10U too early for TB?

[GIMNEPIWO]

There is no direct benefit from starting TB at 10U and lots of evidence that starting playing 120+ games per year at that age is detrimental to your daughter's health. Overuse can destroy these kids, physically. If you put her in TB, do it at an older 12U level. She will not fall appreciably behind, skillswise, to kids who start TB earlier. I believe Lisa Fernandez started at 14U.

Well ... it's never too early for Parents to be stupid ... 120 games a year is a freakin' job, not a hobby, activity or recreation ... IMO

[DonnieS]

DD2 and I had a chance to talk with Lisa some years back, and after telling her DD2 had started travel at around 9 - did a lot of games those early years, Lisa said ' Thats what I missed - I wish I had been able to play that young." And of course, she wouldnt know if she has the kind of body that could stand up to playing that much that young. I just pulled out our games spreadsheet from those days
Age 9 92 games
10 150
11 146
12 136
13 145
14 79
As she got older, and into middle school she was playing volleyball, basketball, tennis, running track - and of course those cut into her softball time. She also play on a flag football team from age 8 through 13 as well as swam competitively during those same years - she had to put
tennis, swimming and basketball away as she got into high school.

Is there any direct benefit from playing that many games - she is 18, hasnt been into any trouble, is incredibly fit, and has a place to play softball for the next 4 years (that I dont have to pay for anymore).

She and I talked over the years about playing too much - too many weekends, etc, too much travel. Her consistent comment about that was "Dad, we get to travel to these different places, hang out with my best friends, stay in hotels , eat out, or have picnics, and on top of that I get to play softball. What is there to get tired of ?" Most of her friends felt the same way - They are all in college now except her and I constantly get the 'Cant we do that again - that was the most fun of my life' when these teammates of hers are home.

[Sam]

There is no direct benefit from starting TB at 10U and lots of evidence that starting playing 120+ games per year at that age is detrimental to your daughter's health. Overuse can destroy these kids, physically. If you put her in TB, do it at an older 12U level. She will not fall appreciably behind, skillswise, to kids who start TB earlier. I believe Lisa Fernandez started at 14U.

Where is this evidence you mention? I'd like to read it. Please let us know where we can find it.

Google "Softball overuse injuries"....there are plenty of articles.

[GIMNEPIWO]

DD2 and I had a chance to talk with Lisa some years back, and after telling her DD2 had started travel at around 9 - did a lot of games those early years, Lisa said ' Thats what I missed - I wish I had been able to play that young." And of course, she wouldnt know if she has the kind of body that could stand up to playing that much that young. I just pulled out our games spreadsheet from those days
Age 9 92 games
10 150
11 146
12 136
13 145
14 79
As she got older, and into middle school she was playing volleyball, basketball, tennis, running track - and of course those cut into her softball time. She also play on a flag football team from age 8 through 13 as well as swam competitively during those same years - she had to put
tennis, swimming and basketball away as she got into high school.

Is there any direct benefit from playing that many games - she is 18, hasnt been into any trouble, is incredibly fit, and has a place to play softball for the next 4 years (that I dont have to pay for anymore).

She and I talked over the years about playing too much - too many weekends, etc, too much travel. Her consistent comment about that was "Dad, we get to travel to these different places, hang out with my best friends, stay in hotels , eat out, or have picnics, and on top of that I get to play softball. What is there to get tired of ?" Most of her friends felt the same way - They are all in college now except her and I constantly get the 'Cant we do that again - that was the most fun of my life' when these teammates of hers are home.

hhhmmm ? Okay ... I forgot you guys are playing year round ... where our season here is half of yours, 100 games would be every weekend while yours may be every other weekend ...

[DonnieS]

hhhmmm ? Okay ... I forgot you guys are playing year round ... where our season here is half of yours, 100 games would be every weekend while yours may be every other weekend ...

Here's the real secret to getting that many games, lose a game early in the tournament, and have to battle back through the losers bracket - games back to back. We played 14 games in one 10u tournament, 4 on Saturday, 2 of those were pool games, then 10 games on Sunday, started at 8 am and played through to the championship if game (that if game was just an itb format game - it happened to last just one inning, if an inning ended with a team ahead , game over) . And one of the 10 games that Sunday also had a team concede after we went up 26 runs in the top of the first. That was a high stakes weekend - the winners got a full pass to the Schlitterbahn water park in New Braunfels - wasnt a qualifier or anything.

That was 14 that weekend, we had several 8 game weekends - plus we had the girls in a couple of local leagues, it adds up.

