Late August birthday effect College scholarships?

J.R.'s mom.....you have a PM.

Many people like the late birthday during the 29th, 39th, and 49th year. .

In your sons case at 17, he'll still be one of the youngest in his class but those few months should not be an issue if he has the tools.

I have issues when a parent holds back a kid because they feel he will not be athleticly competitive because of a late birthday.

J.R'sMom - Our son has an October birthday - he won't be 18 until already in college.

It didn't make a bit of difference - in fact its only been quoted to us as a positive.

Now on the flip side of that, there is many positives to holding your son back though. Some kids just arent mentally or physically mature enough to handle college at 17, hell i knew 22 year olds that couldn't handle it haha. If it was my son and he had a late birthday, I would hold him back, the positives far outway the negatives.

Holding a student back for non-academic reasons hurts that child...IMHO.

Why make him redo a grade unless he needs to to that to pass classes.

We had a family here in Orlando who decided after eighth grade that their son needed another year to be groomed for quarterback.

National high school rules state your four-year high school clock starts the second you finish eighth grade. This young man redid eighth grade and was eventually ruled ineligible for his senior year (despite the family filing a lawsuit against the state).

The family ruined their sons senior year so he could be bigger and better than the others.

Another note, there are two "older pitchers" in the Orlando area. Those kids dominate their "younger" opponents. Why should a 15-year-old sophomore have to play against a 19-year-old senior? The older boy is much stronger than the younger one. In my opinion if you are not 18 than you should not be allowed to play high school ball.

But for a parent to hold back a player to get him any extra year against lower competition is ridiculous. You either have the tools or don't.

Bob Pincus
Head Coach
Central Florida Renegades
www.eteamz.com/centralfloridarenegades
RobPincus@aol.com

Hoss, What's a late birthday, Aug, Sept? I agree if there are learning/physical/emotional issues and they are identified at an early elementary age there may be good reasoning to hold a kid back. What I have issue with are parents that hold a kid back because they want him/her to possibly have a step up physicaly on the others in their class and they determined this by "playing a hunch" or selfish predictions. Many States have a 5 yrs old by Sept1 cutoff for entry to school. Use that rule, if the school system sees there may be an issue, address them at the early elementary age where a grade can be repeated. Those that keep little johnny at home until he is 6 are not doing the kid any favors except the opportunity for another year of daytime tv.

It all gets back to academics first, which is what most of you are saying. Its very simple to me, our son was ready academically in Kindergarten and again in 8th grade. Athletics played NO PART in any decision. There is simply not an accurate way to predict what will happen athletically between 8th grade and 12th grade (except if your son is 6 ft. 8 in. and can play basketball).

What I once thought ?might? be a hindrence to his athletic progress has turned out to be a big plus. Make your decision based on academics and maturity. Agree totally with FloridaBaseballGuy and Rz1.

I noticed it being somewhat of an issue at the Perfect Game Underclass National Showcase where they are divided by grad year not age. My son plays on a 15u AAU team, out of the 16 boys on the team only 2 are 2006 graduates the rest are 2007. At this point the difference between a young 15 yr old sophmore and a older 16 year old sophmore can be huge, physically and emotionally. In our case our son has had his struggles academically because of his emotional maturity and when he was very young I thought they would hold him back, but the tendancy these days is to push them through whether they are ready or not.
I guess my point is wouldn't it have been an advantage for him in this case to be an old 2007 grad instead of a young 2006 grad?
This is the first time he was judged by grade versus age.
This PG showcase was a real eyeopener for us, made us realize that there is a huge amount of talent out there and every little advantage can make a difference.

J.R.'S Mom

http://www.eteamz.com/floridaeliteaau/

With every issue there are muliple solutions. In your case maybe the next two years will be an emotional maturity increase beyond your belief. Maybe when he graduates and baseball is still a passion but he is not ready for college, he will look at some juco programs have outstanding baseball with less stringent academic standards. At this stage of the game, in my opinion, the "hold back" option is not an option.

There are probably a high percentage of kids his age in school whose parents have the same academic and emotional issues you have but are not in a proactive mode about dealing with them. You seem to have identified an issue, keep him focused, set goals, stay positive, and I'll bet he turns out fine regardless of his age in his class.

rz1
Thanks good advice!
I guess I worry too much, must be the MOM in me. LOL I never considered holding him back, once he got past the first grade we felt committed and we trusted his teachers to do the best for him. He is probably more mature now than a lot of 18 year olds. Like you said stay positive and work hard and things will work out.

J.R.'S Mom

http://www.eteamz.com/floridaeliteaau/

I always say you play the hand you were dealt when it comes to your kid--be thankful that he is healthy, a good student and a baseball player

You cannot change what is

TRhit

"In my opinion if you are not 18 than you should not be allowed to play high school ball."

Bob, Young Sark was 18 when he graduated and was not held back. It was a cutoff time of the birthday month being Sept. Some kids graduate at 18 on a normal schedule.

