Low key travel softball in Nova?

[Anonymous]

Does this exist? My daughter is looking for a bit higher level of play and, even more so, more committed/serious girls who really want to play softball (and not just hang out with their friends) but she doesn't want (and the family doesn't want) softball to monopolize her (and our) whole life! She is finishing 3rd grade. My other two kids are boys and it seems like boys in general may be more likely to take sports seriously. The kids on my 1st grader's baseball team sometimes seem a lot more committed than the girls on DD's team!

[Anonymous]

where does your daughter currently play? the girls tend to get more serious as they get older. There are lots of 8U travel teams in NoVA - what is her birth year?

[Anonymous]

13:16 again. McLean Magic tends to be more chill. Same for AGSA Sage at that age. Great Falls Sharks are also pretty chill. I would stay away from Firebirds & VA Stars because they are more serious (at least at the older ages). Further out, I don't know as much. Talk to the coaches and ask questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:13:16 again. McLean Magic tends to be more chill. Same for AGSA Sage at that age. Great Falls Sharks are also pretty chill. I would stay away from Firebirds & VA Stars because they are more serious (at least at the older ages). Further out, I don't know as much. Talk to the coaches and ask questions.

Where are you located? At this age go with a team close to you. You don't want to be driving all over.

My daughter played for both McLean Magic and Sage. Both would fit what you're looking for, however, a lot depends on the coach. It can vary wildly I'd also avoid Arlington Impact and VA Glory. Both are super intense. I don't know anything about the further out teams.

My daughter now plays for Mt Vernon Magic and it's still on the lower end of competitiveness but it's far away from us. She drives herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:13:16 again. McLean Magic tends to be more chill. Same for AGSA Sage at that age. Great Falls Sharks are also pretty chill. I would stay away from Firebirds & VA Stars because they are more serious (at least at the older ages). Further out, I don't know as much. Talk to the coaches and ask questions.

Where are you located? At this age go with a team close to you. You don't want to be driving all over.

My daughter played for both McLean Magic and Sage. Both would fit what you're looking for, however, a lot depends on the coach. It can vary wildly I'd also avoid Arlington Impact and VA Glory. Both are super intense. I don't know anything about the further out teams.

My daughter now plays for Mt Vernon Magic and it's still on the lower end of competitiveness but it's far away from us. She drives herself.

PP. My daughter is now a senior in HS and has played since elementary.

[Anonymous]

The kids on my 1st grader's baseball team sometimes seem a lot more committed than the girls on DD's team!

Way to stereotype on your small sample.

Travel softball around here is usually serious and a lot more time than travel baseball, which does maybe 1 tournament a season and just a few more games than rec but calls itself "travel" until HS when they may actually travel or do more. Most travel softball is a lot of tournaments. McLean Magic might be way to go. Not much in the way of 8u but if serious play up to 10u.

[Anonymous]

NVGSA used to offer Dimensions, which was kind of like all stars that lasted the whole season. 2-3 girls from each team made up a more serious team that had Sunday games against other rec+ teams. You would still do rec team with Saturday games, but it's a little something extra. It's been a while for us, though, so not sure they still offer it-- it is still on the website.

[Anonymous]

where do you live?

[Anonymous]

Agree with Sage and Magic, also Tsunsmi (Alexandria) or Stingrays (Annandale/Springfield) but so much depends on the coach.

[Anonymous]

My kid plays rec as well OP and also thinking about travel.
For travel, you have to try out, correct?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The kids on my 1st grader's baseball team sometimes seem a lot more committed than the girls on DD's team!

Way to stereotype on your small sample.

Travel softball around here is usually serious and a lot more time than travel baseball, which does maybe 1 tournament a season and just a few more games than rec but calls itself "travel" until HS when they may actually travel or do more. Most travel softball is a lot of tournaments. McLean Magic might be way to go. Not much in the way of 8u but if serious play up to 10u.

NP: my kids play both baseball and softball (club/travel for both) and our experience has been the same as OP’s- up until 12U. Seems only the more serious girls stick around after that. The boys are serious much much earlier. But I suppose it depends on the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The kids on my 1st grader's baseball team sometimes seem a lot more committed than the girls on DD's team!

Way to stereotype on your small sample.

Travel softball around here is usually serious and a lot more time than travel baseball, which does maybe 1 tournament a season and just a few more games than rec but calls itself "travel" until HS when they may actually travel or do more. Most travel softball is a lot of tournaments. McLean Magic might be way to go. Not much in the way of 8u but if serious play up to 10u.

NP: my kids play both baseball and softball (club/travel for both) and our experience has been the same as OP’s- up until 12U. Seems only the more serious girls stick around after that. The boys are serious much much earlier. But I suppose it depends on the area.

OP here and I see it with other teams, too. I’m not saying all young boys are more serious than all young girls—my DD is more serious about softball than a couple her older brother’s friends about their sports.

Anyway, we are in Oakton (but play sports in Vienna) and her birthday year is 2012. McLean is close enough so may check that out. Also interested in sort of an add-on to rec as mentioned in one post. I know some kids who play travel baseball as a supplement to the all mighty LL.

[Anonymous]

If you are in VGSL you should contact the league for 10U Summer Raiders, they are forming teams now. You have to be halfway decent, games once a week for the next 6 weeks. Did your kid make All Stars?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:13:16 again. McLean Magic tends to be more chill. Same for AGSA Sage at that age. Great Falls Sharks are also pretty chill. I would stay away from Firebirds & VA Stars because they are more serious (at least at the older ages). Further out, I don't know as much. Talk to the coaches and ask questions.

Where are you located? At this age go with a team close to you. You don't want to be driving all over.

My daughter played for both McLean Magic and Sage. Both would fit what you're looking for, however, a lot depends on the coach. It can vary wildly I'd also avoid Arlington Impact and VA Glory. Both are super intense. I don't know anything about the further out teams.

My daughter now plays for Mt Vernon Magic and it's still on the lower end of competitiveness but it's far away from us. She drives herself.

13:16 here -- pretty sure I know your daughter. Mine is YHS JV right now and thinks highly of your girl.

[Anonymous]

Op-my kid is 10U with VGSL. My understanding is that it gets more serious (but still fun) at the 12U level.