Is there a place for tiny girls in softball 12u and beyond?

[lancer360]

DD has always been small, but now the girls are hitting puberty her small size is becoming more apparent. DD is 4'7" and 80lbs at 11.5 years old. Growth charts say she might hit 5'2" full grown. She has always been the smallest on the team, but the size disparity just keeps getting larger as we move up in age. DD often can beat everyone on the team at self-weight based exercises like pull ups, planks, etc. She is often the fastest on the team as well. When it comes to hitting and throwing, her size really hurts her. She has good throwing mechanics, but just doesn't have the muscle mass to really put some zip on the ball. Same goes with hitting. A really good hit for her will just get it over the infieders while her peers are able to get the ball at least halfway into the outfielder and some almost to the fence. Is there a place for tiny girls in softball or should I start having her train as a horse jockey? I hear horses make softball look cheap, LOL!

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[YOCOACH]

Sierra Romero stands 5'5" (according to her college roster stat which is a stretch IMO)and was one of the best to ever play her position.
The same could be said for Kelly Montalvo who stood 5 feet nothing.
There's many other examples out there as well.

As long as your DD can continue to compete at the level she wants to and is having fun doing it, let her play.

 

[KrisHur]

YES! The catcher on DD's team is not only tiny but a year younger than the other girls and the BEST catcher, amazing slapper and quick as the wind. She's may be tiny but she is fierce and if we had to have a team leader/captain I'd definitely say it was her. That girl is college-bound for sure!

 

[MikeP]

DD has always been small, but now the girls are hitting puberty her small size is becoming more apparent. DD is 4'7" and 80lbs at 11.5 years old. Growth charts say she might hit 5'2" full grown. She has always been the smallest on the team, but the size disparity just keeps getting larger as we move up in age. DD often can beat everyone on the team at self-weight based exercises like pull ups, planks, etc. She is often the fastest on the team as well. When it comes to hitting and throwing, her size really hurts her. She has good throwing mechanics, but just doesn't have the muscle mass to really put some zip on the ball. Same goes with hitting. A really good hit for her will just get it over the infieders while her peers are able to get the ball at least halfway into the outfielder and some almost to the fence. Is there a place for tiny girls in softball or should I start having her train as a horse jockey? I hear horses make softball look cheap, LOL!

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My dd is 4'8" and weighs 70 lbs on a good day. She is also 11.5. She plays on an 08 12u team and she looks like someone's little sister wandered onto the field. Having said that she has been playing ss a lot mixed with outfield. Last tournament she played every inning of 3 out of the 4 games at ss. She subbed for a team last weekend, also an 08 team, and after the first game she was put at ss for the rest of the day. Her arm strength is not as good as the older girls but she knows the position, has good throwing mechanics, and gets the job done. I wouldn't worry at all as long as she keeps putting in the work. We have been using Wasserman's throwing program for about a year and do a lot of long toss, btw.

 

[_MIA_]

Control what you can control...

 

[ANNASDAD]

Yes, there's a place for her, is it harder.....yes!

My DD is 5'0" and I can remember only one time, in 16U, that a girl was smaller than her. It's simple, play like you're 5'11" and make everyone see it!

 

[ANNASDAD]

Control what you can control...

Pretty much sums it up!

 

[jdint]

Sis Bates is one of my favorite college players to watch. She is listed at 5' 4", but I figure there is a good chance they are rounding up on a lot these girls heights.

 

[radness]

DD has always been small, but now the girls are hitting puberty her small size is becoming more apparent. DD is 4'7" and 80lbs at 11.5 years old. Growth charts say she might hit 5'2" full grown. She has always been the smallest on the team, but the size disparity just keeps getting larger as we move up in age. DD often can beat everyone on the team at self-weight based exercises like pull ups, planks, etc. She is often the fastest on the team as well. When it comes to hitting and throwing, her size really hurts her. She has good throwing mechanics, but just doesn't have the muscle mass to really put some zip on the ball. Same goes with hitting. A really good hit for her will just get it over the infieders while her peers are able to get the ball at least halfway into the outfielder and some almost to the fence. Is there a place for tiny girls in softball or should I start having her train as a horse jockey? I hear horses make softball look cheap, LOL!

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Every player has to do our best with what we have to grow and develop!
Size of effort is far more important!

5'3 and a third...
Hall of Fame
All American
World Series 1st Team

And have played with and against some of the best players in the game that i am taller than.

Heres a current example~
This year a student at 5' was recruited to D1 in Mississippi.
Catcher/2nd. Power hitter.

 

[docnsx01]

height doesn't equal heart, just.play to her potential. will size get more eyeballs at a camp ? no doubt but at the end of the day it is ability and every coach has different strengths he or she looks for in an ATHLETE. My daughter was always one of the smaller kids on her team and yes in the beginning was overlooked bc of size but as puberty hit some of the bigger girls rested on their size while the others worked on mechanics and fundamentals in essence OUTOWRKED. NOW 5'3" and about 125lbs who earned and chose from few D1 programs. so just let her play and progress and mostly have fun and make memories.