my son is in 7th grade and plays travel ball. he loves the game. i don't want to choose a hs based on baseball but i wonder what it takes to get him on a team because we know no one.
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Welcome to this wonderful baseball community, fellow mom!
I had the same dilemma last year when my son was starting high school. We are relatively new to the midwest, originally from NY, and we didn't know anyone. I chose a school based on their academic program because as much as we love baseball, academics is a priority. We were lucky because this school also seems to have a decent bb program, although I have heard some conflicting opinions over the last few weeks. I will judge for myself if he makes the team.
In regards to making the team, all I can say is if the kid is a talented ball player with a good attitude, he should make it. I don't know anyone at my son's school yet and even if I did, I can't see how that would matter. I wouldn't want my kid making the team because we knew someone. I want him to earn it. He's been working hard during the offseason and we can only hope that these coaches will find him to be a potential asset to their team. I've stopped stressing over it. It's not worth it. You can only do so much. Worse comes to worse, you can have him play on a select/travel high school team. I started looking into a few of them months ago in case my son doesn't make the hs team. I read some old postings on this website and evidently some people feel that playing on a travel team during the hs years is better in terms of competition level and exposure, so who knows, maybe that's the way to go.
I don't know how much you've looked around on this site, but there is great information to be found. There's an excellent list of suggestions for making a high school team and lots of words of wisdom from coaches, players and parents. Most important is for your son to want it and to be willing to work hard at it. I hope I was somewhat helpful.
Good luck to both of you!
I had the same dilemma last year when my son was starting high school. We are relatively new to the midwest, originally from NY, and we didn't know anyone. I chose a school based on their academic program because as much as we love baseball, academics is a priority. We were lucky because this school also seems to have a decent bb program, although I have heard some conflicting opinions over the last few weeks. I will judge for myself if he makes the team.
In regards to making the team, all I can say is if the kid is a talented ball player with a good attitude, he should make it. I don't know anyone at my son's school yet and even if I did, I can't see how that would matter. I wouldn't want my kid making the team because we knew someone. I want him to earn it. He's been working hard during the offseason and we can only hope that these coaches will find him to be a potential asset to their team. I've stopped stressing over it. It's not worth it. You can only do so much. Worse comes to worse, you can have him play on a select/travel high school team. I started looking into a few of them months ago in case my son doesn't make the hs team. I read some old postings on this website and evidently some people feel that playing on a travel team during the hs years is better in terms of competition level and exposure, so who knows, maybe that's the way to go.
I don't know how much you've looked around on this site, but there is great information to be found. There's an excellent list of suggestions for making a high school team and lots of words of wisdom from coaches, players and parents. Most important is for your son to want it and to be willing to work hard at it. I hope I was somewhat helpful.
Good luck to both of you!
Pick the school based on academics. If your son loves baseball and has some talent for it, the coaches will see that and baseball will take care of itself. Good luck to both you and your son.
thanks a lot this website is great....i love it. my son [is] very talented and he works hard in the off season (plays travel, tall,lefty pitcher and has private lessons at strikes) and has been very lucky with baseball coaches so far, all on his own but am leary because i have heard a lot of how you get on a hs team is who you know. im sure a lot of you have had experience with that. my husband did not go to school around here, so i thought maybe some people had some advice on how to start looking and what to look for in a hs coach. i just don't want to make the wrong decision for him. he will go to catholic school so the acedemics are very similar and of couse that is our first concern. the only reason i even care about this is because baseball is so close to his heart, we didn't choose this for him. we like the sport but it is his lead that we follow. i don't want him to go to a hs and not make a team because someone's mom or dad is friends with a coach. i know space is limited and tons of kids try out. i am just looking for suggestions or clues on how it actually is because i don't have the experience. any help out there.
The way I look at it is if a hs coach is going to choose kids based on who he knows then he's not worth playing for. I worried about that at first, but I really don't think there's any way to tell before hand unless you find out word-of-mouth. Since your son is in 7th grade you have some time. I would try to get to know as many parents in the area as possible and see what they know about the different high schools and their baseball programs.
Many high schools have youth baseball camps during the summer. Often, the high school coaches are involved in these camps and get to know potential players. It is always nice to be a "familiar" face but a surprise is good, too.
You'll meet more baseball parents from the area, I'm sure and you can get a better idea of what kind of players the coach looks for. Does he care if kids play multiple sports? Does the coach have a good summer league? What kind of baseball facilities does the school have? How much does the coach stress academics?
I don't know what I'd change if I had it to do over again. Ignorance is bliss sometimes. My son had to simply prove himself. That's character building.
You'll meet more baseball parents from the area, I'm sure and you can get a better idea of what kind of players the coach looks for. Does he care if kids play multiple sports? Does the coach have a good summer league? What kind of baseball facilities does the school have? How much does the coach stress academics?
