Small, late to puberty girl -- what sport?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cross country, dance, cheer

Gymnastics

I think we've missed the dance, cheer, gymnastics route by 11 yo. She's also not really into those activities, as she's pretty competitive.

Those activities are pretty competitive. As it is your daughter seems to be a dabbler so her interest in competition isn’t really relevant anyway.

Being a dabbler in elementary school doesn't mean she can't focus now. She's in great shape and has no qualms about taking on larger opponents, giving her a great base to build skills. It's not time to throw in the towel at the beginning of 6th grade.

She has no interest in cheer, dance, gymnastics, so those really are off the list. I don't think she has the flexibility for dive without a ton of work. I think soccer and basketball are also too competitive in this area for a kid without significant skills already, so looking at other options that start later.

Cox may be a great option as she's very strategic and a multitasker, but it doesn't really scratch the itch to be athletic herself. She'll definitely try xc and track. She'll likely keep swimming, as a great base and lifelong exercise option, but with an understanding that it will be hard for her to be very competitive.

Just let her pick something she likes. It really doesn’t matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For girls being short is not a big issue in all but a very few sports.

Starting at 11 - middle school - is okay for all but a few sports, and not impossible in any sport. She would need serious training/practice to catch up in sports like soccer and gymnastics. But, it could be done.

Going into high school:

Track/X-country are obvious choices. Being taller is an advantage in running but not so big that short kids are easily outclassed.

Volleyball is for tall kids but - the Libero position is made for short girls.

Softball is really just getting started at 11. Again some individual coaching and she could be fine.

Basketball obviously has guard positions which depend on speed and ball skills.

Look at where she will go to high school and the sports they offer. Chose a couple and get moving.

I would not say softball is just getting started at 11, but an athletic girl can pick it up quickly. She isn't going to be a first baseman or a pitcher but height does not really matter for any other position. Your comment that she is "very strategic and a multitasker" would make her a good fit -- it is a highly mental game!

Softball parent here, and while there are some girls who start young and stick with it I do feel like a lot of girls either start around 11 or start getting serious around 11 who flew under the radar younger (didn't make a 9U or 10U travel team but make an 11U or 12U one, or even later!). It might take a year to catch up in terms of situations (less for rec, but I'd say a full year for travel), but she can definitely get there - I've seen it many times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an 11 yo girl in 6th grade who loves to compete and who is generally pretty athletic. But she's hit a point where lots of other girls have out grown her and she's reconsidering her sport options, especially as there are more and new options in middle school.

Right now she's 4'6" and about 70 lbs (wears a girls size 8). The pediatrician expects that she'll be late to puberty, starting at 13 or 14 yo, so probably won't sprout until around high school age. And even then she'll likely top out at 5'2" or 3" and ~100 lbs fully grown, if predictions are correct.

She's quick-ish, but really seems to excel for her stamina. She won the school 5k for her age group two years in a row without any training (and having never run a 5k other than those events). She backpacked 20 miles this weekend with a significant pack and had absolutely no issues. She's done rec soccer, rec basketball and summer swim team and is a solid contributor, but not a star. But also hasn't put in the work to develop any skills (she's been more of a dabbler to date). She's interested in track and x-country, but other options would be good too.

Any suggestions for other sports should she be considering? Crew? Field hockey? Lacrosse? Tennis? Swim? Or do those expect more height/size?

From what you describe, sounds like her aptitude is more with distance/stamina sports. You mention XC/track which seem like good options - what about cycling? A lot of good cyclists tend to be smaller since it's more about power to weight rather than just raw strength. While crew is a stamina sport, there is definitely a preference for size and raw power. Are you looking for something that she could play in HS or just an activity generally?

[Anonymous]

This is a real suggestion, but has she considered wrestling? Girls youth wrestling is growing in popularity and HS teams are almost always looking for the outlier weight classes (I think in MD, lowest is 206; highest is 285. Classes are lower in youth). It's a great sport that will give her a ton of self confidence

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If she’s competitive, she might enjoy a kids’ triathlon. Or flag football, if she’s fast and agile.

This is a great idea. Growing sport. Likely to have continued popularity for the foreseeable future. Heck, even scholarship money available as it becomes a college sport.

Get throwing/catching in the backyard asap though. Unless she has played softball before, almost none of the girls coming out for flag have ANY hand-eye coordination; all the girls that play soccer and gymnastics or swim have no ability to catch the ball. Well thrown balls just bouncing off their hands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a real suggestion, but has she considered wrestling? Girls youth wrestling is growing in popularity and HS teams are almost always looking for the outlier weight classes (I think in MD, lowest is 206; highest is 285. Classes are lower in youth). It's a great sport that will give her a ton of self confidence

LOL. i meant to write that lowest is 106, not 206. Sorry!

[Anonymous]

She's 11. Shouldn't she decide this for herself? If she likes running, then track seems like the obvious choice. No need to make it more difficult than it needs to be.

