RJM is right....my son started playing at 9U on a team that had won a big USSSA World Series as 8 year olds. 3 dads and he was the only new kid (a kid had moved....they only carried 10)......not one moment of daddy ball in the 3 years we played with them. HC's kid probably got the worst end of the deal.....should have been 2B and batting 2nd or 3rd......typically played 2B or RF and never batted above 6th. At 12, played for a former MLB pitcher...also w/son on the team. Son played RF and batted 9th, which is exactly where he fit in talent wise. 13U, played for another team coached by dads, including another former MLB. Not one issue...and I don't think anyone could have made a daddy ball complaint. 14U....a different team. 2 dads.....HC's kid pitched and played some 3B, but mostly RF. Other dad's kid was RF only and played about 3 innings/game. 15U and 16U, myself and 2 other guys (one former minor leaguer) formed a new team. We had 3 very good HS shortstops (my son and minor league coach's kid). They rotated between 2B, 3B and SS. No complaints from anyone. Other coach's kid was an OF/P. Only year my son didn't play on dad coached team was 17U when he got asked to play with a big organization....coached by college assistant coaches. I know there are teams where daddy ball is a disaster....but in our case, it's all my son ever knew....and things turned out ok for him 
Hey, clearly there are exceptions. RJM sounds like you did a good job. Our experience was negative. But we chose to fight it with skill development. Never had to be concerned again...
Greatest compliment I could give my son's 16-18U HC... If a stranger would have watched every game of the season, and left each game before everyone went to their cars, he would have had no idea which one was the coach's son.
The only time anyone would have known which player was my son was when I hauled him behind the dugout and started screaming at him. Had it been another kid his dad would have decked me.
In 13u my son whiffed for the last out of the game with the bases loaded, down one run. He threw his bat. It sailed into the stands. It was very out of character. He needed a scolding. But I lost it on him. A parent came to see if I was beating him I was so out of control.
Once I regained control I decided he not only could not play the next game, he couldn't dress for the game or sit in the dugout. He sat down the line in shorts and a tee pouting.
We both learned a lesson. He realized he was real wrong to throw his bat. I was real wrong to lose control like I did. I always had an agreement with my kids. We treat each other as if we're not related during games and practices. The first time my son sarcastically called me Coach Dad I laughed. It was allowed.
Daddy ball is all fine and dandy. But don't forget, paid coaches also have their favorites as well. And some paid coaches let mommy and daddy whisper in their ear. We had one. Kid's mom was all "this is BS, where talking to the coach" even though his kid was at least playing at DH every game. After the conversation, "squeaky" never left the field. We also had the exact opposite. After mom & dad would speak to coach, kid would be benched. His view was it was the kid's responsibility. Whatever you choose, go in with eyes wide open.
I'd say wherever he can play competitive baseball and get the reps. How else do you get better?
Reps, reps, reps at 14U. From our experience, the better teams will want a player if the player is good enough to play for them when it matters (17U-18U). Good players end up on the best teams, most of the time, as they climb up in age. That has been our journey. We live in an area of Ohio, where it has been tough to find good teams at a reasonable distance and with good coaching. Lots of politics at younger ages. That seems to fade as the kids get older and the real players start to stand out. Most of the best players end up on just a few of the best teams. My son was just asked to play on one of the best teams in the area and region. Very blessed. No try-out, as the coach told us he does not do try-outs any longer. He relies on recommendations only. Son played at a level where he had developed the reputation he had worked for, had made some connections, and had earned it. That has come from living, learning, working hard, and getting better. Thinking back, we would not have done some of the traveling, spent the money, or played with some of the teams we have played, had we known where the journey would take us. Just get better, so they want you. They will find you (if you develop a reputation as a player).
Golfman25 posted:Daddy ball is all fine and dandy. But don't forget, paid coaches also have their favorites as well. And some paid coaches let mommy and daddy whisper in their ear. We had one. Kid's mom was all "this is BS, where talking to the coach" even though his kid was at least playing at DH every game. After the conversation, "squeaky" never left the field. We also had the exact opposite. After mom & dad would speak to coach, kid would be benched. His view was it was the kid's responsibility. Whatever you choose, go in with eyes wide open.
Yes, I've seen that with various Academy teams. The paid coaches are fine, however you will see kids make the A Team instead of the B Team specifically because of how many thousands of dollars the parents spend on lessons & classes at the academy in addition to team fees, and/or kids will get special consideration because parents are investors in the business
Go where he will play. As my son likes to say "there are only two positions in baseball - on the field and on the bench." Encourage him to play whatever the coach wants him to play or where he is needed. My son mostly played 3rd and outfield as 13 & 14 year old. My son's sophomore team needed a 1st baseman and they coach told him 2 days before the season started that he was the 1st baseman. We went to Play It Again Sports, got him a mitt and practiced. Flexibility is the key to playing in high school as body types and skills change.
