Suggestions for Freshman to make Varsity

johnj-

Find a good place to sit, open up that folding chair, tear open a bag of seeds, make sure the sunglasses are clean, and enjoy the show.

In all seriousness the process is now in the eyes of the coaches and the hands of your son. Tell him to be "who he is", always give 110%, and take no prisoners. Things will work out, and in the end if he accepts the results, shows he's a team player, and if he has a smile on his face doing that, he will be a coaches dream. What more could a parent ask of a Freshman?

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I've encouraged my son to talk to the manager (who previously was our JV manager and is in his first year as Varsity manager) and express his desire to be given an opportunity to compete for a varsity spot but he is a little shy when it comes to people in authority.

john314 - welcome!

My take is different from many here at the hsbbweb. I believe in letting his deeds do all the talking for him. Let the chips fall where they may while you relax and enjoy whatever comes down the pike

Here are the things I would encourage him to communicate to the coach via his actions:

Be the first to arrive and last to leave

Be the guy who has the dirtiest uniform if applicable

Be the guy who does whatever team dirtywork is necessary like carrying equipment, shagging balls for teammates, or otherwise

Be the best teammate

Be the best leader on the team by always looking out for his teammates first

Be the hardest worker

Show the most improvement

Out-attitude the other guys

Only worry about things in his control. Coaches decisions are out of his control.

I think you get the idea. This list can go on and on and on. That is how I recommend communicating with the coach.

Great Advice

One more thing if he does make JV and not varisty...it is not over....keep doing all the things suggested here and who knows by the end of the season....he may still make it up to varisty.

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Originally posted by rz1:
Find a good place to sit, open up that folding chair, tear open a bag of seeds, make sure the sunglasses are clean, and enjoy the show.

Could not agree more. Enjoy!

Whether he makes the team or not...the ultimate outcome will almost surely be the same for him. Let him feel good about whatever happens. And let the coaches figure it out for themselves.

I was 16 as a freshman in college so I find it a bit hard to be sympathetic. He's going in with a big age advantage and he seems talented for his age. He's probably going to have a very productive HS "career" and it won't matter one bit if he makes varsity as a freshman or not. It doesn't sound like the case here, but I've seen kids go backwards due to being brought up to varsity too soon. The coach seems to know what he can or can't do. Let him lobby for a spot on varsity with what he does on the field or in the gym and not by telling the coach he wants to be on varsity. It sounds to me like your son has the right attitude.

Guess what, those 15 Seniors will be gone next year.

I would echo what CD said and let my play do the talking. I think all coaches knows that every kid trying out for baseball at that school wants to be a varsity player. They are the ones that get the chicks, right? Or maybe thats the long ball guys?

I want to add one more to CD's list. Between innings, be the first guy to the dugout or to my position. ALWAYS RUNNING! Hustle doesn't have an off day in baseball.

The scenario you posted sounds like a tough task for this kid as a freshman. 15 returning seniors? And then throw in some juniors and a couple good sophs. I'm not saying it can't be done, but be realistic about the situation and if your son doesnt get placed on the varsity have him use it as motivation. How good is the HS he is going to? Were they conference champs last year or were they non-competitive? Having a first year varsity coach might bode well for him if the coach wants to weed out the non-producing seniors. Don't worry, you can't control it.

Before your son or you ever say ANYTHING to the coach other than "Hi, how ya doing?" You better take a step back take a deep breath and count to ten. Wait another minute and repeat the process as many times as necessary. You get my drift?

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Originally posted by CADad:
I was 16 as a freshman in college so I find it a bit hard to be sympathetic. He's going in with a bit of an age advantage and he seems talented for his age. He's probably going to have a very productive HS "career" and it won't matter one bit if he makes varsity as a freshman or not. It doesn't sound like the case here, but I've seen kids go backwards due to being brought up to varsity too soon. The coach seems to know what he can or can't do. Let him lobby for a spot on varsity with what he does on the field or in the gym and not by telling the coach he wants to be on varsity. It sounds to me like your son has the right attitude.

Guess what, those 15 Seniors will be gone next year.

I agree. If he is this good with that physical maturity advantage, he should have no problem making varsity next year when the seniors leave. That's a mighty small school to have 15 seniors on the varsity baseball team. Also, let him know that not having the courage to talk to the head coach can equate to not having courage on the mound. I'd make sure there is no question in their mind about how badly he wants it.

