We've always had a team that we run ourselves and it can present some challenges as far as the roster goes. I have never been a fan of the organizations with paid coaches. One thing that I have always hated because I don't feel it is fair is that a lot of these teams will bring a few kids down to AA or AAA from higher level teams to play on Sunday. We've complained about this to the tournament director in years past but it goes to a deaf ear, probably because those organizations have multiple teams in every age group. $$$.

agsalaska said:

---

We hope so. We actually talked about that AA thing. But these boys won in the fall and in 9u. They need to learn how to overcome a little adversity. In our first two tournaments we were competitive in every game. All were won or lost by no more than two runs. We didn't get blown out til this weekend.

Next weekend is a new opportunity.

We are starting to see the challenge of being a small town, invitation only team playing against all of these Austin teams that have dozens of kids try out. We probably have one or two kids that are not AAA players, but more importantly we have a few that just play because they are all best friends. And that's fine and has a huge upside. But the downside is on Sunday morning when they face a little adversity they don't necessarily have the mindset to overcome it. Hard to explain without witnessing it.

---

A lot of fall teams lose really good players to football. We picked up a star player just for spring, but he won't ever play with us during fall seasons.

We came in third in our 10u league tournament this week, a very nice break from weekend ball. All of our 9 year olds who are playing Spring league kid pitch for the first time got their first hits and scored their first runs. And the boy who had never played at all before made his first play in the field by fielding a single out in left field and hitting his cutoff man.

We don't have enough pitching for multiple games and my son ended up pitching too much but I figured that could happen. The good news is his arm seems really strong this year and his pitching motion is MUCH better. He told me this morning that he is not sore at all.

Hope we have a better weekend than the last two.

West Roxbury said:

---

96ags said:

---

baseballaficionado said:

---

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

My son is 7 and is just about to start his 8u season on Saturday (first practice) We play rec ball and he enjoys it and if that continues we will see where is goes from there when he is 11 or so. I am in no rush and neither is he. He enjoys playing and that is all that I really care about. Could he do more if I push more, probably, could he also get pissed and quit also possible so we go with the flow because, he's 7. Past season we have had 12 on the team and at most usually only had maybe 1 miss per practice. New league this year and we have 13 kids, 5 are new to our team so we shall see how that goes.

I coach his teams, never intended to do that going in to this but his first year the team didn't have a coach and I figured better to do it myself as I played my whole life and coached high school ball then get irritated with a dad that volunteers and didn't know anything.

My son is the second smallest on the team, the smallest kid is barely 7 playing up so he's on the same team as his brother who is the oldest on the team. I only allowed this because I watched the younger one play some at our practices the year before...he's better than his older brother all around skill wise. Age wise we have 8 that are already 8, 3 others will turn 8 before the season ends. The other dads like to joke that the two smallest on the team have the two strongest arms, I just shrug.

---

I know not everyone agrees, but if your kid is good enough and wants to, you need to get him on a select team by at least 9u, which is the start of kid pitch.

You are already behind because select coach pitch starts at 6u and gets pretty competitive by 8u. Rec just isn't going to replace the competition and reps. If your rec team pitchers walk everyone, or your kid strikes everyone out, your 1st baseman never gets any throws because nobody is stopping the ball, etc. -- you are just spinning your wheels -- which is fine if the family just wants to view it as an activity.

---

Nonsense. Kids aren't behind anything at 8 or 11.

---

Ditto. I'd say the move to the bigger fields around 13 is about the right time to get super serious assuming three things: (1) your child is a good enough athlete and is playing multiple sports and his athleticism will win in the end, (2) the local little league or rec league has some redeeming qualities (there are some good ones out there but fewer) and (3) your child is getting good instruction and development from some reputable source (even if 1:1). One of my son's started select ball at 10u, continued to play multiple sports, and will pitch at the collegiate level next season after finishing his HS year. The other started at 10 and is finishing his junior year in college ball.

What I see lacking at the high school level and even small college D2 D3 level is the lack of overall athleticism. Yes, select ball helps hone those baseball skills and, yes, eventually playing a 30-50 game 9 month schedule each year may be in order. But I was always amazed a the raw athletes who would get more serious about baseball at middle school age and within a couple or seasons bypass the baseball lifers. Those were not my sons. We don't have that level of athleticism. My only point is to look for the positives of rec ball for as long as you can find them. The time commitment to tournament baseball (especially if multiple kids at multiple age groups or different activities) can be a strain on the family. Fun as anything. But huge time commitment.

