We are a unique bunch....

[So Cal Seth]

So, I'm a n00b, watching from afar, as I have a 5-year-old daughter who is quite athletic, driven and plays Little League with her twin brother right now. Her birthday is March 2011. By ASA rules, for the 2017 season, she'd be considered 5, is that correct? As that's the age she was on 12/31/16? Or is it 6, as that's the age she'll be 12/31/17?

Trying to figure out when to get her over to softball. She'll be in coach/machine pitch this Little League season, and it's way more convenient for us to have them play on same team (same practices, same games, same field) for now.

 

[Orange Socks]

Age on Jan 1st is the rule of thumb for ASA.

6U - players born in 2012, 2011 and 2010
8U - players born in 2009 and 2008
10U - players born in 2007 and 2006
12U - players born in 2005 and 2004
14U -players born in 2003 and 2002
16U -players born in 2001 and 2000
18U -players born in 1999 and 1998

 

[mudrunner]

Never been thrilled with my DD's 05 Christmas B'Day. Everyone on her team is always older, a grade higher and more developed. It's definitely cost her some playing time as she's always playing ketchup.

It's tough waiting but I know that in the end always playing against older players will have served her well.

I feel ya. DD is a December '03, and one of three 7th graders on her team. Next year most of her team will be in high school, and playing in second year 14U. Hopefully she can pick up with another team for the few months in the spring when they are playing high school ball.

 

[BobInMadison]

I feel ya. DD is a December '03, and one of three 7th graders on her team. Next year most of her team will be in high school, and playing in second year 14U. Hopefully she can pick up with another team for the few months in the spring when they are playing high school ball.

Sometimes I've seen multiple teams combine for tournaments during HS ball, either from the same or from different organizations. The 8th graders on the 14U teams play, while the 9th graders cannot.

 

[So Cal Seth]

Age on Jan 1st is the rule of thumb for ASA.

6U - players born in 2012, 2011 and 2010
8U - players born in 2009 and 2008
10U - players born in 2007 and 2006
12U - players born in 2005 and 2004
14U -players born in 2003 and 2002
16U -players born in 2001 and 2000
18U -players born in 1999 and 1998

Thank you, Orange. I get it now.

 

[Orange Socks]

I feel ya. DD is a December '03, and one of three 7th graders on her team. Next year most of her team will be in high school, and playing in second year 14U. Hopefully she can pick up with another team for the few months in the spring when they are playing high school ball.

This stops to matter once they get to high school and in college. They will now be older than those spring birthday girls. If you project out to 18u and you stuck with playing your age group, the spring girls would only get 1 year of 18U ball.

 

[Greenmonsters]

So, I'm a n00b, watching from afar, as I have a 5-year-old daughter who is quite athletic, driven and plays Little League with her twin brother right now. Her birthday is March 2011. By ASA rules, for the 2017 season, she'd be considered 5, is that correct? As that's the age she was on 12/31/16? Or is it 6, as that's the age she'll be 12/31/17?

Trying to figure out when to get her over to softball. She'll be in coach/machine pitch this Little League season, and it's way more convenient for us to have them play on same team (same practices, same games, same field) for now.

I'd keep her in LL baseball as long as she is having fun and until she can get the same level of coaching and experience in softball. Depends on where you are, but that may not be for a few years unless you have a very strong youth SB program. While the uninformed will claim that the games and required skills are different for BB and SB, particularly hitting, they are not (with the sole exception of pitching). IME, the longer your DD plays BB, the more advanced and further ahead she'll be when she switches over to SB.

ETA - as a father of multiples, the convenience of having them together is great, but you need to be sensitive to comparisons and feelings, particularly if there's a significant difference in individual abilities and degrees of success

 

[So Cal Seth]

I'd keep her in LL baseball as long as she is having fun and until she can get the same level of coaching and experience in softball. Depends on where you are, but that may not be for a few years unless you have a very strong youth SB program. While the uninformed will claim that the games and required skills are different for BB and SB, particularly hitting, they are not (with the sole exception of pitching). IME, the longer your DD plays BB, the more advanced and further ahead she'll be when she switches over to SB.

ETA - as a father of multiples, the convenience of having them together is great, but you need to be sensitive to comparisons and feelings, particularly if there's a significant difference in individual abilities and degrees of success

I'm in southern California, so the program is pretty good. Also, it's the only softball program in a city of 150k people, where as baseball has three Little Leagues and a giant Pony league. I haven't seen the softball coaching first-hand yet, so no idea on the quality. But at this point, I'm her main coach, and we're working on those getting her foot down early, pushing the nob to the ball, and swinging level. Nawwwwwwwww, j/k.......attack the ball, do damage! : )

But yeah, I get what you're saying. I'm of the belief that a swing is a swing, regardless of baseball vs softball.

And thank you for your insight on multiples. Unfortunately for my son, my daughter is a gross overachiever. She's a very quick learner, things come easy and natural to her and she has a drive and determination that he simply does not. I don't compare them aloud.