Sit back and enjoy. He has tons of advantages on his side and if he keeps his nose clean and works hard he'll do more than fine.

johnj, I totally understand your excitement about your son. You are getting great advice here - it is right on target. I just have a couple of questions for you, just to kind of get you thinking. My son was called up to varsity as an 8th grader (small school). It was a great learning experience for him, but it was really, really hard on all of us for a lot of reasons, some of which had absolutely nothing to do with what happened on the field. I wish I could have some of that angst back.

First, are varsity/jv tryouts held on the same day? For our school, everyone tries out at the same time, and then players are divided into JV and Varsity based on the outcome. But it's a small school. If they are on different days, can he not go to both?

Second, why is it so important that your son make the varsity team as a freshman, regardless of whether or not he was held back? If you get too wrought up in this, you will lose time that you could spend just enjoying watching your son play.

Third, if there are 15 seniors and other good players returning, then will your son get much playing time?

If your head coach is any good at all, then what your son does on the field will mean a heck of a lot more than what your son says to the manager. And if the head coach doesn't think he's ready for varsity, and wants him to develop more on JV, it doesn't mean he's not an awesome player, it just means that, for whatever reason, it's not yet his time. If this happens, then set a good example for your son by accepting the coach's decision and cheering on the JV team.

Like dad43 says, these things are often fluid. If he is on JV, there is always a chance to move up to varsity during the season, or at the end of the season during playoffs.

Bottom line, try to relax and have fun. It's not always easy. Mine is a junior, and I'm just now learning to do that!

Good luck to you and to your son!

quote:

Originally posted by CADad:
Guess what, those 15 Seniors will be gone next year.

And as much as WE want our young "studs" to have an immediate impact, there are plenty of Jr's and Soph's who have been working their tails off in hopes of making Varsity one day...

My son is a freshman with a good chance to make the varsity. I have made it a point to not get involved. I drop him off for workouts and pick him when he calls. We talk baseball at the dinner table and he keeps me up to date on things. As much as I want to be out there watching, talking baseball with the coaches, parents etc. the feedback I have read on this site has kept me away.

My son seems to be handling things well. I know he can play at that level now, his talent on the field is whats important. If he can play they will will put him on the varsity, if he can't he will play JV. It has made things much easier to be on the sidelines.

The only time I have talked to the coach was on a field day where the parents were asked to help clean up and fix the fields. The coach sought me out and asked a few questions about my son. Other than that I have my chair, sunflower seeds and shades ready. It is what it is.

I have a simple mind so like to keep things simple.

For the player:

It matters not where you start, but where you finish.

It matters not where you play, but are you contributing.

It matters not what team your on, but are you having fun.

For the parent:

No matter what you think of the coach support the program.

Contribute to the program to the best of your ability and make it a better place when you leave than when you started.

Sit down, shut up, cheer and enjoy - it goes way to fast.

I basically agree with everything that has been said here.

Their are many reasons why your son may or may not make varsity. None of which you can control. If your son has the talent you say he does everything will work out. It may not be this year but sooner or later his talent will him get to the level it deserves. My son has first hand experience of what your concerned about and everything worked out for him.

It's time to step away and let his talent steer the ship. Those seeds taste a lot better without a sour taste in your mouth.

I'm surprised nobody referenced this ....

make the team

It's good advice regardless of class.

My son has a similar situation.My son does everything ClevelandDad mentioned too,but we have a different outlook.We let the cards fall where they may for high school.For my son,this is the first time he will be playing with a lot of these kids and this an opportunity for him to go out and have fun,play hard and work hard to stay a leader on the field.Just because he won't be on varsity this year will not make or break him.(no freshman at our hs is allowed to make varsity,too many kids as it is!)That is not what will define him as a player.My son has always played up (18u)and this will be a time for him to shine.Think of it as a lot of play time vs. a lot of sitting time.I think most parents think their child is better than the rest of players, and they might be, but there are a lot of other factors to consider,maturity,mental strength,leadership,power...stuff that does get even better with age.
If your son,like mine plays alot of high calibur travel tournaments,plays up and or attends college camps and makes an impression,thats where,in my opinion they can or will really get noticed.(PS. we also sit away,keep away and button our lips at all times for high school,except for fundraisers)

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It matters not where you start, but where you finish.

If people only realized how very true that statement is.

Keep in mind also that the coach probably knows more about your son and the others trying out for the team than you give him credit for.

