IF she is going to do fall ball for sure try 10U and see how it goes
To move up or stay down.
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The other coach on my team, his daughter was in the same situation. 8u player who moved up early. Played 10u and went down for All-Stars. She's a competitor, loves challenges, and plays to win all the time. Absolutely no regrets.
I would recommend she moves up. Challenge>boredom. Remember if she stays down she will be playing with a new group coming up to 8u. These girls won't be as good as the group that is moving up to 10u. I always like my first year in each age group because you play with better girls then your second year where you play with lesser girls.
I would recommend she moves up. Challenge>boredom. Remember if she stays down she will be playing with a new group coming up to 8u. These girls won't be as good as the group that is moving up to 10u. I always like my first year in each age group because you play with better girls then your second year where you play with lesser girls.
- Jun 24, 2013
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My 7yo played 10u rec ball this year. She pitched, and while nowhere near 42 mph, she has been putting across there at 33. She is also a lefty and can hit the edge of the plate where the batter thinks it's too far outside, but the ump knows it's a strike. She struck out several TB girls and they were mad that the cute little dynamo got them. For her it was definitely about being challenged versus ruling the roost. She was tiny out there but has hit a growth spurt this summer so she should be more ready for next year. We also had that thought process but decided it was time to put her with girls that could handle her throws. She also wanted to be able to steal and slide (which you can't do in 8U rec in this area). So it was definitely worth it to play her up. She didn't get picked for all-stars because of her size. So my vote would be to move her up. She had another 8yo girl on her 10u team, but she was a hoss. She had almost a foot on her and was the #1 pitcher in the league.
If at all feasible, moving up as early as possible has a lot of potential value, assuming you are making a realistic, honest assessment of talent. I have found that moving kids with some skill up early (not just in softball - I have coached a lot of boys hockey and found the same thing there) gives you a real, concrete idea of whether or not there is "fire in the belly." A lot of kids say that they have it, but I like to see it for real under challenging conditions. Getting that read as soon as possible seem critical to me, since you are at a point where you are considering investing 10 or so years and how many thousands of dollars. So finding out if it is there is useful information, no?
And just to be clear, I am not advocating that if a player does not have the "fire" then they are not suited for travel sports. Participating at that level develops many critical life skills above and beyond getting a scholarship. But the kids with the real fire will take you down a very different path than you will explore with the kids who don't. Better to find that out ASAP.
And just to be clear, I am not advocating that if a player does not have the "fire" then they are not suited for travel sports. Participating at that level develops many critical life skills above and beyond getting a scholarship. But the kids with the real fire will take you down a very different path than you will explore with the kids who don't. Better to find that out ASAP.
SyndreSoftball's DD has the skill and the fire. She's a hell of a competitor who is still learning how to handle herself when she doesn't succeed (a common challenge for our 8U All-Star team girls). On more than a few occasions, I watched this girl start leaking tears on the mound over a BB or a hit, brush them away, come back more determined and focused, and K the next 3 batters.
I know you're a modest guy, my friend, but I also know you get a lot of satisfaction out of seeing her crush it (as we all do).
*sigh* As one of your future opponents, I am NOT looking forward to this...
My totally unbiased opinion, move her up. Please.
But seriously, move her up for fall, bring her back down for spring if she's overwhelmed. Did this with my youngest DD when she was 6 and her whole team moved up to 8u in the fall. She played 8u that fall and she struck out often. For the spring she came back down to 6u and she ruled the roost. This past season all-star season, she was the youngest one on the 8u team, and the only one with a 2005 DOB, but she was also one of the most stable hitters. There was some talk about her moving up to 10u with the team in the fall, but I know she's not ready for that yet. Your DD sounds like she's, at minimum, ready to test the waters, and fall ball is perfect for that. And no, I'm not just saying that just because I don't want her beating up on my DD's team. Not at all...
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Throwing 42 at 7 is really something. I would think that by next spring she could easily add 2 to 3 onto that and from 30 feet would be tough to handle for any 7 or 8 year old. Do you have a video you can post?
My experience with softball and where to play.
During the early ages 8U, 10U, 12U, allow the young player decide where she wants to play. It is the very few times it is about "fun". The player works harder when she is having fun. A parent is to drive the player outside of her "fun" with extra practice at home. These young players instincts are close to being spot on. Let DD choose.
After 12U, it starts to become a business. For hitters, after 12U, jump to 16U as soon as possible. You are now an established player and must see high school, 16U pitching as soon as possible. For pitchers, after 12U, consider 14U to be a #1 or #2 pitcher and develop your pitching skills.
Do NOT make softball a "business" at 8U. It is a mistake. Sounds like the parents want to make a "superstar", instead of listening to the player. A BIG mistake. The business end comes much sooner than you would like, and you will soon look back and say "I wish we enjoyed the most out of it when it was more fun".
During the early ages 8U, 10U, 12U, allow the young player decide where she wants to play. It is the very few times it is about "fun". The player works harder when she is having fun. A parent is to drive the player outside of her "fun" with extra practice at home. These young players instincts are close to being spot on. Let DD choose.
After 12U, it starts to become a business. For hitters, after 12U, jump to 16U as soon as possible. You are now an established player and must see high school, 16U pitching as soon as possible. For pitchers, after 12U, consider 14U to be a #1 or #2 pitcher and develop your pitching skills.
Do NOT make softball a "business" at 8U. It is a mistake. Sounds like the parents want to make a "superstar", instead of listening to the player. A BIG mistake. The business end comes much sooner than you would like, and you will soon look back and say "I wish we enjoyed the most out of it when it was more fun".
- Feb 7, 2013
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To the OP, its a no brainer, move her up to 10U in the fall. Fall is the development season, limited number of games (10?) where she can get used to the 11inch ball and additional 5 feet pitching distance. Make sure she works on a change-up to go along with her fast ball, and she will be fine come 10U spring and summer 8U all-stars (she should be able to adjust pretty easily moving back down and will likely dominate in the circle). At 10U, she will play better competition which will make her a better player, your rules at 10U should be "real" softball (i.e. dropped third strike, steals at any base, all kid pitch, infield fly, etc.).
CLM265 - while 42 is fast for a 8U pitcher, in SoCal you occasionally come across some kids that are exceptional. When my DD played 8U all stars, she faced one pitcher that was consistently mid to high 40s and was clearly more dominant than the rest. That speed at 30feet with a 10inch ball is virtually unhittable (at one point our above average hitting team struckout 28 of 32 at-bats, played them several times that summer, very humbling...)
CLM265 - while 42 is fast for a 8U pitcher, in SoCal you occasionally come across some kids that are exceptional. When my DD played 8U all stars, she faced one pitcher that was consistently mid to high 40s and was clearly more dominant than the rest. That speed at 30feet with a 10inch ball is virtually unhittable (at one point our above average hitting team struckout 28 of 32 at-bats, played them several times that summer, very humbling...)
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