At what point Travel ball? or are we already too late.?

[Ksphenom]

Never too late...

I've got a girl on the team that's never played softball a day in her life until this Fall and is older than 12. A couple of girls that joined the team to try softball one more time as they were close to quitting the sport.

One girl started pitching 10 weeks ago and 8 weeks in won the MVP for pitching in her 1st game. In the 4 games that weekend she walked only 3 girls. She works her drills every day before and after school just like her 9 year old sister.

All the stuff mentioned about needing attention and work is definitely challenging for us but with girls willing to take instruction and work outside of practice we will be ready by Spring.

I love it when a parent tells us their new to the team DD learned more in one 2 hour practice then the last 6 years of Softball. The kids tell us too.

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[coolstuff]

MY DD started at 13 on a 14U team coached by former college softball players. The team was a newly formed team and actually was made up of former rec ball players looking to move into travel ball. I know that I'm describing a pretty unique situation. That was a formative year for here. The HC right away recognized her base speed and natural left-handedness and spent extra time teaching her how to slap hit, which carried her right through to a college career. So I guess my point is, and may have already been stated here, is to find a team willing to help her develop her natural athletic abilities. At the 12U and even the 14U level, that is really what should be happening anyway. Unfortunatly, too many TB teams just try to grab the best available players, put them on the field, and go on a trophy hunt and don't really develop a player beyond telling you why you're daughter isn't getting playing time and expecting you the parent to do something about it. Good luck to you and your DD on her softball journey.

 

[RichK]

In my area rec ball has almost disappeared, for better or worse, as 9U/10U travel teams have flourished. When my oldest was young we had a super-competitive local rec league at those younger ages that was a ton of fun. 6 'minors' teams (10U) in just our town, a competitive regular season and super-fun playoffs! Now we have one team in our town at that age and they play other towns. Big change.

Here's another way for OP to look at it: what are your daughter's goals? Does she want to play on a top travel team and play in college? If so, she definitely has some catching up to do, Does she want to play in high school? If then the journey is a bit different ... get her as good as she can be and help her a) be a solid player and get real playing time on a smaller high school team that has just a few travel/college-bound athletes or b) if the high school is large and has dozens of high-level travel players, get her good enough to not get cut freshman year and hopefully play all four years. Does that make sense? I think playing B-level travel with a goal of having a nice and enjoyable high school softball career is a good goal for players that don't want to go all-in with early and highest-level travel commitment.

 

[jacman]

I am going to nitpick here (sorry...I swear ) but this is one of my pet peeves. What I think you really mean (or not..please correct me if I am wrong..it won't be the first time in the hour that this happens) is "the girl that shows up with a great skillset". To me, talent is something you are born with.

This hits one of my pet peeves. Everyone is born with talent. Check out a book called "The Talent Code." Well worth the read. Art, music, athletics, or whatever, the three things required for anyone to become great are inspiration, proper instruction, and desire. The book convinced me, and I made some adjustments in my coaching priorities. Now my experience confirms it.

Regarding the original question, I think 11 is a fine age to start travel ball. But make sure she wants to move forward. Give her the opportunity to catch up, but not on a timetable. Find her the right personal coach or coaches to help her with hitting, fielding, throwing, or even pitching so she can improve. Also very important, don't push her too hard to catch up or keep up with "better" girls. Help her to trust the process of improving. Emphasize and praise her work, not her results (this is vital), And for heaven's sake, at this age especially, help her have fun. If she loves it, she'll want to get better. And she will.

It's a great opportunity for you, too. And also a great responsibility. Go to her lessons. Learn everything. Reinforce what she's learning by spending time helping her. Start with 30 minutes after school, or after you're back from work. Don't "force" what she's learning, just help her see it. More important than anything, this can become wonderful bonding time with your DD. Many, many people here will confirm the value of that.

Don't underestimate what this time and effort can mean to your relationship with your DD. My DD started rec at 7, pitching at 10, travel at 11, and now pitches in college. Seen from the proper angle, my backside looks like a bucket lid. If your DD stays with it long enough, you may go broke (not kidding!). It's worth it. Help her follow her dream. And if the dream turns out to be something else, fine. It's about her anyway.

Enjoy the ride!

 

[_MIA_]

This hits one of my pet peeves. Everyone is born with talent. Check out a book called "The Talent Code." Well worth the read. Art, music, athletics, or whatever, the three things required for anyone to become great are inspiration, proper instruction, and desire. The book convinced me, and I made some adjustments in my coaching priorities. Now my experience confirms it.