---

Outside of the reps, better competition, coaching, etc. here is what y'all are missing:

A lifelong LL kid doesn't even get to take a lead off a base until he is 13 years old. PG, USSSA, etc. have leads at 9u. So, there are no leads/base running, pickoffs, etc. even being worked on in Little League. Select ball has a five year advantage on pickoffs, lead offs and advanced base running.

A lifelong LL kid is playing on tiny base paths and throwing from short mound distances. LL has 12U throwing from 46 feet, when 11U select is throwing from 50. 11U select is on 70 foot base paths, while 11U LL is at 50 feet.

Select ball does a much better job of introducing you to real baseball and gradually moving you to a regulation sized field. That lifelong Little Leaguer is going to be at a severe disadvantage at 60x90 in high school. Sure, there are probably some really good athletes that will adjust, but your average kid will not be up to par for even the freshman team.

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

One of our moms brought her camera to the game this past week…

---

Looks like the kid here is just a bit under the pitch but all in all, that pic looks like the kid has a great swing. Head down watching the ball, hands inside the baseball so he's staying connected, palm up/palm down bat control, and nice weight transfer in the feet.

One of the most difficult things in coach pitch is finding somebody to throw strikes to the kids. It's such a fine line to walk because, and it's a bit counter-intuitive, the pitches need to be firm and fairly flat while not being overpowering rather than lobbing the ball up there. But there's such a disparity in strike zones (and let's face it, the hitting zone on most 7-year old kids is tiny) and how a kid will swing the bat. Some kids have their foot in a bucket and are stepping way out because they're terrified of getting hit. Some kids just stick the bat out there. Some kids wait to swing until the ball is past them. And then there are kids like in the picture that are pretty dialed in on their swing. I've tried being the dad/coach who pitches and I have no desire to do it again.

West Roxbury said:

---

Ditto. I'd say the move to the bigger fields around 13 is about the right time to get super serious assuming three things: (1) your child is a good enough athlete and is playing multiple sports and his athleticism will win in the end, (2) the local little league or rec league has some redeeming qualities (there are some good ones out there but fewer) and (3) your child is getting good instruction and development from some reputable source (even if 1:1). One of my son's started select ball at 10u, continued to play multiple sports, and will pitch at the collegiate level next season after finishing his HS year. The other started at 10 and is finishing his junior year in college ball.

What I see lacking at the high school level and even small college D2 D3 level is the lack of overall athleticism. Yes, select ball helps hone those baseball skills and, yes, eventually playing a 30-50 game 9 month schedule each year may be in order. But I was always amazed a the raw athletes who would get more serious about baseball at middle school age and within a couple or seasons bypass the baseball lifers. Those were not my sons. We don't have that level of athleticism. My only point is to look for the positives of rec ball for as long as you can find them. The time commitment to tournament baseball (especially if multiple kids at multiple age groups or different activities) can be a strain on the family. Fun as anything. But huge time commitment.

---

I'm several years behind you with kiddos but I don't really disagree with what you've said at all.

There's a certain minimum threshold of athleticism required to advance to each level. If you don't have that, all the fundamentals and baseball IQ in the world won't matter. That being said, it doesn't matter how athletic you are if you don't work hard on the fundamentals. In any sport.

I don't know how athletic my boys will end up but they've got good genetics and will not be small men at all. The oldest (11 right now) is supposed to end up about 6'4"-6'5" and the youngest 6'3"-6'4" (7). My youngest is probably more athletic and coordinated than his big brother. Possibly because he's less of an analytical and methodical mindset and more "grip it & rip it" but he's also been watching big brother and trying to emulate him. I've definitely seen kids who have older brothers who played be more advanced than their peers.

They both play multiple sports and will continue to do so. And because they're both going to be big dudes I want to make sure they focus on speed, agility, and overall athleticism.

Quote:

---

Outside of the reps, better competition, coaching, etc. here is what y'all are missing:

A lifelong LL kid doesn't even get to take a lead off a base until he is 13 years old. PG, USSSA, etc. have leads at 9u. So, there are no leads/base running, pickoffs, etc. even being worked on in Little League. Select ball has a five year advantage on pickoffs, lead offs and advanced base running.

A lifelong LL kid is playing on tiny base paths and throwing from short mound distances. LL has 12U throwing from 46 feet, when 11U select is throwing from 50. 11U select is on 70 foot base paths, while 11U LL is at 50 feet.

Select ball does a much better job of introducing you to real baseball and gradually moving you to a regulation sized field. That lifelong Little Leaguer is going to be at a severe disadvantage at 60x90 in high school. Sure, there are probably some really good athletes that will adjust, but your average kid will not be up to par for even the freshman team.

