I have a question specifically for those whose sons played football and baseball in high school, those who know of other kids who played or currently play both sports in high school or lastly, those who've recruited baseball players who play(ed) football.
With lots of recruiting (i.e. Jupiter) going on during the fall football season, do you feel like it's a major or minor disadvantage not to participate in fall baseball showcases from a recruiting standpoint? Or maybe it's no big deal?
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I'd call it a minor disadvantage. Seems like there are enough other showcase/camp opportunities during the year where you can make up, for the most part, what is missed in the Fall.
I think I (internally) fretted more about the higher injury risk associated with football versus missed baseball opportunities.
Myself/2016 never worried about missing anything in the fall.We all talk about time off from the sport I always wondered what the fall kids/parents (That I know) considered time off? It must be the 4 weeks during November. I am with Big Mac on the last.This year I was worried about football injuries.Its really too bad the football thing wasn't handled better.Would have loved to see him keep punting.
Similar thoughts as others...
I think a lot depends on where you are in the process, how established or visible you may already be, what your skill level is, etc. There are other opportunities. But there sure are a lot of them in the fall if it's your time to shine. If you clearly have the skill set for your target schools or level, you can probably take another route. If you aren't in high demand, or are a stretch player, fall can be a difference-maker.
I love football but I have seen far too many of my players' baseball careers derailed or ended suddenly on the football field. I have also have seen too many try to do both in the fall (football and fall showcase/scout ball). This, most often, has backfired.
I don't think that missing the fall baseball recruiting season is much of an issue. The issue for us was the summer. My 2017 was our second string HS QB is freshman and soph year, behind a really good qb that ended up playing D1. The problem for us was that his football coach was adamant that he be at every single practice, and 7 on 7 competition during the summer. When he missed a "big" In the coaches mind- 7 on 7 competition, in order to go to a pro workout- the football coach flipped, and that was the beginning of the end. I understand the coaches position on one hand- but for crying out loud, what are these kids supposed to do? Anyway, son's goal was to play college baseball, baseball is his passion, he liked football, but not nearly the same. In the end I guess the coach did us a favor, now we don't have to worry about the injury risk. But I sure do miss watching my boys play under the lights on Friday night!
Playing football should not hurt your ability to get to the next level. If you play football correctly with proper form and technique then the chance of injury dramatically falls. Yes even if you do everything correctly the chance of getting hurt is still there and even higher than other sports but thousands play football each year with no major injuries. I get everyone's fears but most of the time they are unfounded.
Anyway - if your son wants to play at the next level he needs to have the academic and athletic ability first. Without those you are wasting your time. Now let's assume he has both then he needs to find a school that will offer his major that will lead to his future career then factor in baseball. This should give you a list of several schools based on your ability to play at that level. Get in touch with them and ask them what camps / showcases they are attending then go to them. When there introduce yourself to the coach so they can put a face to a skill set and then go perform. If you're what they want then they will take the next step.
There's nothing wrong with contacting a coach and saying "hey coach I really like your school and program. I would really appreciate it if you could let me know what camps / showcases / whatever you will be at that I could attend so you can see my abilities".
Now if you don't have a list of schools and baseball is the most important then yeah you probably need to go to everything you possibly can so someone will hopefully see you. But being proactive is much more productive than casting a huge net and hoping to find a school.
pabaseballdad posted:I don't think that missing the fall baseball recruiting season is much of an issue. The issue for us was the summer. My 2017 was our second string HS QB is freshman and soph year, behind a really good qb that ended up playing D1. The problem for us was that his football coach was adamant that he be at every single practice, and 7 on 7 competition during the summer. When he missed a "big" In the coaches mind- 7 on 7 competition, in order to go to a pro workout- the football coach flipped, and that was the beginning of the end. I understand the coaches position on one hand- but for crying out loud, what are these kids supposed to do? Anyway, son's goal was to play college baseball, baseball is his passion, he liked football, but not nearly the same. In the end I guess the coach did us a favor, now we don't have to worry about the injury risk. But I sure do miss watching my boys play under the lights on Friday night!
