Just reading this whole blog. Haven't been on much. It is the off season for my son and we are just enjoying him being around some.
I limited video games. I didn't even allow them when they first came out. He was almost 13 before he had any of them. Once in HS I limited it to the weekends, not for baseball but for academics. He had a study hall time, regardless if he said he had HW as there is always something to do.
I really think the extra work for a sport really needs to come from the kid himself. Kids go through times when they need a break, basketball season would be that time.
If the passion doesn't come from within, I think its a tough road for the relationship. As much work as my son did for baseball, if I would of forced that, it would of tarnished our relationship.
When my son began HS, we sat down and made a plan. We asked him his goals ,his were to play baseball, so we told him that we would support him in every way, but he had to maintain a certain GPA. or the most part he kept his end of the bargain,when he didn't I let him know that we would not support financially extra curricular lessons, etc ,unless he had good grades. We stuck to that .Was it always smooth, no but it was agreed upon.
Baseball is hard work. You have to work on all the skills that are required to be good at baseball, fielding, hitting, footwork ,weight training,nutrition.My son was not a premium athlete, he is a good athlete ,but as you move along there are freakish guys.The work is pretty constant.I think they have to really, really love it. I think HS will separate out many. It is ok to be a recreational baseball player.nothing wrong with that. Anything beyond HS will require a commitment that most never really understand .At that point it is so entirely in the players hands or they just wont be able to continue. The competition just gets to step.