---

I believe LL is a bit dated and needs to get up-to-speed with how baseball is played at other organizations. I imagine if they didn't have ESPN going to Williamsport, PA....the organization would have little support. 12 year old kids pitching at 46 feet is nuts.

I was checking out the Little League site. We live in Cypress, TX and the closest Little League organization is 17 miles away. I believe many leagues have moved away from the Little League model.

Our neighborhood league has similar rules to what you were mentioning.....



http://www.fairfieldsports.net/site/File/download/613a323a7b733a323a226964223b693a313631353130363b733a343a226e616d65223b733a33343a224653412031315520616e64205570204b69642050697463682052756c65732e706466223b7d

I always thought folks moved away from Little League because they use Sept 1 s age division. Most of the others use May 1 and allow for a few "exceptions" even before that.

My 10U is on a major team and at Dec 27, 2011, he is third youngest on the team. It's amazing the number of boys that were "held back" in order to get a leg up in sports. We even have two 5th graders with May birthdays (started school on time) who play with us (10U is normally 4th grade). Overwhelming majority of team is summer birthday that were held back.

To each their own and I get it. I know this is anecdotal, but curious how it will play out in the long term. I suspect that with puberty coming up this will become more evident, but also unpredictable.

We play Texas Teenage which mirrors PG and USSSA in their rules.

Every year the board gets petitioned to go to Little League and every year it is unanimously voted down. We have no interest in those archaic rules and from what I can tell they have no interest in changing.

I would not be surprised at all to see LL fold one day. All it would take would be losing the ESPN contract.

We are on the same page. I would say most 9U/10U catchers rarely get the out on the steal attempt, so you are basically moving most kids to 3rd base in a couple pitches. Nothing wrong with it, but taking a gradual step to open bases at 11U would allow a little more development.

There is a 10 ft line in the local league. That allows the runners to understand taking a lead and also gives the opportunity for a pick-off attempt or to catch a runner stealing.

Quito said:

---

I always thought folks moved away from Little League because they use Sept 1 s age division. Most of the others use May 1 and allow for a few "exceptions" even before that.

My 10U is on a major team and at Dec 27, 2011, he is third youngest on the team. It's amazing the number of boys that were "held back" in order to get a leg up in sports. We even have two 5th graders with May birthdays (started school on time) who play with us (10U is normally 4th grade). Overwhelming majority of team is summer birthday that were held back.

To each their own and I get it. I know this is anecdotal, but curious how it will play out in the long term. I suspect that with puberty coming up this will become more evident, but also unpredictable.

---

Perfect Game used to allow "grade exceptions" so a kid who is 12U by age cut-off but is held back and in, say, 5th grade could play 11U.

As explained to me, originally this was because PG was all HS kids, 15U and up. But you might have kids who were held back for whatever reason and turn 15 but are in 8th grade where most of the country doesn't have junior high baseball teams. So they'd let those few older kids play down with their grade level since most of their age group would be playing HS ball in the spring. Then as PG had younger age divisions they allowed this "grade level exception" to trickle down to younger age groups.

I know of at least one team in the Houston area a couple years ago that was in 10U major and kicking ass. But something like 9 kids on an 11-kid roster were 11U by age. They had just all been held back so they were in 4th grade instead of 5th and thus playing down in age groups.

I understand PG eliminated that exception for the most part. I think they changed it so teams could only have a couple grade level exceptions and even then they couldn't be born before January 1. So let's say there's a kid who got held back and is normally 11U by age but is in 4th grade, he couldn't be born before January 1, 2011 and still play 10U.

My boys are the opposite of this. Both have summer birthdays- July and August, respectively. So they're the youngest kids in their grades (6th & 2nd) but are 11U and 7U by PG age rules. We skipped 11U with our oldest and he plays 12U AAA right now with his team a borderline major-level squad (at least when they've got their heads in the game). As our 7-year old just moved to select he's on age level but we'll almost certainly make the jump to play up to grade level vs. age.

As for Little League Baseball, I'm pretty sure they're the only governing body for kids between 9-12 that don't use "real baseball" rules with lead offs, open bases, etc. PONY League rules have age cut-offs that are the same as LL but they play real baseball rules starting in 9U kid pitch. And they adjust the field sizes along with mound & base distances for 11/12U kids.

