Sports for a small stature girl

[Anonymous]

Height isn’t an issue for softball, and it’s a good age to start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I topped out at 5’3 and played basketball and softball all through HS, and was recruited to play softball in college. If your DD is a competitive kid that’s not intimidated by competing against kids bigger, definitely let her try her hand at basketball. I was a go to defender for my team, and I would guard wings 5 inches taller than me because I was fast and aggressive and not afraid to mix it up. It would frustrate the hell out of them because they thought they could just over power me or shoot over me and would take them totally out of their game. Especially for girls, being small in stature is not a total death knell for most sports.

My friend did all this at 5' 2" and had a huge fan club! No one was expecting her to be so effective and aggressive. She also galloped racehorses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She's in fourth grade and you're picking out her high school sports for her?

So she can start something now and be good enough for high school when the time comes. Makes sense to me.

[Anonymous]

My similar daughter is great at cc and track. But being small doesn’t equal being fast necessarily, what are her athletic strengths? Good hand eye coordination? Speedy? Good dancer? Flexibility? These are more important than size alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Baseball or softball. Never underestimate a tiny strike zone.

+1 And if she’s fast, all the better

[Anonymous]

Martial arts? They compete by weight class and skill level so size is less of an issue and it's definitely an avenue for aggression...

Hockey (ice or field) might also be a good fit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Baseball or softball. Never underestimate a tiny strike zone.

+1 And if she’s fast, all the better

+2 also plenty of shorter girls playing middle infield. Shorter height isn’t a negative there at all. If fast, outfield is very possible too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If she really wants to be aggressive and scrappy, she's perfect for wrestling.

Girls youth wrestling is growing in the DMV, and her size wont be a problem

Yes! I'm the mom of a boy wrestler and it's a great sport. It's really exciting to me that there is a movement to expand wrestling for girls!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Martial arts? They compete by weight class and skill level so size is less of an issue and it's definitely an avenue for aggression...

Hockey (ice or field) might also be a good fit

Figure skating over ice hockey for a small girl. In sports like gymnastics and figure skating, being 5'3 or under is almost a requirement to succeed at high levels (there are of course outliers). Since girls don't check, she could still play hockey but her small size wouldn't be advantageous like it is in figure skating.
Also, track, cross country, soccer all seem to be more size-neutral than sports like basketball and volleyball.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stay away from stupid team sports. Do what Asian people do, and it’s golf.

I was just thinking golf or tennis would both be good options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's in fourth grade and you're picking out her high school sports for her?

So she can start something now and be good enough for high school when the time comes. Makes sense to me.

Your daughter might have had a chance 10 years ago, but women are becoming dramatically taller, stronger, and more athletic at an ever increasing rate. Good luck.

[Rountree]

Anonymous wrote:Size will eventually catch up to you in soccer unless your aggression is off the charts. Even then, the bigger girls will knock you off the ball. At the younger ages it is fine, but once you hit teens, the game gets pretty physical past the rec level. Field hockey is better sport for smaller girls.

Perhaps the worst take I've seen in a while. Lower center of gravity is a huge advantage in soccer. Can't knock someone off the ball if you can't catch them.

[Anonymous]

Wrestling. Perfect for small stature aggressive kids.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to piggy back, but I have a 7th grader who will be perhaps 5' as an adult. She's going to BCC. What does Coxswain entail? Is it very physical? She's competitive and a quick-thinker, but not muscular, and she has exercise-induced asthma, so we're wondering what to do.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Rountree wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Size will eventually catch up to you in soccer unless your aggression is off the charts. Even then, the bigger girls will knock you off the ball. At the younger ages it is fine, but once you hit teens, the game gets pretty physical past the rec level. Field hockey is better sport for smaller girls.

Perhaps the worst take I've seen in a while. Lower center of gravity is a huge advantage in soccer. Can't knock someone off the ball if you can't catch them.

tell that to Haaland