Travel team schedules and balance

[shockcoach]

I'm committed all year round. I co-founded the club 4 years ago and we now have 6 teams.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

At 10U there will be girls that are a couple of months short of being 11. It was an 11 YO that hit a line drive so hard a couple of weeks ago that it hit me in the gameface. I would rather a girl that young stay with her age group, just for safety considerations.

Do you have other kids that you are having to taxi around, too?

'Cause up until my kids were in MS, they had swimming and scouts and soccer and church and gymnastics and piano and reading groups and it went on and on.

None of them specailized in baseball/softball until at least 12.

We couldn't have afforded the $10,000+ for travel ball, if they had started at age 8.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[SoftSocDad]

Ah. She's 7. I'm not sure what the level of commitment is at that level. I was thinking older. Whatever you decide... just don't burn her out. She does sound like she's going to be a good player though whatever she decides.

Is she fast? have her start batting lefty now. If she decides to play select welcome to the beginning of the crazy world of travel/club softball! Enjoy it. It'll be over before you know it. And I know it's hard but try not to get too crazy. If you are not the coach and can manage to resist the urge to yell instruction from the sidelines you will look like a cool veteran amongst the other crazy parents.

Seems so long ago now, but back in our other town, we were encouraged to get her into t-ball ASAP, because if we didn't get her in early, she might be essentially 'frozen out' by the time she was 6. So, we started her at 4-1/2 and she absolutely loved it. In the new town, there are several competitive parents and some good players, but softball isn't the religion/cult it was in the old town, so our daughter has at least 1-2 years more experience than other girls in her age group.

She's got great natural speed and quickness and even though she's been known to be a bit lazy during some of her soccer games, that's never appeared in softball. She throws hard and is an excellent contact hitter, not really focused too much on power yet.

Interesting point about batting lefty - one of her coaches picked up something in her backswing(?) that indicated to her that she might already have switch-hitting potential, so she wants to try turning her around for their next lesson.

I was so, so cool for most of the season and then one day, I just snapped...and everybody heard it. Surprisingly, they let me back into the park the following week and I sat quietly at the top of the bleachers for the rest of the season. LOL I do give position signals to her when she's in the field, though.

Because my wife and I did not grow up in softball culture, it's been really difficult in recent months for us to navigate into these waters, but I'm looking forward to the ride of a lifetime. Thanks for the advice and the welcome.

 

[SoftSocDad]

At 10U there will be girls that are a couple of months short of being 11. It was an 11 YO that hit a line drive so hard a couple of weeks ago that it hit me in the gameface. I would rather a girl that young stay with her age group, just for safety considerations.

Do you have other kids that you are having to taxi around, too?

'Cause up until my kids were in MS, they had swimming and scouts and soccer and church and gymnastics and piano and reading groups and it went on and on.

None of them specailized in baseball/softball until at least 12.

We couldn't have afforded the $10,000+ for travel ball, if they had started at age 8.

Good luck and have fun.

I'm concerned with safety as well. She had to pitch against a couple of 10yo and several 9yo in the 8u division (don't ask), but even though those girls may not have been good players, a lucky shot from a kid that big from just 30 feet away could do serious damage, especially with the way the girls are taught to 'present' themselves at the end of each pitch.

She's not thrilled with having to wear the mask, but she understands. She goes off to camp soon and said she didn't want to wear it if she'd be the only one, but when I said I didn't care what everyone else did, she said she'd wear it for camp, but not for fall ball, unless 'someone else' on her team did, too. Too cute.

So far, just one kiddo's life to manage. Whew on that! But I'm the first to admit that it would be strange to see her doing anything else. She wanted to bail on theater camp to get an extra week of softball camp, but finally changed her mind about that because it would've hurt her mother's feelings.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Sometimes I am the only woman in the whole tournament wearing a mask.

 

[shockcoach]

Amy,

My assistant plays slowpitch and he's been wearing one for 5 years now. He got called all sorts of names (concerning his masculinity) for awhile. Now there are several men wearing them. Seems they, too, wish to go home afterward to their families. Although he doesn't wear one while basecoaching.

 

[SoftSocDad]

Sometimes I am the only woman in the whole tournament wearing a mask.

Love it! If I played, I'd absolutely wear one. I have NO problem admitting that my reaction time is eroding as I get older.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Yes. They are more popular among the men. Some are wearing catcher's head gear and lacrosse helmets. There were at least three men pitchers killed in the last 12 months.

The pitching distance is 50 feet, but the danger is still there. Plus, many, many bats are shaved or rolled.