Middle School vs. 12u

[kennykozman!!]

In my third season affiliated with MS, I've determined that it's where you have three years to take the willing from little league and kids with no experience who want to give it a shot, and give them all enough experience to decide whether they want to continue on to HS so you're mostly sending savages to the next level. If we send the HS 3 or 4 every year, with at least one of them being a competent pitcher, it would be a recipe for success.

This is why some coaches keep that "bloated" roster. I don't know why we are cutting kids in MS. Honestly. How is that helping the game of softball?
I have seen many kids barely make a HS team in 9th grade and turn into beasts by 12th grade. I realize you cant keep a roster of 25 but I have seen MS rosters at 12 after cutting 15 girls.

We are leaving way too many girls behind IMO. Why would a kid want to play that shows up everyday for practice at MS only to be benched by a travel kid that shows up occasionally for practice? Just trying to give the other mindset to the posters. Our elite players are getting better and better there is no doubt. At what cost? When will it be about MORE than me? Are we too far to go back?

Where are the parents demanding their DD play scholastically and help that team be successful regardless of role?

Really we are defining MS coaches by W/L record? Seriously?

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

Our MS team is all TB players. No weekends, so they will miss a few TB practices, but no games.

In CT TB is blacked out for HS players, so for the spring the 8th graders on my DDs TB team formed a short season team with 8th graders from a team based a few towns away (and they’ll play against mostly “13u” teams until HS is over - including against girls on their MS team…all very whacky I know).

 

[_MIA_]

Lol at this discussion. MS ball isn’t the Peace Corp and most TB play/practice isn’t the equivalent of Olympic softball. Like I said before, let the kid choose..it isn’t that big of a deal.

 

[_MIA_]

Also IMO I would say at least 50% of skill development is done outside of a team environment, regardless of how good the coaching is.

 

[uncdrew]

Lol at this discussion. MS ball isn’t the Peace Corp and most TB play/practice isn’t the equivalent of Olympic softball. Like I said before, let the kid choose..it isn’t that big of a deal.

I agree.

Choices have consequences though. And that's of course part of the choice.

You miss MS practice for us, you don't play the next game.*


*With the exceptions of being sick, funerals, blah blah blah...

 

[_MIA_]

Choices have consequences though. And that's of course part of the choice.

Right, I already mentioned this as part of letting his DD make the choice.

 

[Bullseye]

Lol at this discussion. MS ball isn’t the Peace Corp and most TB play/practice isn’t the equivalent of Olympic softball. Like I said before, let the kid choose..it isn’t that big of a deal.

I agree.

Choices have consequences though. And that's of course part of the choice.

You miss MS practice for us, you don't play the next game.*

Concur. A child who has had at least decent parenting should be able to make a decision of this kind in middle school. As long as the kid understand there are consequences to the choice they make because the consequences could be a big deal.

 

[_MIA_]

Concur. A child who has had at least decent parenting should be able to make a decision of this kind in middle school. As long as the kid understand there are consequences to the choice they make because the consequences could be a big deal.

If the consequences are softball related then in the grand scheme of things it won’t be a big deal.

 

[Bullseye]

If the consequences are softball related then in the grand scheme of things it won’t be a big deal.

Young people learning how to make decisions that have consequences are a big deal. But that's my opinion focus on what's a big deal with the children you are raising instead of focusing on how to prioritize for other people.

 

[Bullseye]

Thanks for the tip but I’ll focus on whatever the fu$# I want to.

Get your control freak on like you generally do.