National team or fun team?

Some things to consider:

 

1. The player's baseball goals and objectives

2. Whether the maturity and confidence he would gain on the national team would offset the lesser amount of playing time

Depends what your son's goals are moving forward with baseball?  If he wants to consider playing in college than I may opt to go with the national team.  It's hard for kids of that age to see that far into the future but your guidance will help him.  Playing baseball in a top competitive environment versus playing with your friends with mixed talent levels is obviously different.  The college recruiting process seems to get earlier and earlier and having your son play for a national team with national level competition will help with exposure.  Just my 2 cents!  Good luck either way!

As advanced as he may seem for his age, he's still got an awful lot of development ahead of him if he wants to enjoy a long career; so, as flattering and tempting as the national team might be, I'd concentrate on helping him become the best player he can be...and have fun with his friends at the same time. If he keeps his eye on that "ball," there will be plenty of high visibility, national level opportunities available to him down the road.

 

Congratulations to him for what he's achieved, so far; and best of luck to him!

Dadofa17,

 

Green Light can type faster than I can.  His suggestions were going to be my top 2 as well, especially #1.  Without #1 (goals) why would you be doing this?   I would add that development can be a huge part of this decision as well.  

 

14 years old is a tweener age between , high school, travel baseball and showcasing.  I think selecting the team that is best able and equipped  to develop your son's skills should also be considered.  Ex...Do they have former professional hitters, MIF & pitchers for example.  Learning and developing will be part of the game even if he plays in college. 

I have no direct experience with the top levels of 14U ball, but is there really going to be a substantial impact on his college/pro outlook by choosing between these two situations at this age?

 

If he's playing majors ball against talented opponents, getting playing time and good coaching, I'd be inclined to choose the team which he's going to enjoy playing for the most.

The best situation is where a player develops his skills. I don't see the value in the time and expense of a national 14u team unless it says USA on the front. The time for travel and exposure is 17u when a kid is readyto show his skills in front of scouts.

Is your son going in to HS, or does he have another year?

 

14U is a strange animal.  While you still see some of the established "travel programs", once the summer rolls around you see tournaments filled with teams from showcase programs. Teams you have never heard of all of a sudden are rolling over long established teams. The winners of the 14U BCS and WWBA would have probably gotten you a "Who?" response from most people before the summer.

 

Just because a team is a "top 14U" team now doesn't mean they will continue to be.  Nor does it show any evidence that the team got that way through good coaching - rather than just poaching talent from other teams.

 

Finding good coaching at this age (well any age really), is far more important than what the team's national status is.

 

 

Good point Rob. Some top teams up to 14u were just grabbing early bloomers for years. When puberty levels the playing field its discovered some of these coaches can't teach.

During the 14 to 16 stage the body changes can be dramatic and turn the roster on its head. IMHO play more and save your money for those junior summer camps and showcases.

Good topic. If your son is in the top 60% of one of the top 14u teams in the country, I will assume that his goal is to play big-time college baseball... or higher.  Here are some rhetorical questions and opinions based on observations so far with my 2015.

If your son is still top 60% on the top team next year, or the year after, they will probably still want him.  Those teams usually put the best players possible on the field.  I don't see a huge benefit to getting in early.  Along the same lines, how does he project?  Will another bigger stronger kid come along in a couple of years and knock him out of his spot?

Most of the top programs have multiple teams per age group (and larger rosters).  Are you 100% certain that he will play with the #1 team?  I have heard many cases of “misunderstandings” on this point, and it never ends well.

How much higher will your expenses be with the major team, and will you get that much value?  How many additional vacation days will you spend driving all over the southeast, and is that an issue for you?

Is the quality and quantity of practice significantly better with one team than the other.  You said that he's already in a good situation, and changing involves an element of risk.  As others have offered, development and playing time are hugely important at this age.

Is the top team expecting a year-round commitment?  Will your son play other sports in high school that make that a problem?

On the goals side, I have seen some kids from top teams with early commitments who would have zero shot of getting that commitment on a lower profile club.  If that's his goal (and you can find great debate here on that topic), there can definitely be a benefit.

I hope you have great times ahead either way.

Thanks everyone.  These are great posts.  It is very easy to for a parent let their own ego lead them down a path that may not be the best choice.  We have all seen that parent who spends a fortune on gear for a kid who just does not need it.

 

I don't want to be that dad.  But I also don't want to pass up an opportunity that really matters.  For example, my son was invited to play with a team in the USA baseball national championships.  My first response was thanks, but we are too busy.  The coach convinced us, and my son was selected for the team and he will be heading to Cary in two weeks as part of the USA Development team.  A week of true high level training and exposure I could never have expected.  This is a separate opportunity from the teams I am talking about here.  

 

It sounds like there is plenty of time for the national level team.  Keep it fun as long as possible.  

 

 

I don't see the point in getting a 14-year-old "seen".  (Seen by whom exactly?  No one is recruiting 8th graders.)  The notion of national exposure for someone that young is to me an invitation to the kid to become an egotistical jerk.

 

I would also worry about a kid that age getting pigeon-holed too soon.  Is he going to be more of a pitcher or more of an offensive player?  At age 14 I truly believe that for most of the more talented players it's too soon to tell, so putting him on a squad that forces him to take a fork in the road at that point to me is not a good idea.

 

Some guys get on RADAR screens after their freshman years, and many top players are actually recruited and committed during the summers after their sophomore years.  I have no qualms with that time table, but I see no reason to move it up another year.

 

Stay local, save your money, look at this again next spring.