We're in our second year of a JV program here, and I agree with what's been said so far. We're running an almost entirely 7th and 8th grade JV squad, and they are out there for the love of playing. It does help a LOT to have a JV coach who encourages both fun and commitment. They'll probably take some pretty hefty losses at first, but if you can make them feel proud of what they do accomplish, they'll keep coming back for more.
One good way to get things started is to let the high school players visit the middle school to talk to the players and drum up interest; let them see older role models who obviously enjoy the sport and take pride in playing, and they'll come. We had almost 25 come try out from the middle school alone this year, with a lot of returners from last year...I really like the direction the program is going right now!
Personally, I like a mixture of regular season and tournaments. The more games they can get in, the better; actually playing tends to be the most rewarding thing about the season. I'd try to pick the tournaments carefully, though...try to match them with teams of similar talent levels so they can feel competitive and get some good experience at the same time.
Also, let them get to know the varsity coaches and players; give them a good idea what they're building towards. If the varsity squad is something they look forward to being a part of eventually, they'll put the effort in to reach that goal. Overall, let them know that they're part of the program, with good things ahead of them. This is the time that they need to learn to love the game...it will pay off in effort later.