I think people want their kids playing "real baseball" rules as young as possible and because of that the original Little League is dying out. Then as high-level select ball at older ages got bigger it was inevitable it would trickle down to younger kids and hollow out rec leagues, even if they did use "real baseball" rules.

For example- this is PONY League but PG/USSSA use the same field dimensions. This is for 12U (PONY doesn't show 11U but PG/USSSA follow this as well):



Little League for 12-year old kids is still 46' mound, 60' bases, and 200' fences - https://www.littleleague.org/downloads/ll-baseball-field-layout/

lil99chris said:

---

We are on the same page. I would say most 9U/10U catchers rarely get the out on the steal attempt, so you are basically moving most kids to 3rd base in a couple pitches. Nothing wrong with it, but taking a gradual step to open bases at 11U would allow a little more development.

There is a 10 ft line in the local league. That allows the runners to understand taking a lead and also gives the opportunity for a pick-off attempt or to catch a runner stealing.

---

One huge difference between weekend ball and some Rec ball are the catchers. We play 10AAA and while we can usually steal second stealing third is certainly no gimmie anymore. And we have two catchers that have thrown kids out at 2nd this year.

This week in our Rec league tournament we played four games against three teams and only one of those teams was it easy to steal 2nd and 3rd. Because we play open base it prioritizes the catcher position and teaches the kids how to take leads and pick off runners.

I can see the argument for 9u but don't agree with it. But after that I think closed base is a huge detriment to the kids.

lil99chris said:

---

Quote:

---

Outside of the reps, better competition, coaching, etc. here is what y'all are missing:

A lifelong LL kid doesn't even get to take a lead off a base until he is 13 years old. PG, USSSA, etc. have leads at 9u. So, there are no leads/base running, pickoffs, etc. even being worked on in Little League. Select ball has a five year advantage on pickoffs, lead offs and advanced base running.

A lifelong LL kid is playing on tiny base paths and throwing from short mound distances. LL has 12U throwing from 46 feet, when 11U select is throwing from 50. 11U select is on 70 foot base paths, while 11U LL is at 50 feet.

Select ball does a much better job of introducing you to real baseball and gradually moving you to a regulation sized field. That lifelong Little Leaguer is going to be at a severe disadvantage at 60x90 in high school. Sure, there are probably some really good athletes that will adjust, but your average kid will not be up to par for even the freshman team.

---

I believe LL is a bit dated and needs to get up-to-speed with how baseball is played at other organizations. I imagine if they didn't have ESPN going to Williamsport, PA....the organization would have little support. 12 year old kids pitching at 46 feet is nuts.

I was checking out the Little League site. We live in Cypress, TX and the closest Little League organization is 17 miles away. I believe many leagues have moved away from the Little League model.

Our neighborhood league has similar rules to what you were mentioning.....



http://www.fairfieldsports.net/site/File/download/613a323a7b733a323a226964223b693a313631353130363b733a343a226e616d65223b733a33343a224653412031315520616e64205570204b69642050697463682052756c65732e706466223b7d

---

I know a few leagues around here have moved from LL to Pony because of the crazy rules. This is going to degrade the competition and Pony will soon take over rec in the States. I don't know much about international baseball and maybe that gives LL a huge boost. With that said, if the comp gets too weak, you will see ESPN starting to broadcast the Pony World Series or whatever they call it.

You either adapt or die and LL has no desire to take any considerations into account.

docb said:

---

I always thought select should wait until at least 10U before allowing open bases. I just think it's tough enough for a young pitcher to learn to pitch. It would be nice not to have to worry about a pick off until they get some other things under their belt. Plus there would be a lot less stolen bases and the games would be much more competitive than watching a walkfest, passed ball, stolen base derby.

---

I have no kids behind my son and no skin left (past 9u) in this argument, but I am not opposed to it. I think this would be a good change for PG.

Edit -- I would like the catchers getting some work, but like you said, the pitchers really need to get comfortable just throwing at 9. I wouldn't allow leads, but I would allow steals once the ball crosses the plate.

baseballaficionado said:

---

West Roxbury said:

---

96ags said:

---

baseballaficionado said:

---

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

My son is 7 and is just about to start his 8u season on Saturday (first practice) We play rec ball and he enjoys it and if that continues we will see where is goes from there when he is 11 or so. I am in no rush and neither is he. He enjoys playing and that is all that I really care about. Could he do more if I push more, probably, could he also get pissed and quit also possible so we go with the flow because, he's 7. Past season we have had 12 on the team and at most usually only had maybe 1 miss per practice. New league this year and we have 13 kids, 5 are new to our team so we shall see how that goes.