[Anonymous]

Second for Triathlon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an 11 yo girl in 6th grade who loves to compete and who is generally pretty athletic. But she's hit a point where lots of other girls have out grown her and she's reconsidering her sport options, especially as there are more and new options in middle school.

Right now she's 4'6" and about 70 lbs (wears a girls size 8). The pediatrician expects that she'll be late to puberty, starting at 13 or 14 yo, so probably won't sprout until around high school age. And even then she'll likely top out at 5'2" or 3" and ~100 lbs fully grown, if predictions are correct.

She's quick-ish, but really seems to excel for her stamina. She won the school 5k for her age group two years in a row without any training (and having never run a 5k other than those events). She backpacked 20 miles this weekend with a significant pack and had absolutely no issues. She's done rec soccer, rec basketball and summer swim team and is a solid contributor, but not a star. But also hasn't put in the work to develop any skills (she's been more of a dabbler to date). She's interested in track and x-country, but other options would be good too.

Any suggestions for other sports should she be considering? Crew? Field hockey? Lacrosse? Tennis? Swim? Or do those expect more height/size?

Climbing. With her athleticism and slender build, plus your description of her kick ass nature, she could excel given the right conditions and coaching. Her size would actually be advantageous to her initially (in development, maybe not in competition) and she could use that chip on her shoulder to her benefit. If she actually grew to 5'-3" and became a strong climber, she could actually be a really good competitive climber. Many of the world's top female climbers are around 5-3 to 5-5. I'd recommend going to a gym/team that has a great developmental program, meaning a coach that recognizes talented kids and cares more about teaching them than the gym they're located at cares about just thinking of families as cash registers. Unfortunately, many gyms don't care about climbing development and just want to maximize gym profits. In what general area are you in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an 11 yo girl in 6th grade who loves to compete and who is generally pretty athletic. But she's hit a point where lots of other girls have out grown her and she's reconsidering her sport options, especially as there are more and new options in middle school.

Right now she's 4'6" and about 70 lbs (wears a girls size 8). The pediatrician expects that she'll be late to puberty, starting at 13 or 14 yo, so probably won't sprout until around high school age. And even then she'll likely top out at 5'2" or 3" and ~100 lbs fully grown, if predictions are correct.

She's quick-ish, but really seems to excel for her stamina. She won the school 5k for her age group two years in a row without any training (and having never run a 5k other than those events). She backpacked 20 miles this weekend with a significant pack and had absolutely no issues. She's done rec soccer, rec basketball and summer swim team and is a solid contributor, but not a star. But also hasn't put in the work to develop any skills (she's been more of a dabbler to date). She's interested in track and x-country, but other options would be good too.

Any suggestions for other sports should she be considering? Crew? Field hockey? Lacrosse? Tennis? Swim? Or do those expect more height/size?

Climbing. With her athleticism and slender build, plus your description of her kick ass nature, she could excel given the right conditions and coaching. Her size would actually be advantageous to her initially (in development, maybe not in competition) and she could use that chip on her shoulder to her benefit. If she actually grew to 5'-3" and became a strong climber, she could actually be a really good competitive climber. Many of the world's top female climbers are around 5-3 to 5-5. I'd recommend going to a gym/team that has a great developmental program, meaning a coach that recognizes talented kids and cares more about teaching them than the gym they're located at cares about just thinking of families as cash registers. Unfortunately, many gyms don't care about climbing development and just want to maximize gym profits. In what general area are you in?

Climbing is indeed a good idea. Our top 10 21 year old Olympic runner Hobbs Kessler (800m and 1500m) started as a climber and his adaptation to running has been remarkably quick. He is stronger than most The point is not to climb to pile into another sport the but the strength and flexibility earned is very helpful to any number of endeavors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whatever she likes. I was small and hit puberty late and played soccer and did quite well.

I agree! Tiny girl here- went into high school 4”10 and 80 lbs. got period at 16 grew to 5’3 115.

I played tennis, swam, travel soccer, field hockey and played field hockey in college

She hasn’t missed any boats on anything at 11. That’s crazy talk sorry.

[Anonymous]

Marching band? I know it's not technically a sport, but it has competitions (if your school funds the program well you might do a lot of regional competitions and higher) and it's physically demanding.

[Anonymous]

Whatever she likes.
I wouldn't even discuss the size difference option as it could cause issues.

The only sports where she would be at risk being smaller is football, and where she would have difficulty is basketball and volleyball as they tend to trend to taller girls.

Most any non-team sport would be great for her, and some often are geared toward smaller figures excelling.

[Anonymous]

My small 13yo loves her ninja gym. She decided not to join the team but loves challenging herself through the classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She's 11. Shouldn't she decide this for herself? If she likes running, then track seems like the obvious choice. No need to make it more difficult than it needs to be.

Of course she'll be the one to decide. The question was about sports *she* should consider. But she's new to lots of sports, including things like field hockey and crew. It's to have some suggestions.