Belgian baseball player kid (13) wants to go to US for a year to study and learn baseball

Spending a year at 13/14 abroad is a tall order in the first place.  If it's just for baseball, I'd question the rationale behind it.  My son spent a year abroad in France at age 16, but his focus was the abroad experience (becoming fluent in the language, the culture, etc.).  

Has he been to the US at all?  I'd recommend maybe a winter baseball camp first this winter, then maybe an extended visit next summer and do a circuit of camps?  This way at age 13/14 he can get a good taste of US baseball for a lot less money to start.  

Perhaps your goal should be looking at a boarding HS school experience when he's ready for HS at 14/15?  

Don't get me wrong, sounds like an adventurous kid at 13, but the whole idea seems a bit aggressive if it's just for baseball and the kid is 13 having never really played the game extensively. 

Thank you for your answer.

I completely agree with you and when his father told me about his project I had the same react. It sounds crazy for me but he asked me to post his demand and so do I. I'm glad to read your answer wich make me feel like a normal father...

He never went to US and he doesn't even speak english (the second aim of this travel of course)

I will tell him again and transmit him your advice to begin with camps...

If you have some tips on camps that could be good start for Matthew, it could help.

Many thanks again, I really appreciate your help.

Has he exhausted all the baseball camps and learning opportunities in Western Europe?  I know there aren’t as many as in US, but I know there is a good bit of baseball in Western Europe. 

If he’s exhausted all those?  Then maybe consider a summer US camp tour of 2-3 weeks w an accompanying adult.  Consider 4-5 camps in eastern US w some days off in between for touring.     

I agree, it's going to be hard enough for the kid to adjust simply due to the language barrier. Without being able to speak English, the barrier to "learning" the game is going to be tough to break through. I think Asst Coach above gave sound advice.

A first year high school student in the US is 14yo, and there are many private schools that accept boarding students that age,  many of which are international. It's not all that common these days, but plenty of 14yo's have and do go away to school so it's not a crazy idea.  Problem is that good private boarding schools here are $60K per year.

There are also student exchange programs available for that age. That would be a lot cheaper, and would include a vetting of the host family and a support system for the kid should problems arise.  There may be the ability to ask the program to find a host family that includes baseball players and that attends a good baseball school.  Obviously this would take research on your player's family's part.  There are many fine folks on this site but using an established exchange agency would be a lot more safe and responsible then sending a child to live with people you met on the internet.

As for language -- I think that a kid who started studying English now could be ready to be immersed in a US school in a year if he applied himself.   I'm not saying it would be easy, but many, many kids have done it and survived to tell the tale.

I agree send him to a US baseball camp to see how he fits in. He may not fit in. About ten years ago my son was invited to be on a team that traveled to Belgium to play for a week. We were advised not to waste the money unless the objective was a week as a tourist. We did track the team that went. They trashed the Belgium teams daily. It wasn’t competitive. A lot can change in ten years. But these were just quality fifteen year old travel playing Americans put together for a tournament. It wasn’t a Team US. 

Schools in the US, mostly do not teach baseball. There is no Baseball class per se. If he did a year abroad, he would have to find a team to play on. Most teams will not take a player sight unseen. As far as the school teams go in Middle/JR high, or High school he would have to try out. And depending on the strength of the program he may not make the team. And depending on the locality, Spring baseball can be problematic. Teams up north may get many games cancelled, depending on the weather.

So I agree with others. Identify some teaching camps and travel to the US over the summer. Of coarse he may need to learn the language first. 

Does the family have any roots/family in America?  The reason I suggest this is my kids HS team had a player on the team from Germany.  He was one of the better players in Germany, at his age, but was average here in the US.  He moved over primarily for baseball.  He did develop pretty quickly and is now playing  Juco ball.  His mother was from our town.  Turns out she was became an opera star over in Europe, married a German national and stayed in Germany.  The son did speak decent English before coming over.  Our players accepted him on the team like he had been with them for years.

The mother did come with him.  He started with the team his Jr year.  She stayed here for two years and moved back to Germany once he went away to university.  It was really helpful for him to have some family here.  The move was "hard" on the kid at times.  He missed his father and Germany family.  While the culture is not too different it was different enough that he at times missed being back home.  

Thanks to all for your answers that are all clever...

@JCG ok, you're right, crazy is not the good term may be but for me as a father it's at least too adventurous but he's not my son and I don't have to take the final decision on that. The father just want some help and advice. Wathever, your point is interresting. As you said, it could be really expensive on private school but I will transmit this possibility too. I don't know if they have that amount to spend on that project...

@RJM you're damn right on the baseball level in Belgium... We are not good but we try to be better. Our national team is on the top 6 team of europe but don't even qualify for the Olympics... Baseball is not spread in the country, we have only 36 teams for the whole country at all levels (4 national divisions) and it's a hobby for us. Of course our national league don't have big means to make that turn... lack of good coaches, lack of umpires, lack of good fields (we often play on soccer fields)... It's our reality in Belgium. Sad for those who love this sport but we have to deal with it.

@joes87 no family in the US... It would have been good indeed.

I will speak to him tomorrow and tell him all your advice and ideas.. Many thanks again.

Agree with the other posters. Find an instructional summer camp and travel with the kid to get a taste for the US. Maybe look at a camp that is offered over several weeks for skill development -  here is an example: https://www.imgacademy.com/sports/baseball-camps. He would need to learn basic English in order to benefit. The level of play in Europe is vastly different; my son has some experience playing with a Swedish club team when visiting family there. 

A couple of things.

First, the kid needs to have a basic grasp of the English langue before he comes here. Second, how good is he, or how good does he have the potential to become?  Some metrics would help. If he's your average rec ball player that's one thing. If he can excel on the field/mound/plate that is going to open certain doors. 

I thought IMG had a school that taught both baseball and academics? Pretty sure they do for HS aged kids, anyway.