between a rock and a hard place

Disagree.  A lot of schools have a Freshman Team.

Godzilla, does he love to play?  Does he like his friends at school?  What does he want his overall HS experience to be?  Would he rather be at home playing video games or hanging out at the market or the park than involved with baseball?  Is there a sport or other activity he'd rather be involved in?

 

He is a freshman.  His degree of love/interest in the game, work ethic, attitude and talent will earn his rightful spot in the program soon enough.  Every HS program has their strengths and weaknesses, none perfect.  But there is something very special about HS sports, trials and all.  He'll have plenty of travel options outside of the HS season. 

 

Stick around this site.  Search past threads on any topic. Try to take any criticism constructively.  I think you will find it to be a tremendous tool to help you navigate the years ahead as a dad or mom of a baseball player.

Plus - they have to pay the assistants.  In our District, the coaches don't get much money for assistants, so the player fees help cover it.

Definitely stick around and play.  I felt my son should have been on Varsity or JV as a Freshman, but the coach kept him down.  Turned out great for him.  Also, son sat the bench quite a bit this year in football. It was the first time in his life that he had ever experienced that.  I could not have been more proud of how he continued to lead the team by being a positive influence on the other QB and his teammates.  Tell your son to play and be positive.  It will pay off!

Godzilla,  How is the Varsity team at your school? Our school is very similar to yours in that freshman and sophmores play JV and juniors and seniors play Varsity regardless of talent level.  I have no idea why, both teams end up weak, and he could probably field a more competitive team if he were to do it differently.  I have a freshman again, so we are about to start this all over.  When my older son was a freshman he had hopes of making Varsity. The varsity team was coming off an 0-20 season. (we didnt know about his rule yet) He was put on JV and was obviously upset. He felt he should and could compete at the varsity level.  He stuck it out and played the 1st 2 weeks of the season on JV.  He did great.  Jv ended up having a week off, but varsity was still playing and practicing.  He asked the varsity coach if he could attend the varsity practices since he wanted to get some work in and JV was off. He allowed him to attend and my son worked his butt off.  The varsity team was struggling so he gave him a shot.  He pitched the next game and it was the 1st game they won.  He has been a starter ever since.  I finally had a chance to talk to the coach last year.  He couldn't give my son enough compliments.  He said he was actually shocked when he asked to attend practice as a freshman.  Most kids are happy when they don't have practice.  How could he say no. He said his work ethic and competitive drive have been contagious.  He helps out other players, staying after practice to work on pitching, or throw extra pop ups or grounders, and more kids care because he cares so much.  That he was a great teammate, a leader, and a great role model for other kids, and most importantly he never makes anyone feel like they are not good enough. (which as a mom you always want to hear that you a raising a good person) This team, although probably not going to win a championship, has improved so much that they were a game short of making playoffs for the 1st time in 17 years last year. I'm not going to lie, so of these game have been tough to watch, and my son is a pitcher so of course some nights he has come home frustrated.  I'm never going to tell anyone what the best thing to do is, but this was our experience and I think he learned a lot from it and shaped him into who he is today. Personally I don't like my kids to quit anything.  I always like them to stick things out and see what good they can make of a situation. You never know, your son could get moved up shortly after the season starts. My son always had his summer team that was really good. He always had private lessons and workouts that he did on his own so I don't think the few months of school ball harmed him in any way.  By the way, his college coach did call the HS coach and only asked about him as a person and a teammate. Good luck with your decision. 

Godzilla - you are getting a lot of great advice on this thread. I hope it all works out for your son.

Just to add my two cents. We are in a similar position as you. We have a Freshman that could easily play on JV or Varsity at our school. Our school is very weak in baseball, to the point that my son played JV and a little Varsity summer ball with the HS last year. He was the #3 hitter and started every game for JV. That being said, he will most likely play Freshman ball this year. He might see some time at JV but only part time.

Although disappointing to my son, it's our job as his parents to help him see the positives and encourage him to continue to work hard. He has an opportunity to be a leader and set an example. The biggest challenge will be making sure he continues to improve and stays focused. There are lessons to be learned in every situation.