Also as a freshman the make up of the retuning team members will dictate what his chances are to make the team.

There is no shame not making varsity as a frosh---being on JV will probably give him more innings on the field which is critical at this point

There are no tips other than allowing the player to let his talent or lack thereof help the coach make a decision

Tell your kid to bust his a$$, then whatever team he ends up on, bust his a$$ some more. It'll all work out in the end...if your son has the talent and there is a need on varsity for his abilities, he'll be there. I, for one, don't consider what grade a kid is in as far as deciding whether he makes JV or varsity. If he can help varsity, he should make varsity. If not, it's certainly not the end of the world. Tear up JV for a season or a half a season, get on the best travel team you can find, and make varsity next year with three years left in high school...I don't think making one team or the other as a freshman will have any influence on his ultimate performance or ability to progress to the next level.

all very good advice. from people who have been there.

our son's baseball journey's doesn't typically last all that long. relax and enjoy these day's. learn to control the things you can.....don't fret about those things you can't.

if he play's in college do you think it will or won't be because he played varsity as a freshman?

You have been given good advice, it's time for you to take a step back and let your son figure it out for himself. He doesn't have to speak up if he doesn't want to, I am sure that the coaches know that all kids want to make varsity, only they will determine when and if he will. Not speaking up has nothing to do with lacking courage when on the mound. When my son went off to college, nothing more he wanted to do than be a weekend starter, I am sure they knew it, but you know what, he wasn't ready for it, yet. Your son is probably very good, may be more mature physically than others, but that doesn't mean he will make varsity, there is still a lot of growing up to do.

Why do some feel the need for our kids to rush through the game?

I don't beleive that freshman should begin in Varsity (unless they have to). I beleive that there is a transition period that is important for most players, has nothing to do with their size or their physical abilty or what they did before they entered HS.

It's also often about paying your dues, and in baseball, there is one thing you need to learn is about paying your dues.

My son was more than capable of playing on varsity when he entered into HS, they placed him in JV and he loved every minute of it, he got to do it all, when they moved him up he was a pitcher only and he wished he could go back to JV.

When my son was a freshman he played in a program that only allowed 1 freshman on the varsity squad. My guy was one of 2 that was being considered for the spot. My guy was about 5'10" and 160 pounds, the other freshman was about 6'4 and 210. It was a close competition but the big guy got the spot.

The big guy was a very good player, but sat the bench most of the season earning a couple starts and primarilly played a back-up role.

My guy started at short on the freshman team, started and played on the JV team as well, playing the max number of games permitted each week, and was only on the bench when he was waiting for his turn to hit in the line up.

There is nothing wrong with earning your spot and playing the role your coach wishes for you to play.
Some coaches are going to want to let those juniors and senior enjoy some of the best years of baseball they will ever have. For many it will be their last.

I respect coaches that are loyal to their returning players.

I guess John must still be at work. Otherwise he'd be reading all this incredible advise! Wow! kudos to all you guys/gals for loading him up!

I might add this:

John, you've read many suggestions above about being a great supporter of your son and his JV team should that be where he plays this spring. What does "supporter" really mean?

I'll tell you what it doesn't mean. It doesn't mean that you sit around and talk about how better your son is than so and so. It doesn't mean you begin discussions with other parents about lack of playing time. It doesn't mean you take note and let everyone know when other's make errors or are in a batting slump. It doesn't mean you talk about the coaches because they "don't know talent if it bit them". Are you getting the drift?

I've seen these kind of Dads and Moms when my son was in high school and they were the "cancer" no one wanted to be around. They were exactly why I took my chair and cigar up to the right field hill and sat by myself and enjoyed the peace and quite.

Your son sounds amazingly talented. Like TR said, you'd be amazed at how much the coaches already know about your son. If they don't, let them find out for themselves. I'm sure it would be refreshing for them to see great talent now and/or later.

I can't emphasize enough, enjoy these last 4yrs. It goes by incredibly too fast and then you'll be looking around asking where did they go?!

Good luck.

