Getting noticed on the east coast

Nybaseballdad- Welcome. No need to stress at this stage in his progression, he is still very young. However, the "lacrosse land" statement is far from the truth. There are many quality travel baseball teams in the area, and quite a few that are centrally located right around your hometown. Tell your son to keep working hard and enjoy the game as much as he can and when the time comes, he'll be ready to go. PM me if you'd like more details on specifics (in order to send a PM, or a Private Message, click on my name and then click "Invite JH to a Private Topic"...a new window will pop up).

By the way as a side note, a friend and former teammate of mine graduated from Harborfields and is the all-time career saves leader for Dartmouth, and graduated this past May with an economics degree. Lacrosse may be prevalent, especially in the Huntington section of Long Island, but baseball is still a very powerful and popular sport.

Welcome NYdad,
First, the best advice I can give...
Make absolutely sure you take up JH on the offer and PM him. You have just been extended on offer of help by a resource that you will truly treasure.

Second, while I'm sure you will get some good replies here on your post, know that you can also search on this site and there are countless posts that touch on best practices for getting exposure, finding the right travel teams, searching for the right college fit, etc.

Third, make sure you don't get ahead of yourself... enjoy every step of the way and be sure your son is allowed to do the same.

Best wishes..

Whoa! Slow down. Your son is twelve. There are plenty of places to be seen in the northeast. When the time is right there are many people on this site who can help you, including myself.

Before then your son needs to ...

1) Make the adjustment to the 60/90 field.
2) Prepare to make the high school varsity
3) Make the varsity

In the meantime here is some advice to prepare for high school that can be used at any level.

How to make the high school team

DO NOT turn baseball into a job for a twelve year old. The passion has to come from within. He has to want it, not you wanting it for him. If your son has mentioned he would like to play college baseball someday encourage the dream. Start with "grades matter," because they do. There are 11.7 scholarships for the entire roster of 35. Coaches don't like to waste them on academically questionable players.

nybaseball dad:

Welcome. You have already gotten some very sage advice here. Your son has lots of time though I must admit it seems to go really fast, so enjoy the process.

One thing that I've discovered here as a relative newcommer is that there is little that's new under the sun, that is: use the "find" and "advanced find" features in the menu above and search around the site as the odds are pretty good that at least some of your questions have been addressed in depth in the past.

I would 2nd JH's advice regarding the benefits of playing on a travel team. There are many in the NYC metro area and, though it might take a couple of seasons, you'll be able to find one that's a right fit for your son. Some are awful, some are great. Personally speaking, from what I have experienced and observed, it seems that the teams who place proper perspective (and, yes, restrictions) on the involvement of the parents and have strong, experienced leadership, tend to function better year over year with less drama.

Look into latching onto a team that's going to Cooperstown this summer. There are two outfits up there (one smaller, one gigantic) who run week-long tournaments in July and August for 13u teams. My son (and I) had amazing experiences up there. It definitely helps put your kid's skill level in perspective when you see so many 13U players and teams from throughout the US.

Lastly, Babe Ruth and American Legion teams are also an alternative; do a little research in your area.

This site and the informed, generous-in-spirit people who post on it are an incredible resource: take full advantage!

Good luck!

East Coast? Easy, get ESPN to watch him. That's all they do is watch the East Coast, right?

.

"Welcome. You have already gotten some very sage advice here."

And here is some more.

Seriously Nybaseballdad...you have received excellent advice by all, the exception being me and possibly papi with his wacky ESPN® theories. They do their aerial shots using black helicopters...right papi?

Welcome aboard the HSBBW Nybaseballdad...enjoy the ride. Enjoy your son's baseball games. Make sure he doesn't burn out, and maybe more importantly make sure you don't burn out.


"I'm pretty certain papi that New Era® doesn't make a cap with a tinfoil brim."......"Well they should...aluminum ain't just for breakfast anymore!"

.

I agree, slow down and take one season at a time. It might not seem like it now, but 12u is very young to be worrying about college and pro exposure. If he's still playing by 15u then the fun begins. At that time if he's a standout player you won't have any trouble finding a travel team for him to play on.

That being said, if you're interested in a travel program contact Baseball Heaven in Yaphank. They have a great facility up there and if they don't sponsor teams they probably could give you a few names of teams in the area.

Much good advice. My two cents: don't waste your money or your time on a travel team at such a young age if you have organized ball in your back yard such as Babe Ruth, Junior Legion, or a local AAU team.

Trust me, you will find plenty to spend your money on in his rising Junior and rising Senior summers of high school. Don't blow your budget now.

Make sure he loves baseball on his own. Get on the local team and consider spending some limited monies on a well qualified personal coach to help him along.

quote:

Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
.

"Welcome. You have already gotten some very sage advice here."

And here is some more.

.

That's right, Gotwood4sale, the kid is only 12 and there's still plenty of thyme.

quote:

Originally posted by slotty:
Look into latching onto a team that's going to Cooperstown this summer. There are two outfits up there (one smaller, one gigantic) who run week-long tournaments in July and August for 13u teams. My son (and I) had amazing experiences up there. It definitely helps put your kid's skill level in perspective when you see so many 13U players and teams from throughout the US.

http://www.cooperstownallstarvillage.com/

http://www.cooperstowndreamspark.com

.

"...the kid is only 12 and there's still plenty of thyme."

Chive gotta' bunch that basil-ball is going to be berry, berry good to him!




.

quote:

Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
.

"...the kid is only 12 and there's still plenty of thyme."

Chive gotta' bunch that basil-ball is going to be berry, berry good to him!




.

I knew something like that was cumin...you're just trying to curry favor with me!

.

You knew that was cumin? I figured you wouldn't guess dill the cardamom came home! I'm sorry, I'm sorry I mint cudweed coming home...not cardamom.

I can get caraway sometimes...carobbing from one subject to another. That parsley explains my sometimes being a sass and then a frass. I need to focus and fennel all of my energy, otherwise everyone gonna' think I'm nothing but a tarragon of virtue...or a spikenard.

Wow...lookit the time! Oregano I better go now.




.

quote:

Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
.

You knew that was cumin? I figured you wouldn't guess dill the cardamom came home! I'm sorry, I'm sorry I mint cudweed coming home...not cardamom.

I can get caraway sometimes...carobbing from one subject to another. That parsley explains my sometimes being a sass and then a frass. I need to focus and fennel all of my energy, otherwise everyone gonna' think I'm nothing but a tarragon of virtue...or a spikenard.

Wow...lookit the time! I oregano I better go now.




.

Brilliant !

Uncle! Mercy rule in effect!

quote:

Originally posted by slotty:
Uncle! Mercy rule in effect!

No one can out do the Woodman!

Thanks guys,

I was afraid in posting that with the age of my son it would get taken the wrong way. Please know that I am taking it slow, loving every second of it and more importantly, my son is loving every second of it. Not a psycho dad, just a dad that loves being with his son and watching my boy play the sport he has fallen in love with. My question about getting noticed comes from discussions with my son that has expressed his desire to play this game the rest of his life. Will it happen? Chances are no, but hey, if that's what my boy wants to work towards, I am going to back him 100% and give him the means necessary to attempt it. That said, if my son said he wanted to be a fireman, then I would be posting on the highschoolfireman website to find out what he needs to do to make that happen as well. So....yes it's early but he loves it and I love learning and reading about it all on this website so I thought I'd go ahead and post what I was thinking.
JH, thank you so much for your response and your invitation to private message you (as well as directions on how to do so...lol) I will take you up on that.
RJM, I hope this message explains where I am at. I do appreciate the advice.
We have found a travel team that we really like and they like him, so he is excited to be a part of that. We do lessons and still enjoy little league, especially this year as he has grown and the fences cannot contain him. He is loving that!!! My son and I have sat and read through alot of the things on this site, like what coaches expect and you never know who's watching. Great stuff! My son is EXTREMELY competitive and in years past it showed itself in frustration with umpires and teammates who maybe were not at his level. These were of course constant teaching moments but to be able to show him all of the information on this site from coaches and players that say attatude is so important, it has really sank in with him and has taught him to contain frustrations and encourage teammates. Maybe I am jumping the gun by looking ahead but my son and I both have such a love of the game that it is exciting to see him excel at such an early age and to think that some of the great stories I have read on this site could be possible for him down the road.
Thanks so much for all of the responses and support.
Thank you for taking the THYME to respond...funny stuff guys!

Nybaseballdad:

Welcome to the High School Baseball Web!

It's wonderful that your son has found the passion at an early age. How do I know? Because my son came to me in the 6th grade (completely out of the blue) and said, "Dad, I think if I work hard enough at it, I think I can play baseball past high school." At that point, he began working really hard to fulfill his dream.

One of the nice things about identifying the goal early is that you can help him appreciate the fact that his grades are really important to college recruiters before many of his peers (To echo RJM's earlier point). All too often, kids get the message too late; and they find that their options are more limited than they might otherwise have been if they'd applied themselves academically earlier in high school.

Glad you've found the site. I think you and your son will continue to find it very helpful.

Best of luck to him!

NYbaseballdad:

Ditto all the welcomes. As a relative newcomer to HSBW with a 14U son who also has passion and drive, I hear ya. We're fortunate to live in Texas, where opportunities are numerous, but I have no doubt you're on the right track. My only add is something I posted elsewhere ... the words of a Div 1 college coach, to my son and his teammates, when they were 12:

He told them that to be considered for his baseball team, it takes three things, in this order:

1. Grades, grades, grades.
2. Mental and physical toughness
3. Baseball talent

Enjoy the ride -- and DEFINITELY go to Cooperstown this summer. Best youth baseball experience in the world!

Jp24

My son went to Cooperstown 7 years ago and back then I would agree with your stmt about Cooperstown however I am wondering if that stmt is as true as it used to be....

Some friends that have had son's that have gone recently and have had son that have gone years ago tell me there are better or at least more options available....that the the over all caliber of the teams have diminished....

There are now many more options for teams/players..in their pov the Cooperstown experience now has some quality competition and may not be the best " in the world" experience any more....Still a quality experience but seems like everything else competition may have caught up?

Was just wondering if any other posters have experienced or at least heard the same thing.

Son went two years ago. Definitely not a lot of competition until they got toward the end, but son and teammates loved it because it was just such an experience. Just a ton of FUN - which is so important at that age.

His team ended up in championship beating a team from Florida - definitely competitive. Obviously with 104 teams there are a lot of blowouts, but the short fences, barracks, camaraderie ... pure fun. I think every 12u should go.

For tough competition, do USSSA, etc ... but go to Cooperstown ... Tour the Hall of Fame and be a boy.