Is moving up to 18U a mistake?

[icnu01]

My DD took a liner at 3rd to the forehead the weekend before fall tryouts. Subsequently her tryouts didn't go as well as we would have liked. She picked up an ok 16U team (she's a '99) but their was a mis-understanding (long story) about the position she was going to play. We started shopping around this Jan. and she has been offered positions on 2 different 18U teams. We are trying to decide which way to go and then someone throws a wrench into my plans. They tell me college coaches don't check out as many 18U games as they do 16U because the older girls who are above average have already been picked up.
Do I need to rethink this?

 

[JAD]

My $0.02....most major D1 schools do the majority of their recruiting at 16U. Smaller D1, D2, D3 and NAIA do a lot of their recruiting at 18U, but still watch 16U too. I think a lot of it depends on the schedule of the teams you are considering. What showcases and tournaments are they playing? I would give preference to a good 16U team that will play in good showcases vs. an 18U team, especially if your DD is a '99. Is she a 2017?

 

[InsidePitch]

I think it depends on the strength of the 16U programs at the tourneys you're attending. In NJ, most kids who can make an 18U team skip 16U. I hear 16U in CA is very strong so I'd think differently about it there. I wouldn't worry to much about being on an 18U team. If your DD is contacting coaches, has a video and good grades, they will come and see her play on an 18U team.

FWIW, the summer tourneys we attend on the east coast seem to have plenty of all D variations.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

Generally speaking, there is more recruiting going on at 16U than 18U with the possible exception of D3. However, there are regional differences and schools go to both to see players of interest to them. Get her on the best exposure team for your target schools/level and budget, preferably one where she'll be an impact player.

 

[Softball_2]

16U > 18U in the STL area. That said, STL can get watered down talent-wise by the sheer # of teams at the 16U and 18U level. So if the 18U teams are more well-recognized and play in stronger Midwest tournaments, then I'd stay there.

 

[icnu01]

Thanks for all the responses.

She is a 2017 graduate. She catches and plays the corners, but mostly 3rd so she is always in the action. Kind of an adrenaline junkie. She bats 3rd or 4th even when she guest plays usually. And she's a bigger girl who surprises the coaches when they look at the stopwatch. Is she good?? I of course think so but acknowledge my bias. I know this may not look good but she gets so nervous at tryouts she has visibly gotten sick to her stomach.

Neither of the coaches said much about the tournaments except they both want to do several (4-5) exposure tournaments saying much of the scheduling isn't out yet so the "wheres" could change. I did contact on 16u coach and their fees were double and we have not had a chance to meet yet. There is just real slim picking of 16u teams looking right now.

As far as contacting schools she's still resisting that. I can't get her to understand it's time to start. She thinks she's to young. She hasn't even filled out her first job application because she doesn't turn 16 until almost May.

I guess if all else fails she could do a year of 18 next year drop back to 16?? go on from their.

 

[ScottyDont]

Now is the time for a 2017 grad. Period. Sophomore year is prime recruiting time for D1 schools...she needs to get those letters out if she's serious about playing ball in college.

My daughter (also 2017) was very reluctant to start sending her letters. It's a big deal for a 15/16 year old kid to put herself out there to be judged and evaluated. Very tough on the psyche. But once she got the first few out, it became just another job for her to get done on a weekly basis.

 

[icnu01]

I guess I should add although I think she's good, but I don't know about D1 good. She's never played "A" ball. She did try out for an A team once. He said he liked her but they were not needing a catcher.

 

[Jojo]

Good question, when my DD was playing most of the recruiting was done at the 18u level. Good talent skipped 16u.

I always try to get my pitchers to just do one year of 16u then go on to 18u since that's where most of the high school players they'll be playing against are playing.

But lately I have been made aware that at least around here the colleges are paying more attention to the 16u.

 

[iMlearning]

Here it's 18U... in the DC area. In fact our 16u team decided to switch to 18U because they said the coach's were at the 18U games. DD started 18U at 14. I've also heard it's different in the warmer states.