[ocdad]

My 2 Cents - like everyone says every situation is different, but as a whole when I have been asked my response has always been the same.

Play travel in the fall & rec in the spring for 10U. Right after 2nd year of 10U All-Stars go to travel, b/c in 12U there are so many girls that are in the same boat...all coming out from rec & starting travel.

When you start 12U travel, you might regret your decision at 1st b/c you will see some polished players that have been playing travel since 10U, and wish your DD played like that but just be patient your DD will get there.

IMO it seems the ones that start at 10U do seem to burn out when they are older.

Another thing to consider, only parents that have older DD's that played travel know what they are getting into, so most 10U's are just a disaster with parents not realizing what they signed up for. So the teams are usually folding or fighting just to carry 11 players.

[jonriv]

My 2 Cents - like everyone says every situation is different, but as a whole when I have been asked my response has always been the same.

Play travel in the fall & rec in the spring for 10U. Right after 2nd year of 10U All-Stars go to travel, b/c in 12U there are so many girls that are in the same boat...all coming out from rec & starting travel.

When you start 12U travel, you might regret your decision at 1st b/c you will see some polished players that have been playing travel since 10U, and wish your DD played like that but just be patient your DD will get there.

IMO it seems the ones that start at 10U do seem to burn out when they are older.

Another thing to consider, only parents that have older DD's that played travel know what they are getting into, so most 10U's are just a disaster with parents not realizing what they signed up for. So the teams are usually folding or fighting just to carry 11 players.

Sage advice...

As mentioned before- my DD did not start playing "true" TB until 14u. Prior to that she played for the town team. (Mostly because we did not know there was something else)Locally- a league had been set up with local town LL & Babe Ruth teams to compete in a 15 game schedule-followed by a season end tournament. More recently travel teams were also allowed to join the league(the team my daughter joined was one of these) TB teams used the league to get more games, get playing time in different positions, and to hopefully "pad" their Win/Loss stats. The TB teams proved a challenge for the allstar teams(some parents went nuts over this), but also gave many players their first exposure to something else out there. Some players migrated to travel teams- some town teams morphed into pseudo TB teams. In this area, Town teams are competitive if not better than many of their TB counterparts at the 10u & 12u levels- 14u is where the TB starts to advance faster- this makes the choice tough for many people and the advantages/disadvantages less clear. I think there is no universal "right" choice. It is all dependent on the player, the programs, and where you live. If the town program is strong and provides good instruction- why leave so early?

[Chris61]

There is no direct benefit from starting TB at 10U and lots of evidence that starting playing 120+ games per year at that age is detrimental to your daughter's health. Overuse can destroy these kids, physically. If you put her in TB, do it at an older 12U level. She will not fall appreciably behind, skillswise, to kids who start TB earlier. I believe Lisa Fernandez started at 14U.

Where is this evidence you mention? I'd like to read it. Please let us know where we can find it.

Google "Softball overuse injuries"....there are plenty of articles.

I read some of these articles and the funny thing is, I found just as many articles touting the benefits of youth playing sports year round. It's all a matter of opinion and everyone has one.

[Sam]

There is no direct benefit from starting TB at 10U and lots of evidence that starting playing 120+ games per year at that age is detrimental to your daughter's health. Overuse can destroy these kids, physically. If you put her in TB, do it at an older 12U level. She will not fall appreciably behind, skillswise, to kids who start TB earlier. I believe Lisa Fernandez started at 14U.

Where is this evidence you mention? I'd like to read it. Please let us know where we can find it.

Google "Softball overuse injuries"....there are plenty of articles.

I read some of these articles and the funny thing is, I found just as many articles touting the benefits of youth playing sports year round. It's all a matter of opinion and everyone has one.

Uhhh....there is a huge difference between playing youth sports year round and playing a SINGLE sport year round. I would love to see the article which proposes that youth play a single sport all year.

[rbi]

10U should be 100% Instructional, I wish they did not even have Nationals or Westerns or whatever they have now. It puts too much pressure on the kids at a way too early of an age, they will learn about competing soon enough.

Keep it FUN, keep it instructional, let them get a good taste so they stick around....

Play some friendlies, play a couple tournaments, have practices (not a s**t load, as its about quality not quantity), and call it a year, it SHOULD not be a 10 month yr for 10u, you kidding me...


Find a great parent who knows his/her stuff, and have him/her be the coach, and make it fun, it gets serious enough soon enough!