YGD

Thanks to all who have posted here and provided insight and opinions. It is appreciated. Let me add a few items for you regarding the situation. First, as I stated, I am not a helicopter parent and I stay away from the workouts and practices for all the high school sports. I would never say anything other than small talk/pleasantries to any of the coaches and absolutely believe that, in the eyes of the coaches, he needs to be one of the best players at whatever sport he is playing and earn his dues. My concern and reason for asking for advice is for him to just be given a chance/look for varsity. For the school's football and basketball team tryouts the freshman were totally segregatd and not afforded the chance to tryout with even the JV let alone the Varsity teams. It was not an open tryout with the best players making the squads. Further, for him to continue to develop and improve as both a pitcher and position player, I feel he needs to be playing with and against players of his skill set or better. I'm not sure he will get that at the JV level and definitely won't getit at the frosh level. All of the kids that he has been playing with and against on the club level for the last four or five years will be on varsity this year and a few of them were on varsity last yeat (obviously at different schools). He's always competed and excelled with and against these kids and their teams. When the high school season is over with he'll be back with his 16U club team playing in Pastime, WWB, BCS, etc...with and against kids as good and better than him. Additioanlly, last year he was too old to play 14U so he played in a spring high school "cut" league on a pick up team that was one of the youngest and poorest in the league. It was ugly, particularly when he was pitching. He usually needed to get 4-6 outs an inning due to the poor level of his teammates and it DID NOT help his composure, competitiveness, confidence, etc...it actually brought his level of play down to that of the competition and teammates. I hope for him to avoid that with his high school experience. So that said I'm just looking for advice to get him consideration for varsity. I am going to continue to stay out of it and let him handle it on his own however he feels he needs to and support him accordingly. Just like when he's in a tough situation at the plate or on the bump, he's gotta handle it on his own. He's been preparing for this for many years so I'll stay out of it and let the chips fall where they may.

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He's been preparing for this for many years so I'll stay out of it and let the chips fall where they may.

There's your answer.

His level of skill will not be lost on the Varsity Coach. They like to know the talent level in the pipeline.

Please do not take offense, but the above post leaves me speechless.
This is just a game, try to relax and sit back and take it all in, regardless of what you want, let the coaches coach and your son play.

Well johnj, it sounds as if you are on the right track. You just want what's best for your son and we hope after reading the advice here, you'll be able to guide him well. Sometimes posters that have studs for sons don't understand how much harder it is for players that aren't studs. But you have your priorities right. Sounds like you will be enjoying this year!

If he is as good as you say, it won't take long for him to stand out to the coaches even if he is on the freshman team. They will talk and he will be moved up. That should be his goal. Tell him that and see what he does. If he makes it his goal then he is ready. If he starts "playing down" perhaps he's not ready for varsity afterall. But given what you've told us, he'll want it and go for it. Enjoy it...we are in our last season and man did it fly by!

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He usually needed to get 4-6 outs an inning due to the poor level of his teammates and it DID NOT help his composure, competitiveness, confidence, etc...it actually brought his level of play down to that of the competition and teammates.

That statement alone...gives me much pause. THIS...to me, means your son probably needs to NOT be on varsity. The older kids will never put up with this...never.

A freshman/sophomore on varsity must toe the line...no loss of composure, no negative emotion. Team player all the way...happy to be there.

I really don't care what is said about what I've said above...I have talked to enough HS coaches, college coaches and scouts to know this is simply not acceptable. He needs to work this out before he is put on a varsity stage.

Sorry for the blunt-ness. Just the way I see it.

quote:

That statement alone...gives me much pause. THIS...to me, means your son probably needs to NOT be on varsity. The older kids will never put up with this...never.

A freshman/sophomore on varsity must toe the line...no loss of composure, no negative emotion. Team player all the way...happy to be there.

I agree. This will be a good test for him. If he wants to be a pitcher, he's got to keep his composure. Even more if he wants to be on varsity. If he continues to play down in these situations, then he's probably not ready for varsity.

This a new year! Every year I am amazed at the changes in maturity by our players from season to season. This could very well be the year that he takes off and doesn't let what's going on around him effect his confidence or pitching.

I agree with you JB.

If anyone bothered to read in my first post, I said that JV is important for transition (especially for pitchers).
I understand we all want our kids to play with those they feel comfortable with, but I can tell you from experience that being comfortable is not how you get to the next level, if you want to get there, I don't care how big or talented you are.

For pitchers, you need to get out of your comfort zone to improve your mental game. If you have players behind you that may not be as talented as you are used to being with, don't blame those teammates on you not being able to get the job done, because as you all know there are NO excuses in the game baseball.
JMO.

What's the big deal about high school baseball anyway?

