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Jun 4, 2019
134
43
Having a pitcher play down shouldnt be tolerated. It’s too key a position. Unless she sucks, but you can find plenty of your own age girls that struggle pitching.

I don’t mind it in some circumstances, if the skill level is consistent with the rest of the team. I have a girl now that just moved to my town that is an 05 birthday. But we don’t have. 14U team right., we will next year when half my teams moves up. I’m going to try and get her into a few local tournaments this fall to see how she does.

But who knows what goes in the world of TB. Plenty of teams out there counting on wins and trophies trying to sell lessons and make money. I’ve played teams that claimed to be 12u (2006/2007) and these girls looked to be 15/16. Hell, I don’t even see parents at some of these A level teams. Lol, they all look old to me. Doesn’t matter to me anyways, it’s just a game. Play and move on, one way or the other.
 
Last edited:
Jan 10, 2018
3
1
The full story:
Our Manager filed a protest mid 3rd game for the offending team. The TD took it ‘under advisement’ and said he would call a meeting after the days games. About 6pm our manager presented his case to the TD and other coaches showing a previous history of the two girls playing 12u for 2 seasons and then 14u last year and showing that the pitchers mom was the coach of her 12u and 14u teams. Side note, the pitcher struck out 8 in the 1st game mercy (over in 3 innings), struck out 9 in their 3rd game mercy (also 3 innings) and struck out 4 in our game.
TD listened and said he would come to a decision later. About 10:30pm we got the email from the TD stating the tourney’s position, the body of the email is as follows:

* The (2) ineligible players identified have been disqualified for playing the remainder of our tournament

* The “offending team” have been penalized by taking a 7-0 loss in all (3) of their pool play games after today

* The Head Coach has been disqualified for the remainder of our tournament; however is allowed to attend the games from the stands

* The “offending team” are allowed to continue to compete tomorrow based upon the rankings as the result of their recorded 7-0 losses.

It is to be noted to you all that the Head Coach was professional and apologetic during my conversation with him; which certainly played a factor in my decision to allow his team to play tomorrow. However, the main reason I am allowing their team to remain in competition is in the best interest of the girls who are eligible to play.

There is so much going on with this. 1st, even giving them a 7-0 loss did not move them to last place in pool play. Other legit teams gave up more runs and lost games, 10-8, 14-12… and STILL ended up being lower in the bracket than the cheater team. However, I think my favorite line is how professional and apologetic the head coach was. Ha. He knowingly brought two ringers to a ‘B’ tournament but when he was caught was so professional.
End of the day after a blow up on the field during a bracket play game our coaches and manager decided to pull our team from this tournament. Of the 16 teams in this tourney 15 were local and only the cheaters were from out of town. Needless to say many of the other coaches vowed to boycott the tournament host organization and the offending team.
 
Apr 11, 2016
133
28
In our last town, the rule was that your team must play in the level you'd be playing in next spring. In our new town, the team moving up can choose to stay at the lower level and only move up in next spring. This presents a very dangerous situation esp. around 12U. You would have 10U kids ('08 birthday) moving up to 12U that may have a late birthday (say, 12/08). Then you have kids who are moving up to 14U but still playing in 12U who may have an early birthday (say 01/06). At this age, almost 3 years of difference in age could mean 2 heads taller and 50 lbs on the little kid, not to mention a pitcher who is pitching 43 yard pitching closer and faster.
 
May 6, 2015
2,397
113
In our last town, the rule was that your team must play in the level you'd be playing in next spring. In our new town, the team moving up can choose to stay at the lower level and only move up in next spring. This presents a very dangerous situation esp. around 12U. You would have 10U kids ('08 birthday) moving up to 12U that may have a late birthday (say, 12/08). Then you have kids who are moving up to 14U but still playing in 12U who may have an early birthday (say 01/06). At this age, almost 3 years of difference in age could mean 2 heads taller and 50 lbs on the little kid, not to mention a pitcher who is pitching 43 yard pitching closer and faster.
you are going to have that regardless. on DDs team, mostly 2008s, but with a few 2007s, the one 2007 pitcher is as tall as I am. there is one 2008 girl, one of the best players on team (think vacuum cleaner in MI, great speed, lots of contact, fake bunts for blooper hits, etc.) comes about to her elbow, and the 2007 girl is probably at least twice as heavy (not a comment on 2007 girl, she is just very powerful).
 
May 2, 2018
200
63
Central Virginia
In our last town, the rule was that your team must play in the level you'd be playing in next spring. In our new town, the team moving up can choose to stay at the lower level and only move up in next spring. This presents a very dangerous situation esp. around 12U. You would have 10U kids ('08 birthday) moving up to 12U that may have a late birthday (say, 12/08). Then you have kids who are moving up to 14U but still playing in 12U who may have an early birthday (say 01/06). At this age, almost 3 years of difference in age could mean 2 heads taller and 50 lbs on the little kid, not to mention a pitcher who is pitching 43 yard pitching closer and faster.

This is what I just went through this fall. We play in Dixie (rec) and this past year they moved the age cut off from January FORWARD to August. So my daughter and most of the rest of my team played one spring season of 10U and then we moved right on up to 12U (my daughter transitioned to 12" ball and 40' pretty well though this fall).

Now for fall ball there is no official sanctioning league we play under since Dixie only runs spring/summer. Of course we play up to what we will next season in order to prepare but many other counties do not. So my 9-10 years olds were playing against 11-12 (going on 13) year olds. For some teams it was quite the difference in physical stature, lol.

In the end they are better for it.They held their own and even won a few.
 
Apr 16, 2010
924
43
Alabama
Especially when my DD was pitching we got looked at sideways. She was always taller than most of the other girls and she was good, so I would hear "You know that pitcher is an 05" comments. Not only did she have an 06 birth year like the rest of her team, she has a late birthday so she's actually a grade behind most of her teammates. I keep her BC on my phone so it's always handy even if the paper version gets misplaced. She's around 5'7" now, going into 14U, so she doesn't stand out that much anymore.

I never had that issue. DD is all of 5'3" now as a junior. She has a early January birthday so she has always been the oldest and smallest on the field.
 

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