Middle school: Try out and quit?

The problem you may face is that the coach may not have a sense of humour and hold a grudge next year. You could explain before you start and the coach may understnd. To just tryout and not talk to the coach might result in another player being cut because your son made the team even though they would sit the bench. Be up front.

Yea, if you do , proly tell the coach like B said.

Losing 2-3 months of game time is alot to be on the school team, but in the big picture before, HS is 2 months realy gona matter. Being on the school team, he will meet 8th graders and get to know them. This may be good when he gets to HS, where those same 8th graders may be in Varsity and can help your son.

Personally, I wouldnt go from the standpoint that little good can come of this and potentially a lot of bad can.

YOU GO TO THE TRY OUT AND TELL THE COACH BEFOREHAND THAT HE'S NOT ACCEPTING, IF OFFERED:

The coach is sensitized not to pick him and this will cause you to doubt the outcome/process/coach, etc. It could affect future years.

If you do go, the only thing you can do is compare the qualitative information on your own, based on your perception of what happened. That and $1.50 will buy you a cup of coffee.

Suppose, despite your conversation, the coach picks him. Now, your son could have second thoughts about the Travel Ball (the better development). If he decides to play both, then you will probably have conflicts - and from personal experience, that doesnt work. Players on our travel team that missed games for middle school really ticked off a bunch of people.

Suppose that the coach absolutely loves him and says he will play him despite the policy. that will tick off a bunch of people of older kids. For the next four or five years, these same people may be in positions to reject your son in baseball activities outside of school.

YOU GO TO THE TRY OUT AND DONT TELL THE COACH BEFOREHAND THAT HE'S NOT ACCEPTING, IF OFFERED:

If he doesnt make the team, the same doubts apply.

If he does and the coach then learns that you are rejecting the team, I would say that it makes next year or two harder and even though your son may be good enough to secure a full time spot next year, he may lose the ability to get the benefit of the doubt. Say he's 13 and in grade 8 and he doesnt grow to 6' like the others - he stays 5 1 'ish... he may not get the benefit of the doubt...

I know a 12 YO (going on 13) now who has a great arm 70'ish and is a hell of an athletic shortstop...
he hasnt really grown that much over the past year or two relative to the pack... he's on the big diamond in Fall Ball and next summer... his dad knows he's fighting to maintain the spot, despite being "all that" right now... and this kid has burned some bridges...

I would be respectful and stay clear until next year. Who knows, the coach may know of him and ask why he wasnt there.

Cheers

If you put it like that you are right.
They are prohibited from playing travel and school ball so missing practices is not on the table.
If he made the cut according to what we are told he will sit.
The player should tell the coach that he is interested in playing next year when he has a chance to play and possibly would like his comments on what he needs to do improve. It also would help put him on the radar.
I got the impression that a lot could be learned at the tryout as far as skills.

If he trys out its is a decision that he should be up front with the coach about.

All good advice, which is why I posted here to begin with.
I personally believe in being upfront and hope my son learns to do the same. So, I agree, I shouldn't have him try out, hopefully earn a spot, and then have him tell the coaches he can't play. They would see right through that and know they had been used.

Given that this is a large school that will have upwards of 100 players tryout, I think telling the coaches the player is not available, if selected, to play for the MS team, upfront, would poison the water, and the player would not get a true look, or chance. It would truly be too easy for the coaches to just mark him for a cut in the first round so they they can focus on their players that will make up their team. Thus, we wouldn't of benefited at all from the tryouts.

I think, at this point, the best advise might be to stay off the radar completely. Stay on the travel team for 2009 and just wait for the 7th grade season in 2010 to play MS ball.

It's pointless to try out for the MS team if they already said no playing time. Play travel if the playing time is there. You don't get better on the bench. As for trying out for being a teammate and camraderie and all for the high school, forget about that. The high school varsity team is likely to look very different than who makes MS ball anyway. Playing MS ball will have nothing to do with playing HS ball. Talent will.

Simple question: if state rules preclude MS players from playing outside the school during the school season how many "real" players will be on the travel team?

I should of added that my son's travel team is a Georgia based team with mostly Georgia players on it. My son is the only one on his team facing this dilemma. I live in a border town in Tennessee near Georgia. Georgia school rules have no such restrictions on playing.

it could just be my thinking. i wouldn't think a travel team would take school ball away from any player. up here they want you to play school ball,so they don't play during that season.

that said, many possible avenues to explore. if only there was an easy answer.

I would simply ask the coach if he could "try out" for the experience of "trying out". I took my son to a MLB tryout when he was 14-15. I asked the scout if I could do it just to see how he "stacked up" and to allow him the experience of showcasing his skills. "Showcasing" and "trying out" have materialized into another sport separate from the actual game of baseball. If your son can compete against the 7th and 8th graders for the middle school team this would improve his showcasing skills and add to his baseball "resume". I say go for it.
Fungo

I'd have him stay away if he isn't interested in a position on the team this year. Far more to be lost than gained by trying out for trying outs sake.