Tagged With "decision"
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On the verge of a decision.
Hello, I'm a senior in HS and I have 3 colleges interested in me baseball wise - two D3 4yr schools and a D2 Juco. I've been offered a scholarship from the Juco. Baseball is a big part in the decision as I am weighing both pros and cons and I just wanted some advice from this wonderful site. I just go back and forth between the 2 paths. Need and want a final decision! Thank you very much in advance.
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
How can anyone provide advice without knowing anything about the schools, your baseball and academic ability and your motivations and goals?
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
Hey 2017, How good is the scholarship from the JUCO? Do you need the money? If you're thinking about D3s, I'm guessing you don't. As people in here have said before, money means love, as well as a better chance to play in the spring. D3s can't really do anything athletically to help you financially. They can give academic aid. Have either done this? What are the pros and cons of the three schools? Personally, my family is considering JUCO for my son due to a couple of reasons. 1) Financial...
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
TE, really appreciate the reply! 1. I have verbally recieved the max scholarship for the Juco. The max is only about 15% of tuition. 2. This Juco is the highest level of baseball in the state, and only about 1hr away from home. No on-campus housing though. So it would have to be apartment living. The D3's are about 5 hours away in a different state. 3. Both coaches of the D3 schools have said they could "pull some strings" in regards financially if needed. 4. Both D3's have housing and lunch...
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
Just looked at your profile. I know which 2-year you're talking about...D3s, not so sure (although I have an idea--just dunno if you're talking Wisconsin or Iowa.) I'm going to be blunt. I don't think you're looking at this through the right lens (admittedly, I'm drawing this conclusion based on the factors you listed in your last post.) You need to go to a school that is right for you academically and socially. I don't see baseball being in your future after college, so what school would...
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
I'm thinking along the same lines as Matt13 based upon what you've posted. I love college baseball and I think it provides a great 2 or 4 year opportunity for many young men to get an education and play baseball. However, I'd be focused on year 3 or 5....your professional career (whatever path you choose) and paying off any financial obligations. Look into your crystal ball and determine what is going to be most important in year 3 or 5 because baseball will most likely be in the rear view...
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
Respectfully disagree here. There is no difference between English and Psych 101 at a JUCO verses Harvard and Yale. The young man goes to the JUCO and does well academically, he'll set himself for admittance to some of the finest academic four-year institutions in the country while saving himself thousands and thousands of dollars in tuition. The only thing that matters (on his resume) is where his final degree is from - not whether or not he attended a JUCO. Moreover, he'll have the chance...
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
There are some salient pieces of advice in this thread already. Do make sure that you try to make a decision based on things outside of baseball as much as possible. But, hey. If you go to the JUCO and things don't work out baseball wise, or you just can't stand it there, you can always move on to a four year school. Like I say, they will be there two years down the road. JUCO can be a place to try to prove yourself and leverage your way into a more preferable program for you. Some people...
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
I'd look a bit more deeply into figuring out which school is a better social and academic fit. Freshman are hard pressed to get playing time and unless you have social opportunities and classes/major opportunities which absorb you, putting all your eggs into the baseball basket is risky. Commuter schools and residential schools have totally different atmospheres; commuter schools are tough for first year students who are not living at home. (I would express my disagreement with the concept...
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
Thanks everybody, I'll try and answer the questions from the recent posts. So my thinking overall before this post (baseball wise) was 'if you commit to a D3, and if you hit the weight room hard and end up succeeding on the field, their is no real possibility of moving on.' You do the same at a Juco, and it's a much stronger possibility. Academic wise - im fine GPA and ACT wise. But it is a plus for me to save money through the Juco, and have the baseball opportunity in place. As for hopes...
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
Good luck 2017; sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders and a good grasp of your situation so I'm sure you'll make a good choice and make the most of it. Just want to make a couple of points: 1 - It was pointed out that D3 baseball can be brutal. It can, but that's equally true at many Jucos. Our local JC cuts or redshirts 2/3 of the players who come out, and most of these are legit guys. And of course most of the guys who make the team do not become starters. So there are no...
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
Another thing to think about...again, this is me being familiar with the town (I used to work there, and my ex went to the school you're considering in between 4-years,) the availability of rentals on a college-student budget are slim, and nothing is within walking distance. It may be worth considering biting the bullet and driving the hour each way each day, unless you've already happened to find something that works (like someone subletting or a room for rent from a homeowner.)
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
I can't stop laughing at the thought that English and Psych 101 aren't any different at a JUCO than at an elite academic school!
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
JCG, don't want to hi-jack this thread, but I don't need to read his opinion. I'm living it now with my two college kids.
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
The 100 level academics may be the same regardless of the college. But the competition in the classroom is absolutely not the same due to the students.
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
I would respectfully ask you to reread my post above. You graduated from UCLA, correct? Is there any difference to employers between a 4 year UCLA grad and a student who graduated magna cum laude from UCLA after transfer from SMJC? My wife, who is among many who went that route, would say there is not.
