by DunninLA » Tue Aug 05, 2008 3:40 pm
Unless your daughter is phenomenal, you will want to stay away from the teams that finished in the top half of the 10U or 12U Nationals (nor WESTERN nationals, but national nationals.) Those types of mature organizations tend to only need 4-5 new players each year, and they usually already know who they are.
If she is really really good, you probably want a solid organization that went to Western Nationals this year, if you want to go ASA. Or have a look at the teams that finished middle/lower end of the pack at States that are near to you.
You also can try to see if any of the rec All-Star teams from your area have decided to take the core of the team and go Travel.
If you want to do travel-lite, find teams in your area that compete NSA or USSSA.
After your first year, you won't need much help knowing where your DD fits in the landscape, and which teams she generally fits in with.
Lastly, there are a LOT of really talented girls that don't go travel until 2nd year 12U, or 1st year 14U, especially if they are in very strong rec leagues like Huntington Beach, Bonita Valley, Placentia/Yorba Linda, La Mirada, Northridge, etc. Unless you DD has scholarship potential (1/100 rec players), or is frustrated any day she is not playing, i.e. wants to be playing *every* day, there is no rush to go travel.