I don't know what I'd change if I had it to do over again. Ignorance is bliss sometimes. My son had to simply prove himself. That's character building.
thanks for the advice.....i am always looking for suggestions. anyone else have experiences they'd like to share i'd love to hear it. 
you know what this is my first time even posting on any web page. it is really great to talk to you guys.
minivanmom
Never choose a school because of sports especially at such a young age---if the boy has talent it matters not what the team record is---that is the cool thing about baseball---yes it is a team sport but is still a one on one sport--batter vs pitcher, et al
Never choose a school because of sports especially at such a young age---if the boy has talent it matters not what the team record is---that is the cool thing about baseball---yes it is a team sport but is still a one on one sport--batter vs pitcher, et al
guys, i don't plan on choosing a school based on baseball, really...... there are three schools we have narrowed it down to. we have about seven catholic schools to choose from in the area. i figured since this was a baseball forum i would ask about ways to figure out which would have the best bb program. i wish i could get in the know that's all...to make the choice easier but they all seem great. but i was just wondering about ways to become more aclimated with the bb programs and to choose the right one for my son. one has a very large enrollment and has a championship team. one has both boys and girls and i don't know about bb program. and one is small and bb program small. again i really don't know anyone who has a son who plays hs ball except for one family. it's kind of competetive where we live.
Minivanmom,
I think your concerns are universal. However with your son being in the 7th grade I think you have more than enough time to get a feel for all the schools and the coaches. You are fortunate in that you do have a choice in selecting a high school. In our state the students are geographically zoned for a particular school and while they can transfer to magnet schools based on academic achievements, athletic transfers are not allowed under any circumstances. We must play the hand that is dealt us.
You are concerned about the selection process:
i don't want him to go to a hs and not make a team because someone's mom or dad is friends with a coach.
Newcomer suggest a solution to the selection process:
Often, the high school coaches are involved in these camps and get to know potential players. It is always nice to be a "familiar" face but a surprise is good, too.
Maybe you can be a "better" friend to the coach ---
I admit I had the same feelings as you when my son was pre-high school but I also had confidence in my son’s talent and the baseball coach’s ability to evaluate talent. I decided there were things I could control and things I could not (or should not) control and I let the chips fall where they may. With your son attending a religious based high school one would assume that fairness in player selection would be much better when compared to that of public school.
Fungo
I think your concerns are universal. However with your son being in the 7th grade I think you have more than enough time to get a feel for all the schools and the coaches. You are fortunate in that you do have a choice in selecting a high school. In our state the students are geographically zoned for a particular school and while they can transfer to magnet schools based on academic achievements, athletic transfers are not allowed under any circumstances. We must play the hand that is dealt us.
You are concerned about the selection process:
i don't want him to go to a hs and not make a team because someone's mom or dad is friends with a coach.
Newcomer suggest a solution to the selection process:
Often, the high school coaches are involved in these camps and get to know potential players. It is always nice to be a "familiar" face but a surprise is good, too.
Maybe you can be a "better" friend to the coach ---
I admit I had the same feelings as you when my son was pre-high school but I also had confidence in my son’s talent and the baseball coach’s ability to evaluate talent. I decided there were things I could control and things I could not (or should not) control and I let the chips fall where they may. With your son attending a religious based high school one would assume that fairness in player selection would be much better when compared to that of public school.
Fungo
yah, true. me personally i liked one school the best because it had a good feeling about it. however, i don't think too many of his grammer school friends are going there. but maybe just go with the gut and let the chips fall where they may, like you said. introduce ourselves and have him do the camps...to get "seen",let his talent speak for itself. thanks a lot.
MVM, Welcome to the HSBBW.
As other's have said you have time to make a decision on scholl.
I would narrow it down to academic's first.
And then go sit in on some HS game's and see how the Coach does with your own eye's. That way your not surprised by how he treat's his player's.
Many style's of coaching, Find one that fit's your child.
It will be the last time you will be able to do that,
Meaning you don't have much control after HS.
EH
As other's have said you have time to make a decision on scholl.
I would narrow it down to academic's first.
And then go sit in on some HS game's and see how the Coach does with your own eye's. That way your not surprised by how he treat's his player's.
Many style's of coaching, Find one that fit's your child.
It will be the last time you will be able to do that,
Meaning you don't have much control after HS.
EH
great advice. thanks.
Welcome to baseball discussion utopia
If the boy can play
it's going to be ok!
No big hurry
so please don't worry.
Work on his game
so the coach hears the name.
A hard working boy
is every coach's joy.
You should be able to see
which team that he,
can be a helpful cog
instead of bump on a log
Good luck
If the boy can play
it's going to be ok!
No big hurry
so please don't worry.
Work on his game
so the coach hears the name.
A hard working boy
is every coach's joy.
You should be able to see
which team that he,
can be a helpful cog
instead of bump on a log
Good luck
that is so cute. yah that is what we decided. thanks.
Many schools will let your son spend a day on campus. We just went through this process with my 8th grade son. When visiting the schools we asked for someone on the BB team to escort him for the day. It gave him a good feel for the schools and the other kids on the teams. It really helped in the decission.
great idea