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7 replies

Son will be going to a brand new HS

B 2blue1pink1upaboveMember
I am in a total quandry about the future scholarship opportunities of my son, I could realy use the advise of some BTDT parents! Please bear with me as I give you some background.

Our soon to be 8th grader will be going to an established HS for his freshman year in 2006/2007, but in the fall of that year a new HS will be opening up and he will attend there from Sophmore on. The plan is to open the school with just a 9th and 10th grade and then add a new class with each subsequent year. So my son will always be the oldest class attending the school from 10th to 12th grade. Lots of benefits to this socially, academically and so on, but I am really worried about what this is going to do for him in athletics.

He plays up in select baseball, playing in a 14 and 15 year old league, while he will not turn 13 until end of July. He is the teams main pitcher, and although he has struggled at the plate lately, his defense is some of the best. He will be the MS's 8th grade starting QB for football next fall, and was the starting center on the "A" basketball team last year, I am assuming that will be the same this year as well. His academics are awesome, and he is always fortunate to recieve many acedemic awards from his teachers.

Before you start rolling your eyes, our younger son, who is also a good athelete....however is very very chalenging, so we have plenty of ying and yang at our house! pull_hair

The new HS's sports are likely going to suck, there is really no two ways about it. Sure there could be a miracle and they could really be a great group of kids that triumph.....but being that they will be at a disadvantage with no seniors till they become the seniors 3 years later, they will have a tough road I imagine.

If my son manages to continue to excell in any of his three sports(Baseball being his favorite by far) will the powers that be come and find him, or will he get hidden in a sea of loss columns????? My husband is a little worried, but seems to think that our son, if he is destined to play college ball, will rise above the rest.

We could buy my parents house and send him to a very large and established school with a great athletic program, especially baseball. But then he would likely be forced to drop down to one sport, and I don't want to close any window of opportunity that might be there for him. If baseball is a slim chance, but football is likely....by all means lets keep pursing the most lucrative college path.

So what do y'all think? Am I worrying for nothing?!?!?!?

Thanks! Confused

LB
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MN-MomMN-MomHSBaseballWeb Owner
I can understand your worry, but I also agree that when you look back 5 or 6 years from now, you will see that the high school stats meant nothing. Your son will have the opportunity to play with a school team where he can be a clear leader, even if the team isn't winning. If he also plays on competitive summer teams and attends showcases where he can be seen competing against the best players, college coaches and scouts will recognize his ability level. The important things will be for him to keep working hard and developing, and to get exposure outside of the high school team starting no later than the summer after his soph year.
TRhitTRhit10,000+ posts
A losing HS team does not mean a solid player does not get recognized

Scouts know the deal

My own son played on a HS team that never won more than 6 games in a season nand he played masjor Division I college baseball

Just make sure he continues playing on a solid travel team that gets expsoure and attend the right showcases that will benefit him
Last edited by TRhit
S sdballer0510+ posts
We had a new school start up as you described. It started out many of the decent athletes from the old school went over to the new school. The new school got great coaches in Baseball and Football (that's all I follow. They strggled the first two years then had great seasons in both sports the next. I think it is the coaching and support from the administration that counts. I say don't worry. If the kid is the stud you describe he will make the team be recognized. 12yo playing w/ 15yo?
B 2blue1pink1upaboveMember
Oh my gosh, I can not thank you enough! This was just exactly the feedback I needed, and now I am going to totally chill about the issue and let him just enjoy the thrill of a new school, and facilities when he gets there.

He is on a great team, which I imagine will contune on in some form as a tournament team throughout HS. His coach played D1 baseball, then went on to coach at the college level for a few years, and has the knowledge, leadership and character that we have always looked for in coaching for our boys.

I don't know that I would classify our son as a "stud" but he is a solid player that you can put just about anywhere and he wont hurt you. Most importantly (I think) he is highly coachable, always respectful and paying attention. When a coach tells him to do something he doesn't get attitude back, he gets a player that does what he tells him to do. In a world full of helmet throwers, blame it on anyone else but themselves'ers, and smart mouths, I think to any coach he is a jewel! At least that is the response we have always gotten. He has ability, but his great attitude gets him as far as his athleticism.

He was in a huge hitting slump, and last night in a double header his average didn't improve much, but he didn't strike out at all, and he did get a stand up double. He also pitched half of a winning game with only one run scored against him, and one walk . So I am a happy mom today!

He is still 12 and playing with some boys going into their Freshman, and even Sophmore year, on the HS regulation fields. He holds his own just fine, and I think the tougher compitition is good for him. He is also mutant sized at about 5'11 and 150, which certianly doesn't hurt things!!!


Thanks again to everyone who responded. I can't wait to keep up with the ins and outs of the politics of HS baseball here with all of this knowledge floating around. Lots of great advise and a stand up double in one day.....what more could a boy mom want!?!?!?!??!
B baseballmom
I'm in North Texas... What suburb/city are you refering to?

Let him play all sports as long as he can...Be aware, however, that there are those coaches that "prefer" your kid not play more than 1 sport...And keep in mind, that in Texas, you will have overlaps of seasons, so he will miss 2-3 weeks or more of practices, scrimmages, preseason games, etc. & if a team goes to post season (playoffs), coach of the next sport may likely sit him when he gets to the next sport.
Long about the sophomore year, it will become difficult to maintain all sports. He may one day be forced to choose.
Academics are another issue. In our 9-week grading periods, 2nd & 4th grading periods are usually packed with "projects", that usually take weeks to do. (English, Physics,(like trebuchets & Rube Goldberg (chain reaction experiments), History, etc.

Have to run...But a little food for thought.

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