Trying to Move to Comp and Not Sure We Should

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Jun 16, 2010
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There's a tremendous difference between rec ball and competitive sports. And a tremendous difference between average and elite.

if your daughter wants to play at the highest level the sooner you make the jump the better. Because all the competition to be on better teams is already better then she is. To break in later you've got to be an above-average athletic girl. Many so-so teams get started for this reason, the girls aren't good enough to get on another team. The exception will be someone whose athleticism can beat out the learned mechanics other girls have. Eventually they want hitters...Everybody wants a hitter.... Especially big girls that are strong and athletic.
 
Mar 10, 2020
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She knows she is going to be on an incredibly slow trajectory if she sticks around this organization, but she's kind of in Softball Purgatory -- needs to get out of Rec, but isn't ready for the intensity of Comp. I want to support her found love of the game, but I don't want to throw her to the Wolves of Disappointment at the same time. Nor do I want her to have to stay in a place where improving is going to be difficult because she would do so much better if she were surrounded by players who had the same goals. I'm just now learning about the world of Comp softball and from what I can gather, she can play C level, but I'm having a hard time finding those teams -- lots of 12UBs (even As) -- a team where they're looking to take girls with some skills and lots of desire, and will develop them through the next levels. Does such a thing exist? She honestly needs a RecreTive team -- more than Rec, less than Comp. Any advice or words of wisdom (or encouragement)? Thanks!!
No one learns how to play the next level until they try.
 
Jul 27, 2015
235
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12U is a good age to make that move away from Rec ball. Focus your coaching efforts on your DD. You can teach a kid to slide in less than an hour. Give her the work to get her to the level she needs to be. If you don't know enough about hitting, pay for lessons with the right instructor. I wish I'd done that sooner. Try out for some teams...you might be surprised. If she's really not there yet, work through the Fall and get her up to speed. It might take some trial and error to find the right fit, but it will eventually happen.

If you want your kid to keep playing, get out of Rec league. After 12U, it's pretty much deserted.
And I would offer the exact opposite opinion. You are not going to get better as a pitcher sitting on the bench. Maybe once or twice a year did my daughter ever pitch to her team in a practice. Join a travel team where she gets to pitch against better competition. And also find one where the coaches actually coach.
 
Jun 16, 2010
259
28
And I would offer the exact opposite opinion. You are not going to get better as a pitcher sitting on the bench. Maybe once or twice a year did my daughter ever pitch to her team in a practice. Join a travel team where she gets to pitch against better competition. And also find one where the coaches actually coach.


Id say its even less than that.
99.9% of our batting practice, all ages was soft toss from behind close screen .
We might have scrimmaged another age group once or twice in 5 yrs at practice.

Yup, Theres no way to get pitching experience, except to pitch games. Similar could be said for hitting.

many, probably most teams are started by Daddy's to give their daughters a place to play....

This was true of my dds coaches. Only problem was , was there was no teams in this part of the country then. Softball too hold out there in California first.... Then began to spread slowly.

Only after their daughters were done playing, they kept coaching for the next 40 + years. They learned as they went. It took a few years to begin having success.
 
Last edited:

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
And I would offer the exact opposite opinion. You are not going to get better as a pitcher sitting on the bench. Maybe once or twice a year did my daughter ever pitch to her team in a practice. Join a travel team where she gets to pitch against better competition. And also find one where the coaches actually coach.

In what way is my opinion the "exact opposite" of yours?
 

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