I coach his teams, never intended to do that going in to this but his first year the team didn't have a coach and I figured better to do it myself as I played my whole life and coached high school ball then get irritated with a dad that volunteers and didn't know anything.

My son is the second smallest on the team, the smallest kid is barely 7 playing up so he's on the same team as his brother who is the oldest on the team. I only allowed this because I watched the younger one play some at our practices the year before...he's better than his older brother all around skill wise. Age wise we have 8 that are already 8, 3 others will turn 8 before the season ends. The other dads like to joke that the two smallest on the team have the two strongest arms, I just shrug.

---

I know not everyone agrees, but if your kid is good enough and wants to, you need to get him on a select team by at least 9u, which is the start of kid pitch.

You are already behind because select coach pitch starts at 6u and gets pretty competitive by 8u. Rec just isn't going to replace the competition and reps. If your rec team pitchers walk everyone, or your kid strikes everyone out, your 1st baseman never gets any throws because nobody is stopping the ball, etc. -- you are just spinning your wheels -- which is fine if the family just wants to view it as an activity.

---

Nonsense. Kids aren't behind anything at 8 or 11.

---

Ditto. I'd say the move to the bigger fields around 13 is about the right time to get super serious assuming three things: (1) your child is a good enough athlete and is playing multiple sports and his athleticism will win in the end, (2) the local little league or rec league has some redeeming qualities (there are some good ones out there but fewer) and (3) your child is getting good instruction and development from some reputable source (even if 1:1). One of my son's started select ball at 10u, continued to play multiple sports, and will pitch at the collegiate level next season after finishing his HS year. The other started at 10 and is finishing his junior year in college ball.

What I see lacking at the high school level and even small college D2 D3 level is the lack of overall athleticism. Yes, select ball helps hone those baseball skills and, yes, eventually playing a 30-50 game 9 month schedule each year may be in order. But I was always amazed a the raw athletes who would get more serious about baseball at middle school age and within a couple or seasons bypass the baseball lifers. Those were not my sons. We don't have that level of athleticism. My only point is to look for the positives of rec ball for as long as you can find them. The time commitment to tournament baseball (especially if multiple kids at multiple age groups or different activities) can be a strain on the family. Fun as anything. But huge time commitment.

---

Outside of the reps, better competition, coaching, etc. here is what y'all are missing:

A lifelong LL kid doesn't even get to take a lead off a base until he is 13 years old. PG, USSSA, etc. have leads at 9u. So, there are no leads/base running, pickoffs, etc. even being worked on in Little League. Select ball has a five year advantage on pickoffs, lead offs and advanced base running.

A lifelong LL kid is playing on tiny base paths and throwing from short mound distances. LL has 12U throwing from 46 feet, when 11U select is throwing from 50. 11U select is on 70 foot base paths, while 11U LL is at 50 feet.

Select ball does a much better job of introducing you to real baseball and gradually moving you to a regulation sized field. That lifelong Little Leaguer is going to be at a severe disadvantage at 60x90 in high school. Sure, there are probably some really good athletes that will adjust, but your average kid will not be up to par for even the freshman team.

---

You do realize that majority of this thread and especially Texas in fact, does not, play little league ball right? People call it league ball but it isn't affiliated with the little league organization or play by their rules

TarponChaser said:

---

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

One of our moms brought her camera to the game this past week…

---

Looks like the kid here is just a bit under the pitch but all in all, that pic looks like the kid has a great swing. Head down watching the ball, hands inside the baseball so he's staying connected, palm up/palm down bat control, and nice weight transfer in the feet.

One of the most difficult things in coach pitch is finding somebody to throw strikes to the kids. It's such a fine line to walk because, and it's a bit counter-intuitive, the pitches need to be firm and fairly flat while not being overpowering rather than lobbing the ball up there. But there's such a disparity in strike zones (and let's face it, the hitting zone on most 7-year old kids is tiny) and how a kid will swing the bat. Some kids have their foot in a bucket and are stepping way out because they're terrified of getting hit. Some kids just stick the bat out there. Some kids wait to swing until the ball is past them. And then there are kids like in the picture that are pretty dialed in on their swing. I've tried being the dad/coach who pitches and I have no desire to do it again.

---

Thanks Tarp, we have put in a ton of work the last few months critiquing the small stuff but it is slowly starting to pay off. This game was the first I pitched this year, I've pitched all of his previous 4 seasons but our new league will call outs if the pitcher coaches so I asked another dad to step in so I could coach…it just wasn't working and the kids weren't getting enough quality pitches.

