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Considering the purpose of the IFR (to prevent defense from intentionally failing to catch the ball and then turning an easy double play), I've always been a proponent of dropping IFR at 10U. How many 10U teams out there have enough talent to intentionally drop a fly ball in the infield and then still get 2 outs. If a coach tried to coach this - he'd likely get NO outs way more often than he'd get 2.
To answer your question, the talent level of the players DOES matter when judging ordinary effort, as the definition of ORDINARY is different for 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 18U. At 10U, it almost has to be right to a player's initial position (or very close), and of decent height (and little wind). At 18U, pretty much anything of decent height ANYWHERE on or near the infield is likely an IFF.
Call it at the apex. If it's not high enough for you to judge that quickly, it's probably not IFF.
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"Many baseball fans look upon an umpire as a sort of necessary evil to the luxury of baseball, like the odor that follows an automobile." - Hall of Fame Pitcher Christy Mathewson
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