Everyone has an opinion I would like imput

I agree, with you and it is not the fact of moving to 14u but the team she is on now you never know who's playing who's going to show up for practice. And the other team is just moving up to 12u. She practiced with a 14u team and she smiled all the way home. I saw the love of the game in her eyes again.

 

Great advice Jasmynn, it is always nice to hear from a player and not parents on these subjects. Good Luck this week up north, hope your coach still doesnt think your arm hurts!!! LOL

 

Well my DD did both...

My DD is a pitcher and she started pitching at 11 yrs old. She played her age level at 12 U then everyone kept telling us she is so dominate she should move up, so she tried that too, to a 16U team for the fall to give it a try! Too much, girls treated her great, coach kinda forgot at times that she was only 12, she definately heard things she didn't need to hear. She moved back down to 12U in the spring. She stayed with her age group from then on! Regardless! She even went to a local college camp with her 12U team and the people that ran the camp wanted to put her up with the 16/18U at the camp because she was so dominating. We declined and let her stay down with her team. The experience didn't kill her and she survived it!
So to sum it up, let your DD tell you where she is happiest. Try moving up for the fall season (it is shorter and great to try out new things). Then if it didn't fit or feel right move back down for spring/ summer season. Hope this helps!

 

Find the very best team in her own age group.

I maybe in the minority on this. My daughter is a 94 birthday plays in her own age group. Trust me those top teams in her own age group will provide her with plenty of high level softball. Most of those top teams will take the WHOLE team and play up. Best of both worlds. You get to play up and have your daughter with girls she can relate to much better. My daughter has had some 16U invites even though she is a first year 14.
If your daughter can't make one of those A level teams in her age group chances are she won't be on one of the better 16U teams either.
If you watch the tryouts posted here you will see opportunities on some of those top level teams. My opinion has nothing to do with the ability of the player. The girls grow up fast enough without help from others.

 

At 11, what is the hurry... let her have fun and not get burned out.

 

She's 11!....

...let her be 11. When she's 12, let her be 12. If you're looking for an increase in your DDs talent/skills/development, send her to college camps, area hitting/pitching instructors and hone in on proper technique while she physically grows up. If she matures earlier than other in her age group, and her body is basically that of an "average little bit older kid", then maybe choosing an organization would be in order. These folks KNOW/BEEN THERE.
One last thing that I remember being told when my DD was 11 and I was thinking the same as you are now, was this.....the coach told me that even though my kid was capable of playing at the next level, she would suffer because of.......e.g. she wasn't strong enough to drive the ball in the gap at that time. OF kids would come in and take away hits that would put her back on the bench instead of being on base and then learning to actually run the bases.....and theres alot more examples of size issues that....well size/strength/speed plays a huge role in the game and it increases big time as one ascends to the next age group. JMO Good Luck.

 

Went through this as well not long ago. I tend to lean towards the, play with her own age group, only find a team that is building to stay to gether, and is an organization that supports that. Coaching is a big thing. if there is good coaching, then usually the dug out and girls are good as well. Finding a coach and a team that challenges your DD, and can instruct and help her grow is optimum. playing at the higher level, at the same age, is every bit as good or better than just simply playing up. I found this to be true in almost every case. The only thing to watch with a move like your talking is, some orgs will praise the player during workouts to entice, whether their plan is actually to do what they say. Have good information on the team. Although this has not happened to my kid, I have seen it happen. If your making a change, to something new, make sure you sit down with the coach, and all expectations are laid out. that goes for playing time, hitting times and availability and funds. Know what your getting into, dont assume its the same as what you just left. Communication is Key.

 

Just curious, if so many are playing their DD's up to 18U, what is the real average age of 18U and is it beneficial for the sport to do this?