Your description of kids this age is dead on for our team, my son is the smallest, well tied for smallest, and also the youngest but far and away the most fundamentally sound. His teammates are hard to get them to understand all the points you discussed. We can get it done in drills but they haven't transferred it over to the field for the most part.

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

baseballaficionado said:

---

West Roxbury said:

---

96ags said:

---

baseballaficionado said:

---

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

My son is 7 and is just about to start his 8u season on Saturday (first practice) We play rec ball and he enjoys it and if that continues we will see where is goes from there when he is 11 or so. I am in no rush and neither is he. He enjoys playing and that is all that I really care about. Could he do more if I push more, probably, could he also get pissed and quit also possible so we go with the flow because, he's 7. Past season we have had 12 on the team and at most usually only had maybe 1 miss per practice. New league this year and we have 13 kids, 5 are new to our team so we shall see how that goes.

I coach his teams, never intended to do that going in to this but his first year the team didn't have a coach and I figured better to do it myself as I played my whole life and coached high school ball then get irritated with a dad that volunteers and didn't know anything.

My son is the second smallest on the team, the smallest kid is barely 7 playing up so he's on the same team as his brother who is the oldest on the team. I only allowed this because I watched the younger one play some at our practices the year before...he's better than his older brother all around skill wise. Age wise we have 8 that are already 8, 3 others will turn 8 before the season ends. The other dads like to joke that the two smallest on the team have the two strongest arms, I just shrug.

---

I know not everyone agrees, but if your kid is good enough and wants to, you need to get him on a select team by at least 9u, which is the start of kid pitch.

You are already behind because select coach pitch starts at 6u and gets pretty competitive by 8u. Rec just isn't going to replace the competition and reps. If your rec team pitchers walk everyone, or your kid strikes everyone out, your 1st baseman never gets any throws because nobody is stopping the ball, etc. -- you are just spinning your wheels -- which is fine if the family just wants to view it as an activity.

---

Nonsense. Kids aren't behind anything at 8 or 11.

---

Ditto. I'd say the move to the bigger fields around 13 is about the right time to get super serious assuming three things: (1) your child is a good enough athlete and is playing multiple sports and his athleticism will win in the end, (2) the local little league or rec league has some redeeming qualities (there are some good ones out there but fewer) and (3) your child is getting good instruction and development from some reputable source (even if 1:1). One of my son's started select ball at 10u, continued to play multiple sports, and will pitch at the collegiate level next season after finishing his HS year. The other started at 10 and is finishing his junior year in college ball.

What I see lacking at the high school level and even small college D2 D3 level is the lack of overall athleticism. Yes, select ball helps hone those baseball skills and, yes, eventually playing a 30-50 game 9 month schedule each year may be in order. But I was always amazed a the raw athletes who would get more serious about baseball at middle school age and within a couple or seasons bypass the baseball lifers. Those were not my sons. We don't have that level of athleticism. My only point is to look for the positives of rec ball for as long as you can find them. The time commitment to tournament baseball (especially if multiple kids at multiple age groups or different activities) can be a strain on the family. Fun as anything. But huge time commitment.

---

Outside of the reps, better competition, coaching, etc. here is what y'all are missing:

A lifelong LL kid doesn't even get to take a lead off a base until he is 13 years old. PG, USSSA, etc. have leads at 9u. So, there are no leads/base running, pickoffs, etc. even being worked on in Little League. Select ball has a five year advantage on pickoffs, lead offs and advanced base running.

A lifelong LL kid is playing on tiny base paths and throwing from short mound distances. LL has 12U throwing from 46 feet, when 11U select is throwing from 50. 11U select is on 70 foot base paths, while 11U LL is at 50 feet.

Select ball does a much better job of introducing you to real baseball and gradually moving you to a regulation sized field. That lifelong Little Leaguer is going to be at a severe disadvantage at 60x90 in high school. Sure, there are probably some really good athletes that will adjust, but your average kid will not be up to par for even the freshman team.

---

You do realize that majority of this thread and especially Texas in fact, does not, play little league ball right? People call it league ball but it isn't affiliated with the little league organization or play by their rules

---

I am well aware of the different leagues out there, as noted in my previous post about local Little Leagues moving to other organizations.

Good luck man.

One thing I did when I helped coach my 7-year old in league ball this past fall was try to get the kids to swing as hard as they could, even if they had a somewhat poor approach. Too many just sort of stick the bat out there. If they're swinging hard, at least they might run into one and get a hit. Just that little win helps their confidence a ton. They'll forget the whiffs if they crush just one.

