Is this a school team? Or a travel team?

There is only so much you can do but to the degree possible:
-look the part (attire, equipment etc )
-fit in socially with the core players- team chemistry is important
-hustle
-good attitude
-good grades, good school behavior (for a school team)
-like ability of the kid in general

And for travel:
-parents’ reputation can make a big difference- no one wants kids with problem parents. Kids with great parents who are known to be helpful supportive of the team are always a huge plus. Also social connections sometimes make a very big difference- even if unfair.

Only mentioning things that can be changed here (obviously skill and sometimes size or build reign supreme)

Reclass once or twice.

Be athletically gifted and tall. I know a girl this worked for. All three girls in the family are freaks of nature and excel at different sports.

Anonymous wrote:Be a lefty pitcher.

It's funny...it's true but generally makes no sense playing in middle school or high school. The whole point of a lefty pitcher is to pitch to lefty hitters, but until you get to very competitive travel teams or college, 85% of hitters are righty. A righty hitter has an easier time hitting off of a lefty pitcher.

Find a sport that has the right cut. Some sports you participate every event at your age. I think club swimming is like this, though summer league is not. EG you go to a meet you're 9yo compete as a 9yo, next meet 10yo compete as a 10yo.

It's the team sports where it is a problem. Though for exceptional athletes in certain sports it really doesn't matter. Like basketball many of the best kids are playing up one or more years by high school. I mean it might make some difference early on, but people are pretty good at telling height and development in Basketball. EG my four year old already looks like a six year old.

Have D1 athletes as parents

My kid is playing up an age division while sitting on the cut-off. She is playing with the division that matches her grade because grade cut-offs for our state don't quite match age cut-offs for her sport.

She would be small for even her natural age division. We picked this team for lots of solid reasons, and I think she would do it again and we parents would support her (coaches are truly development focused, has friends on the team, schedule and cost fit our family). However her size definitely, definitely impacts her playing time right now. She's still out there half the time most weekends, but just barely. If she played in her natural age division she'd look a little less tiny compared to everyone else and her skillset would shine just a little more.

I expect her to grow physically and also in skill, but sometimes it's tough to see her on the bench.

Is there height at the moment? I know that literally is not in anyone's control and it's unfair, but I do think taller kids get the benefit of the doubt.

My son has the youngest birthday in travel baseball age groupings. He's tall and was steered towards 1st base and pitcher (would be even better if he was a lefty).

Honestly, he's pretty average skill-wise but coaches probably like his height.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Soccer - be a goal keeper, they are always in need and rarely cut

I think this is true however all kids are not cut out for goal keeper. Do not make your kid do this if they don't want to. It's a very mentally tough position.

Also by middle school travel soccer (which if you're talking cuts it must be travel), a goalie has to be physically fearless. Balls are coming at them hard and the expectation is they have the ability to land hard and get back up. Mentally tough and physically tough. I have a kid who is a goalie.

Anonymous wrote:Soccer - be a goal keeper, they are always in need and rarely cut

I think this is true however all kids are not cut out for goal keeper. Do not make your kid do this if they don't want to. It's a very mentally tough position.

I don’t think your kid can just decide to go for a less popular position… they have to show some natural talent for it and be willing to work at it. Not everyone is good at goalkeeper for example, even if they try. I was always one of the youngest, but I did not think about that at the time. I also happened to be naturally good at something a lot of people in my sport were not naturally good at and thus did not like. But being good at that thing came first. I didn’t pursue it because of a perceived advantage.

Anonymous wrote:Be a lefty pitcher.

In softball the answer - at least by the high school ages - is just be a pitcher period. But the lefty/righty splits aren't as big of a thing in softball.

Be a lefty pitcher.

Soccer - be a goal keeper, they are always in need and rarely cut

Any tips to make sports teams and not get cut if you have a really unfavorable birthday and it’s a pretty big cut? (over 50 percent)

I’ve heard to go for positions that aren’t as desirable or sought after but just wondering if anyone has gone through this, especially in middle school, and what advice they have or ways to work around it?