my 7yr old (8 in 2 weeks) made the 8u premier travel team in our area. The idea was to get this 8u team gelling in the fall tournaments (6-7 tourneys) and make a run at nationals in the spring/summer. I'm also a huge fan of supporting of rec ball as well, I coached my DD's 8u rec(machine pitch) for two seasons and they did extremely well. I thought about putting her on the 10u rec team as well in the fall to get some exposure to live pitching. 8u travel has two week-night practices, some saturday hitting clinics and two tournaments a month starting Sept-Nov. The 10u rec team will have games (total 12) during the week and saturdays from Sept-Nov. Wife said it might be a little much and not fair to the REC team with the practice/games, because we are 100% commited to travel. So am I pushing it? or just need focus on the travel ball and the hitting/fielding camps?
8u Travel & 10u rec
- Thread starter DefiantGray
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Yes.
There is no gold at the end of the softball rainbow. She needs some time to chase butterflies and pick dandelions--and do her homework.
JJsqueeze
Dad, Husband....legend
It sounds like too much. She'll adjust soon enough during the fall games to live pitching.
Did it a couple of years ago with my DD playing on 10U TB team and a 13U Rec. The tough part was missing a lot of rec practices and some of the games. She was one of the best players on the rec team and always felt bad leaving the coaches hung out to dry. If you choose to do it, make sure the coaches know the deal before they pick her.
- Jul 21, 2013
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We did the exact thing this past spring. Our DD needed mound time to prepare for the fall so we did 10u rec and 8u travel at the same time. We were fortunate enough to get on a rec team that needed a pitcher and the coach was OK with us missing practices and some games. It was a lot, but we were just lucky to be put on the right team. I don't know if all coaches would be as accommodating.
If you're just doing it for hitting, at least in our case, most of the rec pitchers couldn't throw strikes. My DD would hardly swing the bat, because she knew she would probably walk. So the batting aspect didn't do any good for her. Your league may be different.
If you're just doing it for hitting, at least in our case, most of the rec pitchers couldn't throw strikes. My DD would hardly swing the bat, because she knew she would probably walk. So the batting aspect didn't do any good for her. Your league may be different.
I think TB, is enough. At age 7, she is still in a booster car seat. 
Yes! KIM, the fall also brings a new grade in school, new homework load, instrument practice (if she plays an instrument), CCD (if you are religious), FAIRS!, pumpkin carving, raking leaves, Halloween....etc. She needs time to be your little girl and to "do nothing" too.
8U Premier Travel Team? What makes an 8U team "premier"? Having a full roster that can do the big 3...catch, throw and hit? I didn't realize there were that many 8U programs out there creating a need for a Premier level at that age...go figure!
She's 8 right?....Yes, IMO you are pushing it...Surprise her by hanging a swing from a big tree branch in your yard...she'll love it!
- Jun 24, 2013
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We moved my 7yo up to 10u rec because she is pitching already (has been since she was 6) and also she wanted to be able to steal and slide. We only started her in pitching so early because she would attend her older sister's pitching lessons and then everywhere we went, she would be doing the pitching motions. We finally asked her PC how young was too young. We were concerned because we didn't want her learning and "practicing" bad habits that we would have to undo later. Her PC said give her a ball and let's see. She has been pitching ever since. It was funny to see how the girls on the other team were saying things like "Awww, look how cute she is!" when she took the mound. Then she started striking them out. She wasn't so cute after that. Same thing for her first time at bat. After her first hit went over 3B's head it was "Big hitter!. Back up!"
I tell that story to show that there are some girls that can handle it. I personally feel rec ball has a place in a travel ball girls world, IF she is a pitcher or she needs development that requires being on the field in game time situations. I believe it is a healthy sybiotic relationship as the rec world needs girls that can pitch and the budding pitchers need mound time. One caveat is to keep your rec coach informed so that they don't put all their eggs in one basket and rely on her to be there every game. When I coached rec I didn't mind the TB girls because it gave the girls someone to look up to as far as skills went, I just wanted to know if they were TB before I drafted them. Some TB teams forbid their players to play rec, some begrudgingly go along with it and others are fine with it. It really depends on your coaches. If she is having fun then let her do it. If she feels stressed then back off.
I tell that story to show that there are some girls that can handle it. I personally feel rec ball has a place in a travel ball girls world, IF she is a pitcher or she needs development that requires being on the field in game time situations. I believe it is a healthy sybiotic relationship as the rec world needs girls that can pitch and the budding pitchers need mound time. One caveat is to keep your rec coach informed so that they don't put all their eggs in one basket and rely on her to be there every game. When I coached rec I didn't mind the TB girls because it gave the girls someone to look up to as far as skills went, I just wanted to know if they were TB before I drafted them. Some TB teams forbid their players to play rec, some begrudgingly go along with it and others are fine with it. It really depends on your coaches. If she is having fun then let her do it. If she feels stressed then back off.
I vote this.
