AS FOR PLAYING UP.... great read from Steven August (former Traveling Secretary of Boston Red Sox for 8 years, then went on to become the Asst GM and Director of Baseball Operations) He currently runs the New England Ruffnecks, which program was just nominated into
www.premierbaseball.net"With greater frequency we hear inquiring parents tell us that their son has “always played UP.” It is never quite clear what that really means. Neither is it clear what it should mean in the context of playing in the Ruffnecks program or anywhere else. After all, is a freshman in college playing “up” or is he just low man on the totem pole? Likewise for high school players… Are JV players playing “down” if they do not quite fit into the varsity plans, or are JV players playing “up” if they are really freshmen or sophomores? It depends on the school. The notion of playing “up” is unclear at best, irrelevant in most cases, and often tied directly to the competition, not the players someone plays with. So why is it always such a big deal? Mostly, it is a sideline topic of discussion and one-upsmanship for parents in the stands. Consider that Jason Heyward (currently with the Atlanta Braves) did not find it beneath him to play with a 16U summer travel team (when he was 16) even though he was entering his senior year in high school. Neither is it beneath most Ruffnecks players to play on any given roster, especially when age and graduation class may overlap.
The key to development is not playing “up” or “down,” but rather to play and develop in a challenging environment. Our obligation is to design schedules that provide a blend of challenges and opportunities. Our goal is to build confidence tempered by failure; individual growth through the experience of baseball in a team context. It is useless for teams to get their butts kicked on a regular basis; it is equally useless to beat up on weaker teams…. Which is why the argument is based on relativity to the competition.
Players leave our program who have struggled at a given level of play, and still refuse to acknowledge that perhaps, playing at the same level for another year may be beneficial. Conversely, we have had players who recognized that repeating a level is best for their personal development. Most in the latter category have met with greater long-term success. Some programs attract players by promising that they will play “up,” as if a 15 year old playing on a 16U team has a path to quicker or better development. It simply does not correlate. In the Ruffnecks program the schedules for ALL our teams are aggressive. Indeed, we have never won a “National Championship” in any association or event. As such, it stands to reason that there are still competitive challenges to conquer. As we build schedules each year, returning players and parents are understandably excited and want to know if the schedule will be “aggressive” and “challenging.” Our teams play “UP” by definition of the tournaments we enter, the places we travel, and the demands of our program itself. We calibrate the schedule for each team based on the ability, personnel, physical maturity, and experience of each roster. We never “dumb it down” for a Ruffnecks team. In fact, we challenge all our teams with competition that is not age-specific. Consider our 14U level where we have a mix of 8th graders and high school freshmen. In 2012 our 14U Ruffnecks played plenty of challenging 14U competition, but they also played 15U and 16U opponents in tournament play. Indeed at all age levels the Ruffnecks have relationships with like-minded organizations with whom we can schedule younger teams against older teams, and our counterparts can do the same thing with us.
Most qualified scouts and college recruiters often tell young players the same thing: Just go somewhere where you can get an opportunity to play. We are fortunate in the Ruffnecks program to attract players who wish to challenge themselves. The specific roster a player is assigned to is more a matter of “fit” and opportunity, than it is about “up” or “down.” Strong programs play strong competition… period. The Ruffnecks schedules are among the most challenging in the country for programs of its kind. It all comes down to who you play, where you play, how much you play, and the competitive environment in which you play that matters."
I would appreciate advice!!