2017 Begins

Perfect start to the new school year. My 2017 starts in a week already feeling bittersweet but also so appreciative of each moment. So very proud of his accomplishments and the young man he has become. We joined HS Baseball web just a year ago and it has been such an awesome source of information, support, humor and superb advice from a number of different voices. Congrats and best wishes to your son in his final year of HS! 

Ha, you are right - I should have mentioned that; we are sooooooooo proud of our son!  Good luck to yours too!

We are just out of the starting blocks with a freshmen and all the excitement that a new journey brings. 

Best wishes to both of your sons on a healthy and successful final sprint!

Congratulations to all starting the next part of this adventure, we call life. Whether baseball is involved or not. Take the time to enjoy all of life's pleasures with your families.

JCG -- well said.  My son got the same advice from a friend from last year's baseball team that is headed down to LMU.  Hard to believe that today I took his last "first day of school" photo with is sister.  Trying hard to not let the "last one of ..." get in the way of the adventure.  Wow, what a ride this has been.  Amazing we are in the final stretch.

Congrats to everyone -- no matter if you are starting or finishing the ride.

I am in that weird place where I can see it already accelerating! Son is 2 weeks into his sophomore season, and where the expectations as a freshman involved making the team, impressing the coach, and finding a direction for the "recruitable years", the sophomore year seems to be important now that he's found his place, to be seen, and try to promote him for a future, as well as keep the academic pedal to the metal all at the same time!  The past year seems a blur and it was full of highs and lows and dreams of things to come, but seems like only yesterday I was posting on the board for first time. Son had a great varsity year as a freshman, and an outstanding year playing up 17U as a 15 year old PO. All of those topics of which I would freely PM about with anyone finding themselves in those places! Doing all that we can to slow down and enjoy the ride, but it accelerates on its own! My biggest goal in life now is for my son to show me how much fun he is having with this game that consumes us, by just watching what he does.  He has matured so much during freshman year it's not even funny.....pitched a no no first year at 17u, made all tourney at 17u WWBA at lake pointe, and received his first recruiting call to try out for another 17u team. Not all good tho as we learned that throwing complete games 5 straight weeks takes a toll on a body, and a tired body hits a point that mechanics break down. Fortunately 2 of those complete games were only 5 and 6 innings so arm was still strong and solid, just the body fought him being tired. Moral to the story, relax and enjoy EVERY minute on this roller coaster folks!

Good luck to your son, Lefty.

About grades, I want to say this:  If I could have only one thing to do over again for my 2017, it would be to take him to see an independent college counselor at the beginning of his Sophomore year.   We learned the hard way that what we say about the importance of grades as parents goes in one ear and out the other.  When they hear it from a professional it's like they are hearing it for the first time.

JCG posted:

Good luck to your son, Lefty.

About grades, I want to say this:  If I could have only one thing to do over again for my 2017, it would be to take him to see an independent college counselor at the beginning of his Sophomore year.   We learned the hard way that what we say about the importance of grades as parents goes in one ear and out the other.  When they hear it from a professional it's like they are hearing it for the first time.

It's so unbelievably important that kids understand the importance of grades.  Not just athletes obviously, but all of our kids.

The first "academic" offer my 2017 son has received dwarfs anything he could have ever gotten baseball-wise.

Love this kind of thread where it becomes evident how valuable this site can be.  So many folks learning from the mistakes we made before you so you can go into it with eyes open and a better perspective than we may have had.

Best wishes to all HSBBWers and their sons at this stage!

Rob T posted:

JCG posted:

Good luck to your son, Lefty.

About grades, I want to say this:  If I could have only one thing to do over again for my 2017, it would be to take him to see an independent college counselor at the beginning of his Sophomore year.   We learned the hard way that what we say about the importance of grades as parents goes in one ear and out the other.  When they hear it from a professional it's like they are hearing it for the first time.

It's so unbelievably important that kids understand the importance of grades.  Not just athletes obviously, but all of our kids.

The first "academic" offer my 2017 son has received dwarfs anything he could have ever gotten baseball-wise.

I hear you.  Grades are definitely important.  Wish I could have had more success in drumming that message into a certain thick skull.    But the thing is, once you get to college, you're in and nobody is ever going to care about those high school grades again.  Which, for a relatively indifferent HS student like my own son was,  is a real blessing -- at least as  long as your don't repeat the same numbskull crap in college. 

Great thread as my son too will be starting his last year of high school in a few weeks. Seems hard to believe that it could be senior year but life goes by in the blink of an eye. We are grateful for every bit of advice on this site and of all the future advice we will be given as my son heads to college next year and starts a whole new chapter in his life. He feels very grateful to be committed to his top choice of colleges and can have that pressure of recruiting off of his shoulders.  He can concentrate on getting good grades and enjoying all the senior year experiences he has been waiting for since freshman year. Its been a roller coaster for sure and I am trying to not miss any chance I get to spend time with him as he is an only child and it will be very quiet without him.  We are so proud of all he has accomplished and how hard he works both in the classroom and on the field. 

LHPJamesmom posted:

Great thread as my son too will be starting his last year of high school in a few weeks. Seems hard to believe that it could be senior year but life goes by in the blink of an eye. We are grateful for every bit of advice on this site and of all the future advice we will be given as my son heads to college next year and starts a whole new chapter in his life. He feels very grateful to be committed to his top choice of colleges and can have that pressure of recruiting off of his shoulders.  He can concentrate on getting good grades and enjoying all the senior year experiences he has been waiting for since freshman year. Its been a roller coaster for sure and I am trying to not miss any chance I get to spend time with him as he is an only child and it will be very quiet without him.  We are so proud of all he has accomplished and how hard he works both in the classroom and on the field. 

Congrats!