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
There is a difference. Approximately $70k - $120k. By that I mean, added cost of tuition to attend UCLA for two extra years as a resident or non-resident.
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
There are two kinds of students at SMJC. Those who will get to UCLA and those who won't. Some of those who won't are because they weren't pushed in the classroom. Or they weren't challenged by lack of competition. My daughter took two courses in the summer at the local JC. She said the difference in the brainpower in the room between her college and the JuCo was staggering.
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
It depends on the family's finances whether the cost is relevant. Even adjusting for the time value of money it wasn't anywhere near that expensive when I attended.
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
http://www.aim.ucla.edu/profiles/cds2.aspx#cdsG google _______________ University Common Data Set
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
I have started a new thread to discuss academic differences. Good luck, 2017_Grad! I wish you well.
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
Don't forget the motivation of baseball. My brother would have never started or finished his 4 year degree without baseball... Baseball that stared and finished at a JC.
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
bolded is very good point, I wouldn't have made it out of HS without baseball.
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Re: On the verge of a decision.
I posted something similar on another thread but I believe that I can offer some insights that may be relevant here. I have 2 sons playing baseball, 1 at an academic D3 in the Midwest and another at our local So Cal Juco. One son wanted to go to an academic school but still play baseball and D3 fit the bill. My other son turned down 2 NAIA schools with baseball scholarships because he wanted to try to get his grades up and possibly to transfer to a more academic and/or d1/d2 school that what...
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Re: Tough Decision
We are in a similar situation after freshman year. Where we live is affiliated with another school in which my kid would be able to make varsity next year for sure (smaller school), and won a state championship at their classification. My son is being developed as a catcher, but the catching coach's son is also in his grade. No chance to catch ahead of him, and most of his playing time this year is at F3. So, we work on developing his skills at other positions, and take every chance to...
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Re: Tough Decision
Man, seems like some schools don't have anyone decent to put back there and then other schools have too many. One local HS has 4 catchers I'd have no problem playing if I were a coach. One junior, one sophomore, two freshman. It is rumored both freshman are planning to transfer to the same school, which has a very good 2023 catcher.
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Re: Tough Decision
The frustration can be used as fuel to take his skills to the next level and develop some maturity that most teens lack. There is no safe space from politics, the best cure is to improve and leave no doubt who the best player is on the team, that is as close as being bulletproof on a team. Be supportive on whatever direction he goes, there will be more pitfalls in this journey.
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Re: Tough Decision
- No JV at his school so it was Varsity - He’s versatile and can play anywhere. Got a few innings at 2B, but kind of part of the problem. He spent all of his practice fielding time behind the plate. - He can hit, but didn’t make the most of his limited opportunities, 0 for 9 in his 9 AB’s on the season.
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Re: Tough Decision
I would say stick with the better academic situation based on the details you provided. Have your son talk to the coach and find out if there is a chance for him to play IF next year instead of being a backup catcher. He can work on catching during his own time and during the summer.
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Re: Tough Decision
My son was a catcher entering HS. He played C and 1B as a freshman. Sophomore year he started varsity at 1B and never played C in HS again. I had no doubt that he was a better C than the various guys who started the position for the next 3 years. He played C on his summer team and got plenty of opportunities to show (until a knee injury ended his catching after junior year). He club coach used to laugh and shake his head at the HS coach not using him at C (big arm). You didn’t mention how...
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Re: Tough Decision
Keep working him hard....catch on the summer teams and like others have said if he hits he'll play somewhere. Keep working out get bigger and stronger. You never know what's going to happen...other kid moves, gets hurt, in trouble etc.
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Re: Tough Decision
Welcome. Three questions: - was this freshman, JV, or V team? were any freshmen pulled up to JV or V? - did he play other positions this year? - can he hit?
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Re: Tough Decision
Hit. Hit hit hit hit hit. If your son can hit, he will play. It forces the coach put him somewhere on the field, or DH. Be versatile. Going 0-9 doesn't help his case.
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I see more whining and excuses than constructive observation and thinking in your post. Even if you are correct welcome to Life Isn’t Always Fair 101. You should know this as an adult. At some point your son has to learn it. Almost everyone goes through this optional life class. It how you deal with it that matters. First, do not whine to other parents. They don’t want to hear it. If someone agrees with you they’re either your buddy or they believe their kid is getting screwed as well and...
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Re: Tough Decision
@ReluctantOsFan dropped some tough love but I think it's important they did. You're faced with a tough situation for any number of reasons, but if you really want to make the best choice, you'll need to face some tough truths. I'm not sure "excuses" is the best descriptor. Maybe. For the purpose of moving forward, I think it's smarter to call them "challenges." Before I go any further, I'd be 100% done communicating with the coach. Reluctant is right. This is not your job and never will be.
