Biggest takeaways from 10U to 12U transition...

[LadyRangers2k11]

We will be transitioning from 10U to 12U in about 1 month. Whats the biggest differences everyone noticed when doing so? I hear alot that big power hitters are a must!!! But our team consist of some of the quickest girls around the area, so you can imagine we dont have BIG power hitters, Just good CONSISTENT hitters that always find a cap somehow. What advice would ya'll give??

 

[softball dad 6]

Make sure to teach them smart aggressive baserunning, sliding, and bunting. Making consistent contact and putting pressure on a defense will get you a lot of wins. Teaching smart aggressive baserunning will get you a lot of bases. By 14u they need to understand the running plays that they need to decide on themselves vs waiting on a coach to tell them to go. It is still early at 12u for some girls to understand this. You can still teach them that the mentality is that we are always looking to take the extra base, my job as base coach is more to stop you than send you, and making an out occasionally on the base paths is ok.

 

[clarity]

I think 10u to 12u is the hardest transition. Bigger ball, 5 feet more pitching distance, and most of all your 11 year olds will be playing 13 year olds who experienced puberty. "Everybody" hits in 12u. Outfield is so much more important as a result.

 

[Eric F]

Because of the change in ball size and pitching distance, the favor tends to tip towards the hitters as far as frequency of contact. However, the larger and heavier ball doesn't fly as far or as fast, and fielders are getting better, so more infield outs get made. That said, growing girls will also start to hit the ball to the OF more often, and the importance of good defensive OFs increases. You're also getting to an age where the players have the mental sophistication to understand the game at a high level, if given good instruction and the opportunity to develop. Fast runners are good, but smart runners are better. A runner with good raw speed, but slow to read and react to an opportunity, is not a good base-runner.

 

[canyonjoe]

From my experience the big power hitters were more prevalent at 14U. You can play small ball at 12U and be real competitive. Defense is a bigger deal at 12U. If you can make the routine plays and have OF's that can catch the balls you will do fine.

 

[_MIA_]

Whats the biggest differences everyone noticed when doing so?

My eyes bled slightly less when watching the games..

 

[tomorrow]

I would say the number one thing is to play down a level from what you were in 10u. If you are a 10 A play 12 B if you are a 10 B play 12 C. That is assuming you live in an area that has teams at those levels.

Take the fall to get familiar with the game and learn the finer details.

 

[_MIA_]

Make sure your kids are getting proper fielding and throwing instruction and working on it, along with hitting, at least 2 or 3 times a week outside of practice so they can be better at the end of the year then they were at the beginning..which is the same thing you can say for every age group The rest will take of itself..

 

[Rolling Hard]

This is when girls play women. Pitchers and corners better wear a mask. Make sure your coach schedules most of the games with other 1st year 12u team whenever possible otherwise games will get lopsided. Nobody likes getting slaughtered.

 

[JumboJack]

This is when girls play women. Pitchers and corners better wear a mask. Make sure your coach schedules most of the games with other 1st year 12u team whenever possible otherwise games will get lopsided. Nobody likes getting slaughtered.

I think referring to 13 year olds as women is quite the stretch.


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