Does size Always Matter?

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Someone please try to make me feel better... I have a 12u who is smaller than her peers. We constantly hear "She'd be a great ball player if she were bigger". I am so sick of hearing this. She IS a great ball player and I have never seen a kid work so hard on perfecting her game. Yes, she is little. But at age 11 or 12, is it fair to place her in a lower bracket because of her size despite her performance?

She is fast and gets on base more than anyone else on her team and I have the stats to prove it. She's a perfect lead-off hitter. She can hit, she can steal, she can slap and she can bunt anywhere you tell her to, and most of the time beats the throw to first. She is a great 2B and CF because of her speed and ability to gauge the ball. She slides under tags and scores a lot because of it. Plus, she's got a great eye at the plate.

Everyone wants a big girl. But what about these girls that dive for balls and consistently prove themselves on the field? Is there really no value to a girl because of her lack of height?

I am so sick of drying the tears when she's told she's too small to be a good ball player and when her teammates get asked to play on other teams and she doesn't.

Now I am completely aware of mommy goggles so let's not beat me or my kid up over this. Let's turn this into a hypothetical....

Does a petite player really have no future because she's short and fit? Would it be worth it to plump her up just so she'd be more respected as a ball player? Would she be more respected?

Discuss....

 

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If she can maintain her foot speed say sub 2.7 to first there will be college scouts watching based on foot speed alone granted she may just pinch run a lot but speed is a blessing.

 

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Wish I had more time to go deeper on this (working on National tourny stuff) but I will chime in real quick.

Total nonsense if some believe a girl is to small to play or be a solid player! If she has the talent and drive for this game the RIGHT coaches will see her. The ones whom go with that old type of thinking, you are better off not being with them and that is another one to cross of the list where you do not have to consider.

Of course every coach woud love that stud huge stick (many of course), but there is reality and 9 positions on that field that needs covered. Speed does kill and goes along way out there.

Again I wish I had more time but tell your daughter not to worry and her size will not stop her from being a very talented player! Just need to find that right fit and right coach out there.

 

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No.... If she can play that is ALL that matters... I have players 5 10" and just 5 foot. Both have the same opportunity because of their talent...:yahoo:

 

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My daughter is the smallest on her 14u team, but the only way that comes in to play is with her hitting. Because she is smaller and quicker than most, we have chosen to focus her hitting on finesse hitting...hitting from both sides of the plate, and utilizing the slap, bunt and drag bunt to also utilize her speed. However, just because your DD is smaller doesn't mean that she can only small ball, big hitting has to do with bat speed a lot of times, not hitter size. Our DD just hit a homerun last tourney, and has quite a few doubles on her stats, we have just chosen to really develope her finesse hitting to broaden her skills and appeal to coaches. If your DD has true skill, a good coach is going to see that no matter what her size. Do your homework on the organizations you're interested in, as well as the age appropriate coaches in that organization for your DD, them take her to AS MANY tryouts as possible. I guarantee someone will recognize her strengths and be happy to welcome them to their team!! Good luck!

 

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I have a girl on my team that fits this discription. She is the smallest kid on my team. she is also the fastest, she can switch hit, slap, bunt, steal her way from 1st to 3rd without having the batter protect her with a fake bunt. Oh I forgot she is also a shut down center fielder who can cover foul line to foul line. Good things can come in small packages. So mili, let the others talk and just keep encouraging your DD to keep working hard

 

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Mili28,

The description you just gave fits our center fielder to a tee. The only difference is she is 18 years old, was First Team All-Ohio this season and will be playing for a college team next year. Heart, speed and talent can trump size (Crystal Bustos, notwithstanding). I recommend you keep giving her positive encouragement by repeating two of my favorite quotes any chance you get:

"Good things come in small packages."

"Speed kills!"

 

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My older sister broke just about every defensive and offensive record at Kent State, she is in the Hall of Fame and has won NUMEROUS awards from the Dapper Dan Award to All Mac Player of the Year.....and she is 4ft 10in tall and weights about 120 lbs. Size doesn't matter....ability, determination and drive do.

 

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My oldest is small for her age (15 and 5'3). I pick on her alot because her younger sister is a couple inches smaller. Anyway, size does not matter. My oldest can slap, bunt, drag bunt, etc. She loves playing games with the catchers when she is on the base paths. She's been picked off once in her career, and that was at the Dayton Metro.

Tell your dd to keep her head up. She'll be fine. As mentioned earlier, someone will see that talent and once it comes, others will have have some nasty smeeling mouths after removing their feet from their mouth.

 

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Have your DD take a look at the SS for the HOO Nitro 12u. She is small but very quick and fast, their is a difference, she has both. Having seen the top teams from SoCal and the south one thing they all have in common is speed. The smaller girls are hitting the ball over the fence more and more, just watch the WCWS games. But when they hit it on the ground they are able to beat it out at first. This young lady can play the game, in my opinion the best SS at her age level. And she is always in the front row in those championship team pictures.