To help them learn to do this we had a competition at the end of every practice where I put a heavy ball on the tee and they got one swing to hit the ball as far and as hard as they could. A coach would mark where the ball landed (rolls don't count). And the winner would get some prize of some kind. It might have just been a blow-pop or something but it got them swinging hard vs. just standing there.

Also, to help them learn to track fly balls I have a bucket of tennis balls and old racquet. Line them up in the outfield and bomb flies at them with the tennis balls. They learn to track the ball, have soft hands when they catch it, and if they miss it and take a ball of the face or something it's a tennis ball so it won't hurt much at all. As always make it a competition so whoever catches the most (or comes the closest) gets a small prize of some kind.

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

One of our moms brought her camera to the game this past week…

---

Looks like the kid here is just a bit under the pitch but all in all, that pic looks like the kid has a great swing. Head down watching the ball, hands inside the baseball so he's staying connected, palm up/palm down bat control, and nice weight transfer in the feet.

One of the most difficult things in coach pitch is finding somebody to throw strikes to the kids. It's such a fine line to walk because, and it's a bit counter-intuitive, the pitches need to be firm and fairly flat while not being overpowering rather than lobbing the ball up there. But there's such a disparity in strike zones (and let's face it, the hitting zone on most 7-year old kids is tiny) and how a kid will swing the bat. Some kids have their foot in a bucket and are stepping way out because they're terrified of getting hit. Some kids just stick the bat out there. Some kids wait to swing until the ball is past them. And then there are kids like in the picture that are pretty dialed in on their swing. I've tried being the dad/coach who pitches and I have no desire to do it again.

---

Thanks Tarp, we have put in a ton of work the last few months critiquing the small stuff but it is slowly starting to pay off. This game was the first I pitched this year, I've pitched all of his previous 4 seasons but our new league will call outs if the pitcher coaches so I asked another dad to step in so I could coach…it just wasn't working and the kids weren't getting enough quality pitches.

Your description of kids this age is dead on for our team, my son is the smallest, well tied for smallest, and also the youngest but far and away the most fundamentally sound. His teammates are hard to get them to understand all the points you discussed. We can get it done in drills but they haven't transferred it over to the field for the most part.

---

His swing looks really good! He'll have the family traveling PG tournaments within the next two years.

I know that field. Are y'all 7u or 8u?

baseballaficionado said:

---

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

TarponChaser said:

---

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

One of our moms brought her camera to the game this past week…

---

Looks like the kid here is just a bit under the pitch but all in all, that pic looks like the kid has a great swing. Head down watching the ball, hands inside the baseball so he's staying connected, palm up/palm down bat control, and nice weight transfer in the feet.

One of the most difficult things in coach pitch is finding somebody to throw strikes to the kids. It's such a fine line to walk because, and it's a bit counter-intuitive, the pitches need to be firm and fairly flat while not being overpowering rather than lobbing the ball up there. But there's such a disparity in strike zones (and let's face it, the hitting zone on most 7-year old kids is tiny) and how a kid will swing the bat. Some kids have their foot in a bucket and are stepping way out because they're terrified of getting hit. Some kids just stick the bat out there. Some kids wait to swing until the ball is past them. And then there are kids like in the picture that are pretty dialed in on their swing. I've tried being the dad/coach who pitches and I have no desire to do it again.

---

Thanks Tarp, we have put in a ton of work the last few months critiquing the small stuff but it is slowly starting to pay off. This game was the first I pitched this year, I've pitched all of his previous 4 seasons but our new league will call outs if the pitcher coaches so I asked another dad to step in so I could coach…it just wasn't working and the kids weren't getting enough quality pitches.

Your description of kids this age is dead on for our team, my son is the smallest, well tied for smallest, and also the youngest but far and away the most fundamentally sound. His teammates are hard to get them to understand all the points you discussed. We can get it done in drills but they haven't transferred it over to the field for the most part.

---

His swing looks really good! He'll have the family traveling PG tournaments within the next two years.

---

10/11 is the target. He's in 8u currently but only 7. If/when we move to a select group he will play in the appropriate age group

96ags said:

---

baseballaficionado said:

---

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

baseballaficionado said:

---

West Roxbury said:

---

96ags said:

---

baseballaficionado said:

---

Lonestar_Ag09 said:

---

My son is 7 and is just about to start his 8u season on Saturday (first practice) We play rec ball and he enjoys it and if that continues we will see where is goes from there when he is 11 or so. I am in no rush and neither is he. He enjoys playing and that is all that I really care about. Could he do more if I push more, probably, could he also get pissed and quit also possible so we go with the flow because, he's 7. Past season we have had 12 on the team and at most usually only had maybe 1 miss per practice. New league this year and we have 13 kids, 5 are new to our team so we shall see how that goes.