I thought travel/showcase was the route to glory?

Johnj,

Keeping your mouth shut and letting your son's talent do the talking is the no-brainer part of your job. Frankly, that's what most everybody tells someone who asks this question, and it shouldn't require much thought.

But I'd urge you to listen more to the posters here who are trying to communicate a more important message to you:

Stop viewing the HS baseball program as being there solely for the purpose of developing YOUR son when he comes along. Your son should understand that his job is to go contribute to that program, to make it better in whatever way coach needs him to, and to help the others around him succeed. It may be that his most important job is to be on JV, to develop his skills along with the others on JV, and let those Juniors and Seniors who have more experience take on the other Varsity players in the district. Being a contributor to a winning organization is the REAL learning experience, and that's where he'll get the most valuable personal growth.

John, I submit that your own mindset as a parent is at least as important as your son's and I encourage you to not only accept where your son lands, but embrace it. As the parent of a college sophomore, I remember all too well the negative emotions I harbored inside my mind as my son faced various challenges during his high school years. The amount of mental energy I expended at times worrying and fretting about his situation was simply incredible. In the end, it all worked out just fine. And I realize now that the struggles and challenges he faced were indeed part of the growing process for him, helping to make him the talented player he is today.

Worst case scenario: your son makes JV or even the freshman team. Worst case scenario: he stumbles mentally and starts playing down. In the end, this may be the best thing for him. It might be much more preferable for him to struggle on a lower-level team than be brought up to varsity and fail magnificently in front of all those competitive seniors and parents and fans and coaches. That alone could deal a strong and lasting blow to his confidence, whereas his freshman or JV teammates and coaches will likely not be nearly as unforgiving.

None of us know how all this will play out. He may make varsity and do fine, or he may make JV and play well and eventually be moved up, or he may make the freshman team and struggle. But no matter what, keep your chin up and embrace the moment. In the end, you'll be very glad you did.

Please let us know how it turns out. Best wishes!

quote:

Stop viewing the HS baseball program as being there solely for the purpose of developing YOUR son when he comes along. Your son should understand that his job is to go contribute to that program, to make it better in whatever way coach needs him to, and to help the others around him succeed.

Nice post

Man there are some great posts in this thread. Dad you have gotten some great advice from people that have been through all of this before and just want to help you. And I applaud you for seeking out advice and your desire to do the right thing for not only our son but for yourself.

I cant add a whole lot because the posts have been outstanding. I will leave you with only a couple of thoughts. Our children especially our baseball sons are influenced greatly by their baseball dads. Its because we have such a bond in something we both love. When it all becomes all about our son and not about the team watch out. Dont be surprised when it all becomes about them to them and they lose the team mentality.

I could post some personal stuff but I will save that for a few years down the road. But a player that finds joy in this game by sharing in the success of his team and not focusing everything on himself will be a much happier player. And a parent who can learn to focus more on the team and all the kids not just his own , will have many sons to pull for and enjoy. Good luck

Nothing to add to all the good advice posted. I will just reiterate the "TPM" comment; he needs the opportunity to mature and develope. IMO, in the long run, he will have more opportunity to do so "playing" at the JV level. Too many Freshmen are either thrown into the game (you need game competition but you don't really have the opportunity to enhance specific skills while playing)and don't really get better skill-wise, or worse yet, end up with a lot of bench time and you certainly don't get better that way.

He needs to be playing. Quite frankly, the H.S. team experience often doesn't play a huge part in his future opportunites (that can vary regionally). Making Varsity at the Freshman, Sophomore or Junior ages doesn't necessarily affect his College opportunity.

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It was ugly, particularly when he was pitching. He usually needed to get 4-6 outs an inning due to the poor level of his teammates and it DID NOT help his composure, competitiveness, confidence, etc

It shouldn't have had any effect on his competitiveness and confidence. He could have used the experience to learn composure. As my son's pitching coach tells his students, "Once the ball leaves your hand you don't have control over the situation anymore. You forget about the last pitch whether the ball is kicked by a fielder or goes over the fence. It's now time for the next pitch with a clear head."

Sorry, but if your son can't do this he's not mentally ready for varsity.

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It actually brought his level of play down to that of the competition and teammates. I hope for him to avoid that with his high school experience.

If your son is on the JV or freshman team I suggest you keep your feelings to yourself. Otherwise your son and you won't have any friends in the stands.