Hopefully, everything will work out in the end and you can look back on this year with good memories.

I would say get one of those reclining chairs and sit back and enjoy it. I wish our school had a freshman team. Due to a lack of talent unless something crazy happens my son will be playing varsity next year as a freshman and I am dreading it. I would much prefer his first year in HS ball be with other freshmen instead of possibly 19 year olds.

I agree. Sit back and enjoy. My son's HS team had 3 teams as well. He was the only freshman to not play on the freshman team. He pitched varsity and played SS on JV. He has often said how he really liked that situation and the challenge, but in a way, he wished he could have played some freshman ball to play with his friends and kind of "show his stuff". He did well where he was , but would have dominated and had a lot of fun at the lower levels.

It is what it is. Encourage your son to have fun with his friends. As the dad, enjoy whatever level of baseball your son is playing, it will be over before you know it. The HS years literally just flew by.

My son is a Freshman at a D1 and looking back some of our most wasted energy was did he make varsity as a Freshman or Sophomore in High School ( he did not) enjoy wherever he plays.Some kids develop later. Every year I watch and listen to this parent angst and it sorts itself out by talent,  sometimes the can't miss studs at 14 and 15 don't develop and get passed by others. If they truly are studs enjoy watching them play as they progress.

Thanks for all the words of wisdom. Our disappointment has waned some. We will play with a smile and give 110% on the field and as parents. Play Ball!!!!!

It's going to be a long four years if something like this has you questioning HS ball. Your son has not played one game and you are unhappy. Are you sharing displeasure/criticism w son. if so try not to be critical of coach in front of him. He needs to learn life is not fair, and to have a respectful working relationship w coaches. What ever u do don't go to coach saying you feel your son is better than others and should play up.

Many Freshmen who play up end up sitting the bench waiting to go in. Players cannot get better if they don't play. Go with it and if son is truly a very good player he will get noticed. 

Relax and enjoy the games, before you know it he ll be a Sr. and you'll wonder how it went so fast.

good luck

Suck it up. Parents need to understand that to most coaches subvarsity is subvarsity. No point in getting hung up on C vs JV crap. 

 

We're lucky enough to have a pretty talented group of Freshmen this year. My plan is to keep them all together on the freshmen team if possible. Them playing and traveling together for a whole year is more important than getting to say they play JV ball.  Always done it this way and had some success with it. To me it's about where a kid can get reps and develop, and who they're getting reps with.

       
       
I have never felt that way.  Especially any kid I might feel can play varsity as a sophomore I would want on JV as a freshman.   If the OP is still out there and paying attention to this thread I am wondering if I misunderstood original question.  My understanding was that you were up in the air about which situation (travel or hs) was best for your sons development.  I think a lot understood it as 'since my son didn't make jv I am mad and want to take my bat and ball and go elsewhere'  which is correct?  Cause if it is the latter then I would more agree with the group and just give you a 'really'?  But if it is about development I may (even as a high school coach myself) tend to think travel ball is the right choice.  Please chime back in if you read this.

What do you feel he gets in JV games that's important? 

 

If I have a freshman that may play on varsity as a Soph, he'll be with varsity a lot in practice. He'll face our varsity arms live in controlled situations. He'll get defensive reps off of varsity bats, etc. 

 

I never thought that the 3 or 4 ABs he'll get in the game will make him vastly better against JV competition than Freshmen. And he may get 2 or 3 defensive reps depending. I feel like we get him prepared for varsity in practice more than games.

 

I feel like the change in atmosphere and pressure is vastly different from subvarsity to varsity, and that's what takes the most adjustment for a lot of our kids, if we've prepared them well in practice. I don't think there's any change in that atmosphere from Freshmen to JV.

