At what age

Sheman is dressed for the part

Would you like me to send you a Lady Stars uniform to wear so that you will fit right in?

 

You got one to cover a couple of my chins?

 

Me too Braves

Im really looking forward to seeing some softball and getting to know the game. Here at South Granville the girls have been very good for many years winning several state titles. Their dedication is tremendous and they get after it big time. Every weekend throughout the year they are on the field practicing. These girls love to compete and they can really play the game.

My son started playing AAU at 10 years old. For him it was about getting the chance to play with other kids that wanted more than 1 hour practices a week and a couple of games a week. He was the type of kid that loved to practice as much as he loved to play in games. I ran every practice like a hs practice with fundemental drills and posistion play. We also conditioned after every practice as well. To me it was never about how many trophies we could win. It was about teaching the game and building a solid fundemental foundation in the game. My goal was to give each kid an edge that he could take with him and use down the road.

At these ages I believe that working and learning the fundementals is way more important than playing games. My goal was to practice alot and play some. It all comes down to the goals of the team. If its to learn first and play second I can not see where this is a bad situation. But if its to see how many tourneys you can play in and practice is second to that I dont think its a very good situation at all.

 

If anyone thinks that travel ball at 10 does not make a difference you are fooling yourselves. At Mooresville 56 came out and this is about the 3rd year of strong travel ball players filtering into the system. You can tell a HUGE difference in the level of the talent. Someone mentioned fundamentals is more important than game time. You are right to a point. Fundamentals taught during practices are crucial however at that young age, kids learn how to play the game, run the bases, evaluate situations and handle themselves hopefully properly winning, losing and struggling while playing. I support travel ball starting around 10 because I have seen what it has done for the kids in our area and the others across the state that we have been fortunate enough to have played against. I'm talking about kids starting at age 10 and that are now 14,15, and 16 years old. That said, I have also seen over the years an influx of teams at the USSSA AA level that is nothing more than travel rec ball. More and more dads starting teams because little Johnny didn't get a fair shake on the other team he was on so we get 2-3 players from the "bad" team and make a "worse" team out of it. Take a look at the number of AA level teams in the 10,11,12 and 13 age groups. Compare that to the AAA and Major levels. There is a huge difference in talent levels, but hey I'm glad more kids are playing. It is good for them!

 

Let them all play

I am glad as well IF they are enjoying it.. cause soon enough everyone's day will come when they don't/can't play anymore.

 

Stretchy, You are correct on the If part. As long as the kids are enjoying it we who love the game should make sure that ALL kids get a chance to play this game be it Rec or Travel. No one knows what is right for all kids, but I know one thing, nothing makes me feel more proud than to see a youngster have fun, laugh and feel proud of what they are capable of. I still remember my son's first home run at Cooperstown Dreams Park. First one he ever hit. Have it on a video my wife was making. You can hear her crying for my son over the cheers. Wow what a life this game can create!!! Good luck everyone playing this year. If you have 1/10 of the fun I've had then you are going to be blessed.

 

A game for the ages

I will answer it this way:

the start age won't matter if the parents are not ready.... meaning; can the parents let him/her play for fun and learning OR will they be so uptight and demanding that the kid will end up not enjoying the game no matter what the start age is.

 

For those that choose to play Travel Ball baseball at 7,8,9,10 years old...good for you. If the experience is enjoyable, I am happy for you. But for anyone to suggest that if your kids don't play TB at that age, he will be left behind is a careless and reckless statement. I would hope that parents that are in this situation don't buy into that theory because it is absolutely not true.

That's like projecting the more physically mature 12 yo that throws the ball faster and hits the ball harder than his peers will be a certified HS stud: When in most cases the opposite holds true.

Going from the youth stages to a HS program or college is a marathon, not a sprint. Youth programs should be about building a good foundation of baseball fundamentals (if you don't get it there, you may not be taught it again.) It should be about learning the game and how it is played. It should be about learning teamwork and sacrificing (many times for the 1st time). It should be about teaching and improving a player's skill no matter what level of skill they have. It is also where the seed for passion of baseball is layed.

It is not about trophies or how many championships you won. It's not about buying 'lil johnnie the latest bat, the newest glove or the coolest shoes. Not at that age anyway. What a kid needs at that age is good coaching...period; from wherever you can find it.

If it's from a TB coach...great; if it's from a rec league coach...fine; if it's coaching in the backyard...outstanding. But I would never want to hear somebody suggest that if you don't play TB at an early age that you are going to fall behind. That is a preposterous statement that borders on outrageous. I can only imagine that attitude is perpetuated by TB tournament organizers or some coach trying to fill a team.

Now, I think there is a time and place for TB, but not at that age. As I counsel many parents of HS players, spend your money wisely. Don't spend your money on sending your son to an expensive showcase event featuring D1 scouts if your son is not a D1 player.

At the ages of 8-12 yo....they are all potential D1 players. But it will be much later when we find out they are no longer prospects, but the real deal....and where he played youth ball or travel ball will never enter into the conversation.


.....off the soap box

 

Thats a great post

There is plenty of time for games. There is plenty of time to play in tournements. At this young age the most important thing is to build a solid baseball foundation. Learning how to properly throw , field , hit and catch is very important. And why does everything have to be structured at these young ages? Just getting out in the yard and playing catch can be a great learning tool for an 8 year old.

Its not the TB that makes the player. Its the coaching that the player gets and the way the game is taught to him. You are not being left behind by not playing TB at these young ages. You are being left behind if your not being taught the proper fundementals at a young age. There are a ton of TB players that spent so much time playing in tourneys that they never properly learned how to play the game. As soon as the other kids caught up in size and maturity the TB players were the ones left behind. Happens all the time.

 

Parents not ready

Stretchy,
Once again you have hit it dead in the face. The kids would love to have fun. Unfortunately, too many parents aren't there for the fun. They want their kid to be 'the best' on the field. They have blinders on. If their son/dd makes a mistake, doesn't pay attention, or won't listen to the coach, it's OK, but, if someone elses child does it they start wondering why the coach doesn't sit them down. Of course the other side is the parent that berates or chastises their child for every mistake or percieved mistake Too many think if their child makes a mistake or strikes out or whatever, it's a direct reflection on the parent. You also have the one's that say ' I didn't drive all the way here to see my child sit for a game.' Wow, just realized how negative I seem. Sorry. The vast majority of parents and coaches want to see every child succeed and have fun. Another case of the few making it miserable for the many.