Is it better to play up in softball and baseball?

[Anonymous]

Twin boy and girl. Trying to understand if playing up as they are in between ages would benefit them for travel baseball and softball teams.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand softball's age groups (though did they recently change that?) but for baseball, when is your son's birthday and what grade is he in?

My son has a late April birthday so he has the youngest birth month within his age group for travel baseball. I'd say play with your graduating class so if your son has May-Sept 2010 birthday (for example) and is going into 10th grade, I'd have him play with the class of 2028 rather than class of 2029.

I don't know that I'd have a much younger child play up necessarily but there are people who do it.

[Anonymous]

I agree with previous poster.

Some of it might also depend on how close your kids are in transitioning to bigger field sizes.

I've seen some younger players playing up get a bit disappointed/frustrated because while they play pretty well for their age level, have difficulty in getting on base when they likely wouldn't have issues if they were playing with people more their age and on a smaller field. On the one hand you can say it's just preparing the kids earlier. But at the same time I think they need to see a little bit success to stay motivated and still have fun.

If your kids are closer to the cutoff, iI agree with previous poster.

Some of it might also depend on how close your kids are in transitioning to bigger field sizes.

I've seen some younger players playing up get a bit disappointed/frustrated because while they play pretty well for their age level, have difficulty in getting on base when they likely wouldn't have issues if they were playing with people more their age and on a smaller field. On the one hand you can say it's just preparing the kids earlier. But at the same time I think they need to see a little bit success to stay motivated and still have fun.

It may not be as big of a factor if your kids are closer to the cutoff.

[Anonymous]

Are you are talking rec with an eye to travel in the future (yes, play up if they will not be the worst one on the older team skill-wise) or playing up in tavel? In tavel, I always feel it is best to play on the very best team you can make at your age group. Only play up if the your kid would be the top player on the very best team at their age group in a 30 mile radius.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you are talking rec with an eye to travel in the future (yes, play up if they will not be the worst one on the older team skill-wise) or playing up in tavel? In tavel, I always feel it is best to play on the very best team you can make at your age group. Only play up if the your kid would be the top player on the very best team at their age group in a 30 mile radius.

Not OP, but I have one in rec right now in this situation. Softball, and playing up meant going to the bigger ball. It was such a catch-22, because the learning in 10U rec would have been incredibly minimal and 12U rec was the right level competition wise. It was frustrating because with the bigger ball and a small-for-age kid that actually made an annoying difference. With a kid whose hand is bigger it would have been a non-thing, though. Our family wasn't ready for the travel logistics, but looking back 10U travel would have been the sweet spot in many ways - yes even though it's not "necessary" at that age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand softball's age groups (though did they recently change that?) but for baseball, when is your son's birthday and what grade is he in?

My son has a late April birthday so he has the youngest birth month within his age group for travel baseball. I'd say play with your graduating class so if your son has May-Sept 2010 birthday (for example) and is going into 10th grade, I'd have him play with the class of 2028 rather than class of 2029.

I don't know that I'd have a much younger child play up necessarily but there are people who do it.

Yes, I think all of softball except maybe Little League softball is now age as of August 31 of the current softball "year" (fall to spring) is roster age.

[Anonymous]

Agree with others to play with graduation year (middle school ages and up). Find a team that matches their level of play within the grad year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Twin boy and girl. Trying to understand if playing up as they are in between ages would benefit them for travel baseball and softball teams.

I only know about softball. If you mean they're "in between ages" because they're a Sept bday so still eligible to play in their division another year but their grade cohort is moving up, I would move up and stay with their grade if they're 12U or older. Especially if they're on a team that's aging up and they're happy, I'd keep them with the team.

Below that I'd say go more on skill level. Are they on par with the rest of the team? Age up. At the bottom? Stay down and play another year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand softball's age groups (though did they recently change that?) but for baseball, when is your son's birthday and what grade is he in?

My son has a late April birthday so he has the youngest birth month within his age group for travel baseball. I'd say play with your graduating class so if your son has May-Sept 2010 birthday (for example) and is going into 10th grade, I'd have him play with the class of 2028 rather than class of 2029.

I don't know that I'd have a much younger child play up necessarily but there are people who do it.

Yes, I think all of softball except maybe Little League softball is now age as of August 31 of the current softball "year" (fall to spring) is roster age.

Softball was so easy, by the year they were born, for fall and spring. So with the new rules are kids born in the fall moving from 10U to 12U earlier or later than the old rules? Is it still set that kids age up in the summer, so they play the same level in fall and then spring and age up for the next fall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand softball's age groups (though did they recently change that?) but for baseball, when is your son's birthday and what grade is he in?

My son has a late April birthday so he has the youngest birth month within his age group for travel baseball. I'd say play with your graduating class so if your son has May-Sept 2010 birthday (for example) and is going into 10th grade, I'd have him play with the class of 2028 rather than class of 2029.

I don't know that I'd have a much younger child play up necessarily but there are people who do it.

Yes, I think all of softball except maybe Little League softball is now age as of August 31 of the current softball "year" (fall to spring) is roster age.

Softball was so easy, by the year they were born, for fall and spring. So with the new rules are kids born in the fall moving from 10U to 12U earlier or later than the old rules? Is it still set that kids age up in the summer, so they play the same level in fall and then spring and age up for the next fall?

Yes, kids move in the summer (some rec leagues I know of used to move kids in spring, some for fall season, and I think it's all moving more towards fall). The kids who have fall and winter birthdays are now moving later, everyone else moving at the same time as before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you are talking rec with an eye to travel in the future (yes, play up if they will not be the worst one on the older team skill-wise) or playing up in tavel? In tavel, I always feel it is best to play on the very best team you can make at your age group. Only play up if the your kid would be the top player on the very best team at their age group in a 30 mile radius.

Interesting perspective.

I was always small/weak for baseball until 16+ but I always played up if the opportunity presented itself. The 9th best player on the field benefits the most --- and they have to do everything right, just to hang on to that 9th spot. In retrospect, I was a defensive, bunting, and baserunning coach's dream. Because I couldn't hit the ball out of the infield and I didn't pitch! It was a blessing once I finally grew and started mashing the ball too.

Not saying one way is better than the other. Every player is different.