 

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I can relate- my DD is on the small side and she will never be a power hitter, but she understands her strengths and works hard to perfect her slapping/placement of ball. She plays CF on her travel team too and as they get older the OF position becomes more important and your DD will be more appreciated. When your DD is tracking balls in the OF and scoring runs for her team you won't continue to hear what she can't do. Focus on what she does well and not on what she can't do and all will be good. Good Luck!

 

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We have several players in the mid/small range. That's ok though. We have speed and we are athletic, which makes versatility. That's how we chose to build our team. We can play small ball, turn around next game and play grip it and rip it. It doesn't always work out, but we have had success. There is always a place on every team for that type of player.

Tell her keep working and be proud of it! Own it!!

 

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Well........mine is 5' even and just pitched against a 6"1 250 plus girl. She was a beast ! Guess what, we won 7-5. A fastball vs. fastball, drop , screw and change. No contest !

Do the smaller girls have to work harder, yes. Do the smaller girls have to have great mechanics as opposed to just good, yes. If i'm coaching third , with your daughter on second and a single to center, what do I want, what do I need ? I need speed baby ! And in this game, SPEED KILLS ! Tell her to hang in there, good things will come, I promise you.

 

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We played at ASA 12u states last weekend and the lead off batter for the Wizards Elite was small. With that said if I was a coach I would offer her a place on my team in a second. She was fast could slap,bunt and generate het own offense on base she went 4/5 against us only time we got get out was a perfect bounce into our 3rd bases glove and she has a cannon for an arm and it was still only by a half step she was out.

There is always a place for a ballplayer somewhere. My dd was blessed with size and power but having speed on base for her to hit in helps the whole team. There is one thing that beats speed,power, and everything else and that is heart. It sounds like your dd has that in abundance.

 

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My DD is small, too...and to make it worse, she's not fast.

Last year at 10U she was the third smallest on the team and this year as a 1st year 12 she IS the smallest on her team. She is hitting better this year and is working to be as fast as she can on the bases. But she is a very good defensive catcher (so I've heard from other coaches...I tend not to judge how good my DD is because, frankly, I don't know. that's not for me to say)

I used to lose alot of sleep at night worried about if she would grow. Doctors told us that she's likely only going to top out at 5'2"... you should have seen the delight on her face when she heard that ASU's catcher was only 5'2". Not that my DD will play college ball...I honestly have no idea and take things one day at a time now...but if small girls can play at programs at ASU all the coaches that don't take her JUST because she's short are small minded and I wouldn't want my DD playing for them any way.

 

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This year at the college World Series, ASU had a battery that included a 5'2" catcher that hit a game-winning over the fence homerun for her now National Championship D1 college team.

Fastpitch softball offers opportunity for most every size and shape girl but 1 successful fact in the game stands heads above all the others------speed. While other girls may need to refine a skill to make the line up, any coach with any knowledge of the game at all will get excited about a gazelle, especially if she has a knack for getting on base. If speed is her tool, just make sure to refine the skills that are needed to go along with it to make her successful. Left-handed bunting and slap-hitting as well as prolific at running bases and sliding. If she possesses these skills, keep her lean and ready, then call me in August for tryouts. I'll take her!!!

 

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The girl from Silvercreek Stars is probably 4' if that and is I'm sure sub 3 seconds at 12u. Uuuuuuunreal! As Steve said Wizards Elite had a girl very similar. Can't cheat speed!!! And these girls are warriors! I'd take an entire roster of them!!

We have several at 5' and we love them and their roles. I could care less about height, weight, or their stereotyped flaws...talent is talent. Period!

 

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True story...

My DD was told by her 5th grade coach that she couldn't be a pitcher. Now, I have always told my kids: No matter what - don't EVER let someone else tell you what your limitations are! That should be regarded as an insult!

Long story short, and the rest is history. She received a healthy DI athletic scholarship, and pitched four years in college.

Encourage your kids to ignore stupidity. The best way is to prove the doubter wrong.

P.S. She is very good friends with her old 5th grade coach! We remind him of how he was partially responsible for her success - and he is also very proud of her!

 

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I have a girl on my team that fits this discription. She is the smallest kid on my team. she is also the fastest, she can switch hit, slap, bunt, steal her way from 1st to 3rd without having the batter protect her with a fake bunt. Oh I forgot she is also a shut down center fielder who can cover foul line to foul line. Good things can come in small packages. So mili, let the others talk and just keep encouraging your DD to keep working hard

I wouldn't know anything about having small daughters who play TB. LOL

BUT, I got a place for your daughter on my team next year!

 

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Thanks everyone. You've made me feel a lot better and now I know that everything I've told her so far is the right thing. I too am small, and I have told her that "good things come in small packages etc." She's got a lot of heart and drive so I am sure she will be fine. I constantly overhear parents from other teams say how small she is. I usually chime in and say, "Yep, but please don't tell her... she doesn't know it yet." :lmao: