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I was wondering if anyone had experience choosing a high school due to baseball programs.  Son is a rising 8th grader and will play 14u travel ball this Fall.  The high school we are zoned for has a strong baseball program and many players are cut freshman year.  The school is large with over 2500 students.

Son would like to play high school baseball, and I'm nervous he will not make the team.  We know approximately 40 players in his year group who are currently playing travel ball, and the JV team takes around 9 freshmen each year.

Zoned school doesn't have a middle school developmental program, and son currently plays for another local high school developmental program run by the varsity coach.  Son could opt to attend this school by selecting a choice academic program only offered at this school. The coach at this school really likes son and has said he'd love to have him on his team.

I've casually asked son if he'd consider attending the developmental program school, and he is thinking about it.  Ironically, son is a very confident kid and thinks he will make the team at his zoned school.  Does anyone have experience with their player choosing another school due to the baseball program?  We could also look at private schools, which would also be easier to make.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

 

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Welcome to the site.  Be aware that you can also search other related threads and there are quite a few about changing high schools.  Each family has their own unique situation that they must consider.  I would encourage you to make sure you are looking at the whole picture.  At some point, sooner or later, your son will not be a baseball player.  But he will still be your son and still have a circle of friends and family in his life.  He will still have his future career to look forward to and pursue.  There is academics.  There is his current circle of friends.  There may be siblings involved.  Logistics.  Campus safety/environment.  Family Budget.  Don't know if this applies but there may be the notion that "if you can't get what you want, go where you can" instead of "work hard and earn it".  Generally, it is not advisable to change schools just because of baseball.  HS years involve so much more.  That said, again, I don't discount the possibility that, for some, there may be move solutions that are better all the way around.

IMO, it should not be about going where it's easier to make the team.

Last edited by cabbagedad

Our choice for high schools was 100% related to academics.  We moved to a neighborhood that was zoned to the best academic high school in our area when my son was 6, long before Baseball was a consideration.

To the original poster:  what are your son's longterm goals with Baseball?  Does he love working on the game 6-7 days a week?  In many parts of the country High School Baseball is either completely irrelevent or nearing irrelevancy, just glorified rec ball.  

When we moved from one state to another our school district decision was 100% education. At the time of our move the high school was pathetic in most sports. By the time my kids were playing high school sports most of the teams were very good.

Heading into high school some privates expressed interest in my son. I didn’t see the value in paying for an education that wasn’t better just to be on a better baseball team.

Some high school coaches have influence in college recruiting. But a majority of the exposure and influence comes from travel ball. Choose the best high school for academics. Choose the best travel team for baseball.

Last edited by RJM

Thanks so much for your thoughts.  It does help put youth baseball, academics, and life in perspective.  Son will likely stay with zoned school for the friendship he's made since kindergarten, and it is the better academic school.  

Son's long term goals are really just to play in high school with his friends. Some of his private coaches think he could play in college due to his metrics, but he's undersized and late puberty.  He'll need to work really hard just to have a shot at high school.  

I wish sports were like when I was a kid. Any kid that had been playing seriously could make the team.  I guess there's always football or track 😊

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