my 8th grader did'nt play MS ball for various reasons. She runs track, lifts weights, and hits/throws a couple times a week. But it's hard to be motivated to bust your tail in late feb or march when your 1st travel ball tourney is the end of may. Our biggest problem is timing. 1,000,000,0000 swings on a tee doesn't equal a high heater from the others teams ace. MD