Lack of 2010 Birth Year Players

[NJSwampdragons]

Are any other parts of the country seeing a lack of 2010 birth year travel players? My daughter is one of 3-4 2010s on her club team. One club team had to fold their 10-U program because the couldn’t get enough players, and many of the other club teams in the state are filled with 2011s.

 

[rslaubaugh]

Same situation in my area. Tons of 09 teams and very few 2010s. We drive 1hr away to play on a 2010 team.

 

[_MIA_]

I guess kids born in 2010, unlike 2011 and 2009, just don't like softball

 

[Towny9]

We have a big lack of 2010 and 2011 players in our area of Southeastern VA. Many organizations that have been established for a while where not able to field 10U teams when their previous 10U teams moved up this August.

My team is made up of entirely 2010 players. I have also been frustrated because quite a few teams of 2009s are “playing down“ in 10U this fall instead of moving up.

 

[MB2.0LHT]

We have a big lack of 2010 and 2011 players in our area of Southeastern VA. Many organizations that have been established for a while where not able to field 10U teams when their previous 10U teams moved up this August.

My team is made up of entirely 2010 players. I have also been frustrated because quite a few teams of 2009s are “playing down“ in 10U this fall instead of moving up.

Why would you be frustrated? You want to play better competition right? Who cares what the age group is. You improve by getting challenged and see how you respond.
Nobody in their right mind likes a steady diet of losing but as long as your competitive against better teams that’s a plus.

 

[NJSwampdragons]

Yes, lots of 2009s. The talent gap between the 2009s vs 2010s also seems pretty wide.

Her summer town travel team, which was pretty average, would likely be beating up many of the fall club teams if most of the girls didn’t age up.

I wonder if COVID has impacted 2010 participation levels with many rec leagues shut down

 

[Yanko70]

Se here in our part of MD we have at least two local orgs that had 10U teams that don't for lack of enough girls. They basically combined into two teams. Not sure if it's a lack of 8U rec programs fromm the spring producing new girls for travel or we also have quite a few families that are leery of any kind of group activities.

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[Towny9]

Why would you be frustrated? You want to play better competition right? Who cares what the age group is. You improve by getting challenged and see how you respond.
Nobody in their right mind likes a steady diet of losing but as long as your competitive against better teams that’s a plus.

Maybe frustrated is the wrong word. We don’t shy away from competition, but as a first year 10U team last year that had all 2010 kids we took our fair share of lumps. We were in some games, but at the very young ages a year (forget 2 years) makes a huge difference.

At 10U there are 8 year olds in the fall who have just came out of coach pitch and are playing kid pitch for the first time. I’m not sure what lesson that kid is learning when she faces an 11 year old throwing low 50s from 35 feet.

 

[Ksphenom]

Fewer teams in the midwest region I'm in.
Cost is high. I wonder if Covid is behind some of it.
Low amount of 18A teams too.
Glut of 12-14's playing. Fall just started and some teams starting back up soon.

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[So Cal Seth]

Doesn't seem to be a problem in southern California from what I can tell.