High School freshman playing 14U

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Why would you play 14U Travel ball as a stand out freshman wouldnt it make more sense to play up at 16U or even 18U since you are already facing those kids. Just wondering what reason there could be ???

 

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Big fish little pond ?

 

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Wow, a high school has already picked their 2008 team and it's only November. ;D Are we talking about a current freshman and this upcoming season will be her first high school experience?

 

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There are other things to consider in this equation...First, what if girl is younger than most of her classmates? Also, as an incoming freshman, there are no guarantees that you will be a stand-out H.S. player. You have already made your commitment to your travel team before any off-season conditioning has even taken place.

DD is one of the youngest in her class (end of Sept. birthday). As a freshman she was fortunate to be on both JV and Varsity rosters at H.S. (was with Varsity, but got in pitching time at JV). She was still playing for a 14U team through that summer. In August (sophomore year) before she even turned 15 she tried out and made an 18U team and is now in her 3rd year at 18U (but just turned 17).

Sometimes there is a maturity factor that needs to be taken into account. Also, depending on the position(s) she plays, sometimes staying "down" offers the opportunity to continue developing and be successful, which helps the confidence level.

 

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Usually if a freshman is good enough to be playing varsity, she is on a good travel team that is playing top-notch teams. When you look at the top 15 teams at 14-U this past year, those teams were better than 90% of varsity high school teams. Those top 15 travel teams spend a good deal of their time playing each other, so I have no problem with my freshmen playing 14-U.

I know many or perhaps most high school coaches order their freshmen to play 16-U and their juniors to play 18-U, so I appear to be in the minority. Of course, most of those coaches don't see 1/10 of the travel games that I see.

 

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It definitely makes sense from a quality of competition viewpoint, and advancement, individually, to play up to the highest levels & ages of what you see in high school ball.

That is assuming that high school softball is the main focus in a dd's softball life though - what if it isn't? Especially after playing years of successful competitive tournament ball, with many of the same girls who have now become hardened togather as competitors, ... and friends, ... under pressure? Some dd's like playing softball with their friends and the social component is just as important as the competitive part. Plus some travel teams have long term commimtents to each other, as friends, as team mates, etc., to go places and do things together in the summers, while disappearing to their individual high shools to do that in the spring, often times finding tougher "game to game" competition in travel than in high school ball. Likely though, is that anyone good enough to play varsity as a frosh would be playing on a competitive travel team, and even if their Nationals schedule is 14u, I bet they would be playing in a lot of older tournaments along the way also.

This doesn't apply to all of course, but I know some kids like this, and they take (both) travel now, and future high school aspirations, VERY seriously. Just some thoughts, based on some examples close to home.

 

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what about 14u asa ball? that is pretty tough competion

 

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Good point dhayes - wish I could be more succinct like you, but that was part of my point also. Some kids want to continue to play together as a group, and pursue high honors together whether ASA, NSA, etc. "Unfinished business", or just plain competitive friendships continuing that have been forged together for a number of summers of kids & families traveling, laughing, crying together (okay - no crying in softball), sleeping on each other's shoulder in the back seat during long trips noggins bouncing off each other's when dad hits the rumble strips (again).

If not for reasons like that, then playing "up" should probably happen, but still, it's all about what makes a person "tick", and want to enjoy the experience enough to keep doing it. Not all "good" players have the burning desire to become "great" either .... the "experience" .....

 

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I will address this thread and the other about 2008 pitchers and why my dd is staying at 14u as a freshman. Kayla had what most people would term as an average or even below average year this past year. What most people do not know is she pitched at about 70% of what she was capable of due to a shoulder injury. I wanted her to move up to 16u this year, and she wanted to stay down at 14u (her confidence really was fragile after this year). We decided to let her pitch coach decide (Radara McHugh), and she felt it best to stay down another year to get her confidence built back up. I am happy to say that Kayla is healthy again and looking very good so far this fall. In her last 18 innings, all but 3 innings versus 18U teams, she has allowed only 1 earned run.

 

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Heck! Following that logic, why even bother having 14U, 16U or 18U divisions, just make it all 18U!

Honestly, in the Dayton area, I imagine most of the 14U teams here outclass any of the area high school Varsity teams. So just because a freshman plays varsity doesn't mean she automatically should be playing 16U or 18U select ball. At least in this area.

Comparing High School ball and select ball are like comparing a cow to a horse.

 

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As I thought there are many different reasons for and against. Hope nobody got upset was just wondering everyone's opinion.

