Making the move from a communtiy based travel team to a competitive team

[spleen1015]

My DD is a 2nd year 10u player currently playing for a travel team from a community based program. The girls on all of the teams within this program have to live within the school district where the program is based. Typically, these teams are middle of the road Class B teams. Many of the girls are just happy to be playing TB and don't really worry about getting better beyond coming to practices, no lessons in most cases, etc.

I just wanted some thoughts one when is the right time to move away from a program like this and trying out for the better, more competitive teams in the area.

How much does what happens at the 10u matter in the long run? Should I think about getting my DD on better teams now because it will affect how she develops?

 

[Little Angels Softball]

If you are wondering, it is probably time to start looking for a more competitive team.

As a head coach of a travel team, my job is to develop a team. If you want your daughter to develop individually, then that primary responsibility resides with you and her. Private instruction and work at home away from team practice is what it takes. Lots of it.

There is something to be said for accelerated development on a better team. I know it is far easier to teach more advanced concepts and skills to more advanced players. However, girls can develop quite well on teams comprised of girls at or very near their own level, as long as they are willing to put in the extra work and dedicate themselves to getting better every time they step on the field.

I think 10U travel ball is fun and is the perfect age for girls to start loving the sport. All the base running and lots of action help in this regard. IMHO, 12U is where the most development is done as girls start getting big enough and strong enough to learn proper mechanics for just about everything.

Unless your DD is simply quite a bit more advanced than the other girls on her team, I'd say you have plenty of time for her to develop. You can start now by getting her some quality private instruction and by making sure she's putting in the extra work to make the instruction stick.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

My DD's right time was when:
1. She realized she could not tolerate the level of play being played in these lesser organizations.
AND
2. She realized she wanted to have the scholarship thing as a solid goal
AND
3. This desire was strong enough to accept the sadness of leaving the comfort and closer friends she already had in the community team.

My DD didn't make this jump until she was 12 or 13 if I remember that long ago....

 

[sluggers]

There are two things about "making the jump"--

1) She has to have the skill to *PLAY* (not watch) at the higher level.

2) The player has to like playing softball more than playing with friends. There is something to be said for playing softball and hanging out with friends. You might think, "Oh, she'll make friends on the new team..." but, she won't. She'll know the new players, and get along with them and have some good times, but it is not like playing with someone you've known forever. On the other hand, there is also something to be said to "play at the best level you can play".

Kids will make the decision is around 12 to 13 YOA (whether their parents listen is another question). Before that, there is a huge social aspect to softball. After 14YOA, the children develop a clearer idea of who they are and what they want. Lots of kids at 14YOA say, "Enough softball. I'm going to do choir."

 

[3bmama]

We also moved on when my dd was unhappy with the level of play on the community team. The team is young, my daughter was one of the older girls and had played rec 10u for a couple of years(started at 7) so she was more advanced than they were. I think it will he better for her to be pushed by the girls on her new team. On the community team, she was one of the top 2 or 3 players without having to try. Her new teammates are amazing softball players, and she will have to really work to play the positions she wants to play. I think it will be much better for her in the long run.

 

[JAD]

As a head coach of a travel team, my job is to develop a team. If you want your daughter to develop individually, then that primary responsibility resides with you and her. Private instruction and work at home away from team practice is what it takes. Lots of it.

Can I get an AMEN???

 

[softballdad97]

I would have to say from experience and hindsight to get your DD in a good if not great travel team and or organization as soon as possible if she and/or you has any aspirations of her playing in high school and beyond. Do some research and find out who consistently puts out some of the best teams year in and year out and layout a map of times for their tryouts. It is not uncommon to drive anywhere from a half-hour to and hour for practices of the best organizations. Your DD will not get the training and instruction to be the best and most recruitable athlete without out this commitment from both her and the parents. I only wish I would have gotten my DD there sooner.

I did not get DD into a good travel ball team until she was 12. This team and organization is one of the top organizations in the mid-west and won a national championship at the 13U level. Unfortunately DD was way behind the other girls at the time and didn't play much. She did however get some great instruction and training during that year. She went to another competitive organization the next two years where she had the opportunity to apply and enhance the instruction she got from the 12U organization along with the additional training from the new organization. This later in turn gave her the knowledge and training she needed to get her accepted to her latest organization that year in and year out has the entire team scholarship opportunities with many different colleges throughout the country. She made her high school varsity team as a freshman, one of only a handful in program history. She was a starter all year and batted third most all of the year. She would never have gotten to this point without pulling her out of her local LL and into the travel world. All the other girls from her LL are light years behind her from a developmental standpoint and none made varsity. Although physically gifted she would have never attained this level without getting her into the best programs and coaches available in our area.

 

[James Smith]

I know this is off topic but it might be worth having your DD go to some tryouts even if you are not ready to make the jump. There are some really good players out there that she will see. Also the tryouts should be less stressful for her when your family is ready.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Great advice from top-to-bottom in this thread. I'd like to second the point that she's got to be on the field in order to really advance her game. If the best team out there takes her, but only plays her 2 innings in a 4-game weekend, then she's not going to develop as well as she would on a slightly lower-level team where she's practically an every-inning player.

Spend some time looking around now. At the younger ages especially, 10u & 12u, there's a tendency for parents to equate wins with good coaching. The 10u team that wins most of the tournaments in your area might not necessarily have the best coaching. They might just have the best talent on the team, because someone was a good recruiter or because the organization has a good name there. A coach that has a solid, long-term plan for developing players and a team is what I'd look for. If the current team is just a friends-and-family social club, there's no harm in moving sooner rather than later. Finish the 10u season and then move on.

 

[marriard]

There are two things about "making the jump"--

1) She has to have the skill to *PLAY* (not watch) at the higher level.

2) The player has to like playing softball more than playing with friends. .....

After 14YOA, the children develop a clearer idea of who they are and what they want. Lots of kids at 14YOA say, "Enough softball. I'm going to do choir."

All this and more.

The whole idea of 'she is learning at practice' when your DD is not playing in games actually means it is all about YOU and not about your DD. Playing the game is the most enjoyable aspect of playing a sport - not watching it from the bench all game. Don't choose to be on a team where your DD doesn't play.