Players playing up?

[fastpitchdadd]

What are your thoughts on say 8th, 9th, even 10th graders playing over say 11th and 12th graders. For those that have had under classman playing up, what was the reactions from the older players & especially the parents attitudes?

[metman08]

What are your thoughts on say 8th, 9th, even 10th graders playing over say 11th and 12th graders. For those that have had under classman playing up, what was the reactions from the older players & especially the parents attitudes?

 

I don't have a big problem with it as long as they can play and contribute as much as an upper classman. My only problem is you should only get 4 years of high school or varsity play. So if you play as an 8th Grader then you've only got 3 years of eligibility in high school. You should not be able to play 5 years of high school ball.

[3rdbasecoach]

What are your thoughts on say 8th, 9th, even 10th graders playing over say 11th and 12th graders. For those that have had under classman playing up, what was the reactions from the older players & especially the parents attitudes?

 

The most talented player should play, period. The competition from younger players should only serve as motivation for the older players. Competition makes everyone better and should provide a warning to the less talented that reads: " Get your crap together or get crapped on!"

[bluefan23]

I agree completly 3rdbasecoach. I also agree that players should only get 4 years of highschool ball except in the smaller schools that would have trouble fielding a team. Any coach should play their best 9 no matter what grade they are in or else high school ball would just be glorified rec. ball

[Hunter1]

I totally agree the best 9 should play. I don't understand why you feel 4 years should be it. If an 8th grader is good enough to play up, why take a year away from the kid.

[3rdbasecoach]

I totally agree the best 9 should play. I don't understand why you feel 4 years should be it. If an 8th grader is good enough to play up, why take a year away from the kid.

 

As most of you have witnessesed, there are several 8th graders out there that could start on any-sized school team. I'm not familiar with the rules that govern when and where an 8th grader can play up. I have mixed feelings on the 4 year limit. When you have a dominant 8th grader, I can't see keeping her down and suppressing her growth and developement. I also understand the maturity factor and putting her in an enviroment that may cause her to regress. In the end, I would probably let her play up.

[bluefan23]

Hunter I am all for playing up. Our situation at our school 8th graders would aide us greatly. But I also would like to see school ball become more prestigious (spell ck) especially in the smaller schools which would mean more quality players and 8th graders having to wait. We know for the most part its not that way. TSSAA rules strangle school ball from becoming what it should be.

[Indian]

Related subject, when a high school has only one feeder as in the case with some county schools, I'd like to see the 8th graders eligible even if the building isn't connected physically or by name. Here, the middle school is about 100 yards if that from the high school, but 8th graders can't compete at the high school level no matter their ability.

[wishiknewBB]

Dont the TSSAA set your single A double AA triple AAA ranking on how many kids you have enrolled in your High School? If so wouldnt you have to count the younger classes if you plan to use them in your program which could possibly bring your ranking up. You could be a single A school and play in the double or triple A class if you choose to use these extra kids. If you have 500 kids in your high school and you try to use Jr. high girls wouldnt that be like a high school recruiting home school kids? I know a couple of home school kids that play excellent softball. Not sure what all the rules are but thaught I would throw my two cents in.

[Indian]

Good points, but the eighth graders who were mentally and physically ready to play even high school jv would be few and far between. I wouldn't think the entire 8th grade enrollment would count. When a 8th grader does play with a high school varsity, it was mentioned CPA's second leading scorer this year is an 8th grader, I don't think it counts on their enrollment.

[wishiknewBB]

There is only a small percentage of kids in every grade that have the ability to compete in high school sports. So to say we can use some kids outside of the box without counting these children is not a fair game.Straight up players should not be able to play up without being counted by the TSSAA grading system. If you count the whole ninth grade class because maybe one ninth grader is playing. Then you should count the whole 8th grade class because there is one 8th grader that can play.

[Indian]

Then they need to reclassify the private schools that use 8th graders, as well as the rural 7-12 types that have them too.