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Sorry but don't listen to this. It's the exception and not the rule. Is she playing band? JKJK ha
why is rec girls softball losing the girls ? Will travel Ball be next ?
Sorry but don't listen to this. It's the exception and not the rule. Is she playing band? JKJK ha
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Having a DD that plays 10u tb and a 6 yr old, I can say that the younger one will not play rec and will go right into travel ball. I for one cannot handle the ignorance that comes with rec ball any more. With the number of 10u travel teams, I say that softball is growing and this can only help Ohio when it comes to producing some great players! You have to play the best to be the best!
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But your daughter did start out playing rec / youth league girls softball, t-ball or Coach or something
But she started out in rec ball. If she didn't have someplace to start out, would she have moved up?
That my point. ???
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I've had the pleasure of coaching rec., High School and travel and loved every minute of every game. There's plenty of room on the fields for all of these young ladies at every level. It's up to us to encourage them not to be softball snobs and look down upon the girls who just want to play ball and really haven't the skill or desire to give every weekend of their summer vacation to softball. But to answer the original question I think softball is losing girls because of year round volleyball and basketball (at least in our area).
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Our town had over 900 when ours played rec. Down to 700 now...The rec was and still is pretty decent and to hear people say things about 8 or 10 year old "WRECK" games, really??? 
They are stinking 8-10 year olds!!! They are having the seeds planted and learning the game. Mine all started out there and when she first played catcher stood against the backstop and picked it up when it stopped rolling..... Ended up being a H.S Final 4 team catcher in 2009 is now coaching HS and Travel ball paying it forward..... Have the patience, which nobody has today, teach them the nuances of the game and let them be kids first, learn the game second. They will either love it or hate it and thats when you decide the next step. I am sure not many kids can not play rec ball and jump right into travel.
The ******** phenomenah is stealing players as well, along with year round SOKKER.... Also people are not having as many kids either....
They are stinking 8-10 year olds!!! They are having the seeds planted and learning the game. Mine all started out there and when she first played catcher stood against the backstop and picked it up when it stopped rolling..... Ended up being a H.S Final 4 team catcher in 2009 is now coaching HS and Travel ball paying it forward..... Have the patience, which nobody has today, teach them the nuances of the game and let them be kids first, learn the game second. They will either love it or hate it and thats when you decide the next step. I am sure not many kids can not play rec ball and jump right into travel.The ******** phenomenah is stealing players as well, along with year round SOKKER.... Also people are not having as many kids either....
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My DD played travel slowpitch up through age 12 before going over to fastpitch. While I wouldn't recommend it or do it that way again, she just completed a pretty successful D3 college career as both a pitcher and a hitter, breaking her high school's and college's career wins records along the way. Maybe she would have done better or played at a higher level had she started playing travel fastpitch earlier, but the point is it can be done.
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If my DD hadn't pitched in rec ball, I wouldn't have all those great video tapes to show her when she's in her 40s . Those Saturday mornings in the park watching my DD starting out in rec ball are some of my fondest memories.
I know this is a "crappy" analogy, but being a "rec ball hater" is like getting mad at your infant daughter because she messed in her diaper... In other words, you need to change your perspective.
. Those Saturday mornings in the park watching my DD starting out in rec ball are some of my fondest memories.I know this is a "crappy" analogy, but being a "rec ball hater" is like getting mad at your infant daughter because she messed in her diaper... In other words, you need to change your perspective.
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I dont think rec ball is going anywhere. At least in my neck of the woods. Its ran pretty well here and there is improvements each year to fields, fences, ect ect so I would say surely not going down in participation. We have about 140 kids tops that spread T-ball to 12U. I do not think there is a 14u and up anymore due to school ball. I have 6 year old playing T-Ball and a 11 year old playing travel. This is my daughters first full year in travel and I can tell you at least what made us decide to switch her to travel. I think the most important factor is does your daughter really want to play travel ball instead of parents thinking it would be better for them. When she was in 8u played rec ball and it was for fun, she didn't really care about it because she was just there to hang out with school friends. The the next couple of years she was getting better and more competitive and wanted to play more than anything. But she was often fustrated when "Sally" (made up name) the new girl that had never played softball in her life was taking balls off her face that she was throwing to her. Rec teams are loaded with girls that had never played before which is fine and good, but she was afraid of hurting someone. She was in the city rec league all-star team each year and when she was 10 we went to a few tournaments with all-stars and some of the travel teams there had seen her play and came up to us and asked why she wasn't playing travel ball. We did not tell her at that time but when the weekend was over she had mentioned how fun that was and she wished she could just play those tournaments instead of playing city league ball. Thats when we knew she was ready for the commitment and it has been great. My 6yr old will play rec ball if she wants as long as she wants until we see similar signs. I think at her age now its her time to be a kid and enjoy the beginning years of softball and not caring about anything but having fun and learning.
