To TB or not?

[Orange Socks]

This is identical to our experience. So many kids make the jump to TB way too early only to quit altogether in a couple of years. There is a natural progression that should take place and all kids should take part. I understand not rec leagues are the same. Rec ball, all Stars at least through 12U. We had the most fun in All Stars. There is a close knit family environment. Play 6 tourneys with the goal of playing a B Nationals somewhere. There are just way too many C/D- level TB teams.

 

[grcsftbll]

This is identical to our experience. So many kids make the jump to TB way too early only to quit altogether in a couple of years. There is a natural progression that should take place and all kids should take part. I understand not rec leagues are the same. Rec ball, all Stars at least through 12U. We had the most fun in All Stars. There is a close knit family environment. Play 6 tourneys with the goal of playing a B Nationals somewhere. There are just way too many C/D- level TB teams.

You have to be careful about shoulds, though. If we'd stayed in rec through 12U my kid would've quit long before now. She was 7 when she played all stars and she loved it. We went back to rec for fall after the summer and she was so bored. She kept hitting in the park homeruns and coming back to the dugout in disgust. "That would've been a single at a tournament." To me the key is not the age of the child, but the child's interest level and talent level. We had a really fun year playing travel in the spring of 2nd year 8U and have no regrets about when we left rec.

 

[julray]

My DD made a TB team when she was 8.. however we turned down the position and she played rec. She played 3 years of rec and played up with 13-14 year old rec all stars when she was 11. Still she felt it wasn't competitive enough so she went back to TB at 12. We both wish she started earlier. She had the raw talent and power to compete but the other girls were and still are more refined.

Start em young IMO... there are different programs, find one that suits your DD. Some kids love all the ball they can get.. others like it a little more laid back and extra practices with dad,

 

[djcarter1966]

It just depends is everyone out there picking daisies and nobody can really do anything then maybe but honestly until 10U kid pitch I don't see much point. I've seen a couple really great player not even play softball until 12U (they played LL baseball with their brothers)