Team Decisions for Correct Development

[Classof2020]

This is my first real post although I have been reading your posts and gleaning from your advice for about 9 months. I have been commiserating over the decision of what to do for next year for a few months now.

My DD is 11 yo and is just finishing her first year of TB. She played one year of rec before this. She seems to be pretty athletic and has taken to it quickly. She loves it and works out even on her own frequently. She started pitching with a coach about a year ago and is progressing steadily. We are working to incorporate what we learn here and I think we have the foundation for I/R underway (hopefully soon I'll get a video on here and glean some suggestions). Here is my dilemma - do we do another year of 12 B/C level ball where she gets well intended but minimal and basic coaching but a LOT of opportunity to gain game time experience and lots of opportunity to work on her pitching and in other positions. Or do we try to make the move to a 12A team, even if it means bench time, to gain the more technical/quality coaching. She loves her team and the nice girls who will be staying another year but we keep hearing that it's time to push her to the next level from other coaches and parents. The 12A teams in our area are also going to be a big step up in money and require long drives to practices - which we realize will be the norm in a few years if we stay on this path - but just aren't sure how important it is to jump ship now while she's young, or if we will miss the boat if we wait until 14U.

Thanks for your ideas.

 

[abbygale]

With only 2 years of ball under her belt, I would keep her where she is for much needed experience. Maybe you could get the books and start learning the game to better work 1 on 1 with her and help bring her along?

 

[JJsqueeze]

What does your DD want and what are her goals? I find that my softball goals are a little more aggressive than one of my daughters. Both are perennial rec all star but one does not want to move up to travel ball because she is shy and wants to stay with girls she knows. Other DD was just given the chance to tryout for an open spot on an A level team and was giddy with excitement. So I would really just counsel her about the pros and cons and leave it to her.

 

[sluggers]

Here is my dilemma - do we do another year of 12 B/C level ball where she gets well intended but minimal and basic coaching but a LOT of opportunity to gain game time experience and lots of opportunity to work on her pitching and in other positions. Or do we try to make the move to a 12A team, even if it means bench time, to gain the more technical/quality coaching

How well does she pitch at 12B? If she is striking everyone out, then it is time for her to move on. As a pitcher moves up, she has to expect to pitch less. Good teams don't have one pitcher, and to keep the pitchers happy, they have to pitch.

At her age, she needs to be getting somewhere around 40% of the mound time.

See if there is a way for her to play a few A tournaments before the spring and see how she does.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

My vote would be to stay down one more year, and get the play time. You can learn a great deal from books, from people on forums, and watching others from the bench. Being a pitcher is much more than mechanics, it's learning to deal with emotions / composure / confidence / conviction. Those qualities can't be learned from a book...........they must be "lived".

 

[Classof2020]

Thanks everyone. I really value the input of those of you who have gone before!!

I think my gut is stay down, but I've been fearful that she will not have learned some of the intricacies that might be crucial at 14U. She has high aspirations and she works hard. She pitches 40-50% of the time. She throws a lot of strikes and thus get's hit pretty well when we play better competition. Not sure how hard she is throwing. She was clocked at 43 last Jan but I'm pretty sure that has jumped up since then, but she isn't blowing them by anyone Her change-up is sporadic. Only working about 25-30% of the time - just having a hard time getting consistent back spin to keep it straight. She is starting on a peel drop that is looking good in my opinion but hasn't thrown in much yet. And spinning the heck out of a ball around the house (ala Hillhouse) in preparation for working on a rise next year or year after.

She loves the competition and doesn't shy away even when we've played A teams that rocked everything she threw at them. If they scream banshee cries while she is pitching it just makes her more determined - which gives me some confidence that she has the right stuff to keep challenging her. But I fear that if we do move up and she only pitches in the odd game where we are up by 10 that she won't have the reps to keep improving.

 

[joemcq51]

My two cents are:
1. You need to have a seperate pitching coach. If you are expecting a 12U A coach to teach her pitching, not gonna happen.
2. As was stated earlier, you need to keep her where she will pitch the most. She is in a critical stage of developing. By 14U, she will have to be able to handle herself on the mound. Let her learn how to get girls out now.
3. B teams will often times play A teams. Stay down and learn.

 

[BoardMember]

I think that was three cents worth.........

 

[marriard]

You only get to play so many years - a year of sitting down 'getting experience at practice but sitting on the bench' might make her as good as a girl who is playing every at bat of every inning for a lower division team but I can guarantee which girl will be having the better time.

My DD just finished her 10U days on a 10U-A team and is moving up to 12U. My #1 goal is to make sure she is having a great time and wants to keep playing the following season. All those things older girls do (college, high school, 12A, 14U, etc,etc, growing up, maturing, etc) will take care of themselves at the appropriate time.

As they grow older, the decision to play/not play becomes more and more their decision and having a good time now will help her want to play when it is solely her decision (which is not that long away). I know way too many kids in every sport I have ever been involved with who one day just told their parents "I'm done" - and never played that sport ever again.

Also, the good 12U-A teams are HUGE compared to 95% of 12U-B teams - a couple of the 12U-A teams here are basically full of girls who have matured earlier than their peers. I think the difference in physical maturity in 12U might be the largest in any of the age groups. I see most of the catchup in maturity happen in 14U and you start to see who the players really are going to be.