       
       
I think a lot of this comes down to your area.  Where I was born and raised and did my first 15 years of coaching it was a baseball mecca.  In this case while we did bring kids up to sophomore team as freshmen You are correct it probably wouldn't have mattered much.  We had some great (kids who went on to be drafted) players on our freshman teams.  And we played top notch competition.  So while the competition was better at the sophomore level it wasn't a huge gulf between the two.  Fast forward to today and I now coach in an area where great baseball is only a rumor.  There is a difference you can't possibly understand unless you see it between freshman and jv and then again from jv to varsity.  Its like the difference between t ball 13 travel and college ball.  In this case I would not want a player with high potential playing freshman baseball

That makes sense, too. If there was a big difference I'd want to develop my kids on JV. We're lucky that they'll get good game reps at either level, and I've found a little success at the "lower" level of freshmen ball can make a world of difference in confidence in their first year of HS ball. 

 

That's the fun thing about baseball, there's a thousand "right" ways to do everything. Just depends on circumstances.

I have 4 sons, and four times I have had the "where will the freshman end up " question.

2013 played on the JV as freshman and soph. ( man I wanted him on the varisty, I could see the potential , but he needed development) Then varisty as jr and sr.  never was the ace of the staff. fast forward he's in the rotation for the #2 ranked JUCO and signed D1 deal.

2014  played JV as freshman, (again I wanted him in the V so badly) started V as soph, Jr , as Sr.was ace of staff.  on same Juco team...  Not in the rotation... long releif weekday starter

 

2016  played JV as freshman started V as soph and is Ace as Jr..... (but is not quite as good as previous two)  weaker team  Never really thought about him playing V as freshman

 

2018  current freshman ( has been told he is going to pitch V  as a freshman ) and my first reaction.... "Oh man I don't know if that's a good idea just yet" 

 

My how I have changed through the years...... enjoy the game in front of you ... if he's good it all works out.  FYI we had no freshman team..... frosh and soph on JV

Not sure how any coach that is coaching a "competitive" team can possibly look at himself in the mirror in the morning if he isn't doing EVERYTHING he can to help his team be successful......read that to mean PLAY YOUR BEST!!!   Don't get me wrong...I'm not talking about LL or rec ball, but HS is about winning baseball games.  I don't care if a kid is a 14 year old freshman who is 5'0 and 90 lbs....if he can handle it...and is the best 2nd baseman....then play him at 2nd base.  If a Senior wants to play...simple...get better.  How do you expect freshmen and sophomores to learn about working hard and earning a position if they don't have a chance to do that.  It promotes laziness in everyone...the younger kids because they know they won't move up...and the seniors because they know they'll play regardless of their talent or work ethic.  Nothing good ever comes from a philosophy of playing the older kids first....or playing kids with their own grade.

It just seems to me that in most cases Fresh/soph playing varsity is more a reflection of the lack of depth/talent at the school than a kid's skill set.  That doesn't mean the young kid doesn't have the skill.  But it is literally men vs. boys.  In our area, it is very rare that underclassmen get moved up to varsity.  They usually stay with their grade level.  The depth of talent is just too strong. 

It is rare in our area too but it does happen.   We had a SS back 2007 that played four years on Varsity,  he's with the White Sox org now.  

 

 

It's rare for a freshmen to make the varsity squad here as well.  In part because the coach doesn't even look at freshmen for varsity.  He only considers sophomores, juniors and seniors.  

 

Yes, it is men vs boys in some cases.

 

 

It will work out..... A popular saying that has become my pet peeve is, "It is what it is"..... No, it is what you make it. So is you want to be sour and complain about your situation, that is what you will get. If you want to be positive and energetic about your situation, then good things will happen.

 

So many variables in your story to give specific advice. He is one example. I have run 4 teams at a high school. Our best two teams were the varsity and jv. The freshmen played on a team and if you did not fit into one of these categories, you were on the other team. Your coach may be some version of this. 

 

Be glad they are trying to run as many teams as possible. I know that almost every year I have a player that most would have cut as a freshman that ends up as a player on the varsity by the time he is a sr.

 

Crap even I fit that group. I enter HS as a gangly uncoordinated 9th grader and graduated as a 6'2 sr throwing 90+.