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Dear MustOhioFastpitch: No. DO listen to this... This is a reflection on the player, not the program. My daughter had the talent, but not the awareness of what travel offered. The minute she joined her travel team, she was glad she did it for many reasons. However, Rec was a good starting point.
(and FYI, she thinks Bando's are the lowest life form - next to s*cc#r...)
(and FYI, she thinks Bando's are the lowest life form - next to s*cc#r...)
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they arent born knowing you hit the ball and run to first base first and then second, rec ball is good for learning the basics of the game..
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I don't think rec will be going anywhere anytime soon. My oldest daughter loves playing rec. Unfortunately, at her age, rec is available BUT she wants to play with her friends from her own town. We do have a team, but she was not asked. Trying to figure that one out still...she runs home to first in 2.8 (btw, she is not cleared to play yet from an injury she suffered earlier in the HS season).
I think rec does have a place. It helps pitchers work on particular pitches since she can't throw them in travel if not comfortable throwing it yet. It can help a girl learn better bat control and to place the ball in regards to runners on base to move them. A girl who is on the bench on her travel team can play that position to gain that valuable experience needed and to help her raise her game. The list can go on.
I think rec does have a place. It helps pitchers work on particular pitches since she can't throw them in travel if not comfortable throwing it yet. It can help a girl learn better bat control and to place the ball in regards to runners on base to move them. A girl who is on the bench on her travel team can play that position to gain that valuable experience needed and to help her raise her game. The list can go on.
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We play OGSO and have a good team, we have a very good chance of making it to the state tournament this year. We have 4 girls that I believe could play travel, in fact I fully plan to have my DD playing travel next year and will be trying out when I find local teams posting for tryouts.
The other 3 girls on our team who are good enough i doubt will be playing travel because of cost and time. We only have our DD so we can commit to just her, the other girls have at least 2 other siblings.
Our community typicaly does fairly well in sports in general and the girls rec program has some pretty decent fields (even have one with in round sprinklers) and players. Our 12u OGSO team is undeated this year and also has a great chance of making it through districts and to the state tournament.
So while no the rec team are not near as good as travel teams (we don't have try outs and get to hand pick players) it doesn't mean they are all bad either.
With that said we did run into some pretty bad teams this year, those games where the ball doesn't make it to the plate, but those are normaly 1st year 10u players and thankfully the exception not the norm.
The other 3 girls on our team who are good enough i doubt will be playing travel because of cost and time. We only have our DD so we can commit to just her, the other girls have at least 2 other siblings.
Our community typicaly does fairly well in sports in general and the girls rec program has some pretty decent fields (even have one with in round sprinklers) and players. Our 12u OGSO team is undeated this year and also has a great chance of making it through districts and to the state tournament.
So while no the rec team are not near as good as travel teams (we don't have try outs and get to hand pick players) it doesn't mean they are all bad either.
With that said we did run into some pretty bad teams this year, those games where the ball doesn't make it to the plate, but those are normaly 1st year 10u players and thankfully the exception not the norm.
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That's the closest anyone has posted to statistical proof. It would make sense if it trends to the travel teams.
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I don't think that is accurate. My DD also didn't start travel ball until 2nd year 14u, and she had a lovely college career. Perhaps she may have been better off starting earlier, and definitely would have been better off starting to pitch earlier (she was 13), but it worked out well enough. Interestingly, she has come full circle and is back playing a Monday night 18O rec league.
Rec certainly has it's place, and seems like around Lorain county it's still doing pretty well. Yes, lost many to travel, but the numbers are still decent. Like anything else, the sport has to compete against other activities, and there are a lot more choices all the time.
