Which Ball to use for 3rd graders in Rec. ball?

[Eugene Stryke]

Here in Eugene OR our softball might be a little behind some other places. My daughter started rec ball in June at the end of Kindergarten. She was 5 turning 6 in July. That year it was T ball with the baseball size softies. Next year she was in 1st grade and it was still T ball with softies. The 2nd grade year was still baseball sized softies, but modified coach pitch with a T used if she misses 3 pitches from coach. Now, she is in the 3rd grade and is 8. Many girls on the team in June will be 9. Our rec ball uses the baseball sized softies again this year with strict coach pitch of 5 pitches.

I understand the soft ball. The girls, at least last year, were still having trouble throwing and catching. I mean they couldn't do it for the most part. In all of the teams and games we played there was rarely an out other than the pitcher running the ball to home for a force out. For many this was their first experience playing. They took many balls off the face. The same will be true, I assume, in the 3rd grade of 8 and 9 year olds but I am recommending that the org. should switch to 10" softies. I think they will hit better with the bigger ball and not become scared of it with the inevitable balls flying and hitting players. I am thinking that by the 4th grade they can throw and catch well enough to switch to the 10" hard balls.

How have your rec leagues dealt with this progression? It would be 3rd graders of 8 and 9 years old. I think they might take my advice and switch to a bigger ball but use the hard one. For many girls that grow up with the game and have some experience I think this is appropriate, but for rec ball with beginners, I think many will take a few off the body or face and lose aggressiveness.

 

[cwestwjg]

8U here in Arkansas they use either a USSSA or the ASA approved 11" softball, it's the same as the big ball just smaller to fit there hand.

They need to get into using the standard ball quickly as possible, IMO it would be dangerous to switch them at 10 when the kids hit and throw harder. The soft squishy balls are also alot harder to catch cause they spring back on impact.

 

[Eugene Stryke]

Oh yeah, I meant 11". The softies they use are not really squishy. They are still firm just not really hard like a normal softball. Well, for girls with experience and some ability I would have no worries, but judging by the level of rec ball here at that age group I am a little hesitant. Baseball and softball are not king around here. The lacrosse team had 5X as many girls tryout than the softball team at my local public high school last year. They play soccer at an early age, but probably never touch a softball other than the 5 weeks of rec ball in June/July.

 

[cwestwjg]

Oh yeah, I meant 11". The softies they use are not really squishy.

OK so you guys are using the indoor balls I am guessing what we call pitching balls around here. They let us use them in the gyms during the winter to keep pitchers working.

Sounds ok to me.

 

[quincy]

DD’s League used the 11’ ASA approved balls at this age, not the softies.

Some players got hurt, nothing too bad. Hard to believe but you need to play closer attention to the adults then the players. Some seem to forget they are working with 8 years olds or that all the players are not as good as there kid.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Even LL is using an 11 inch softball at 10U. The 6 and 7 YO use a RIf ball, in ane ignoring community, but I find it more dangerous, because of it's super ball rebounding effect.

Please remember that we played softball at least 50 years w/o squishy type balls.

Are the boys using a squishy baseball? I bet not.

Good luck and have a great time this spring.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Auto correct! I wrote "a neighboring" community. Something is still wrong w/the site though, because it wouldn't let me correct.

 

[Momo'sDad]

We're ASA in our area, and here are our local rules:

6u - 10" RIF
8u - 10" RIF
10u - 11" Dream Seam
12u and up - 12" Dream Seam

Some Reduced Impact Factor balls are more solid/less soft than others. I've found that even the squishy ones get firmer when left out in the weather a bit.

Our 8u division is defined as being for players who were 7 or 8 years old on December 31st prior to the start of the spring season, which will be mostly 2nd- and 3rd-graders.

For 10u, I'd recommend going with the 11" ball to get more in line with the majority of softball communities, but there is RIF option there as well that still has the raised seams. It doesn't play perfectly like a true hard ball, but the RIF-1 also doesn't play like a bouncy incrediball, so I consider it safe for game play.

I wish you the best in working to strengthen the softball in your community.

 

[PA SB Dad]

For our minors division (10U, 3rd and 4th grade) we use a regular 11" softball.

This year I am trying something different with our coach pitch division (8U, 1st and 2nd grade). We are going to use a 10" RIF ball as a transition between tee ball (9" ball) and the 11" ball. I am hoping the extra 2 years with a smaller ball helps a bit more with catching and throwing. Around here, most of the girls are using baseball gloves in 8U, either a hand-me-down from an older brother's or one that the parents bought without thinking that for softball we use a bigger ball. We'll see what happens.

 

[John T]

We transition from a 11' softie to a 11' regular softball during the season. Still doing coach pitch after three balls but the girls seem to adjust well.