Anonymous
Post 06/10/2022 11:46     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As someone who's 11 year old plays softball, it would be pretty hard for a brand new player who is not a natural athlete to start at this point. Will the rec teams let you do it - of course! but your child is going to be placed in left field an at the bottom of the batting line up, and 95% of the team will already really know how to play. Just be prepared.


We had a different experience. My child started playing softball at 11, and we found the softball community very welcoming, encouraging, and open to letting a new player try out positions. My child has some athletic talent but nothing to write home about. They're in their fourth or fifth season of play now, and softball is the one sport they really love - they share catching duties and are one of the stronger hitters on the team now. We did soccer (very much suffered from the if-you-haven't-played-since-K-forget it), basketball (travel-level pushy parents/coaches in recreational league), and volleyball (fun, second favorite) as well. Their team this year had two girls who'd never played at 13 - one took to it like a fish to water, and the other had zero natural talent but a good work ethic/energy and was just a joy to have on the team.


My experience as well! My DD started this spring having just turned 11. She was the only new player on the team, and it was fine. Many of the girls who had played several seasons weren’t amazing players — I think fielding in particular is just very challenging. That being said, while my DD wasn’t the mvp, she fit in and had a blast. I also think post-Covid, kids are trying new things (maybe we’ll be farther removed from that mindset in fall, who knows).
Anonymous
Post 06/10/2022 11:29     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
Anonymous wrote:As someone who's 11 year old plays softball, it would be pretty hard for a brand new player who is not a natural athlete to start at this point. Will the rec teams let you do it - of course! but your child is going to be placed in left field an at the bottom of the batting line up, and 95% of the team will already really know how to play. Just be prepared.


We had a different experience. My child started playing softball at 11, and we found the softball community very welcoming, encouraging, and open to letting a new player try out positions. My child has some athletic talent but nothing to write home about. They're in their fourth or fifth season of play now, and softball is the one sport they really love - they share catching duties and are one of the stronger hitters on the team now. We did soccer (very much suffered from the if-you-haven't-played-since-K-forget it), basketball (travel-level pushy parents/coaches in recreational league), and volleyball (fun, second favorite) as well. Their team this year had two girls who'd never played at 13 - one took to it like a fish to water, and the other had zero natural talent but a good work ethic/energy and was just a joy to have on the team.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2022 22:39     Subject: Re:11 year old new to sports
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I disagree that softball is a sport for kids who need an activity. I agree with the poster who says softball players are smart and gritty. My observation and reason for suggesting the sport is that many girls start softball relatively later (vs. kindergarten or even younger for soccer, gymnastics, dance), and there is a lot of fun/team spirit.


At least in my area, kids who need an activity seems to be the majority of my nine year old's softball team. Most of the super competitive girls are still in baseball, and there aren't that many of those. Maybe soccer is sucking up a lot of the headspace?

Anyway, there's a lot of team spirit, and a lot of sideline cheering.

A really big advantage is that there are lots of rec softball leagues at older ages -- this is something that can be done as a kid and then picked up again much later in life.


Big difference between 9 and 11. All those girls will have played 2-3 years by the time they are the age of OP’s daughter.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2022 12:13     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
Anonymous wrote:For dance, yes ballet gets started very early but not necessarily other forms of dance, like folk or hip hop.

For a competitive sport that she can take into the future and drop and pick up, a marital art with real sparring. 11 is a good time to start judo, jiu jitsu, aikido.


Agree. My daughter joined dance at age 10 and she has loved it. She is 12 now and wants to sign up for more dance classes each year. Remember not everyone cares if they’re “behind” in ballet - some kids truly love dance and are naturally inclined toward it, and keeping up with ballerinas is not on their radar.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2022 12:06     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As someone who's 11 year old plays softball, it would be pretty hard for a brand new player who is not a natural athlete to start at this point. Will the rec teams let you do it - of course! but your child is going to be placed in left field an at the bottom of the batting line up, and 95% of the team will already really know how to play. Just be prepared.


I was a natural athlete whose father signed up for fast pitch softball in 7th grade. Not fun! I quit.

The only way to join that late is with private lessons for a few months.

