Combining Youth Age Groups

[Lisa Marie]

Is it normal or accepted for 10U softball to combine in a tournament or league with 11U softball? Same with 12U and 14U? Is it not normal for these age groups to play against one another?

New to the softball world!

 

[Christine Phillips]

I suppose a league can make their own rules, if they aren't sanctioned or using NHSAA rules, (like a Rec league), perhaps if they don't have enough teams they'd pair 1ou vs 11u, etc...but no, it's not "normal".
For tournaments, older divisions won't/can't play against younger divisions. ie: 11U cannot play down in the 10U division. 1oU Division would include 9U and 10U teams, 12U Division would include 11U and 12U teams, 14U Division would include 13U and 14U teams.

 

[yocoach]

But...those teams are allowed to play up age divisions in tournaments. You'll sometimes see a 12U team playing 14U or a 10U in a 12U division. Usually they are second year teams (true 12U or 10U not 9u or 11U) and are just getting ready to move up when their season ends. You'll also see this happen when some of those teams are, as an example, "A" teams playing a B/C level tournament and the only reason they're playing in it is it is a fill-in for whatever reason. They know they can pretty much run to the championship so instead, in order to try and challenge themselves, the coach will move them up an age division. Depending on the team, coach and tournament, sometimes 2 age groups.

 

[Stedman00]

step 1, 9 and 10U already play together, as do 11 & 12 and 13-14.

Step 2 , often a highly skilled say 12U team will enter a tourney in 14u bracket to challenge themselves and improve

Step 3 , often tourneys offer a HS age bracket which is 16u & 18u combined. Again, 16u may enter to challenge themselves, but know that they will have tough sledding versus the 18u teams. OR the 16u team is loaded and the lower level 18u team is in trouble. lol.

 

[CARDS]

Is it normal or accepted for 10U softball to combine in a tournament or league with 11U softball? Same with 12U and 14U? Is it not normal for these age groups to play against one another?

New to the softball world!

Many Fall leagues change the league designation to HS division (14 and up) or 12 and under.
In 2007 - 2013 our area had a ton of league play options (and teams) and were able to have age specific competition.
Now a lot of the parks have closed and the others struggle to get enough teams to form leagues or tournaments outside of the MEGA tournaments. Most of the smaller tournaments and leagues struggle to attract 6 to 8 age specific teams per weekend it seems.