Youth Sports (i.e. the thing we all loved which parents have now ruined)

But how were the beer sales? (Hi, @BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo!)

 

Ugh. Not even double elimination?

 

Unfortunately, no. Most of these tourneys are win to move on in bracket play. Most are guaranteed three games, so two are pool play. Even the bigger tourneys that guarantee four games just add two more pool play games then you have the bracket. We are playing in one big end of season tourney that is double elimination and another that gives you an extra game if you lose the first on Sunday. It does suck because I really don't care if his team wins the tourneys, I just want them to play more games to make it worth it! Not to mention. playing more games (and winning) is more fun.

 

I went to a tournament for my cousin's son. The tournament officials were just making it up as they were going along. The format changed in the middle because there wasn't enough time for all the games.

 

My middle son had himself a day yesterday:

- Started the first game of the tournament and had the game tied at a low score going into the late innings
- Broke said tie with a grand slam, his first over-the-fence home run
- Hit a double in a blowout win in the middle game
- Started off the championship in center field and threw two kids out at the plate in the first inning
- Scored the eventual winning run after being hit by a pitch
- Closed out the championship, ending the game by striking out two batters with a runner on third

 

Wow. Great job. What age?

 

10U. I would be remiss not to mention that he has an advantageous birthday and is one of the oldest kids.

 

My son is 11U. He is also older, he is the second oldest on his team. I haven't totally seen tons of physical benefits yet (will be interesting if he hits a growth spurt first), but he is one of the best on his team. While not racking up those kind of stats in a tournament yet, he threw two innings against one of the best teams in the state at the last tournament and threw 19 pitches, 15 for strikes, with one hit and no runs. That is pretty remarkable at that age, especially against that competition.

In that same tournament, there was a kid who was probably bigger than me that all the kids called a man child. I saw him hit two home runs. They weren't over the fence since the field was an adult-sized field, but the one against us almost made it to the fence in the air. A couple of our parents legit questioned if he was 11. I said I don't doubt that he was. Sometimes kids grow fast. We intentionally walked him his at-bat after the bomb he hit. Always funny to see their reaction at this age when that happens.

 

Scott Boras: 1-800-IREPYOU

 

The early/late birthday cutoff is huge.

An eight-month when we're all 40 is negligible.

But consider the math: A 10-year old is 120 months old on his 10th birthday. A kid who is 10 years, 8 months on the same day has lived nearly 10 percent longer. Somewhere there's a study showing how "oldest kids in their age group" have a distinct advantage in youth sports.

 

Cool, but let's see them enforce it. Say here, not bloody likely unless upms and the league are OK with declaring forfeits if parents violate the rule. Then somebody get shot.