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Never disagreed that rec isn't a good starting point but that's not what you said. My DD started in rec. You said your DD moved in her second year of 14u and is playing in college so don't be in a hurry to leave rec. I said that was the exception and not the rule because I believe most people would be better off getting into travel asap. Great it worked for her but not good advise to most. Why do you think girls shouldn't be in a hurry to leave rec?
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Not everybody knows that they want to commit themselves (and their familes) to Travel at an early age. Rec lets them get their bearings while weeding out other interests. If they jump into travel right away, they won't have time to explore other young-girl activities.
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I have 2 DDs with very different athletic talent. One is a tremendous athlete. One tries really hard but doesn't have the talent of her sister. Both equally LOVE the game of softball. Having the opportunity to experience both high level travel and "glorified rec" has been wonderful for our family and given my older daughter the chance to play a game she loves at a lower competition level.
Neither will have a career in softball (the same can be said for most every child we discuss on this forum). But both will have had the opportunity to gain physical activity and experience the life lessons this game brings. Rec softball plays a very important role for many kids, even with its endless walks and bad defense. I think its important that we as a key part of the travel softball community support it in any way we can.
Neither will have a career in softball (the same can be said for most every child we discuss on this forum). But both will have had the opportunity to gain physical activity and experience the life lessons this game brings. Rec softball plays a very important role for many kids, even with its endless walks and bad defense. I think its important that we as a key part of the travel softball community support it in any way we can.
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to answer the question originally posted; (many posts are off the subject actually)
why? 1- I think if you look at the high School rosters you can see that most are made up of travel ball players. I feel that by the time my DD's get to high school if they do not get the experience and top notch coaching as they do now in travel ball, they wont have much of a chance to make the high school team. playing rec ball gives you maybe 16 games in a year with 4 months of training compared to travel ball where we will play 60+ games with 10 months+ top notch training clinics etc.... (thats 4-5 rec seasons in one year!) 2- the coaching at the rec level is mostly bad. I appreciate the volunteers but many dont have a clue what to teach or how to teach. I think most coaches have never gone to any clinics or studied the game, or watched and learned from travel games or how to coach the game like (most) travel coaches do. It's very easy to see when watching 99% of the rec games out there how bad most of it is. (i am referring to 10U- 12U mostly and not the teams with 3 or 4 travel players on them). 3- especially at a lot of 10U rec games the rules do not help the girls play the game the way it is suppose to be: no stealing home, no drop 3rd strike, no bunts etc... then when they get into 12u they are not prepared. 4- i have to laugh when the rec leagues say they play at "states" or think they are state champs or state qualifiers... 3 or 4 counties get together and call it a state tournament when actually maybe 3 or 4 teams are pretty good and the rest really stink. EGO's can destroy everything and its usually the parents or coaches with ego problems.
to sum it up: You are only as good as your competition. If you blow all teams out 20-2 every game -- what are you learning? It might be fun 1 or 2 times then it's just BORING. I would rather lose a game by 1 in a great played game by both teams than beat up on someone 20-1 every game. The 20-1 type of game only hurts the players more than it helps. Bad habits start, laziness on the bases, swinging at garbage just trying to hit any ball, daydreaming in the outfield and big heads when you blow out the other team.... when you play somebody tough.. you wont be prepared. playing a team that can't hit and can't pitch and poorly coached is like watching paint dry.
When i saw travel ball the first time and compared it to rec ball and what they both can offer--- IT'S A NO BRAINER WHERE MY GIRLS AND I WILL BE. I am tired of the "everybody wins" attitude being spilled on the youth-- thats not how it happens in the real world!! When i was young, we tried out. If you didnt make the team you tried harder and practiced more..... these days everyone wants to feel sorry for lil Sally..... this is why rec will still be there for lil Sally and her parents to see everyone win and everyone gets a trophy attitude. Losing is a great lesson to learn - dont be afraid of it.
