Questions about "playing up"

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radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
She's played for a spring season and a fall season, so like 6 months. My concern about not paying attention out on the field is that she'll get in the head with a ball..
6 months.
How often have you went out and played catch with her? Does she like that, no?
Sometimes there is the difference between a fun activity with friends and doing something with a purpose. Maybe a gentle guidance conversation on that.

Can remember one of my students saying I went to the dentist today. I said oh how did that go? She said the dentist said I needed to spend more time brushing my back teeth.
It was a fun little story that reminded us throughout her softball development about paying attention to detail.

Did you get her a Fielding mask yet?
 
Last edited:
Mar 28, 2020
40
8
I serve on a local LL BOD, and this is one of those "gray area" ages where, developmentally, some girls are ready to move on and play kid pitch and some need extra time in coach pitch. One of the biggest indicators of readiness would actually be whether or not your DD can throw and catch a ball. When she moves from the more controlled environment of coach pitch to the less controlled environment of kid pitch, will she be able to catch and protect herself when balls are hit or thrown at her? Will she be able to make an accurate throw to protect her teammates and make plays? It really is a safety issue at this stage of development, IMO. Don't give in to the pressure of having her "play up" if you think she isn't ready. As others have said, she will make friends of different ages in no time. This may be advantageous in the long run if she ends up playing HS ball down the road.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
She needs to protect herself on the field. DD pitched and 1st thing we did was teach her to duck and armored her up a bit.

If catching is an Issue, or even staying out of the way ball, she needs to stay down for now.

If she is willing just play catch with her asking about her day. Not practice, just a little catch.
 
Mar 4, 2015
526
93
New England
I don't understand this "playing up", if ALL of the girls play up then no one is in the correct division, what is the point of even having age groups??

Even if 90% move up, the age groups still protect those that aren't ready.

Is the 8U league a coach-pitch or player-pitch league?
 
Jul 14, 2018
982
93
The most important question to consider is what is her skill level compared to her peers? DD played in a pretty strong rec league, where the Allstars always went deep into the postseason tournament. But during the regular season, even through 12U, there were plenty of beginners. The girls who could really hit and throw were spread out.

The elephant in the room here is that 10U rec is a snore-fest. Nobody can pitch, nobody has hit against someone who is actually trying to get them out, and base running has mostly been a station-to-station affair. I coached a lot of 10U games, and never saw a kid get more than a bruise.

Your DD will not have much fun playing with first-graders. If playing with her friends who can catch & throw doesn’t inspire her to get to their level, softball probably isn’t her sport.


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Jan 13, 2022
19
3
Thank you! That is a different perspective to consider! She is probably most disappointed to be playing with girls as young as kindergarten because their parents are once again.. "playing them up" an age group. It's just rec league and I don't get why the need to push them.. it's supposed to be fun. Anyway, the main enjoyment for the sport is her friendships she's made while playing.. and all of those girls are going up to 10u. The other thing is there are some 9 yr olds in our rec league that are amazing! They have been playing since they were 4 and can hit it out of the park. I'd be worried about those girls beaming my daughter and that's just the kids her own age. Nevermind the 4th graders that would be on the team, too.

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Jan 13, 2022
19
3
No.. she can't do any of those things. She's afraid to catch the ball still and she can't make a throw from 2nd to 1st.. she does try though. Hitting is her best thing and she usually gets a hit every time she's at bat that usually rolls in the infield.

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Jul 14, 2018
982
93
No.. she can't do any of those things. She's afraid to catch the ball still and she can't make a throw from 2nd to 1st.. she does try though. Hitting is her best thing and she usually gets a hit every time she's at bat that usually rolls in the infield.

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DD realized at 8 that there were other girls who could catch and throw better than her. We honestly spent maybe 10 days playing catch every day before she could catch a ball with her fingers pointed up and was able to throw overhand about 50 feet. It’s a basic skill and comes quickly if you work on it and make it fun.

Getting hits on infield rollers every at-bat? She’s going to be fine moving up (unless you play in certain parts of Southern California where 10 year-olds throw 60 mph riseballs).


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