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Re: Tough Decision
So let me get this straight and highlight some points that YOU mention... #1. Your kid was injured just before the season and "required arm surgery and substantial rehab". This shouldn't require much more thought. #2. "He is young freshman and a late bloomer". Trust me I understand the statement, but you are using it as an excuse. No successful athlete ever does this, because if they do they won't be successful. #3. "The other catcher is also very good, but passes the eye test much better.
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Tough Decision
Hopefully I can get some constructive feedback, but feel free to be ruthless. I would like to paint a clear picture on the situation. My son just completed his freshman season of HS baseball and it wasn’t incredibly productive. Spent the first part recovering from an injury that required arm surgery and substantial rehab and the remainder mostly on the bench. He is young freshman and a late bloomer but productive behind the plate as a catcher. I have no problem with a Freshman sitting and...
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Re: Tough Decision
you say your son is a late bloomer. what's his upside? are you and mom big and son has a good chance to grow into a monster body? or, is he a late developer and looking at 5'8" as his ceiling? I'll give you two anecdotes that can, hopefully, give you some hope my 2023's good friend is also a catcher and a late developer. his brother grew between soph and jr years and became a 6'1" beast. his dad did, too. friend grew a lot during covid (5"+) but his man strength is not fully there yet. Their...
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Re: Tough Decision
No idea where his school is, but every fall ball program I’ve seen in FL is basically rec with some good players sprinkled in. Kids get equal playing time and there are no cuts. Most of the time the top players don’t even play because they are in a tournament or showcase. So I can see where both C’s would get equal time. The coaches also get the opportunity to see game situations and who performs better. You mentioned 0-9 during the season. How did he hit in the fall? Your son might have to...
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Re: Tough Decision
Here's another story of two catchers. One's my son; one's a very close friend of his who happens to also play catcher. They've always attended the same schools. Kid #2 was always the starter; my kid sat. Both kids work hard, but my kid developed into the #1 option at catcher. Kid #2 shares time and plays infield when not catching (usually 3rd). Kid #2 just committed to a mid-major D1 - a really good spot for him. He didn't transfer; he stayed and competed and now he'll play four more years...
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Re: Tough Decision
sorry that you are disappointed but some of what you posted makes no sense. You live in a state that is loaded with talent. Your son will have to compete better to be on the field and behind the dish here in Florida. Definitely, you need to get him into one of the better travel programs if he is not.
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Re: Tough Decision
First let me thank everyone for your input. While I may not agree with everyone, I absolutely respect you opinion. To clarify, I wasn’t asking for agreement on our situation. Believe it or not, bias exists in the real world. I also don’t expect anything to be given to my son. I expect him to earn it. The only way that happens is to be given the opportunity to compete. That opportunity does not exist in his current situation. That’s fine. Life isn’t fair. There is more than one way to skin a...
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Re: Tough Decision
You said to feel free to be ruthless but I hope my feedback doesn’t come across that way. A couple of your statements below stood out to me: “The challenge is more political. “ This is a red herring. You are seeing a situation that helps you reconcile in your mind that your son lost the job. The actual challenge is what you stated here: “Spent the first part recovering from an injury that required arm surgery and substantial rehab...... He is young freshman and a late bloomer. 0 for 9 in his...
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Re: Tough Decision
@RJM is spinning gold above. Honest, but spot on. I'd spend some time really thinking deeply about all that is being said here. A lot of it is tough, but there is no time for anything but a thick skin. Run TO it, not from it. I promise you'll be organizing his HS grad party in what will feel like a few months. My kid's party is Sunday. A couple things. For most of us, we were the ones in the backyard playing catch and everything else with our kids since age 4 or whatever. Our...
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Re: Tough Decision
Adapt or die. I agree with others, your son needs to leverage his versatility because it is not going to happen behind the plate unless something unforeseen happens Find another position. Focus on it, and hitting. You'll find the lineup. So, your story brought back some memories. So, as a kid I excelled (and loved) two sports....baseball and tennis. I was a decent catcher, and I thought long and hard about which high school sport I was going to try out for in the Spring. There was this guy...
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He does play travel ball and has since he was 10. He’s played on “National Champion” teams and has more plastic trophies than I care to remember. He’s played all over the state and will continue to do so with his “Elite” travel program this summer. Guest playing this weekend and will have his first PG of the season next weekend. The assumption is that he’s not good enough and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The question was never about playing time. The question was about anyone...
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Re: Tough Decision
Senior catcher had an injury. My 2022 started first 5 games of the season at catcher. Every game moved up in the batting order. Batted in the 5 spot. He was immediately pulled when the senior catcher came back. In my very biased opinion, 2022 was better than the senior. Senior catcher ended up batting 9th. 2022 secondary position is third base, played by the senior catcher's twin brother. 2022 played third when the twin brother pitched. The coach is known for always playing his seniors.
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BTW Kid #2's school is considered a better baseball program than my kid's committed school.
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The record of the team is very relevant IMO. If they are 5-20 I could see your argument. But if they are a 10+ win team I would side with having a starter and sticking with him.