Tournament Questions

Playing up dilutes the sport...

THe sport of softball needs to evolve into having multiple levels so that the need to play up is eliminated and then the "playup" rule needs to change to only allow a one age group play up.

There should be 2-3 levels at each age group based on wins, rankings, competition. I understand the need to play better teams but when there are 12 or 14 yo's playing 18U it really is a long term detriment to the sport.

 

I agree with you! If that philosophy was followed, in the long run the teams would be more balanced and stronger. The sad part currently is that there are 12U teams that can beat some 18U teams. That doesn't say as much positively for the 12U as it does negatively for the 18U.

 

Apples and Oranges

.....with respect CM, if a parent doesn't want their kid to "play up", and the team that she is on wants to "play up", then find another team.

For alot of kids, yes 14s, they can play for or against many 18u teams.

If you had a kid who was a math wiz and she needed to study at a higher level than her age group, would you agree that it would be in that kids best interest to "move up" ?

If my kid came home with a bloody nose, I'd tell him he owed his momma $5 to clean his shirt.
Raise the bar!
Fishpal

 

Your analogy applies to a very very small group... the softball situation is nearly epidemic. Everyone thinks their kid is move up material. There should be a measuring stick in the associations to gage whether a kid should move up. Again in your example, the math wiz only moves up after some serious proof of the ability.

Seriously - if a 14yo can move up and play competitively at the 18U level, then that should be major red flag that there is something wrong with the sport.

My kid is done with Age Group softball, so my comments are regarding the health of the sport as a whole and not the selfish concerns of a parent.



(btw, you dont have to qualify your disagreement with me. I am a big boy and can take criticism of my opinion with never any offense taken. In fact, it is through healthy disagreement that things are improved. If we simply sit around and pat each other on the back we just stay the same.)

 

Playing Up

Playing up...either to your talent level or for growth, but never play down below your level. If you are a 16U and you have to play a 14U...I feel bad for you. If it dilutes an age group or 12U's shouldn't be playing 18U then make a rule. There are different levels of playing. They are called the ASA, NSA, USFA, IFA, etc. My DD guest played at WC 16U/18U Cardinals July 4th Showcase this Summer with a 14U that had one pitcher and 1/3 of it's team missing. Those girls played their guts out going 1-3-1 and it was arguably one of the best weekends we've had in a long time.

 

Say what???

If a 21 year old rookie can be a starting QB in the NFL against teams with players 1/3 older than them, is there something wrong with the sport? If Tiger Woods can beat a golfer 10 years his senior is there something wrong with the sport? What makes softball so special? Athletes should compete up to or above their talent level to be the best they can be.

You might be right about how everyone thinks their kid is move up material. Probably the same everyone's who think their DD is going to get a scholarship.

 

Maybe it would be somewhat clearer if you considered the outcome of a 14U boys baseball team competing in an 18U tournament. If that even happened I'm pretty sure what the results would be. That's assuming, of course, that the 18U doesn't bean each batter at least once.

If everything was like it should/could be in fastpitch then 14U playing 18U should be rare.

Maybe it would serve the sport better if the highly successful 14U team played in their normal age bracket; therefore making the teams in the 14U bracket better and better because of the level of competition.

And on the other side of that if the highly successful 14U plays 18U then the 18U don't necessarily play a level of competition that would make the 18U better.

The comparison of a 14 year old to an 18 year old is a lot different than comparing a 21 year old to a 35 year old. Four years difference in age at the youth level is much more significant.

 

This is exactly what I am talking about. If a 14 yo team is able to beat an 18yo team, then something is wrong in the 18U level.. maybe too may inexperienced or underage players.

I think the demise of rec league and the move of a great many of those players to travel ball ranks have made high level 14U teams feel the need to move up to higher age levels to get the competition they desire. This is where a better system to stratify the skill levels would serve the sport much better than simply moving up.

 

Playing up?

I never have been a fan of playing up. You will get there with time. I beleive in the old rule if you are 12 by Jan. 1st, 14 by Jan. 1st, ect. then you play that age group. No moving up period. If a 14 yr. old can help an 18u team, think what she can do for her 14u team.

 

You all make valid points, but if you were a 12u, 14U, 16U player or team, and you were dominating, wouldn't you get bored winning all the time (maybe some would not) and seek something more challenging? To me it's just the next move. See how you do. I can not help it because a team or player is so good that they win at the next age group. Since when did the burden fall on that player or team to raise eveyone up to their level? Not to get off thread, but doesn't coaching have something to do with it?

I have no dog in this hunt. My DD played UP at her age level, but I've seen some extremely talented ball players move up in age group and play very well. Why hold them back? If you can play up why not? I'm sorry I just don't see it. To answer your qustion about a 14U playing up at 18U...there is something wrong with 18u? CD said when he was at the Pony's there were some 14U that could beat some of the 18U he has seen. What that tells you is the talent level of those 18U need to be coached a little better, or we as parents and coaches need to start doing a better job of developing players at an early age. JMO.