Honestly, that football coach is an idiot and he will lose out on some great athletes by doing things like this. I love baseball and want all my guys to love baseball but that's not reality. Some guys love other sports and do baseball because they like it. If a kid shows me they want to be great at another sport then I'll work with them in the offseason so they can do both sports. When baseball is in season they better be committed to me but even then I've let guys miss a practice to go to something that will help them get into college for other sports.
It's not the end of the world if a kid misses something during the offseason.
coach2709 posted:pabaseballdad posted:I don't think that missing the fall baseball recruiting season is much of an issue. The issue for us was the summer. My 2017 was our second string HS QB is freshman and soph year, behind a really good qb that ended up playing D1. The problem for us was that his football coach was adamant that he be at every single practice, and 7 on 7 competition during the summer. When he missed a "big" In the coaches mind- 7 on 7 competition, in order to go to a pro workout- the football coach flipped, and that was the beginning of the end. I understand the coaches position on one hand- but for crying out loud, what are these kids supposed to do? Anyway, son's goal was to play college baseball, baseball is his passion, he liked football, but not nearly the same. In the end I guess the coach did us a favor, now we don't have to worry about the injury risk. But I sure do miss watching my boys play under the lights on Friday night!
Honestly, that football coach is an idiot and he will lose out on some great athletes by doing things like this. I love baseball and want all my guys to love baseball but that's not reality. Some guys love other sports and do baseball because they like it. If a kid shows me they want to be great at another sport then I'll work with them in the offseason so they can do both sports. When baseball is in season they better be committed to me but even then I've let guys miss a practice to go to something that will help them get into college for other sports.
It's not the end of the world if a kid misses something during the offseason.
yeah, well we were 4-14 over the last two years. He's no longer the coach. hopefully the next coach will realize that he needs as many athletes on the field as he can get.
I'm a big football fan and got a ton of enjoyment out of Friday nights, but fears of football injuries are not unfounded.
In three years of high school varsity, we saw numerous injuries, many of them what I would consider serious: several concussions, few knees, several shoulders, ankles, wrists, toes, eyes, etc. For our family, we were willing to tolerate the risk. And, no doubt, there are many rewards associated with playing football. But, of course, a 16 yo never think a serious injury is going to happen to him so it's unclear to me how much the kids consider the risk v. reward of football. I'll miss the games, but part of me is thinking "phew," now that it's over for my son.
I was dead set against football... then I decided we will give him freshman year and reevaluate after that. Now you guys are making me nervous again!!
first of all, I will qualify this by saying that until recently- I have always been much more of a football fan than anything else. Now I'm having as much fun watching HS and college baseball as I was a d lineman, played d1 football and was one of the lucky ones that never had a serious injury. I still love football, older son is a d3 lineman, we try to make every game even though he's 5 hours away. Older son isn't as lucky as I was. He had shoulder surgery right after his senior football season, and was out half of the last two seasons for concussions. He still loves the game and wants to play. I get it, and I won't stand in his way. He's at a DIII that's attached to a world renowned hospital, they are very conservative when it comes to the medical decisions and have all of the resources at their disposal. If they medically disqualify him at some point, then, that's life.
My 2017 has verbally committed for baseball, but I honestly wouldn't stand in his way either if he wanted to play football, but thank the lord he does not. He doesn't want to risk the injury, and I don't blame him. Really is too much on the line when his dream of playing high level baseball is so close. Don't know what my point is here- I guess it's that my wife and i have decided that we are not going to influence their decisions on football either way. I know how important it was to me at that age, it was everything- my identity, all my goals, and almost all of my friends and most of my best memories as I look back- would I do it again and risk injury- yes. A good friend of mine played for the steelers, had multiple injuries, now in his 50's and is in pain every day of his life, he says he'd do it all over again in a minute. I don't want to shield my kids from these experiences if it's what they want to do, but I'm sure not going to encourage them to play football if they don't love it.
pabaseballdad posted:I don't think that missing the fall baseball recruiting season is much of an issue. The issue for us was the summer. My 2017 was our second string HS QB is freshman and soph year, behind a really good qb that ended up playing D1. The problem for us was that his football coach was adamant that he be at every single practice, and 7 on 7 competition during the summer. When he missed a "big" In the coaches mind- 7 on 7 competition, in order to go to a pro workout- the football coach flipped, and that was the beginning of the end. I understand the coaches position on one hand- but for crying out loud, what are these kids supposed to do? Anyway, son's goal was to play college baseball, baseball is his passion, he liked football, but not nearly the same. In the end I guess the coach did us a favor, now we don't have to worry about the injury risk. But I sure do miss watching my boys play under the lights on Friday night!
