Starting travel ball at 11 vs 12
My daughter is 10 and just finished her 4th year of softball. She is talented, she played SS all last year including all stars and started pitching this year. Had fun and honestly surpassed any expectations that we had. Plenty of strike outs with a few walks mixed in. She gets pitching lessons.
We got pressured to have her join a new travel team after last season, we declined due to the coaches experience and the commitment. She also plays a winter sport. So now another local travel program has started and they want her to play.
Just looking for experiences and input from parents who faced a similar dilemma for their young child. My kid does have talent but I realize the chances of her getting a scholarship at any level is extremely unlikely/not gonna happen. We just want her to have fun, get some development, and not burn out.
But little league level ball around here at the 10u and 12u level is meh. Little league now days isn't like the little league I played from the early 90s to 2000. All the decent players AND coaches have moved to travel ball.
We're leading towards having her play 1 more year of (this fall and next spring) little league and then move her to travel ball for her age 12 season. We also have another daughter that plays travel soccer on the weekends. Little league around here is only during the week.
Anyone here regret not starting travel ball sooner for their kid?