JV or Varsity?

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
I'm pretty familiar with the pipeline at the high school DD will be attending, and there are no pitchers in the two grades ahead of her. There are two who will be seniors when she's a freshman.

Lucky you.

My daughter will be entering with at least 3 really solid pitchers her exact same grade. I suppose there's some silver lining to that.
 
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
Lucky you.

My daughter will be entering with at least 3 really solid pitchers her exact same grade. I suppose there's some silver lining to that.

DD has one other girl in her grade who is also a pitcher, and a darned good one. They make a nice LHP/RHP tandem. I can see them sharing circle time as Sophomores through Senior year.

Also, if I remember correctly, your daughter is 10U? Three of the four top pitchers in DD's grade at 10U no longer pitch, so keep on throwing!
 
May 16, 2016
946
93
IMHO... Tryout for Varsity (or both if V and JV tryouts are separate), and let coach decide where she can best help team. If it's best for team for her to play with Varsity, and be available from the bench, then accept that roll and be the best bench player on team.
 
Feb 3, 2016
502
43
Do you think most coaches just put the 12-13 best players on their varsity team? Do you think they should, without any other considerations?
Parochial schools with large donors won't allow this. I don't think HS Seniors that get beat out by younger better players should by default get the spots because they deserve it because of class/age??
Best player should take the spot.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
DD has one other girl in her grade who is also a pitcher, and a darned good one. They make a nice LHP/RHP tandem. I can see them sharing circle time as Sophomores through Senior year.

Also, if I remember correctly, your daughter is 10U? Three of the four top pitchers in DD's grade at 10U no longer pitch, so keep on throwing!

Nice memory and a very fine point.

Crazy how it's only months away until my DD tries out for the High School Feeder Team. Seems like she's already auditioning for her High School spot on the starting rotation. But yes, many girls drop from the pitching ranks. My DD may as well. Who knows?
 
Dec 6, 2019
382
63
Or should I encourage her to tell the coach she would like to play on JV, where she would start every game and probably bat cleanup (plus her best friend is on the JV team) but there will be some bad competition and no playoffs.

In my kid's program if a kid went to the coach and said something like this, she wouldn't play at all for either team. Our coach is not a tyrant, but you wouldn't dare suggest to her which team you would prefer to play on any more than you would suggest where you play in the field or where you bat in the lineup. None of these would be tolerated at all.
 
Last edited:
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
Parochial schools with large donors won't allow this. I don't think HS Seniors that get beat out by younger better players should by default get the spots because they deserve it because of class/age??
Best player should take the spot.

I don't really get the first sentence because I'm not what what the "allow this" refers to. But as for your example, you're making an assumption that the only consideration is class/age. But since you stated, emphatically, that "best player should take the spot," how about this?

You have a Freshman shortstop who is very good, the best defensive infielder you have. The bat is lacking even though she's also the fastest player you have. Your two best players, overall, are senior shortstops (one pitches, too). When someone else is pitching, they're playing short and second and they've done nothing to lose those spots (First and third are locked down, too).

If you're just ranking your entire team, top to bottom, the Freshman is definitely in the top 12 or 13 (whatever you consider an appropriate roster size). You also have a senior who is not, overall, in that top 12 or 13. But she's fast, which gives her a role, and a hard worker. She's also not someone who expects to start or get regular at bats.

In your opinion, should you put that Freshman on varsity even though she'll be limited to being a FLEX/pinch runner most of the year just because she's more talented than the senior, who you can use as a FLEX/pinch runner? If so, why would you risk that Freshman's development? Wouldn't she be better off being the best player on the JV team, getting top-of-the-lineup ABs every game, playing every inning at shortstop, and learning how to be a team leader?

While you consider that one, here's another, simpler one: Your third-best pitcher -- and you really only have three pitchers -- is also a good hitter, so she ranks in your top 12-13. Should she make varsity as a sophomore even though she'll get very few innings. Oh, and now you have to spend the little practice time you have finding a fourth pitcher for right now. No chance to bring her along slowly, get her into blowouts, etc. She's gotta be ready to go in 2-3 weeks. Meanwhile, that sophomore is pitching every 4th or 5th game. But she's one of the 12-13 best, so gotta be on varsity, right?
 
May 27, 2013
2,353
113
I’m thinking Ksphenom means that private schools will seem to bend more to appease parents who are big donors to the school, so if one of their kids isn’t starting or put in a particular position and the kid or parent complains, they will typically be appeased by the coach, at least temporarily. Can’t upset those with the deep pockets come donation time.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
I don't really get the first sentence because I'm not what what the "allow this" refers to. But as for your example, you're making an assumption that the only consideration is class/age. But since you stated, emphatically, that "best player should take the spot," how about this?

You have a Freshman shortstop who is very good, the best defensive infielder you have. The bat is lacking even though she's also the fastest player you have. Your two best players, overall, are senior shortstops (one pitches, too). When someone else is pitching, they're playing short and second and they've done nothing to lose those spots (First and third are locked down, too).

If you're just ranking your entire team, top to bottom, the Freshman is definitely in the top 12 or 13 (whatever you consider an appropriate roster size). You also have a senior who is not, overall, in that top 12 or 13. But she's fast, which gives her a role, and a hard worker. She's also not someone who expects to start or get regular at bats.

In your opinion, should you put that Freshman on varsity even though she'll be limited to being a FLEX/pinch runner most of the year just because she's more talented than the senior, who you can use as a FLEX/pinch runner? If so, why would you risk that Freshman's development? Wouldn't she be better off being the best player on the JV team, getting top-of-the-lineup ABs every game, playing every inning at shortstop, and learning how to be a team leader?

While you consider that one, here's another, simpler one: Your third-best pitcher -- and you really only have three pitchers -- is also a good hitter, so she ranks in your top 12-13. Should she make varsity as a sophomore even though she'll get very few innings. Oh, and now you have to spend the little practice time you have finding a fourth pitcher for right now. No chance to bring her along slowly, get her into blowouts, etc. She's gotta be ready to go in 2-3 weeks. Meanwhile, that sophomore is pitching every 4th or 5th game. But she's one of the 12-13 best, so gotta be on varsity, right?
What is this FOUR pitchers talk, never seen this as much of an issue. Games are spaced three days apart for a reason. Guess there could be rain days or something but most schools I've seen ride one girl almost all season if she is good and #2 gets a few easy starts or mop up duty and you have an #3 emergency pitcher....but I guess everyone's experience varies
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
What is this FOUR pitchers talk, never seen this as much of an issue. Games are spaced three days apart for a reason. Guess there could be rain days or something but most schools I've seen ride one girl almost all season if she is good and #2 gets a few easy starts or mop up duty and you have an #3 emergency pitcher....but I guess everyone's experience varies

Games spaced three days apart? I'm only 2/3 of the way done with my schedule, and one week varsity has 3 games, another week 5, two more weeks 3. We won't actually play all of them because of weather, but I schedule 30-35. Also, I never said the pitchers were good!

Anyway, we can do the same exercise with any position. It just works best with pitcher/catcher since they're specialized. Simply being one of the 12-13 best doesn't mean much if you're the third best at your position.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,481
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top