Legion? next year

http://www.legion.org/baseball...all-eligibility-2015

Not sure if this has been the cause but the effect in NJ over the last three years:

2012: 220+ teams

2013: 135+ teams

2014: <105 teams

This isnt meant at a knock on legion ball, but why would a college freshman want to play legion ball?  The majority of your opposition is going to be high school kids a year or two younger than you, with a few opponents your own age.  Honestly, how are you going to improve facing what could be inferior competition.

Get into a good collegiate summer league and play against your peers.

I agree. 

When I asked 2016 last year if we going to play legion, he decided against and played in a wood bat league with a travel team. Since a lot of his friends played he went to a couple of games to watch. He thought the level of competition (from what he saw) validated his decision. 

This year he is playing with a Summer Showcase/Tournament Team...he mentioned he might let the local Legion team roster him if needed; mostly to play with his friends from growing up (they attend different schools) I think once in awhile.

I'm sure Legion thrives in some areas...but in NJ, particularly the north part of state, it seems to be on a downward trend.

That's what I was referring to, however, I heard/read that the issue was back on the table and might be reversed next year.

Some kids don't play in college, some don't go to college, and some go to a local community college without a baseball program. Legion gives these kids another summer of baseball.

Some kids go to college to play, but only practice and never see the field. They may not have an option to play in a summer program and Legion allows them another summer to develop.

I know there are some good reasons to not allow the college players to play. And I'm not arguing in favor of one over the other. I just want to know if the new rule is going to go in effect next season or not?

Stafford,

Have you tried contacting the local American Legion post that has a team?  I would think that would be a good place to start.  I'll do some checking around.  I was hoping to run into the local Legion coach at one of the local HS games the past few days, but he wasn't there.

I can't speak for the all legion districts but the district the local legion team was in is pretty competitive.  Depending on the team, about 1/2 the roster was college players.

Mizzou - My thoughts exactly, 100%.

My understanding is 2014 is a "grandfather" year where they are allowing some college players (w/ younger birthdates) to play Legion this last year.  I don't know what the birthdate is or if they had to play Legion last year too.  Tryouts will be in a few weeks, so we should know soon. .I'll most likely see a Legion coach tonight and I'll ask.

I received word that the vote did take place in May and the rule was rescinded. I contacted our local legion coach and he verified. So, college players returning after their freshman year in 2015 will be allowed to play. As long as they meet the age requirement.

Yep.  So, Dec 31 birthdate will be the cutoff date for returning 2015 players.  Jan 1 is not eligible.  The eligible returning player has to play for the same Legion team unless there are other circumstances.  

I don't like it or agree with it.  So, Legion is going to make another exception next year?  Really?  C'mon man! 

Summer after my son's Freshmen year in college he was offered a spot on a legion team in our area. It was run out of a local HS, that he was not associated with, but his HS legion team did not allow players that had already graduated. 

He turned it down, It is regularly one of the best legion teams in our area. He did not have a Summer team at that point. After looking at a few local college wood bat teams, he decided to play another year for his travel clubs 18u team. He had a Sept birthday and we did not hold him back, so he was still young enough to play. Most of the trourney's they played in used the Legions age rules so even if he was older he would have been able to play.

Changing the age in legion for Baseball was also about making it align with the other sports that the legion is involved in and none of those allow college freshmen to participate. It will be interesting if they extend it again.

After a couple of games with club team, 2016 decided he would play with Legion team as much as possible. He's 15. he's doing it for ABs, but he's also playing multiple positions, in HS he's a 1B. So far in legion he's played first, caught 3 games and played LF. 

They have two college frosh players on roster. One was given a Legion scholarship so I guess he feels indebted to playing, the other had a terrible accident (ankle) prior to spring season so he's playing as well. 

Through 7 games (2016 been to 5), the talent of these older players is not exactly top notch. As a matter of fact, the best players on team are current juniors and sophs it would appear. 

Knowing most of these kids at least a little, besides my son, nobody plays for any teams but HS and Legion. Not one has left the safety of the town and coach dads to drive themselves. So they seem very content playing these games, which in my son's words "are like rec league". And at least where we come from, that seems to be why the legion is in the state it's in and why college kids keep playing. 

Our local legion team has five kids who are one year beyond their high school graduation. One was a top player in our area who chose to attend a public D1 and not play baseball. He could have been a pitcher at the D2 level. One is returning from his freshman year at a D3, and another is returning from a D2. Another went to a D2 in the fall, practiced but did not return in the Spring. And the fifth also tried out/practiced at a juco in the fall but was not there in the spring.

Of the current crop of 8 just graduated seniors on the team... two will go to a D2, one to a JUCO, one to an NAIA, one to a D3, two will not play in college, and one I don't know what he will do. Some of these will be too old next season, but some will be eligible age wise.