Advice Needed - 13U Player Most Important Things Before High School

Hi,

Hello 😀 my kiddo is currently 12, 7th graded so I was reading the advice! Just curious since everyone has the experience, any new advise or tips, or words of caution! Also any updates on the kids? What’s your tips for the next generation! 

If I am thinking of the right kid, I believe the OP of this thread is now the father of a 1st year HA D1 player, so looks like his estimation of the kid's talent and academic commitment, as well as the advice here, was spot on.

I think the one thing you can't overemphasize is academics. I'm sure it varies by state and county, but where our kids were raised it was easy for a smart kid to skate through middle school with straight A's, and a bit of a rude surprise to learn that the same level of smarts and work earns  you a B average in HS, which just won't cut it for admission to top publics and privates. 

13 is a good age to start weights (before that I think BWEs are enough). 

The first 3-4 months I would use just the bar without increasing load to learn the proper technique for deadlift,  squat and bench, then you can slowly increase weight if the technique is good.

Also continue to work on mechanics of course and maybe take some lessons to find and eliminate flaws.

JCG posted:

If I am thinking of the right kid, I believe the OP of this thread is now the father of a 1st year HA D1 player, so looks like his estimation of the kid's talent and academic commitment, as well as the advice here, was spot on.

JCG - You are indeed correct. This thread that started in 2013 was the first (or one of the first) posts I made asking questions. I can't believe how fast time has gone. My son, the Jr. High kid I mention in the OP, is now playing baseball at a west coast high academic D1. I will tell you that him reaching the D1 level was through flat out hard work in the classroom, ballfield, and the weight room. 

The advice I received from HSBBW during my son's baseball years through middle school and high school made an enormous positive impact in terms of guiding my son through the recruiting process. I hope that other parents that find this site can benefit as much as I did. 

WCP 

The best advice has been given above from a poster .Do not push him. Let him figure things out on his own. One thing is to observe how he deals with failure. if he is an excuse maker nip that in the bud as soon as you can.. If for whatever reason he has a problem with the coach stay out of it. Let him figure it out. I remember many years ago my son was whining about the coach (I hate whining) I told him to talk to the coach not me. Probably wont like what he hears but he has to deal with it. One time talking to him in college he was telling me how the coach was on him (he yelled at him) as he got doubled off first on a bunt play in an intrasquad game. My advice was do not get doubled off.  

Get kids to a drop 3 bat as soon as possible. 

Play 14U if possible. Drop 3 or wood bats. Biggest eye opener for us was when playing with high school class year as a rising freshman he faced pitchers 2 calendar years older than himself. Then went to a local showcase and faced rising seniors. Good news was once in high school facing varsity pitching wasn’t quite the same intimidation factor. Have fun too—after 13U summer baseball is less about winning and more about who you play and exposure. Our fun time now is the high school season!

NY posted:

Hi,

Hello 😀 my kiddo is currently 12, 7th graded so I was reading the advice! Just curious since everyone has the experience, any new advise or tips, or words of caution! Also any updates on the kids? What’s your tips for the next generation! 

Not much.   I would provide the same advice I did six years ago with an even greater focus on academics.   I've learned the kids that really want to be the best (athletically, academically or both) will work for it, and not let anything get in their way.   I have three boys, and I saw thousands of travel, high school, and college games.   All of my kids loved baseball, but for different reasons and in different ways from the time they started coach pitch to their last pitch in high school or college baseball.   Two of them decided they want to go to big state schools rather than play baseball at a small college.   Good decisions on their part.   One of my son's was incredibly passionate about baseball and also about his academics, so he found a place that would allow him to do both.  Good decision on his part.   My wife and I became sounding boards as they entered high school as our county has specialty programs...engineering, health, business, etc.. that students can select in 8th grade.  We did the same as they exited high school and prepared for college.   Give the kids the rope to make responsible decisions.  Looking back, I'm amazed that my two oldest kids selected a high school (20 mins away...in a very different part of town...away from their friends) with an engineering specialty.   They made this life choice in 8th grade, and it paid off big time when they applied to their respective colleges!  Both are practicing engineers today.   It blows my mind.

Back to baseball....Those that want to keep playing baseball have to work hard at it, because it gets more difficult to stay on the field as time goes by.   There are no shortcuts.