The death of JV Softball???

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Oct 5, 2017
214
43
Western Indiana
We will have—and have had—a JV team at our HS this year (will be 12 or 13 girls), but throughout the offseason and during tryouts, the head varsity coach all but begged parents and players to encourage more girls to try out for JV. For a while, it did seem he was worried there wouldn’t be enough girls to form a JV team. Not sure what it was like at other local schools.
As a HS coach I did a similar thing. During pre season workouts we have 13 players in the program. I asked the girls to talk to their friends that had played in the past to join. They were able to get our numbers to 19 so we could have a JV team. One of the girls "talked into playing" was a freshman that is starting her first varsity game tonight. She is an athlete that has taken well to the game.
 
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
Interesting to see how this is handled around the country, thanks for sharing everyone.

DD is in 8th grade, but has a lot of friends who are freshmen. They had 22 girls try out, and kept 16 for varsity. It’s interesting to hear that other schools would keep a JV team with a smaller group, and work out a way to get them to play. Our district just cut the other six girls and has no JV.

There’s a large and strong group of players in eighth grade this year, and we’re all a little nervous about the fact that there hasn’t been JV here in many years. There won’t be enough room on varsity next year to take more than 2-3 new players (the bulk of the current team are juniors).


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Jun 16, 2011
23
3
I agree with earlier post. Travel ball replacing rec ball is getting kids to quit earlier. Way too much pressure for everyone to be great at a young age. Sport specialization is probably also a factor in taking some of the fun away.
Northern California high school softball is the weakest I have seen in ten years. No depth. Fewer and fewer good pitchers.
 
Oct 16, 2019
130
43
Where I am at in the WV coalfields, softball is still strong. Three years ago we had over 200 girls in a recreational league, this year closer to 175, but still able to have at least three teams in each age group (4-5, 6-8, 9-12, and 13-18). A big age discrepancy in the last two I know, but at least we have teams. Many of these girls are on travel ball teams as well, and the league and the travel organizations work well together.
My oldest is 12 and is in the 6th grade; she plays on the JV team for her middle school. She has not played in two years (unlike one of her younger sisters who has not stopped in two years) and the fact that her school has a JV program is allowing her back into the game and I am grateful. With those everyday practices and 20 games, most with JV games, she will be ready for Varsity next year I am sure, and maybe make a travel team. Even the smaller middle schools in the area apparently have the numbers for JV teams. Softball is still very popular here.
 
Feb 24, 2021
26
3
At our local public school (many travel players), it seems that some players turn their nose up at JV because since they play travel, they feel they should be on varsity. One pitcher I know quit this year because she didn’t make varsity as a sophomore. Varsity has 3 decent pitchers who share time - the one caveat being they can all hit. This girl can’t hit, and can’t field another position, so that hurts her. She also is not a lights out pitcher where her not being able to contribute at the plate also hurts her.

I'd keep her as a pitcher but DP for her every game (make her the flex).
 
May 20, 2015
1,095
113
out high school is under 300 Ss - middle of the pack size wise for class C schools here

our 6-8 MS team has 12........2 years ago, pre COVID, i had 24, and ran a B team.........varsity this year is down to 15, from 21 pre COVID

we'll run a small JV schedule, with some of the sophmores and a junior or two thrown in, usually out of position or even pitching, just to get them some time

next year if everyone eligible comes back, with incoming 8th grades, we'll have numbers back up to 20 or so......with 2 dedicated JV pitchers


after that, though, looks like lean numbers working through MS
 
Mar 23, 2021
2
1
In preparing for this year, and I can't attend practices or games at this time since I am recovering from some health problems, I hear that a large number of programs, don't have JV teams this year. In fact, I was told that a couple of area schools with larger student populations don't have JV teams. Is this what you are experiencing in your area?
We don't start school ball until the fall here in South Georgia. We always have a JV team.
 
Mar 23, 2021
2
1
from talking to different coaches at HS level...if the freshman and sophomores don't make varsity, then they go play select ball and JV kids are ones that have never played or are very weak/inexperienced....possible reason for lack of JV....also, if no pitching is available for the JV that adds to another reason
That's definitely not the way it is at my daughter's High School here in South Georgia. Most everyone on the team plays travel ball. The JV team is freshmen, sophomores, and one Jr. The JV team is very competitive. Last season, the coach pulled up 2 freshmen and the Jr to also dress out for varsity.
 
Apr 1, 2017
535
93
That's definitely not the way it is at my daughter's High School here in South Georgia. Most everyone on the team plays travel ball. The JV team is freshmen, sophomores, and one Jr. The JV team is very competitive. Last season, the coach pulled up 2 freshmen and the Jr to also dress out for varsity.
Our school is the same. Didn't have enough enough players for a freshman team this year, so they expanded the JV roster to keep a few more players. Even with the expanded roster, all but 2? of them play some level of travel ball. A true "rec only" player making the team, and being in position to get real playing time would be really rare.
 
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
DD’s tentative middle school schedule came out a few weeks ago, and as tryouts have gotten underway we’ve seen a number of schools drop off the schedule. They’re just not attracting enough girls to field a team. I hope it’s more C19 related than an indication of waning interest among the younger set.


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