My DD started travel at age 14 and played through age 22. She played for a D2 school in college, too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience with softball, I did not see many kids leave after 9th grade. These girls just loved the game and stuck with it. What you did begin to see a lot of is people moving to more competitive teams etc. This can happen at different times from 8th-11th grade depending on kid/interest/talent/desires etc.

The bolded is so interesting to me because I've heard it from many parents of high school softball players, but within the softball community in this area there seems to be an increasing panic that if a kid isn't playing B-level travel by 10 they will never be able to progress to higher level teams. It's just demonstrably not so, though. Are there kids who have aspirations high enough that they should be playing travel young? Sure, some. But it's not impossible to be a competitive high school softball player without moving to a high level young.

This is so true. Don't get caught up in the nonsense!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience with softball, I did not see many kids leave after 9th grade. These girls just loved the game and stuck with it. What you did begin to see a lot of is people moving to more competitive teams etc. This can happen at different times from 8th-11th grade depending on kid/interest/talent/desires etc.

The bolded is so interesting to me because I've heard it from many parents of high school softball players, but within the softball community in this area there seems to be an increasing panic that if a kid isn't playing B-level travel by 10 they will never be able to progress to higher level teams. It's just demonstrably not so, though. Are there kids who have aspirations high enough that they should be playing travel young? Sure, some. But it's not impossible to be a competitive high school softball player without moving to a high level young.

But is there a point where a kid playing on an OK team should look for a "better" one if they are a "better" player? Right now DD is on the team because she's played with the same group of girls for years and likes them. But she's getting frustrated at their lack of success. (I don't care either way-- I think there's a lot to be said for playing with your friends.)

If she's frustrated, are there teams she's playing in tournaments she's started to be interested in? Teams that seem like a match?

Unless she's looking to make a winter switch - and possibly burn some bridges - the change wouldn't be until summer, right? And if so, then you all have time to look around and see what kind of organizations appeal and might meet her goals.

OP, is she a 2011? What level is she playing now and does the team have a winning record?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience with softball, I did not see many kids leave after 9th grade. These girls just loved the game and stuck with it. What you did begin to see a lot of is people moving to more competitive teams etc. This can happen at different times from 8th-11th grade depending on kid/interest/talent/desires etc.

The bolded is so interesting to me because I've heard it from many parents of high school softball players, but within the softball community in this area there seems to be an increasing panic that if a kid isn't playing B-level travel by 10 they will never be able to progress to higher level teams. It's just demonstrably not so, though. Are there kids who have aspirations high enough that they should be playing travel young? Sure, some. But it's not impossible to be a competitive high school softball player without moving to a high level young.

But is there a point where a kid playing on an OK team should look for a "better" one if they are a "better" player? Right now DD is on the team because she's played with the same group of girls for years and likes them. But she's getting frustrated at their lack of success. (I don't care either way-- I think there's a lot to be said for playing with your friends.)

If she's frustrated, are there teams she's playing in tournaments she's started to be interested in? Teams that seem like a match?

Unless she's looking to make a winter switch - and possibly burn some bridges - the change wouldn't be until summer, right? And if so, then you all have time to look around and see what kind of organizations appeal and might meet her goals.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience with softball, I did not see many kids leave after 9th grade. These girls just loved the game and stuck with it. What you did begin to see a lot of is people moving to more competitive teams etc. This can happen at different times from 8th-11th grade depending on kid/interest/talent/desires etc.

The bolded is so interesting to me because I've heard it from many parents of high school softball players, but within the softball community in this area there seems to be an increasing panic that if a kid isn't playing B-level travel by 10 they will never be able to progress to higher level teams. It's just demonstrably not so, though. Are there kids who have aspirations high enough that they should be playing travel young? Sure, some. But it's not impossible to be a competitive high school softball player without moving to a high level young.

But is there a point where a kid playing on an OK team should look for a "better" one if they are a "better" player? Right now DD is on the team because she's played with the same group of girls for years and likes them. But she's getting frustrated at their lack of success. (I don't care either way-- I think there's a lot to be said for playing with your friends.)

Mine played from age 10-College. I think it's about if they truly have love for the sport b/c it can be full of drama, failure, successes, and they really have to want it. It's not something you can do FOR them.

Anonymous wrote:In my experience with softball, I did not see many kids leave after 9th grade. These girls just loved the game and stuck with it. What you did begin to see a lot of is people moving to more competitive teams etc. This can happen at different times from 8th-11th grade depending on kid/interest/talent/desires etc.

The bolded is so interesting to me because I've heard it from many parents of high school softball players, but within the softball community in this area there seems to be an increasing panic that if a kid isn't playing B-level travel by 10 they will never be able to progress to higher level teams. It's just demonstrably not so, though. Are there kids who have aspirations high enough that they should be playing travel young? Sure, some. But it's not impossible to be a competitive high school softball player without moving to a high level young.

In my experience with softball, I did not see many kids leave after 9th grade. These girls just loved the game and stuck with it. What you did begin to see a lot of is people moving to more competitive teams etc. This can happen at different times from 8th-11th grade depending on kid/interest/talent/desires etc.

It is really personal. I’m not sure if you are in rec or travel yet, I’m guessing rec. given young ages. I know my daughter did not start softball until around 13 (before that she played lots of different rec league sports, soccer, baseball, basketball, flag football, etc.) and then joined a higher level rec softball teams as she decided she really liked softball and wanted to pursue. I did not really see many kids drop softball but what I did see was the kids that were more interested (and good athletes) moved on to more serious teams around 8th/9th grade. My daughter moved in 9th grade to a club team and then had to switch a few times to continue to find more competitive teams. Ended up as a college player but it is really a choice your kid needs to make as to whether they want to keep going to new teams that play at more competitive levels.

My now college student played with her travel team (B-level) through graduation. Quit HS ball junior year because the schedule conflicted with her passion (theatre). She would have just been riding the varsity bench then anyway.

Anonymous wrote:Depends on your high school. Lots of girls don't make our high school's varsity team even if they play B-level travel. And your daughter's current age is when many start quitting. If you have a team that has mostly been together since 9u, many will probably stick with it all the way through high school if they don't quit in the next year.

We have the opposite issue. If you are reasonably good at softball, you make our HS teams. So, many leave travel once they know they will play for the HS. This also frees up time to play fall and winter HS sports.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine didn’t start travel softball until I think 9tj grade but played until her senior year. She was not super great although there were sl girls on her team that got recruited. She had fun. It did irritate me that there is so much pressure to play year round. It’s such a skills based sport that unless you are batting, throwing, whatever all year, you sort of lose it. And it’s hard to find softball batting cages!

Where are you located? It's getting progressively easier in northern Virginia at least - though I realize too late for you.

Yes, we will soon have three SF3s in northern Virginia, which is probably one of the best things to happen to the sport!!

Anonymous wrote:Mine didn’t start travel softball until I think 9tj grade but played until her senior year. She was not super great although there were sl girls on her team that got recruited. She had fun. It did irritate me that there is so much pressure to play year round. It’s such a skills based sport that unless you are batting, throwing, whatever all year, you sort of lose it. And it’s hard to find softball batting cages!

Where are you located? It's getting progressively easier in northern Virginia at least - though I realize too late for you.

Mine didn’t start travel softball until I think 9tj grade but played until her senior year. She was not super great although there were sl girls on her team that got recruited. She had fun. It did irritate me that there is so much pressure to play year round. It’s such a skills based sport that unless you are batting, throwing, whatever all year, you sort of lose it. And it’s hard to find softball batting cages!