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

[Eugene Stryke]

Thanks, this is really helping. I am hoping they go with the 10" RIF balls. To me the most important thing at their age level is that they don't get too intimidated. It is hard for rec leagues though because they can't have a different ball for every age group. I assume that is why they used only RIF baseballs and 11" regular softballs. The 10" RIF ball would only be used for that age group, but is the best choice so hopefully they will go that direction.

 

[MsDinosaur]

I think after DD aged out of t-ball and went to a girl's league where they did machine pitch for the little ones, they tried to use RIF balls but found that the machines couldn't throw them decently. The coaches got together and agreed to switch to regular balls. It turned out that the girls did fine with the standard 11 inch balls--this would have been about age 6 or 7?

 

[Eugene Stryke]

Well MsD your league is somewhat ahead of ours. At 6 we are still T ball and 7 is modified coach pitch with a T. We don't have any pitching machines. Actually, they have those spring loaded ones, but I have only heard complaints about them so I don't think anyone uses them.

I like the earlier point about the gloves the girls use. None of our girls last year used a softball glove. They all have hand-me-down baseball gloves that wouldn't even fit an 11" ball. Maybe this will change for 3rd grade.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Pretty sure our rec league uses the following
U6 - 10" "squishy" ball - This is coach "toss" more than pitch and if they don't hit in 5 tosses they use tee.

U8 - 11" RIF-1 or incrediball (not sure which but I'll know soon since DD2 is this group. Modified kid/coach pitch at this age. No walks - coach takes over on ball 4 and every coach pitch is consider a stike if not hit.

U10 - 11" RIF-1 or stanadard ASA 11" ball. Again not sure which it used to be RIF-1 when DD1 was that age but I think they switched to the regualr ASA spec ball. The actual one used varries by year based on which they can get the best deal on.

U12 and up - 12" standard ASA spec softball again specific model varies by year based on bulk price.

 

[KevinC]

Our league uses 11" softies for 6U & 8U

11" ASA softballs for 10U

12" ASA softballs for 12U and up.

 

[Momo'sDad]

It is hard for rec leagues though because they can't have a different ball for every age group.

Why is that? I don't understand.

 

[Eugene Stryke]

I think it makes it difficult for our local rec org. to have different equipment for every age group. 3rd grade is right in the middle of the switch from the baseball size softies that are used in K-3 to the 11" hard balls they switch to in 4th grade. It would be the only age group with that particular ball. As it is now with the baseball size softies for 3rd grade it is easy because they use those same balls for many other age groups plus boys baseball at the youngest ages. I think that is the main reason why they are using baseball size softies still at the 3rd grade level.

 

[marriard]

We use a 11" McGregor SafeSoft ball for softball tee-ball and 8U rec (these ones: Amazon.com: Macgregor Safe/Soft Training Softball: Sports & Outdoors)
10U we use a 11" regular softball
12U we use a 12" regular softball