why? 1- I think if you look at the high School rosters you can see that most are made up of travel ball players. I feel that by the time my DD's get to high school if they do not get the experience and top notch coaching as they do now in travel ball, they wont have much of a chance to make the high school team. playing rec ball gives you maybe 16 games in a year with 4 months of training compared to travel ball where we will play 60+ games with 10 months+ top notch training clinics etc.... (thats 4-5 rec seasons in one year!) 2- the coaching at the rec level is mostly bad. I appreciate the volunteers but many dont have a clue what to teach or how to teach. I think most coaches have never gone to any clinics or studied the game, or watched and learned from travel games or how to coach the game like (most) travel coaches do. It's very easy to see when watching 99% of the rec games out there how bad most of it is. (i am referring to 10U- 12U mostly and not the teams with 3 or 4 travel players on them). 3- especially at a lot of 10U rec games the rules do not help the girls play the game the way it is suppose to be: no stealing home, no drop 3rd strike, no bunts etc... then when they get into 12u they are not prepared. 4- i have to laugh when the rec leagues say they play at "states" or think they are state champs or state qualifiers... 3 or 4 counties get together and call it a state tournament when actually maybe 3 or 4 teams are pretty good and the rest really stink. EGO's can destroy everything and its usually the parents or coaches with ego problems.
to sum it up: You are only as good as your competition. If you blow all teams out 20-2 every game -- what are you learning? It might be fun 1 or 2 times then it's just BORING. I would rather lose a game by 1 in a great played game by both teams than beat up on someone 20-1 every game. The 20-1 type of game only hurts the players more than it helps. Bad habits start, laziness on the bases, swinging at garbage just trying to hit any ball, daydreaming in the outfield and big heads when you blow out the other team.... when you play somebody tough.. you wont be prepared. playing a team that can't hit and can't pitch and poorly coached is like watching paint dry.
When i saw travel ball the first time and compared it to rec ball and what they both can offer--- IT'S A NO BRAINER WHERE MY GIRLS AND I WILL BE. I am tired of the "everybody wins" attitude being spilled on the youth-- thats not how it happens in the real world!! When i was young, we tried out. If you didnt make the team you tried harder and practiced more..... these days everyone wants to feel sorry for lil Sally..... this is why rec will still be there for lil Sally and her parents to see everyone win and everyone gets a trophy attitude. Losing is a great lesson to learn - dont be afraid of it.
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I think Happytobe me has really tuned in on what the real outcome of all this discussion should be about--creating a love for the game and ultimately the passion to pass that love along to future generations. I personally think starting in a rec slowpitch program around age 6 (coach pitch) and having those who love the game teach it to the kids while making it fun is the way to go. Around age 8 you take the league all stars and get them involved in tournaments---all along making it fun. Keep those parents who think winning is what it is all about at bay during those times. Continue playing slowpitch thru age 11 or 12 and then start switching those with the talent , personal desire and parental desire over to fast pitch. At about age 9, start looking for those kids who are willing to try to learn to pitch and slowly start them along that path and accelerate it by age 11. I think overall, the girls will develop great defensive skills, good baserunning, and other basics if this model was followed.
I know I am not the only one who thinks is a good way to go. There is one very well respected, long time fast pitch advocate and founder of one of the most well known and respected Ohio fast pitch organizations who shares a lot of these opinions.
bob
I know I am not the only one who thinks is a good way to go. There is one very well respected, long time fast pitch advocate and founder of one of the most well known and respected Ohio fast pitch organizations who shares a lot of these opinions.
bob
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DanMaz ... with all due respect, I think your post is pretty harsh. You are right that if you're not playing travel ball these days, that its going to be hard to make most high school teams and compete. But I think you're off base to say that rec ball is all about "everyone winning". Rec ball is just that ... recreational. Your post sounds to me like you are saying if you aren't going to play a sport at its most competitive level, then don't play at all. Really? What's wrong with some of our youth playing for recreational and social purposes, not to mention the possible physical health benefits? Not everyone wants to put the time and expense into playing every sport they play at the most competitive level. For example, my DD focused on softball, but she also very much enjoyed playing CYO volleyball and basketball when she was in elementary school ... and I have to believe that other girls who are focused on another sport might enjoy playing some rec softball as well. It has nothing to do with "everybody wins".
One other note ... I hear and agree with your comment about rec leagues saying they play states and all, but competitive fastpitch does this as well, doesn't it? There are all the different associations, and some have A and B states and nationals, some have north and south states, and almost all of them have regional "nationals" or "world series", I guess so kids and parents and coaches can go home and say we came in x place at nationals?
One other note ... I hear and agree with your comment about rec leagues saying they play states and all, but competitive fastpitch does this as well, doesn't it? There are all the different associations, and some have A and B states and nationals, some have north and south states, and almost all of them have regional "nationals" or "world series", I guess so kids and parents and coaches can go home and say we came in x place at nationals?
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