure of the quality of our pitcher, I’ve not seen her work, so i don’t want to judge her abilities. My oldest DD’s team rented a field for practices and practiced twice a week in place of rec games. I don’t see any value in playing 8u rec, we’re all in agreement there. But i will say that our winning so badly was mainly due to the fact that we are basically the only 8u tournament team in our league. So, there’s a huge gap. Most of our girls have been playing since they were 4 where the other teams were just beginning. I want them to love the game as much as our girls do, but getting pounded isn’t fun! So, yes, 8u rec is out completely. I’m just in depth practices would be more beneficial than 10u rec games (I’m not sure the quality of the rec teams at that age honestly either, so not sure what the fielding opportunities would be)


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My DD hated practices when she was 8, but loved the games. You might gauge how the girls feel about practice vs games and make sure you are still keeping it fun for them.

 

[Fluid Fastpitch]

Your girls need to play up. They're not going to benefit from coach pitch much anymore.
As stated, pitching is likely to be painfully awful, but you may be surprised. With correct application of I/R, it's not that hard to at least get it close to the plate 33% of the time.
As for how best to transition; around here, our 8u leagues switch from coach pitch to coach/kid pitch (as described) halfway through the season. As a coach, I'm a fan - because you can give all the girls a chance to get on the mound without repercussions and see who you can work with, or who gets bit by the pitching bug. Would the 8u league possibly be open to considering this change? It may not help your team, but it will help other teams make that transition, which is in the best interest of the league. (I can't see doing this at 10u, it just seems too old, I mean, some of the 10u girls are bigger than I am)

HC might consider a couple scrimmages with young 10u teams that are local to feel it out. Save you from traveling 2 hours. Or maybe even the other 8u teams in the league that are aging up. They're going to have the same issues, and you might be surprised, girls can develop a lot in a single season. The other teams might have grown up a stud pitcher without you noticing.

 

[grcsftbll]

If I had an 8U DD on that team, and I liked the teams and coaches, I'd move her up to 10U early. It sounds like it's just one season. Lots of kids move to 10U early. I see the value in keeping a group with good chemistry together.

 

[Agbracing]

I would definitely move them up to 10u rec in the spring. It would be a very good transition to get them use to kid pitch some before the start of fall 10u travel. There are so many things that change between 8u and 10u that it will pay off in the long run. If it is walk fest then work on base running and stealing. Around here there is some decent pitching in 10u rec due to pitchers using the rec games for development for their travel teams. It sounds like the coach has a good plan to develop the team and stay competitive. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

[texasck1]

Move out of 8U rec as soon as possible. I think 8U to 10U is the hardest transition a player will make. Get as many reps in at 10U as you can. Kids this age adapt and improve so fast. It will amaze you. There will be some UGLY times, but the reward will happen fast and be worth it.
If I knew then what I know now, I would have jumped off the 8U ship way earlier with my DD.

 

[_MIA_]

For the most part, for most teams, the first season of rec kid pitch is for the pitchers. Hitters won't get much to hit and fielders won't get many balls to field. That said developing pitchers is important so it is probably worth it in the long run.

 

[Razor011]

For the most part, for most teams, the first season of rec kid pitch is for the pitchers. Hitters won't get much to hit and fielders won't get many balls to field. That said developing pitchers is important so it is probably worth it in the long run.

That’s my concern...fielders won’t get many balls to field. In our 8u rec, that’s the issue as the other teams don’t even put their own coach’s pitches into play. So the main reason for moving up is for our defense development. But, I fear it’s not going to be time well spent with fewer hit balls. We have 2 girls who HAVE to move up and that is the “real” reason for the move. They’re great kids and i do love them! But we’re going to be having this issue every other year for this reason. And now there is talk of not even taking them to their end of the season World Series next spring. I just want to let them really learn the game so they fall in love with it before going thru that very frustrating transition season. I value the importance of going early. Most teams here go up the fall season before.

We’ve got great girls and great families! We’ve got some girls on the bench who are going to be amazing players given the time, trust and development to teach them. (They’re not my DD but I am frustrated for them all the same). But the time needs to be invested in them. I don’t think that’s doable in 12 games (no practice fields are available at the red fields once games start). Currently, we can go south to play and win the tournament 50% of the time. We go North, and don’t even stay long enough to place in the lower bracket. I wanna develop and go North to compete with the best. Not just judge my abilities on the weaker teams we play. Heck, we’re talking players who still don’t turn their gloves up to catch! Sometimes, i just shudder! Lol


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[_MIA_]

That’s my concern...fielders won’t get many balls to field. In our 8u rec, that’s the issue as the other teams don’t even put their own coach’s pitches into play. So the main reason for moving up is for our defense development. But, I fear it’s not going to be time well spent with fewer hit balls. We have 2 girls who HAVE to move up and that is the “real” reason for the move. They’re great kids and i do love them! But we’re going to be having this issue every other year for this reason. And now there is talk of not even taking them to their end of the season World Series next spring. I just want to let them really learn the game so they fall in love with it before going thru that very frustrating transition season. I value the importance of going early. Most teams here go up the fall season before.

We’ve got great girls and great families! We’ve got some girls on the bench who are going to be amazing players given the time, trust and development to teach them. (They’re not my DD but I am frustrated for them all the same). But the time needs to be invested in them. I don’t think that’s doable in 12 games (no practice fields are available at the red fields once games start). Currently, we can go south to play and win the tournament 50% of the time. We go North, and don’t even stay long enough to place in the lower bracket. I wanna develop and go North to compete with the best. Not just judge my abilities on the weaker teams we play. Heck, we’re talking players who still don’t turn their gloves up to catch! Sometimes, i just shudder! Lol


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At all ages, imo, a good portion of development occurs outside of games and even outside of organized team activities. I wouldn't worry too much about stifling a fielder's development because they don't get many balls in first year 10U rec games if the team, and the individual, are putting in the necessary work.

 

[CloudofDust]

I'm a little late to the party on this one, but I am/was facing almost the exact same situation. 2/3 of my 8U rec team has to move to 10U in the spring. Most of those girls just started playing softball this season and only one is really ready to move up - the others would be better served playing another season in 8U. Now, my girls that are still eligible for 8U are more ready for 10U than the others. In fact, my 8U girls were my starting infield. I knew way back in August that I'd have a difficult decision to make about moving everyone up to 10U or splitting the team.

I hated to break up the team because we had good chemistry, but I decided to split the team for a number of reasons. Although we went 11-5 and came in 2nd place, my 8U girls have a lot of room for improvement in 8U. I'll utilize the spring season to further develop fielding (emphasis on fly balls), hitting mechanics, knowledge of the game and start to develop pitchers so they'll be ready when we move to 10U, hopefully in the fall.

I made the decision to stay in 8U because I think the 8U game is more fun for girls this age. In our league, the girls hit coach pitching really well and the game moves pretty fast. In 10U, we have modified player pitch. Although there are no walks, the player pitching isn't great and there are a LOT of balls thrown. The game is a lot slower and less exciting for my ADD girls to focus.

I'll be sure to revive this thread in mid-spring to let everyone know if I made the right decision or the wrong decision.