Playing time at the 8-9 yr old level

I guess this topic is the only one that rivals all star selections for getting people up in arms!

About the only thing I read that got me stirred was finding out that winning is more important to a 9 YO than an 8 which implies its more important to a 10 than a 9, more important to an 11 than a 10 and on and on. Heck! If that was true, by the time these kids go to be 18, there'd be murders going on at every game!

Winning is always important, and there's no doubt about it, but until there's something more "on the line" than bragging rights or a trophy, kids just don't let either one get to them nearly as much as their parent do! Kids are much more focused on their performance than the team because that's how kids think!

Until they get to be in their mid to late teens, the concept of Team Vs. Me is a very difficult concept for all but the most mature kids. Its difficult enough for adults to deal with, let alone children!

Unless you are dealing with some kids a lot more precocious than what I've seen in my 50+ years of dealing with youth baseball, almost every kid remembers that he got a hit, stole 2nd, caught that fly or grounder or even struck out a heck of a lot longer than whether or not the team won the game.

Everyone, me included keeps assigning adult expectations to kids and all that does is cause trouble! LET 'EM PLAY!

Who's really to say if one kid works harder than another? The only way that can possibly be done is if the same person watches both kids every hour of every day and then all you can possibly do is guess which one works harder or which one loves the game more!

Because the little fat kid doesn't run out every hit or dive for every ball, does that mean he isn't trying as hard as the one that does? If the shy little guy doesn't come running to the coach asking him to pound more grounders at him, does that mean he doesn't love the game as much as one who does?

I've said it before and gotten my backside pummeled for it, but I'm gonna say it again, sports at the lower levels just doesn't mean as much to the kids as it does later on. You may think it does, but it doesn't! at the early ages, its far more important that kids be given a chance to play than it is to win.

There are all kinds of avenues for parents like me who believe their kid is top of the heap. You can scratch, scrimp, save and dump money into equipment and PC's. If you work hard enough at it, you can always find a team that has "better" players and participates in a more competitive format.

Just because an 6-14 YO isn't a gifted as the better players doesn't mean they won't be and that's why they all need to play! The only thing harder to watch than a kid who was the "stud" get caught and passed by the kid no one else wanted on their team, is see what it does to the "ex-studs" parents! When it finally dawns on them that the best their kid will every do is to PH, PR or maybe get to throw some garbage innings, its painful to watch.

All you can do is, try to make sure the coach your kid plays for does things fairly, or coach his team yourself and do it "right". Unless you want to get on the board of your league, that's really all you can do.