I will start out by saying I understand everyone's baseball journey is different from thee other. with that being said, I support a player choosing to stay and play for their respective high school. There are now other avenues for these young people to play at the next level. But none are currently recognized as much as high school baseball is here in the USA.
I have 4children, all play or played high school sports. The experience I had with my oldest son, is invaluable to me today, as my youngest son is a 14yo freshman on his club and high school team. I will not bore you with how much better his club team is than his freshman team is, because it is...so what! he is not the best player on that club team, matter fact, every player on that team I have seen play, left a lot to be desired for. But what I do know about those travel ball players is, they work harder than the ones on the high school team who don't. That's where you as a parent come in. If it's just playing solely for fun, it is left at that. On the contrary, for the so-called serious players, it's much more complex. My son understands he is never to change his work ethic regardless of who he is playing for, with, or where he is playing at.
He started late, 10yo and has been on an expediated regimen ever since. This process has landed him the starting 1b job at one of Orange County's oldest schools. He went through this very process, keeping in mind that is was all to get ready for high school baseball. Well now the time is here and he is living the dream. The last thing I would do as a parent, after all his hard work to be a starter on his high school team as an incoming freshman, would be to yank him from the program because he is not on varsity. Reality check, he is not ready for Varsity. JV baseball, yes. So the coach put him on frosh, ok. I told my son what any other dad would probably say, the quicker you produce down here, the quicker you'll make it up there. You gotta prove yourself dude! Just as important to his mother and I, is the high school experience. He's not just a ball player, he is part of other things on campus as well. He's making new friends and going to places away from the field. Baseball has facilitated these new events in his life. High School baseball is definitely the right choice for the kid.
None of the previous being read would have happened if not for Travel baseball in my son's life. What comes most to mind and can not be stressed enough, is the coaching my son has received has been top notch. In the OC, like other places around the country, it is very competitive. So I plug him into an organization 2years after he starts, not ready. But he kept on improving and improving, though limited playing time. At 13yo put him in an older players organization, where their players are prepping to play in college. Guys committing to colleges. Playing all the time, here is where he starts to become the player that he is becoming today. It is extremely hard to have my son leave this organization for four months, that has done so much for him. I do worry, the founder of this organization I have got to know and consider him a friend not to mention the best baseball mind I ever met and treats me as equal. Not just saying that because I have to pay, because everybody has to. He has worked for MLB and has the credentials to prove it. Especially when my sons high school coach will not even make eye contact with me, and this gentleman is letting me coach in the dugout with him. But it's my son's journey and I have to be his number one advocate on what and who he wants to become in life.
As soon as his high school season is over it is immediately summer ball for travel ball. Obviously if he is playing summer league varsity games he is doing some things right and all will be embraced. On the other hand, factors beyond his control could determine otherwise and he will cross that bridge if needed be. It is your job as a parent to have a contingency plan. I make it a point to talk to every opposing coach before they leave the field. Travel ball makes my son a better player...bottom line. He will continue to go with what has taken him this far on this arduous journey. The only guarantee he can get in baseball is himself. That he will continue to put in all out effort, trust the process and grind it out when others are not.