I coach his teams, never intended to do that going in to this but his first year the team didn't have a coach and I figured better to do it myself as I played my whole life and coached high school ball then get irritated with a dad that volunteers and didn't know anything.

My son is the second smallest on the team, the smallest kid is barely 7 playing up so he's on the same team as his brother who is the oldest on the team. I only allowed this because I watched the younger one play some at our practices the year before...he's better than his older brother all around skill wise. Age wise we have 8 that are already 8, 3 others will turn 8 before the season ends. The other dads like to joke that the two smallest on the team have the two strongest arms, I just shrug.

---

I know not everyone agrees, but if your kid is good enough and wants to, you need to get him on a select team by at least 9u, which is the start of kid pitch.

You are already behind because select coach pitch starts at 6u and gets pretty competitive by 8u. Rec just isn't going to replace the competition and reps. If your rec team pitchers walk everyone, or your kid strikes everyone out, your 1st baseman never gets any throws because nobody is stopping the ball, etc. -- you are just spinning your wheels -- which is fine if the family just wants to view it as an activity.

---

Nonsense. Kids aren't behind anything at 8 or 11.

---

Ditto. I'd say the move to the bigger fields around 13 is about the right time to get super serious assuming three things: (1) your child is a good enough athlete and is playing multiple sports and his athleticism will win in the end, (2) the local little league or rec league has some redeeming qualities (there are some good ones out there but fewer) and (3) your child is getting good instruction and development from some reputable source (even if 1:1). One of my son's started select ball at 10u, continued to play multiple sports, and will pitch at the collegiate level next season after finishing his HS year. The other started at 10 and is finishing his junior year in college ball.

What I see lacking at the high school level and even small college D2 D3 level is the lack of overall athleticism. Yes, select ball helps hone those baseball skills and, yes, eventually playing a 30-50 game 9 month schedule each year may be in order. But I was always amazed a the raw athletes who would get more serious about baseball at middle school age and within a couple or seasons bypass the baseball lifers. Those were not my sons. We don't have that level of athleticism. My only point is to look for the positives of rec ball for as long as you can find them. The time commitment to tournament baseball (especially if multiple kids at multiple age groups or different activities) can be a strain on the family. Fun as anything. But huge time commitment.

---

Outside of the reps, better competition, coaching, etc. here is what y'all are missing:

A lifelong LL kid doesn't even get to take a lead off a base until he is 13 years old. PG, USSSA, etc. have leads at 9u. So, there are no leads/base running, pickoffs, etc. even being worked on in Little League. Select ball has a five year advantage on pickoffs, lead offs and advanced base running.

A lifelong LL kid is playing on tiny base paths and throwing from short mound distances. LL has 12U throwing from 46 feet, when 11U select is throwing from 50. 11U select is on 70 foot base paths, while 11U LL is at 50 feet.

Select ball does a much better job of introducing you to real baseball and gradually moving you to a regulation sized field. That lifelong Little Leaguer is going to be at a severe disadvantage at 60x90 in high school. Sure, there are probably some really good athletes that will adjust, but your average kid will not be up to par for even the freshman team.

---

You do realize that majority of this thread and especially Texas in fact, does not, play little league ball right? People call it league ball but it isn't affiliated with the little league organization or play by their rules

---

I am well aware of the different leagues out there, as noted in my previous post about local Little Leagues moving to other organizations.

---

With all due respect, if your oldest is playing 10u you really have no knowledge whatsoever. The are several people on this thread, myself included, who have been there at that age and much more

Many of us had kids compete at the high school, collegiate, and professional level. Believe us or not, your choice, but acting like you got it all figured out because your kid is on "majors" team at ten is ridiculous at best.

---

Past 9U doesn't mean my kid is 10u. I played college baseball and we have two family members who played pro ball, so I don't need you to patronize me.

And outside of all of that, I now run a youth baseball organization. It's a non-profit and not my main job, either. With that said, I have to keep up with the business and know the details well.

Every couple of pages on this thread y'all end up in some macho internet fight.


Think about that. Being tough. On the internet.



Geez

agsalaska said:

---

Every couple of pages on this thread y'all end up in some macho internet fight.


Think about that. Being tough. On the internet.



Geez

---

And I have started zero of it.