"Everybody kind of perceives me as being angry. It's not anger, it's motivation." Roger Clemens

Amen to that TRhit!

You will never meet a more grateful mom than me! I prouder of my son and his accomplishments every day, but more than that I am proud of the man that he is becoming. I feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful son.

J.R.'S Mom

http://www.eteamz.com/floridaeliteaau/

What I'm saying is that if they are 19-years-old at any time during the high school season they should not be allowed to play.

If they are 17 or 18 that is the normal high school senior age.

JR's MOM - You have a PM!

Bob Pincus
Head Coach
Central Florida Renegades
www.eteamz.com/centralfloridarenegades
RobPincus@aol.com

FLA Baseball Guy

I agree, not 19, but justbaseballs boy is 16 as a senior and doesn't turn 17 until October. It didn't hurt him obviously, but it varies from boy to boy.

I went through it and I wish that my parents had "red-shirted" me because I grew 3 inches and gained 60 pounds by the time I turned 18. I was offered a partial football scholarship to a PA state college and turned it down to play JUCO Hockey. I played my senior football season as a 16 year old. If I had the extra year to grow it may have made a difference.

There are other factors as well, not the least of which were the girls! As a kid just getting his license as a senior while the "competition" had their licenses as 11th graders, well, I had to date girls that could drive!! (That could be a good thing!) For late maturing kids it can be tough to be that much younger. I think it's case by case.

Boomer is an August kid and I held him back and I make no apologies for it. He will still only be 18 as a senior. The best part? I get to keep him home an extra year!!

It really depends on the kid. It didn't seem to be an issue for Delmon Young. However, for a late maturing player who isn't a cut above talent wise it can be a bit of a drawback. My son will be competing against kids a year older than him along with kids his age in HS. Obviously he'd get more playing time and more exposure during HS if he were the older player.

I'd guess it may limit his college choices somewhat if he wants to play ball and he may end up going to a JC if it makes sense academically and he wants to play college ball.

I was a bit of an extreme case with a late October birthday and also skipped a grade. It didn't help academically or in sports.

Callaway, I'm in your court. I see both points here and each family needs to make the decision that is right for them. My question is "Why would anyone want to send their son/daughter out the door a year sooner than is necessary or required?"

By the way, hasn't American Legion changed their cut off date from August 1st. to January 1st. to allow players that turn 19 in that 6 month period
to still play with their HS teams? I'm pretty sure I saw it on their website. Another item for discussion.

Moc1

Moc1,
I think that legion rule was dreamt up by a minority of legion teams around the country that look to stack their teams with 19 year olds so they contiually win the regions and move into the Nat'l tournament. In most states legion teams are made up of underclass HS kids from their own school districts.

There are statewide movements to move away from the National organization for this reason and a ridiculous policy that mandates a insurance provider that is in bed with the nat'l org. There are adult league alternatives for graduates, let the HS kids compete with other HS kids.

I should not get going on this, I'll break our in a rash and start slammin cokes.

RZ-Sorry for bringing it up-please dont flip out on us. We have legion ball here
but my sons have never played.I dont have an opinion one way or another on the change but I guess it will affect all districts the same won't it?

Moc1

Gee, Floridabaseballguy not knowing what he's talking about. What a switch!

High school eligibility starts the minute they enter 9th grade. That's when the 4 year clock starts ticking. Also, there are legitimate circumstances where an athlete would be 19 during their Sr. baseball season.

Yes, it's me. I'm back.

JR's mom,

It probably is different for different kids, but in my sons case - it made a huge impact.

The good side: He spent his entire youth playing with and against kids that were 1 and 2 years older than him. It was great for his baseball development IMO.

The challenge: Once high school is over - the ballgame changes a bit. That 17 year old now has to step on a field with young men that - in some cases are 5 and even 6 years older. Combine that with the rigors of academics - and it gets much tougher for the "young" freshman.

Someone mentioned the change you may see during the first year. In our case - it was quite dramatic.
In the first 6 months since college began for my son - I have seen more maturity growth than in the previous 4 years. And physically - about 30 pounds of muscle added.

In answering your question - I think in many cases - the "year" difference can make a huge impact.

Good luck to you.

I don't want to let this discussion pass without sounding a cautionary note about the risks of holding kids back just because they have a birthday in the later part of the year. It was quite the fad to do that when my kids were born, and I know a number of parents who did so (particularly with boys). Justbaseball's opinion that the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages was widely held. Since then there have been studies of the long term (through high school) consequences, and the verdict is mixed. Here's an article:
academic redshirting article

I know some kids in college who were in high school as 19 year olds. By then it was clear that it was a mistake. They basically were "on hold" for a year in what should have been an exciting time of their life.

Another factor that was cited back in the day was the improvement of the kid's "self esteem." Theory being, he'll be bigger and more athletic than his classmates, and feel good about it. Might be true in elementary school, but if he is involved in competitive sports in high school it can actually be a negative. I've heard high school students talk about varsity athletes who were held back, and a year older than the rest. Teenagers aren't very tactful, and the degree of contempt expressed for an athlete who was seen as having worked the system to obtain an unfair advantage by being older was high. And word gets around.

