quote:Originally posted by RJM:
What's missing on the board are the parents with high expectations of their kids at fourteen, who bombed out. The people left on the board are those with successes.
might be true...
I'm fortunate like many here that My Son is living his dream. So I'll give you a story of a friend...
His Son in those early teen years was the hot player, good size, good bat with decent power, fast, shortstop etc... etc... and a Good Kid. Played AAU traveled the East Coast. Like any parent would be they were very Proud and happy.
A couple of issues that I could see down the road (but you hope won't happen, because being a friend of the family you want to see him succeed as if they are your own):
1- Parents wanted it more than the kid, they were driven and he was not. Parents had visions of Big Time college baseball or draft.
2- Work ethic - had natural athletic ability that will put you ahead of kids your age when you are younger.
3. Grew early stopped early - Went from being one of the tallest to one of the smallest.
4- Unfortunately grades were an issue in school, figured with baseball, wouldn't need to worry about it...and parents refused to see that education and grades were as important as the weekend hitting camp.
5- Played Varsity as a Freshman and was overmatched, and did not know how to handle it. Parents instead of support just rode him harder. Lost all confidence.
6- Easier to complain then work on school or sport. Coach doesn't like me (...of course thats why he picked him as a Freshman).
7- Easier to find other ways to feel good about self...substance abuse
8- Grades suffered
9- Barely graduated
10- No direction no vision and future uncertain.
Baseball is a distant memory and so are most of his friends when he went in a different direction. Unfortunately parents still making excuses for drugs and all.