My 2017 son never had an issue with conflicts during 7 on 7 football competition in the summer. All the games were on Mondays and any travel was on the weekend. American Legion was very forgiving for those who participated in 7 on 7.
My goal is still to get my son a scholarship as a punter. 
2020dad posted:I was dead set against football... then I decided we will give him freshman year and reevaluate after that. Now you guys are making me nervous again!!
2020dad-
My 2019 son played Freshman football this past fall. Team was weak and he wound up with a concussion returning a kick in the last game of the season. While he had fun and the training certainly helped with his athleticism, with his baseball talent it was not worth the risk. Missed a week of school too. Unless football is his number 1 sport I'd be wary.
Here's my two cents for what it's worth. I am a football coach and ex baseball coach in Texas (head baseball for 21 years). My oldest is a redshirt soph. D2 baseball player. My youngest is a 2017 junior catcher this year. My oldest committed to a D1 in July before his senior year. He played QB and punted for us his senior season. We played in Cowboy stadium in the state championship that year. He had several offers for football and baseball. My youngest was all state last year as a soph. and next football season is in line to be our starting QB. They both played or play for a nationally recognized summer baseball program as well as making 7 on 7 practices and tournaments. It can be done and my oldest has no regrets. I think they really go good together. The 7 on 7 helps with quickness and both are QB's so arm strength increases at the same time. I guess I always have put the weight of injury risk on the shoulders of God and let the chips fall. Neither has been injured in a football game and I have had 9 knee surgeries, a knee replacement, and a herniated disc surgery all resulting from injuries at the baseball park. My son's will agree that you only get to do this once and if you want to play both, get after it.
Overthehill posted:Here's my two cents for what it's worth. I am a football coach and ex baseball coach in Texas (head baseball for 21 years). My oldest is a redshirt soph. D2 baseball player. My youngest is a 2017 junior catcher this year. My oldest committed to a D1 in July before his senior year. He played QB and punted for us his senior season. We played in Cowboy stadium in the state championship that year. He had several offers for football and baseball. My youngest was all state last year as a soph. and next football season is in line to be our starting QB. They both played or play for a nationally recognized summer baseball program as well as making 7 on 7 practices and tournaments. It can be done and my oldest has no regrets. I think they really go good together. The 7 on 7 helps with quickness and both are QB's so arm strength increases at the same time. I guess I always have put the weight of injury risk on the shoulders of God and let the chips fall. Neither has been injured in a football game and I have had 9 knee surgeries, a knee replacement, and a herniated disc surgery all resulting from injuries at the baseball park. My son's will agree that you only get to do this once and if you want to play both, get after it.
Wish we had a football coach like you. heres another example of stupidity. When my 2013 was a soph he told him he should not go out for track - he was a thrower. And a lineman. We don't have spring ball here by the way Told him he wanted him in the weight room. Bizarre. I'm pretty sure that there is a good fit between shot put and the line. And if your a thrower you are going to be in the weight room. Glad he's gone.
Baseball Dad, we ask our athletes to get in three days of extra weights (beyond our 4th period athletic period) each week. Coaches have the weight room open at 5;30 am and stays open to 5:30 pm each day. Our spring sport guys get their lifting done in the mornings and have time to recoop before afternoon workouts. Every thrower we have is a football player. I'm a firm believer in keeping kids busy and there is nothing you can do in offseason athletics that can compare to competition. We live in a small country town and I often laugh at parent comments on kids not playing football because of injury. But, the same one sport kids have lots of time on their hands to ride around in a $45,000 truck and get in trouble with drugs and alcohol. I've never seen a kid be able to drink beer through a football face mask or a catcher's helmet.