Just food for thought.

D'oh!

P-Dog...What do you advise in this circumstance? Two little friends growing up together. Tommy is 5 on August 25, Jimmy is 5
on September 5. Cutoff date for kindergarten is September 1. They
want to go to school together. Should they go and be the youngest
in their class or wait a year and be the oldest. They will either be 17 or 18 their senior year. Or do you tell them to abide by the guidelines and seperate?

Moc1

The National High School Athletic Federation is the governing body for most if not all state high school athletic associations in the United States. Their rules state that a student may not turn 19 years of age before August 1. For as long as I can remember (50+ years) this has been the rule. Very few if any schools are doing any type of athletic or academic "redshirting" of students. What some schools do is not let male students start kindergarten or P-1 if they turn 5 years of age after April 1 the year before they are to start. If they have a birthday that is Jan., Feb., or March they view it on a case by case basis. The schools that I have found that do this the most are the elite prep schools. Some people are of the opinion that young males are not mature enough to sit in a chair all day and do academic work and another year at home with mom would help them. Remember we are talking about a child that is 5 years of age. I doubt that anyone can predict a childs athletic future at 5.

I have heard several (maybe 10) top D-1 college coaches say that they would rather recruit a 19 year old senior in high school than one that is 17. The reason is that the older senior is more mature in most situations. They also state that the older student/athlete will be 23 when he graduates and that is like having another coach on the field.

But like TRHIT has stated before, we just need to play the hand that we have been given.

Mine has an Aug. 1 birthdate. He is the oldest kid on his travel team and one of the youngest kids in his grade.

He is in honors classes so holding him back a grade would have been a crime.

He is big for his age but only avereage for his grade and knows that it may be junior or senior year before he catches up physically.

He may sit out a lot during freshman and soph year, but will get in a lot more experience with his travel team in summer and fall anyway.

All we can do is wait and see how he grows up over the next 4 years and let him play as much ball as he can.

If his grades are there, maybe he can red-shirt as a college freshman?

Moc1: Heartwarming story about Jimmy and Tommy. My answer is, I don't tell them anything. They're only 5 years old. If their parents ask me (unlikely) I tell them to follow the rules unless they have a valid reason not to. 5 year old Jimmy and Tommy wanting to go to school together is not a valid reason. My kids have had best friends who were a year behind them in school; it wasn't an issue. So Tommy gets to be the oldest kid in his class, and Jimmy gets to be the youngest in his. Guess what? Somebody has to be...

D'oh!

Yea, I will be 17 in nov of my senior year, and while there is *minor* adjustment, there is never much mentioned other than the "not driving till senior year" thing. Physically, I know some younger kids who are more mature than I am and some older kids who are less mature. Also as one poster commented, I was forced to play with kids who were older than I was from age 12 and on (once little league ended) and it helped me to mature baseball-wise a little faster. Academically, I have never been hurt by it, and I assume anyone who is being "pushed forward" is being pushed because they are academically skilled, and therefore will be able to handle the higher academic level. Just thought I'd give some thoughts from someone who's going through it.

NJ Pitch

I would say that it depends on the individual kid. As parents, we know our kid best and know what situation would be most healthiest for him.
In our own experience, our son has a June birthday. He will still be 17 when he graduates HS and turn 18 directly after. So he's not as young as some others.
He began school at age 5 in California. He started Little League at age 9 and played in the majors with 10, 11 and 12 yr olds and out-played them by age ten.
We relocated to Missouri his freshman year of HS. He began HS at age 14, and pitched some for varsity at age 14.
He competed with seniors that were 19 years old. Were we worried? Yes. Did he rise to the occasion? Yes. He's a Junior now and he's still playing with kids that are two years older than him.
In his case, it would have been a crime to hold him back in school because academically he would have been bored to tears. He's 4.0 on a 4.0 max. scale with honors and advanced classes.
He played on an 18U travel team this summer and turned 16 while traveling with them. He also did a decent job pitching. Was he immature in comparison to the kids that were two years older? Of course. Was it a good experience for him? Absolutely 100%. It has made him a better person and better player. He's learned from his successes and mistakes.
The only thing that bothered him was that last year all the other sophomores were driving and he couldn't drive alone until he was 16 and a Junior.
He's grown up a lot in the past 6 months. He's becoming a self actualizing individual. He's focused on his goals and doing what is necessary to achieve his goals. He knows that his future is up to him and he seems to like that idea.
I am amazed that a parent would even consider holding a kid back with sports being the only reason. It's the "dumbing down of America." Why rise to the occasion when we can wallow in mediocraty?
My husband tells our son that if he wants to go to the next level, it's about performance. Reality is reality. Son agrees and is doing the w-o-r-k to get there. He wants it he needs to go get it.

Just wondering how many parents would decide to have their children start school a year late if they lost their last year of eligibility!

Any guesses as to what the percentage of boys vs girls start school a year late?