how old do you have to be?

Some showcases will tell you what the age cut off is. IMO anything before HS is a waste. Some may argue that anything before soph. does not make a lot of sense.

We do not go by "how are old you ?" We go by if the player is a HS Varsity contributor

Hi everyone, finally decided to register. Lot's of great advice.

My son just completed his freshman year and ended the season starting on the varsity team. I've taken him to a couple local showcase type events this summer. The major reason was not necessarily to impress the scouts but to give him (us) an idea on what to expect and how to prepare to succeed at such events in the future. Also, to compare himself to the standout players there and show him where a stands and how much more he needs to work.

Agree with TRHit that the player should at least be contributing on the varsity team.

itsNOTjustagame,

Welcome to the HS Baseball Web!

What an excellent first post. Your reasons for taking your son to his first local showcases at a fairly early age are right on target. Many of our experienced members would recommend that you take exactly that approach at the first few showcases...your son learning what to expect and what areas he may need to improve upon.

Best wishes to you and your son.

Julie

I guess that all the players referenced above have the opportunity in their respective high schools to tryout for the varsity before their junior season. Our coach does not allow any player tryouts for varisity before junior year and typically favors seniors over juniors. Basically wait your turn. I plan on sending my son (will be a soph)to a PG event next summer. Will his lack of varsity experience hurt him in anyway?

quote:

Originally posted by itsNOTjustagame:
The major reason was not necessarily to impress the scouts but to give him (us) an idea on what to expect and how to prepare to succeed at such events in the future. Also, to compare himself to the standout players there and show him where a stands and how much more he needs to work.

IMO that's exactly the track you should be on!

sincere parent, so you're telling me that if your son is a sophomore and throws 90, bats .500 and hits the ball 400' on a regular basis, and is far better than any jr. or sr. in the school, that the coach wouldn't put him on the team? Do you see what I'm getting at here? Wait your turn? So, winning is secondary to giving kids who have "waited their turn" a chance to play? While you're thinking about sending him to a PG event, think also about sending him to another high school, if you have school choice where you are as we do here.

sincere parent, that's if you think your son deserves to play at the higher level. Don't let some narrow-minded coach dictate your son's baseball future. Am I off-base here everyone?

quote:

I plan on sending my son (will be a soph)to a PG event next summer. Will his lack of varsity experience hurt him in anyway?

No.

I guess I should have just answered the question as FO did. I agree, no, his lack of varsity experience will not hurt him as far as the showcase goes. I'm assuming it's a PG Underclass event?

While I do agree that having "varsity experience" may not be necessary but having varsity talent (i.e. better than average player at the freshman/sophmore age) would be something you may want to consider.

sincere parent, I agree with the others, lack of varsity experience will not hurt. I appreciate your struggle with the "waiting your turn" issue. My son goes to a private catholic hs, but the local public school has a lot of the same "wait your turn" policies and other than private school, we don't have a choice of other public schools in the area.

MN-Mom, thanks for the kind words.

Thanks for all your comments the local catholic HS coaches talked with me about him attending their school but in the end his desire to play with his friends was what he wanted. I just want him to be in a competitive situation. My son pitched 32 innings this season gave up 3 earned runs and walked 2 people. Not because he is that much better but the other highschool players dedicated to baseball all are playing at least on the JV if not varsity teams.

quote:

Originally posted by sincere parent:
but in the end his desire to play with his friends was what he wanted. I just want him to be in a competitive situation.

In the end, I suppose it's what he wants that truly matters. Maybe he just doesn't have the same competitive fire as you, or the same goals.

Competitive goals---from my own sons--my last son was a fine player but after his brother went Division I he decided he did not want to take that "trip"---he gave up the game and went on with his life---

To be truthful he did not have the "killer insinct" that his brother had and he realized it

God Bless him

I believe that you have answered at least part of the question. Our varsity football coach has had my son working out all summer, lifting/7 on 7 passing squad and he was told he will be with the varsity for 2 a-days playing the wide receiver and cornerback positions. I think his desire is focused on obtaining a varsity letter in one of the sports he loves not just baseball. Maybe it will take him another year for him to focus on just one sport ( I want baseball!). He also was the JV starting 2 guard.

Life is always a series of choices!