Luckily I had a lot of other sports I was already doing and I didn’t mind summers off…. Then marching band and color guard was my summer sport…


This is depressing. I didn’t start softball until around 8th grade and really enjoyed playing it in high school. I guess it was a different era back in my day and the competition is more stiff, but back in the 90s I caught up to the athletes who had already been playing…I wasn’t as good but I good enough to start.
Anonymous
Post 06/09/2022 12:03     Subject: Re:11 year old new to sports
Anonymous wrote:I disagree that softball is a sport for kids who need an activity. I agree with the poster who says softball players are smart and gritty. My observation and reason for suggesting the sport is that many girls start softball relatively later (vs. kindergarten or even younger for soccer, gymnastics, dance), and there is a lot of fun/team spirit.


At least in my area, kids who need an activity seems to be the majority of my nine year old's softball team. Most of the super competitive girls are still in baseball, and there aren't that many of those. Maybe soccer is sucking up a lot of the headspace?

Anyway, there's a lot of team spirit, and a lot of sideline cheering.

A really big advantage is that there are lots of rec softball leagues at older ages -- this is something that can be done as a kid and then picked up again much later in life.
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2022 12:21     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
Rock Climbing, Crew, Acrobatic Silks, Parkour, Skateboarding
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2022 12:19     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
My girls are not very athletic but play sports 3 out of 4 seasons.
I'd say keep encouraging her because the benefits are lifelong (sportsmanship, fitness). My kids have gotten a lot of confidence just tracking their own progress (cross country and swim are great for this).
She doesn't need to be competitive or athletic, just as long as she is getting her heart pumping and making friends.
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2022 11:19     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
For dance, yes ballet gets started very early but not necessarily other forms of dance, like folk or hip hop.

For a competitive sport that she can take into the future and drop and pick up, a marital art with real sparring. 11 is a good time to start judo, jiu jitsu, aikido.
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2022 10:09     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
Anonymous wrote:As someone who's 11 year old plays softball, it would be pretty hard for a brand new player who is not a natural athlete to start at this point. Will the rec teams let you do it - of course! but your child is going to be placed in left field an at the bottom of the batting line up, and 95% of the team will already really know how to play. Just be prepared.


I was a natural athlete whose father signed up for fast pitch softball in 7th grade. Not fun! I quit.

The only way to join that late is with private lessons for a few months.

Luckily I had a lot of other sports I was already doing and I didn’t mind summers off…. Then marching band and color guard was my summer sport…
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2022 10:07     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
There is a good table on espn that scores 70+ sports in terms of qualities like stamina (running in soccer or X country), finesse (golf, batting), power (muscle strength), speed, endurance, flexibility (gymnastics, diving), agility (soccer feet, basketball), hand/eye, reaction time, mind speed (basketball, field sports) durability (ie football or boxing- just keep going after being hit or tackled).

I think hockey and boxing came out with the highest composite scores of all 10 qualities. But that doesn’t matter, what matters is you think about your kids Strengths and a weaknesses athletically and have them try out a couple things that might match their body shapes, abilities, coordination, pace.

Lots of sports out there.
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2022 09:47     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
As someone who's 11 year old plays softball, it would be pretty hard for a brand new player who is not a natural athlete to start at this point. Will the rec teams let you do it - of course! but your child is going to be placed in left field an at the bottom of the batting line up, and 95% of the team will already really know how to play. Just be prepared.
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2022 07:59     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
Agree that Ultimate Frisbee is a good suggestion here.
Anonymous
Post 06/08/2022 01:20     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If she isn't competitive or aggressive, softball and volleyball are terrible suggestions. They are some of the smartest ad grittiest athletes I have ever seen.

Golf, dance, poms, dive, karate, yoga, and keep up with swimming.


lol. Softball is the kids who needed an activity


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRhi3oTgWaU


Wow, these ladies are amazing. I have always preferred watching softball to baseball. Faster pace (no lead offs and shorter base paths.)

But this is a whole other level. I actually went to maryland high school championships at UMD for a friend’s daughter and it was a lot of fun. It is not for the weak hearted. Those girls can smoke the ball and sure looked athletic to me.
Anonymous
Post 06/07/2022 23:42     Subject: 11 year old new to sports
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If she isn't competitive or aggressive, softball and volleyball are terrible suggestions. They are some of the smartest ad grittiest athletes I have ever seen.

Golf, dance, poms, dive, karate, yoga, and keep up with swimming.


lol. Softball is the kids who needed an activity


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRhi3oTgWaU


Love it! Love the smiles! Wish we all lived in FL or CA so less rainouts.