 

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It has been discussed here many times before.....The girls need to be on a teams where they are playing. Is she moves up to 18U and is not a starter, what was the point. If she moves up to 18U and they play competition that is the same or equal to 14U or 16U what was the point. The only ones that will benefit are the ones that are starters and play the best competition. Otherwise stay down with you age group and develop your skills, and confidence. JMHO

 

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It has been discussed here many times before.....The girls need to be on a teams where they are playing. ?Is she moves up to 18U and is not a starter, what was the point. ?If she moves up to 18U and they play competition that is the same or equal to 14U or 16U what was the point. ?The only ones that will benefit are the ones that are starters and play the best competition. ?Otherwise stay down with you age group and develop your skills, and confidence. ?JMHO

You hit the nail on the head.

 

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Skills arn't developed by playing in older brackets, it's constant repetition over time that develops you. If you stay with your age then you may depending on your team stay with the same girls longer and develop good team chemistry. Also if you are a standout at 14U why play up where you may be average at the next level. You want to be a standout if a college coach sees you. 16U is when the majority of scouting is done but I've seen them watching 14U too.

 

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(this being my 700th post((I can almost smell addicted status, or was that ringer cooking my cat?))--I'm coming for you, bretman!--than i better make it a good one)
an area catcher just this last year played first year 16's, but still qualified to play 14's...if she would have exclusively played 14s, she would have had monster numbers (and still had them anyway, in a asa/nsa heavy schedule), but not the advancement as a player she would have had playing 16's..now that's an extreme situation when you have a stud player...other older girls play 14's if they have a dominant second-year team, as the "unfinished business" quote comes into play..on some community travel teams that I've seen this past year, there were indeed 4-5 players "playing up" on 16's when they could have had a monster 14 team...maybe it was to get them ready for varsity ball, who knows, but i would have to agree that most girls who are froshes who play varsity this upcoming spring are either on a really good 16 team, or a dominant second year 14...maybe out in the sticks it would be different, since you might have access to less of a player pool than in central ohio
i could go on, but without me hijacking something, it would be trivial.. ;D
good posts and i'm agreeing with just about everyone

 

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and this got me thinking...so, what if a player moves up, plays a mild schedule, does well...is this the same as staying down and playing strictly ASA-gettin-your-brains-beat-in schedule??? does a tougher schedule mean you learned more/played better in the future or do you make sure that IF playing up, your playing up on a team that is going to compete?
lots of questions, maybe no answers

 

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I think it is a matter of does playing time amount to betterment.

Do you want your DD on a great team that beats everybody up but she doesn't play very much or on a team that may not play as stiff of competition or doesn't beat everybody up and she is a key player?

The optimum situation is she is a key player on a team that crushes everyone. :-?

 

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My daughter made the varsity team (and played all innings in every game) as a freshman. She also played 16U Travel Ball because she knew that most of the pitchers she would be going against in High School were 16 to 18 years old. It makes sense! The only other girl who made the Varsity team as a freshman last year played on a 14U Travel Team. She was the big fish in that pond, but was unable to hit against most of the high school teams we played. I, for one wish she had played 16U to possibly see better pitching.
This year by daughter is playing 18U even though she could play 16U. She was picked up by an 18U team last year to go to the States and really liked the pitching at 43 feet. No problem.

 

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Usually if a freshman is good enough to be playing varsity, she is on a good travel team that is playing top-notch teams. ?When you look at the top 15 teams at 14-U this past year, those teams were better than 90% of varsity high school teams. ?Those top 15 travel teams spend a good deal of their time playing each other, so I have no problem with my freshmen playing 14-U. ?

I know many or perhaps most high school coaches order their freshmen to play 16-U and their juniors to play 18-U, so I appear to be in the minority. ?Of course, most of those coaches don't see 1/10 of the travel games that I see. ?

I agree with Joe, I don't really see it as being a big deal, we had a few Frosh who played Varsity on very good High School teams. When we played the likes of the Nightmare, stingrays, Pride, Lasers ..etc (not trying to leave anybody off lol) those were very good teams regardless of what age they are playing. We also moved up and played some 16U tourneys I really didnt notice much of a difference. It goes back to a few other posts, if you made a commitment to a team during the offseason, you need to stick it out for the year and play with that team.

 

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Most elite teams that are second year 12's will play some 14 U tourneys and second year 14's play 16 U tourneys so it depends on what level those players are competing at. I agree that players need playing time so it should be a situation that players are getting innings and playing great competition, if thats playing up at lesser competition or playing at their age group against elite competition its whatever. The bottom line to me is play first and play the best competition you can. If you want to be the best you have to play the best. JMHO and hope everyone just learns how to compete and bring their games to the next level for them individually and collectively.