Is it good?

Noooooo. That's horrible. Hahaha sorry I couldn't help myself.

It's good if he's going to play. If he's sitting on bench and also not playing on JV team its limiting his chances to develop and get better.

Could mean one of two things.  Either the kid is an absolute "stud" and has a baseball future.  Or the program graduated all of its players and has hit a "weak" spot. 

Is your freshman son a 16u pitcher, as mentioned in a previous post?

Generally . . . . .YES!   If he get's playing time as playball2011 mentioned.   

 

When my son's HS baseball coach said he could play on the Varsity team as a freshman the question about playing time was a big issue.  So we had a long talk with the coach to try and see what might be the best choice.  We told the coach that if he wasn't going to play much on the V-team then we felt it was better to go with playing regularly on the JV team.  The way this coach treats his baseball program is as the Freshman Team, JV Team and the Varsity were like one team for the benefit of the Varsity team and players could be moved up or down depending on how the needs of the Varsity team.  So, we felt comfortable when the coach advised that if it didn't work out as we hoped on Varsity, he could go down to JV to get the playing time for development.  As it turned out, son was a major contributor to the team and played in every Varsity game giving him valuable experience in his Freshman year.  

 

He adjusted well to the Varsity level of play.  The only thing the bugged him a little bit was the typical razzing a Freshman takes from the upper class-men like all rookies go through.  Like having to do all the least pleasant chores around the field or after games. . . .if you know what I mean.    Oh, and like many of the Seniors who drive them selfs to games and practices where a Freshman isn't even old enough to drive or have a car and depend's on "dad" or someone else to get him where he needs to be.  So, it can feel a little hard for a Freshman to feel they fit in. . . .especially if they're the only Freshman on the team and their friends are on the other teams.

 

There are three things that are very important for development . . . 

Playing Time, Playing Time and Playing Time.  

 

4A league chanps in district 1?

My son also made varsity as a freshman last year.  He started on JV and then as the coach told him "I had to give the upperclassmen a chance.  Now it is your chance."  It was tough at first because he also was playing both JV and varsity, but ended up with a lot of playing time.  he also got the chance to walk a great senior behind the plate when he was not there.  This kid is now at Duke, so it was a great chance to see what type of leadership skills my son would need to develop.

 

Being the only freshman, he had to carry the ball bucket to the field each day.  (Along with his catcher's gear).  But that means this season, there will be a "new guy" to hand that off to :-)  Being the only freshman to get a varsity jacket was nice too.  

 

 

I don't think there is any one answer to this one; it varies by each team and player.  My 2017 made V as a frosh last year. He didn't get much playing time so I thought he  would have been better off on JV, but I didn't get a vote, and my kid enjoyed being on the team very much because it was very successful.   I don't  know if being on V last year was a good thing quite yet.  My kid has done a good job of showing his skills as well as his hustle, leadership, etc. to the coach and has a decent chance of winning at least a part-time starting job this year as a sophomore.  If he does, then I'd have to say that making the team as a frosh was good.  If he does not, then not so much. 

My 2016 was the second position-starting freshman in 20 years at our school. It has been a GREAT thing... 

 

Our FHSAA 8A (District 2)... Our district was voted #1 most difficult in Central FL by the Orlando Sentinel. The last 3 years we've had two 8A State Champs and a final 4 from our district - All 3 were different schools. We also have PG's #1 2015 at SS, and 2 other Seniors that were in the PG National Showcase... Hopefully this is our year... Stay tuned!

Actually, at our HS they did ask one 2017 last season to play V as a FR. He declined, since I believe he was given a choice. He was our starting 3B and best pitcher and a solid hitter.He was also a big kid at 6'1" for a FR. They later pulled him up due to an injury and he started at 3B and did a little pitching. He did okay defensively but batted last and poorly. The old quandry: play a lot at JV or little on V...

My son was kept down on the Freshman team his Freshman year.  Coach said he had no doubts son could play 1st and hit, but he wanted him to pitch regularly.  Team had 3 senior kids, who would go on to pitch in college, so it was probably a good decision.  The team ended up winning state, and then in the summer, Coach brought him up to AA Legion (They have a single A and a AA at son's school.)  As a sophomore, son was the starting 1st Baseman and pitched some.  As a Jr. 1st Base and the Ace of the Staff.  When son was a freshman, I thought he should've been on varsity, but in retrospect, it worked out great.

 

If son would have made varsity and not pitched, I am not sure that would have been good for him.  If you can contribute and play, go up.  If you aren't going to play, don't move up.

NY Dad 17 sorry I had a typo I meant my younger is 16u.

I must be missing something here - when is it up to the parents what level the player ought to be playing and how much they should be playing?  Why would it matter what some parent's opinion is?  You think the parent when discussing things with the coach has the other players' best interests at heart?

 

I thought the coach picks the freshman, JV, and varsity teams and then decides which kid plays on each and who will be the starter on each.  I never heard of the parent being involved in the decision.  I get parents worrying about whether a kid might take a step back by sitting at the varsity level but that is where it ought to end imho.  It's the coach's job to worry and decide these things.  He needs to do what is best for the team - not one player.  I am sure the coach can figure out how to balance development versus the needs of the team and also for individual "gifted" players.  Parents should stay out of it imho. 

 

 

If a kid sits varsity versus playing JV he can still get plenty of playing time in the summer. It's not a lost year. 

 

When my son was a high school freshman I was concerned he was going to make varsity because the team was terrible. He was good enough to start on his high school varsity. I didn't feel he was ready for the competition in the other dugout. Fortunately the coach saw it the same way. He had a great JV year. He was ready for varsity soph year. The cancers graduated. The team started winning his soph year.

