High School JV-B?

[default]

Any opinions or experiances out there with your local High School electing to not field a freshman team but instead field two JV teams, ?Jr.Varsity A- team & B-team. I have been told that this is a trend for many High School sports not just softball.

As the parent of a freshman, my biggest concern is how difficult will it be to fill a complete season schedule for the JV-B team.
How many other High School JV-B softball teams are out there?

 

[default]

Many schools are being forced to do this because the ?schools do not have enough freshmen players to field a team. ?This was true of my dd school last season. ?

 

[default]

And the trickle down from that is there are few teams for a competition base. Therefore, you end up playing those same few teams over and over and over again, or you try to get some JV teams who are willing to play against a freshman team.

Since there are more JV teams out there, there is a bigger competition base.

Our H.S. situation was different last year - we had enough players to field a freshman team, but did not have enough to field a JV team as well. Therefore, JV team - no freshman team. Worked out fine!

 

[default]

I actually prefer ?JV-A/JV-B teams as opposed to JV/Frosh teams, for a couple of reasons. ?First, the competition between frosh teams is, for the most part (and I know there must be some exceptions out there) pathetic. ?Some of the freshmen games that I've seen couldn't even claim to be as good as modified fast pitch. ?And the coaching at this level is usually not very good. Second, when you say that there is going to be a "freshman" team, sheer numbers will usually dictate that girls who have played travel ball will have to be stuck playing freshman ball (for example, if you only have 12 freshmen come out). ?We lost a very good player a few years ago because of her horrible experience on a freshman team. ?The level of HS play actually left her WORSE OFF as she began travel ball and had to readjust to pitching speed, hard hit balls, etc. etc. ?If you have a JV-A and JV-B team, you can put the deserving freshmen on the JV-A team and those non-freshmen who aren't as good as the deserving freshmen can play on the JV-B team. ?There will be more opposing JV teams to fill out the schedule of both the A and B teams than there would be freshmen opponents for a freshman team. ?And, as hard-hearted as it sounds, the JV-B team is the ideal place for a sophomore or junior (or for that matter a senior who just wants to play ball rather than sit on the bench) who is never going to be able to make the varsity team. ?

JMHO, but this one I feel pretty strongly about. ?And no, my DD was never affected by the issue. ?She was fortunate enough that the varsity needed a pitcher and she could meet that need from the get-go as a freshman. ?It was just painful for me to see a lot of talented girls that she had played with at one time or another have to spend an entire season on a freshman team that did nothing to help their development and that probably hurt their softball skills.

 

[default]

Because of all the reasons cgs listed, I just made my third team a JV "B" team when I took over at my school a few years ago. I don't think the other coaches in the area cared, because our JV "B" team wasn't near as good as a true freshman team would have been. I didn't have a third team the past two years, but will have one again this year.
Beginning this year, everyone else around Columbus is now forming JV "B" teams as well, instead of freshman teams.

As cgs stated, that JV "B" team is to some degree one where girls with limited skills can play on a school team. There will be a few girls on JV "B" who may have a future on varsity if the school is currently loaded with talent. It's also great if the school has a lot of pitchers, as it provides a low-pressure place for pitchers to get plenty of innings in.

 

[default]

Those are great points cgs and joea, after watching serveral freshman games last season I saw that my daughter would have been bored, it was very rec like. I know that there are some good freshman teams just not the ones I saw. I think my daughter was much better off on the jv team and she certainly not a great player.

 

[default]

Our school system has varisty, JV and then 2 middle school teams (essentially a middle school team and a frosh team). The schedules are matched up to the level of the team and it has worked well as a "farm system". The older MS team (8th-9th) plays Freshman teams and gives frosh an opportunity to develop while pushing the talented younger kids.

To find competition for your second "developmental" JV team, you can look at the JV's from smaller districts or Freshman teams from the big districts.

 

[default]

Anyone who has been to a freshman game knows the above points are true concerning the level of talent and coaching expertise. The freshman team should become a JVB team and with it an opportunity for girls who need coaching and playing time. My daughter's experience last year as a freshman as the tenth or eleventh player on the roster was to sit unless there was an absence or injury even with the game safely in hand. My view is a coach of any team other than the varsity needs to play all the girls every game. The reason for JV and freshman teams is to develop the talent and teach fundamentals. JVA & B is a great way to get the girls who want to play on the right team and get them playing time.

 

[default]

I agree go4 any coach who does not play all the players on his roster on a hs freshman or jv team is not doing their job. ?At this level the coach's job is to develope talent, ?this means the great talent and the not so great talent. ? Sure the best players should play more but no player should go a game without getting in. ? This is one of the reasons some schools have trouble fielding teams. ? ?The coach can usually recognize the superstar, ?but it is suprising how many players who look great as freshman have peaked as freshman. ? ?Some players bloom late and it is up to the coach to help that happen. ?