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I believe it is far beneficial to practice twice a week instead of playing in a rec league or rec all star league and maybe say one or no practices. What does everyone else think.
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I'm definately with you on that one Warren. I think they need the instruction at that level instead of the games. Even if they are in a great league, they still need to practice atleast twice weekly during the season. I know after a tournament there are about a hundred things running through my mind that we need to work on before the next weekend. If you don't have the practices, they won't work the kinks out.
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I also agree, but depends on how many tournaments that you play in. If your under a tournament a month, then maybe play both. If tournaments every other weekend, leave rec ball alone. The dd's are practicing at a high level, and playing rec at the same time only hinders growth. Futhermore, they will be bored because they are use to the high level of competition.
I'm not saying there aren't any good rec players out there, but there are so few. I'm sure there are good rec players who can't afford travel ball. But as mentioned, few. My oldest dd prefers to play rec ball and she's good enough to play travel, which is why she likes to be a sub player for travel ball.
I'm not saying there aren't any good rec players out there, but there are so few. I'm sure there are good rec players who can't afford travel ball. But as mentioned, few. My oldest dd prefers to play rec ball and she's good enough to play travel, which is why she likes to be a sub player for travel ball.
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i think it depends on the age of your dd i believe at 10u play as many games as dd wants to play my dd played a 120 game at 10u but she wanted to did not make her she liked going back playing rec and showing her friends what she learned and at 10u the #1 thing these girls lack is overall ball smarts and understanding of game so at 10u let them play all they want when she went to 12u she then said dad i think i should just play travel this year to free up more time and rec league is not helping anymore so what we did worked for her but every kid may be different.the most important thing as a parent is not to be a dictator sit down with dd and explain in s and outs and let her make informed decision worked for me
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As I've grown with the influence so much guidance from the great folks her on OFC...I've seen myself argue this point amongst myself. So if you read my earlier posts... and now this one...I'm going to contradict myself at times. Quite honestly... I hope you could care less and let me make my point...;&:lmao:
This year may be our first year without league play. Practices are now so much more important. We need to work on high levels of mental learning to match the intense physical training we have been working into the girls for the past year or so. Retention is probably better due to age more so than the repetition... but repetition is the key as well. I hope you get my point. With our schedule of every other or 3 of 4 weeks playing tourney ball...we will focus on what you guys have just mentioned. Practice twice week and then schedule scrimmages as we see fit and the girls need a break. Especially with the winter indoor workouts. They'll need a change of pace along with applying what we've taught. I will say a weak league series can and will do damage. I do believe many teams play at the level they can get by with... the unique and extremely gifted/dominating teams could care less and they just go out and crush. So off to practice we go and we may play on occassion this year. Thanks for all of your insight to get me and our coaching staff to this point. It really has been educational and those younger coaches or coaches still findig their way as I am....you should rely on the wisdom that the veterans on this site throw out there. I'm not going to mention who the veterans are... but you can tell. Again, y'all rock!
This year may be our first year without league play. Practices are now so much more important. We need to work on high levels of mental learning to match the intense physical training we have been working into the girls for the past year or so. Retention is probably better due to age more so than the repetition... but repetition is the key as well. I hope you get my point. With our schedule of every other or 3 of 4 weeks playing tourney ball...we will focus on what you guys have just mentioned. Practice twice week and then schedule scrimmages as we see fit and the girls need a break. Especially with the winter indoor workouts. They'll need a change of pace along with applying what we've taught. I will say a weak league series can and will do damage. I do believe many teams play at the level they can get by with... the unique and extremely gifted/dominating teams could care less and they just go out and crush. So off to practice we go and we may play on occassion this year. Thanks for all of your insight to get me and our coaching staff to this point. It really has been educational and those younger coaches or coaches still findig their way as I am....you should rely on the wisdom that the veterans on this site throw out there. I'm not going to mention who the veterans are... but you can tell. Again, y'all rock!
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Wow more lopsided then I thought.
Now let's put another twist in there. What about Pitchers is it better to pitch 1 or 2 rec games during the week or practice pitching on those day's. I have my opinion just wondering what everyone else thinks
Now let's put another twist in there. What about Pitchers is it better to pitch 1 or 2 rec games during the week or practice pitching on those day's. I have my opinion just wondering what everyone else thinks
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Wwolff, is the dd pitching to her teammates or on the side?
If on the side, only if she can play up. even though there may be some talent at rec, there isn't enough to keep the pitcher at an competitive edge. If dd plays up, there should be better hitters and they won't swing at everything.
If pitching against teammates, then practice. both players benefit.
If on the side, only if she can play up. even though there may be some talent at rec, there isn't enough to keep the pitcher at an competitive edge. If dd plays up, there should be better hitters and they won't swing at everything.
If pitching against teammates, then practice. both players benefit.
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I agree with brownsfan. It depends on the talent in the rec league. It isn't going to do her much good to pitch against batters who have no chance of hitting her. I'd rather my DD get good instruction once a week along with a few days of hard pitching practice. Pitching batting practice to their own teammates is great for both sides.