Agreed CD, but I didn't see anybody post anything that was in opposition to anything you said.  Truman mentioned being in a conversation about which team his son should be on, but that doesn't necessarily mean he told the coach where he thought he should play or anything about PT. For myself, I've never talked to any HS coach about either of my kids.

Hmmmm???  Who suggested anything was "up to the parents"?

 

In my case, it mattered to my son.   And in general, I'd call is a parental function. . .particular when it involves a 14 year old HS Freshman.

 

It seems you ARE "missing something".   Speaking only in my case, this was a discussion between coach and player with the payer's parent present (as the coach often involved parents of new students (ie. Freshman) to better understand his philosophy and his program).  I doubt that "all" coaches take this approach.  But, I can testify that the coach builds, on a regular basis, very successful players and teams.

Now you have.   Just keep in mind that in my case the parent being involved only to the extend as an advisory role. . . .NOT in making the decisions.

 

Yeah, I guess there's a difference of opinion regarding parenting rolls at various stages??? 

 

 It seems you're reading more into this that there is. . . .???

 

 

Possibly your son will have the benefit of practicing and learning every day from the older, more experienced kids.  That is a plus.  Possibly your son will miss out on a lot of game time time because of older more experienced kids.  That is a minus.   Its a tough call either way, and sometimes the player is not given an opportunity to make the call.

 

Although my 3 sons were never given the option, all 3 played JV in 9th grade.  I think it was a good thing for them and their development and confidence.  Our high school conference is extremely competitive every year.  

Asked to play V?  At our school HC makes decisions who plays where.  You don't get choice to decline. 

in my 25 years last one 1999 I never had a freshman on the varsity As a matter of fact maybe 10 sophomores in those years and they all started for 3 years but none played or was on the team as a freshman. Has the talent all of a sudden gotten much better? or are their other reasons?

Is your point that, in 25 years, you never had a Freshman good enough to make your vasrsity? Or that you, for other reasons, never put one on? Mind you, I have no problem with coaches who, as a general policy, don't put freshmen on varsity. However, if it's because you never had one good enough, I can only say your program must have been better than most.

 

School size is also a consideration. In smaller schools, it's very common for freshmen to be contribute to a varsity program. IN larger schools, it's much more rare, but certainly not unheard of.

Some coach's will actually ask the kid what he would prefer to do. Our coach will actually talk to all the kids who tried out, and explain their roles.  I don't think it is the parents decision, but if asked, I would definitely give my opinion based on the conversation with the coach.  Although, I don't think many coach's are going to ask the parents' opinion.  Staying on varsity and not playing can be a good thing, because the practices and level of play of those around you can actually help with development. 

I wonder if this illustrates the effect of travel ball, verbal commitments and maybe some other factors I'm not considering, like maybe fitness regimes and even early onset puberty, on the current baseball scene.

 

I'll take the example of a kid who played Majors travel with my kid at 13u and 14u and moved on to play for a nationally known team, then started for his HS varsity as a freshman, led the league in BA, was one of the top 3-4 players in the league IMHO, and recently got a verbal as a sophomore to a top Pac12 school.

 

Will says his last season was 1999.  I don't know if a kid like this would have had the opportunity to excel at such an early age it was still 1999.  Would he have had as much time facing top competition early on to get him ready to play varsity as a freshman?  Probably not. Maybe that's why Will never had a freshman on his team.  They were not ready. 

Staying on varsity and not playing can be a good thing, because the practices and level of play of those around you can actually help with development.

 

This is an excellent point.  And it's not just on the field.  Teens are influenced enormously by their peers.  If the older boys are good role models they can have a great impact on a younger kid. If they are not good role models, well that's not so good.

I very rarely see or hear of a freshman on a HS varsity team.  Where my son went to school, if I recall correctly, in the 50+ year history, there were only about 5 freshman to ever play on varsity.  Some of the schools in the league simply have a policy of not allowing a freshman onto the varsity team.

 

The OP suggests to me that the player in question has an option.  So I gave an example where my son also had the option.

 

I think obviously, whether a player has a choice or not is up to the HC as to his philosophy for his program.

 

PS:  IMHO, if a player is relatively mature with a lot of upside potential, playing on Varsity as a Freshman is a big plus for development and preparing the player for earlier significant contributions to the team.

Play every day on the jv or sporadically or not at all on varsity? To me it is a no brainer.

That upside will not go up without significant playing time.

On my son's team, coach did bring up on Freshman during my son's Freshman year.  The kid was/is a really good catcher, but he wouldn't have been brought up except a senior catcher was eliminated from contention because of his 3rd tobacco offense on school grounds.  The varsity team had a great All conference Catcher, but they needed a back-up.  Sometimes playing the right position can get you a spot earlier.

That would be true if you're talking nothing but large classification schools. My son plays for a Colorado 3A program. There have only been five freshmen on the roster over the past eight seasons (and three of those were the HC's sons). However, several teams at that level play multiple freshmen. IN fact, our main rival, who had a pretty successful season last year STARTED 5 freshmen and had 7 on the 14 man roster. They lost no starters, which means they probably won't have many on next year's team. Of the two powerhouse 3A schools that played for the state title last year, one had an all senior starting nine and 12 of the 15 rostered players were seniors. The other team? Not a single senior on the roster. You get down to even smaller schools and you'll find they almost always have freshmen on the roster.

My brother was a starting pitcher on varsity he was a freshman in '06 but he didn't commit himself and winded up at a local d2.

You make a good point regarding small schools.

 

My son's school is not a "large" school" and has a Freshman team in addition to their JV and Varsity.  So for a school of about 1,500, there's typically over 50 baseball players in their program all together.  Then again too, this is a private school that has a lot of emphasis on their sports programs. So, there is a wide range of environments involved with addressing such issues . . .