Sure everyone is born with "talent", just not the same amount in a given area. I could train my rear off with the best instruction the world has to offer and would still never be able to beat Usain Bolt in the 100 meter dash...

That said, there is no use in worrying about it. All anybody can do is try and maximize whatever innate ability he or she has. Control what you can control...

 

[jacman]

Sure everyone is born with "talent", just not the same amount in a given area. I could train my rear off with the best instruction the world has to offer and would still never be able to beat Usain Bolt in the 100 meter dash...

That said, there is no use in worrying about it. All anybody can do is try and maximize whatever innate ability he or she has. Control what you can control...

Read the book. You might be surprised. Maybe you won't. But give it a shot. I'd love to hear what you think after. It might make for an interesting thread here in the coaching section.

 

[_MIA_]

Read the book. You might be surprised. Maybe you won't. But give it a shot. I'd love to hear what you think after. It might make for an interesting thread here in the coaching section.

I have seen excerpts from it. The book is about maximizing potential, is it not? Whether you like it or not, not everybody is physiologically the same...

 

[The Man In Blue]

That is the underlying question ... how are you defining “talent”? Physical attributes or mental acuity? Capacity for learning or natural intuition?

 

[_MIA_]

That is the underlying question ... how are you defining “talent”? Physical attributes or mental acuity? Capacity for learning or natural intuition?

In sports, all of the above. Did Michael Jordan have more innate athletic ability than every other basketball player to ever live? Certainly not, his drive, etc gave him an edge. Same with my favorite player growing up, Larry Bird. But Michael Jordan was dunking a basketball in 7th grade when he was under 6 feet tall and Larry Bird wouldn't have been as great if he wasn't 6'9". Those things are not taught/learned..anybody who argues differently hasn't played against people who just are athletically superior to everybody else...

 

[jacman]

In sports, all of the above. Did Michael Jordan have more innate athletic ability than every other basketball player to ever live? Certainly not, his drive, etc gave him an edge. Same with my favorite player growing up, Larry Bird. But Michael Jordan was dunking a basketball in 7th grade when he was under 6 feet tall and Larry Bird wouldn't have been as great if he wasn't 6'9". Those things are not taught/learned..anybody who argues differently hasn't played against people who just are athletically superior to everybody else...

Did you know that most world class sprinters are not first born children? The theory is that by trying to keep up with older siblings from the youngest ages they developed certain physical attributes differently to help them keep pace. That's not about innate talent, that's developmental activity. Of all the younger siblings ever born, why are some inspired to pursue racing and others not? Of those which have the proper coaching to help them make the most of their desire.

Talent is developed. Of course we can't create height. In basketball height is a clear advantage, but it isn't talent. A D1 school asked DD's travel coach about talking to his pitcher. The travel coach asked which of the three pitchers. The response was, we don't look at anyone under 5'10". Sop it wasn't my DD who barely tips 5'5". Height can be an advantage, but ask Amanda Scarborough if height equals talent. I wonder how many colleges passed on her because she was too short.

It's not just athletic talent. Why did so many influential painters come out of the same region of Renaissance Italy over just a couple of decades time? Some weird accident of innate talent deposit? Or a combination of inspiration that fueled desire, and the proper instruction that was present?

Becoming world class at anything takes thousands upon thousands of hours of practice and learning. Learning the right way. My DD was awkward at almost everything when she started playing ball. Whatever clicked with her in terms of inspiration, she wanted to be good. She stated at 11 years she wanted to play in college and never wavered. She was behind everybody. The only thing she had going for her was she wasn't afraid to get hit by the ball. So far, everybody she's played with she has eventually outplayed, a just a very few exceptions. Don't take my word. Ask her coaches. She's driven to excellence (not just in softball either).

I don't believe that one day she just fell into a naturally inherent talent. She worked. And worked. And worked. Most week days we practiced 2 or 3 hours a day, pitching, hitting, and fielding. I didn't make her practice, she made me. She started lifting and conditioning at age 12. She earned her talent. Every bit of it. There are plenty of players better than she is. But then she's not done yet.

Read the book. You don't have to agree with it, but read it and find out. There were times I silently thought she was in over her head, and that maybe I should try and help her redirect her time and passions. "The Talent Code" convinced me to let her follow her heart. And it's convinced me not to give up on a few other players... with good results.