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What happened to us is that rec catchers could not handle the pitches;
we are talking 10u-12u.If you DD loves SB and is excelling at 10-12u and you want to put in the time ($$$) then go to TB and dont look back. FR
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Lots of variables to consider. Is pitcher not getting much time on weekends? Then I say pitch rec, especially at 10-12u. Pitchers can practice all they want, they still need to face live batters. JMHO
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At 10u dd played rec, and neither of us liked it. IMO the rec league did not provide enough quality competition to improve DD's skills. Some of the girls on her 10U travel team loved it.
12U we did what I feel is the best option, had the whole team play together in double headers in a league against other travel teams twice a week. Any weekends we didn't have a tournament we practiced. We played roughly 150 games that way, and still got in quite a few practices.
We are continuing that line of thought at 14U, playing in a high school DH league in late May to mid July.
12U we did what I feel is the best option, had the whole team play together in double headers in a league against other travel teams twice a week. Any weekends we didn't have a tournament we practiced. We played roughly 150 games that way, and still got in quite a few practices.
We are continuing that line of thought at 14U, playing in a high school DH league in late May to mid July.
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I've talked to several sets of parents who opted to have their DD play both rec and tavel ball (10U), thinking it would give them more playing time. Looking back, all of them regreted playing rec and felt that going forward, would focus only on travel ball and spend the extra time practicing, which is what many people have already posted on this thread.
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A couple of years back my DD, along with her entire travel team, decided to play in the I-270 League during the week and then travel on the weekends (10U). What we found was there were a couple of huge issues in making the transition at that age...First of all, with very few exceptions, the pitching in league ball was not nearly as strong as the arms we faced on the weekends - It took us a game or two to catch back up to the speed and location difference. Secondly, there were rule differences that the girls had a hard time switching between (especially when you play 2 league games on Thursday and turn around and play a tournament game Friday night). Try explaining to a 9 or 10 year old that they should have made it home on a passed ball when they couldn't do it a day earlier.
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Vote is 51-2 I'm guessing the 2 our Rec coaches who's dd's play travel ball if not explain why you would do both.
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At 14u (and up), DD was always welcomed to come pitch for the HS league team on Wednesdays when she was available. Only problem - her schedule was roughly as follows:
Fri, Sat, Sun = Tournament (as #1 pitcher)
Mon = Rest
Tues = 2 hours pitching/throwing/hitting
Wed = Pitching lesson
Thurs = 2 hrs pitching/throwing/hitting
(+ travel involved)
Now, someone explain to me WHEN she would have had time to play additional games as a pitcher? With only one day off, that left hardly any time for her to "just be a kid"! All the hard work did get her college paid for, but sometimes I wonder about her sacrificing that "kid time". It's something you don't ponder until they're older, I guess...
Fri, Sat, Sun = Tournament (as #1 pitcher)
Mon = Rest
Tues = 2 hours pitching/throwing/hitting
Wed = Pitching lesson
Thurs = 2 hrs pitching/throwing/hitting
(+ travel involved)
Now, someone explain to me WHEN she would have had time to play additional games as a pitcher? With only one day off, that left hardly any time for her to "just be a kid"! All the hard work did get her college paid for, but sometimes I wonder about her sacrificing that "kid time". It's something you don't ponder until they're older, I guess...
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As long as your playing tournaments on the weekends, practice is a must during the week. The number of ground balls a infielder can get at practice along with the coaches being able to coach. Same goes for the outfielders. In a game your outfielder may get a couple of chances compared to fielding 20 to 30 reps. Working on baserunning, hitting off of live pitching and pitching maching, this can all be done with the coaches supervision. Practice is when the girls get better, games are were you show your talent. Mix in some scrimmaging, just to break up the schedule. I do see it would be benificial to younger pitchers and the younger age groups. Once you are about 13 or 14 Rec doesn't seem benificial because of the talent differences comparing rec and travel.
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I have to agree that pitchers at 10 u and 12 u need to pitch, most rec teams have 2or 3 sometimes more travel ball players at that age level. They can work on pitches during the week that they would not throw on the week ends. I have 2 DD that pitch travel 1 is 14 the other 11 . The 14 year old work out her control problems when she was 12 in rec , now she is a very good pitcher, my 11 year old worked out a lot of problems when she was 9 and 10. So if nothing else pitchers need to pitch to live batters
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My dd is 10U and she was going to play up for the reason you stated. She would rather pitch batting practice knowing that she will face better hitters thus challenging her. To my IMO, both benefit.
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Tournaments on the weekend, play up in 270 league to the next age group to get competition.
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Have played for a team in the past that played in a weekday league and tourneys on the weekend. I feel like it took a toll on the team throughout the summer. The team started out strong but by the end of season the girls level of play had diminished. I feel you must constantly play the best competition to continue to improve. Would have liked to have seen more practice time instead of league play ( of any level ). This was a major factor in deciding to leave this team.
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