While I agree with you in principle, I can't come up with a significantly better solution. Grouping by age alone makes the skill gap within a team even bigger... leading (especially with older kids) to bigger problems with teasing and self-confidence.
Grouping this way, at least the little ones will be hesitant to pick on the big ones if they aren't as good, and the big ones will be roughly on a par with the little ones. It's easier for everyone to get roughly equal playing time without causing resentment on the team and it's easier to focus on learning over winning. (At least with boys and their misguided parents) the older and more skilled the player, the harder it is to get them to focus on self-improvement, team play and fun instead of winning).
While I do wish the age range were smaller, this is less dangerous than having 6-9 year olds on the same field. Since the little ones are the most athletic and experienced of the 7 & 8 year olds, I at least have confidence that they can and want to pay attention and can get out of the way in dangerous situations.
During T-ball, I had to take Nicholas and Garrett (my two mature, coordinated and athletic 5 year olds on a team of 4 & 5 year olds) aside and teach them to throw easy to everyone except one another because if they did what they were "supposed" to do, we were going end up with kids in the hospital. That's a big responsibility for a 5 year old and really not fair for where they are developmentally (at least in my opinion).
At least asking 10+ year olds to take a little something off the ball when throwing to a 7 year old to improve the chances of making a play instead of the 7 year old dropping the ball is within their ability to comprehend.
Add to all that the fact that this is still a non-competitive league (no playoffs, no trophies, no all-star teams) I *should* be able to get everyone to focus on team play, good sportsmanship and self improvement. Of course, the onus is entirely on me. In t-ball, that part was pretty easy... the kids never even knew who was winning during a game... they were lucky to know how many outs there were! In a competitive league, kids and parents have to accept that by signing up for a competitive league, they are agreeing to skill-based playing time and position selection during games. (And yes, kids/parents of all ages through at least HS have non-competitive leagues available).
So, (after being interrupted about 6 times and losing my train of thought) I'm stressed out because I want to to it well. Because I want all of the kids to improve their skills, learn and practice good sportsmanship and teamwork, have fun, encourage appropriate degrees of self-confidence (i.e. somewhere between "I suck" and "I'm the best in the world"... ideally close to "I can do this if I try, and it doesn't matter how well other kids do it.") and be safe.
None of these are mutually exclusive, but I feel like the balance points are going to be very different for almost every member of the team. In t-ball, there were the 9 kids in the middle, Nicholas and Garrett on the "good & arrogant about it" side and one at the "I'm afraid for his safety" side. In that case, the father of the "I'm afraid for his safety" boy was my assistant coach and Garrett's father and I got together early and established a plan for humbling Nicholas and Garrett... the two of them made quick friends and I'd give them little side competitions against one another... This way they both had a chance to "win and lose", they both inspired one another to work harder and because they were friends, they were both happy for the other when either of them did a good job.
I'm sure I'll figure it out. I care about the kids. I'm willing to put in the time, effort, thought, research, etc. to do a good job. I know when to ask for help (I called my father, like, a million times during t-ball season 2 years ago) and (at least as a ball coach) I'm humble enough to admit to my mistakes and fix them.
As far as it being Feb... Yeah, that is kinda odd, but I'd rather play now than late into the summer!
Grouping this way, at least the little ones will be hesitant to pick on the big ones if they aren't as good, and the big ones will be roughly on a par with the little ones. It's easier for everyone to get roughly equal playing time without causing resentment on the team and it's easier to focus on learning over winning. (At least with boys and their misguided parents) the older and more skilled the player, the harder it is to get them to focus on self-improvement, team play and fun instead of winning).
While I do wish the age range were smaller, this is less dangerous than having 6-9 year olds on the same field. Since the little ones are the most athletic and experienced of the 7 & 8 year olds, I at least have confidence that they can and want to pay attention and can get out of the way in dangerous situations.
During T-ball, I had to take Nicholas and Garrett (my two mature, coordinated and athletic 5 year olds on a team of 4 & 5 year olds) aside and teach them to throw easy to everyone except one another because if they did what they were "supposed" to do, we were going end up with kids in the hospital. That's a big responsibility for a 5 year old and really not fair for where they are developmentally (at least in my opinion).
At least asking 10+ year olds to take a little something off the ball when throwing to a 7 year old to improve the chances of making a play instead of the 7 year old dropping the ball is within their ability to comprehend.
Add to all that the fact that this is still a non-competitive league (no playoffs, no trophies, no all-star teams) I *should* be able to get everyone to focus on team play, good sportsmanship and self improvement. Of course, the onus is entirely on me. In t-ball, that part was pretty easy... the kids never even knew who was winning during a game... they were lucky to know how many outs there were! In a competitive league, kids and parents have to accept that by signing up for a competitive league, they are agreeing to skill-based playing time and position selection during games. (And yes, kids/parents of all ages through at least HS have non-competitive leagues available).
So, (after being interrupted about 6 times and losing my train of thought) I'm stressed out because I want to to it well. Because I want all of the kids to improve their skills, learn and practice good sportsmanship and teamwork, have fun, encourage appropriate degrees of self-confidence (i.e. somewhere between "I suck" and "I'm the best in the world"... ideally close to "I can do this if I try, and it doesn't matter how well other kids do it.") and be safe.
None of these are mutually exclusive, but I feel like the balance points are going to be very different for almost every member of the team. In t-ball, there were the 9 kids in the middle, Nicholas and Garrett on the "good & arrogant about it" side and one at the "I'm afraid for his safety" side. In that case, the father of the "I'm afraid for his safety" boy was my assistant coach and Garrett's father and I got together early and established a plan for humbling Nicholas and Garrett... the two of them made quick friends and I'd give them little side competitions against one another... This way they both had a chance to "win and lose", they both inspired one another to work harder and because they were friends, they were both happy for the other when either of them did a good job.
I'm sure I'll figure it out. I care about the kids. I'm willing to put in the time, effort, thought, research, etc. to do a good job. I know when to ask for help (I called my father, like, a million times during t-ball season 2 years ago) and (at least as a ball coach) I'm humble enough to admit to my mistakes and fix them.
As far as it being Feb... Yeah, that is kinda odd, but I'd rather play now than late into the summer!
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