You said your son is a 14 YO yet to hit his growth spurt. My nephew is in the same boat. He played everything this year and has put himself in good position when he gets to high school because he can honestly say he play anywhere.
He just turned 13 four months ago.... he's been growing (about 3-4 inches in the last year) but for instance he played in an All-Star event this past weekend with other 13U (2016 ages) players and at 5'7" he was the 2nd shortest kid on the team (one other kid 5'6") and by far the least developed muscularly. It was fun seeing him hold his own against much bigger kids
I think we are going to go with Option #1 from above. I spoke to two trusted friends on this subject, one a former college 2B and the other a former pro 1B and they both said "go where he is going to get a ton of game reps and experience at his main position."
I want to thank everyone for their replies here. Very valuable perspectives from you all, thank you so much!
Game reps yes. Position, don't worry about it. You don't know what position he will play next year or the year after. My son went from LL all star catcher to middle school shortstop to high school varsity shortstop to centerfield. In travel he always played where the pitcher came from until showcase ball where he was a centerfielder. In college he played seven positions. It kept him in the lineup every year.
Team #1 added winter training with a couple of current college coaches, and that made it a slam dunk for us, especially as one of the coaches is the current infield instructor on a college coaching staff
3and2 I see I am late to the party. Sorry. But I understand this area better than others and can relate. Getting ready for high school is a mute point here because the quality is so poor. If you can play on a quality 14u team playing high school is not even a question. I think it is critical to get out of our state to see what's out there. There is NOT enough good competition here - some but not enough. But remember this - beautiful new facility, great track record of placing kids and the organization head who has the best reputation as a human being in the state.
2020dad posted:But remember this - beautiful new facility, great track record of placing kids and the organization head who has the best reputation as a human being in the state.
Stiks Academy? Have heard great things about that place
With all due respect, the question of "what sounds best to you?" is going to, and has, generated a lot of responses that all serve the perspectives of the writers.
IMHO, you asked the wrong question.
The question is, what future does your son see for himself in baseball? And if it's to shoot for the moon, is it realistically achievable?
In my experience, ages 14-15 are the big shaking out period. Kids are coming out of puberty and finding out for themselves where they'll be in the pecking order, physically speaking. Kids are starting to see what high school and beyond might look like and to get a better idea of what they might want out of those years.
A whole bunch of kids start migrating away from baseball, even from all sports, and into other things.
So, who is your son? And who is he going to be? I'll warn you, just because he was eaten up with baseball last year doesn't mean he will be next year. 14 is a transition period, so be prepared for big changes. Some kids will emerge from this period determined to play in HS and in college. Others will find other interests more compelling. Still others may well want to pursue big time baseball, but an honest assessment might argue for steering them into something where they may have a better chance of success. There are teams out there for the killer player, for the all-baseball-all-the-time player, for the recreational player who just wants to hang with his buddies and take some trips, and even for the weaker player who may be playing his last games.
Each of the teams you mention might well be the best option to suit your son as an individual, depending on what he wants for himself. My advice would be to have this discussion with HIM. He will no doubt appreciate your treating him like the decision maker in his own life, and you will avoid feeling like you're pushing him towards what is best for him while he resists.
14U is also a big shaking out and transition time for parents. It really should start to be "their dream", whatever that dream is. The parents start to be just a piece of a kid's world, where prior they were most or all of their world.
Yes, absolutely, we always let him make the decisions re Baseball, within reason (for example he got invited to some "Showcase" in Miami at the Marlins Stadium that is mostly a HR Derby and includes one game and costs $1500. "No, son, you aren't going to that!")
In terms of his '17 summer team, we let him make the decision. His Mom & I provided some insight & opinions and we had some great discussions but ultimately it was his choice.
We'll see where things shake out for him in the Genetic Lottery regarding size & work ethic. In the meantime I agree with him that this should be a very good fit for him in the summer of 2017
Interesting posts. I'll say this. At 14 the journey is almost over for most of us. You can start to count how many games are left. Enjoy the 14u year. By 15u, you can figure about 20 high school games per year -- so about 80 games left. Plus whatever they get in the summer - maybe another 80. Stay away from the drama and enjoy the game.
3and2Fastball posted:2020dad posted:But remember this - beautiful new facility, great track record of placing kids and the organization head who has the best reputation as a human being in the state.
Stiks Academy? Have heard great things about that place
So why aren't you here???
2020dad posted:3and2Fastball posted:2020dad posted:But remember this - beautiful new facility, great track record of placing kids and the organization head who has the best reputation as a human being in the state.
Stiks Academy? Have heard great things about that place
So why aren't you here???
Not sure, honestly, if we ever really looked at it mostly due to cost. Most of the playing opportunities for my son have come from him being seen at tournaments and getting invited. That is what happened with the team he chose for next year. I will keep Stiks in mind for the future