Modified or JV Dilemma

[hssoftball]

I am a high school softball coach and up until this year, the school has offered JV, modified, and varsity softball. However, this year the numbers have gotten so low that the school must let go of either the modified or JV team. I was wondering how other coaches felt about this, whether or not it would be more beneficial to the kids to keep modified which would be for grades 7-9 without the JV team where the sophomores could go straight to varsity, or if it would be better to get rid of modified for the 7th and 8th graders, leaving only JV and varsity. Thanks for your opinions.

 

[amanda_cake]

Is there any way that you could recruit more girls? If you are in need of girls, there are probably some out there that didn't try out because they've never really played or were afraid they wouldn't have made the team. I'd rather see some sucky girls on the team than having to cut a program.

We don't even have a modified, I'm not really sure what that is?

 

[alexander58]

It doesn't seem to make sense to have a 2 year gap in your program. Keep the JV and have the younger girls get better instruction elsewhere.

 

[hssoftball]

One year Gap

Well without modified (junior high) there would be a two year gap with the seventh and eighth graders. Without JV there would only be a one year gap with the sophomores because the freshman can still play on modified. The sophomores could also try out for varsity. It is a very small school, so any sophomore with decent skills would very likely make the team.

 

[Coach-n-Dad]

I would drop the modified. The 7th and 8th graders can play some sort of rec. ball at the minimum. This is what happens in our small town of about 3000 residents and it works wonderfully.

It doesn't matter what HS age a kid is, if they want to make Varsity they have to try out and EARN A SPOT ON VARSITY. I also don't think that a kid should automatically MAKE JV without trying out and earning a spot.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I learned something new, never heard of modified. We have middle school ball ( 6-8 grade ) JV and V. Then high school JV and V.

But we do live in a large area, close to a million residents.

 

[amanda_cake]

What y'all call middle school ball is what we call JJV (junior junior varsity). We don't have it, but schools we have played against do.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

What y'all call middle school ball is what we call JJV (junior junior varsity). We don't have it, but schools we have played against do.

So does the JJV have JV and Varsity? ours does.

 

[amanda_cake]

So does the JJV have JV and Varsity? ours does.

At the "rich" public schools and private schools, they offer JJV, JV, and Varsity.

 

[mudbug]

None of our middle school have teams. Tha t would possibly be good. But more important would be to get the younger girls HS girls playing time if they cant play Varsity. thats what JV is for.

Athletic girls will pick it up fast, even if they never touched a bat or ball before. You dont need the modified, thats what rec leagues are for. Id think you will get more benefit out of having a JV team for those that cant make the varsity. The lines arent clear cut anyway, some JV player play a few varsity games when needed, Some varsity players dont play enough to earn their letter either. Some schoolsjust have one team, and the players that dont play in the varsity games, play the JV games after, etc.

Varsity is for the best players, not the oldest players. In some schools that combine middle and HS, 8th graders can play varsity, but if under hs rules they are only eligible for 4 yrs , so that can affect choice of when to play.