My youngest get up at 5:45 every morning to go get his lifting in. He then goes through football offseason at 11;40 every day then has baseball practice or games in the evenings. Most would say it is too much. I disagree. My son is learning dedication to more than one thing at a time and also a life-long lesson on time management. My oldest did the same and is now 30 hours away from a Biology degree with a minor in Chemistry while being a college athlete. He will then move on to Optometry school to be a doctor.
Overthehill posted:Baseball Dad, we ask our athletes to get in three days of extra weights (beyond our 4th period athletic period) each week. Coaches have the weight room open at 5;30 am and stays open to 5:30 pm each day. Our spring sport guys get their lifting done in the mornings and have time to recoop before afternoon workouts. Every thrower we have is a football player. I'm a firm believer in keeping kids busy and there is nothing you can do in offseason athletics that can compare to competition. We live in a small country town and I often laugh at parent comments on kids not playing football because of injury. But, the same one sport kids have lots of time on their hands to ride around in a $45,000 truck and get in trouble with drugs and alcohol. I've never seen a kid be able to drink beer through a football face mask or a catcher's helmet.
I agree with all the sentiments regarding the benefits of football, many of which applied to our son -- training, weights, camaraderie, keeping him busy/out of trouble, competition, you only live once, etc. All that stuff is important/excellent. And, yes, arguably all of that collectively outweighs the injury issue (it did for us). But, the injury risk is nothing to laugh at.
Overthehill posted:Here's my two cents for what it's worth. I am a football coach and ex baseball coach in Texas (head baseball for 21 years). My oldest is a redshirt soph. D2 baseball player. My youngest is a 2017 junior catcher this year. My oldest committed to a D1 in July before his senior year. He played QB and punted for us his senior season. We played in Cowboy stadium in the state championship that year. He had several offers for football and baseball. My youngest was all state last year as a soph. and next football season is in line to be our starting QB. They both played or play for a nationally recognized summer baseball program as well as making 7 on 7 practices and tournaments. It can be done and my oldest has no regrets. I think they really go good together. The 7 on 7 helps with quickness and both are QB's so arm strength increases at the same time. I guess I always have put the weight of injury risk on the shoulders of God and let the chips fall. Neither has been injured in a football game and I have had 9 knee surgeries, a knee replacement, and a herniated disc surgery all resulting from injuries at the baseball park. My son's will agree that you only get to do this once and if you want to play both, get after it.
Lots of good info but this post sums up my thought process.
b i g m a c posted:Overthehill posted:Baseball Dad, we ask our athletes to get in three days of extra weights (beyond our 4th period athletic period) each week. Coaches have the weight room open at 5;30 am and stays open to 5:30 pm each day. Our spring sport guys get their lifting done in the mornings and have time to recoop before afternoon workouts. Every thrower we have is a football player. I'm a firm believer in keeping kids busy and there is nothing you can do in offseason athletics that can compare to competition. We live in a small country town and I often laugh at parent comments on kids not playing football because of injury. But, the same one sport kids have lots of time on their hands to ride around in a $45,000 truck and get in trouble with drugs and alcohol. I've never seen a kid be able to drink beer through a football face mask or a catcher's helmet.
I agree with all the sentiments regarding the benefits of football, many of which applied to our son -- training, weights, camaraderie, keeping him busy/out of trouble, competition, you only live once, etc. All that stuff is important/excellent. And, yes, arguably all of that collectively outweighs the injury issue (it did for us). But, the injury risk is nothing to laugh at.
Big Mac - I can assure you that I do not take the injury risk lightly but he loves football and baseball and happens to be decent at both. I never even wanted him to play football early on but all of his friends were playing and he literally begged me to play.
He made his own decision to not play basketball the past two winters in order to use that time for strength and speed training. He's pretty adamant that he wants to play both sports in high school and college. It's not my goal, it's his. Now he's 14, so that may change in two years or two months but I would be surprised if it he changed his mind.
Well, with that name, Heath Shuler, not sure how you could deny him FB.
cabbagedad posted:Well, with that name, Heath Shuler, not sure how you could deny him FB.
My cover is blown...lol!