John, my son was in the same position last year. I'll make a couple of points about our experience.

First off, I was sitting in a restaurant one night before the HS season started. I had on a hat that was similar to the hat the HS team wears. I was a coach of travel team with the same name. A dad came up to me and asked if I was a coach. I told him yes (thinking he was talking about sons travel team). He proceeded to tell me how good his son was. On and on. When I realized he was talking about the HS team, I told him I was not a HS coach and asked him who his son was. He told me and I knew his kid. To put it lightly, his son was not a good player at all. Pretty bad really. But it made me think about something. If this dad went to the HS coach and told him how good his son is, and I went to the HS coach and told him how good my son is, how would the coach really know? I got thinking how many parents must come to the coach to say how good their kid is, then when they get on the field, they see the reality. I'm sure the coach just ignores anything the parents say and let the kids performance do the talking. I never tried to promote my son to the coach. Figured it was worthless anyway.

I was talking to the coach after the preseason parent meeting and let him know my son was a pitcher and he told me he already knew about him. It surprised me because I didn't think they had any idea. My point is the coaches often do their homework and know of the good kids already.

The other point I wanted to make is that the kids often want to play with their friends. My son did make varsity, but often said that he wishes he could have played some freshman games so he could be with his friends. There was one other freshman who wound up being called up, but, he was up there with all the big kids and didn't know many of them very well. He did well at the varsity level, was one of 3 starting pitchers, but part of that was because our pitching staff was not that strong. If he would have played at the HS across town, he would not have made varsity and I'm sure would have been happy playing JV.

You have received a lot of good advice here. Bottom line is, things are out of your control now. Like others have said, sit back and enjoy the ride. He will have his chances when the time is right for him and for your team.

Good luck in tryouts!!

Keep it simple - Every players job, at every level, is too help his team win. The only team he can help, is the team he's on.

If he does that, he will be a better man. Its just baseball, but life works the same way.

quote:

Originally posted by wraggArm:
Stop viewing the HS baseball program as being there solely for the purpose of developing YOUR son when he comes along. Your son should understand that his job is to go contribute to that program, to make it better in whatever way coach needs him to, and to help the others around him succeed. It may be that his most important job is to be on JV, to develop his skills along with the others on JV, and let those Juniors and Seniors who have more experience take on the other Varsity players in the district. Being a contributor to a winning organization is the REAL learning experience, and that's where he'll get the most valuable personal growth.

What a fine point that is!

I think everyone tends to personalize things too much. As parents, we want the right outcome to occur. We also know baseball and how fickle it can be. If the coach just happens to be watching that one time when our son screws up, then he might unfairly be denied his "rightful" opportunity - in our own minds at least.

If my premise is true that we all tend to personalize things too much, then here are a few thoughts that come to mind. Keep those thoughts to yourself. Don't even share them with your son. If you feel he got unfair treatment or he is better than somone else, keep those thoughts to yourself. For parents, focus on encouragement of things under their control. Focusing on team success mentioned above is a tried and true method for breaking the inward worries and anxieties to something more positive and external.

Since I have been here since 2004, it is amazing actually how many variations on this theme have been posted here yet all with the same concern in mind - that someone's son might miss out if things don't go the way they think it ought too in advance. Here are some past threads on this theme I can remember and perhaps people can remember other ones.

I mean we've had people post who were concerned their kids might be denied an opportunity in college if their sons did not play at their desired position in high school. Think about that, the parent overlooks their kid is in the starting lineup and worries or focuses on the percieved negative or slight of someone else playing their rightful/desired position.

Here is one of the best I've seen. We've had parents worry that their freshman sons who made varsity would be better off if they played JV. That's right, worry about the opposite problem John is worrying about here. Seems they were concerned their sons might not play as often when on varsity. Wondered if JV might be better for development since the playing time might be more consitent.

We have had other parents where their freshmen sons were being used on both JV and varsity. They had concerns their sons might be overused.

Do you see how this works? Everyone is concerned. The idea is to learn how not to be concerned about those things anymore (other than health concerns obviously). I have stewed and fretted over my son's playing time, postion, where he batted in the lineup, and especially after he got into college. You know what it got me? Zilch. Probably less than zilch as the needless worry probably substracted from things both short and long term.

The real cool things here are that setbacks (real or perceived) can be used for growth if channeled positively. That is what players are ultimately seeking - to grow in the game. As long as growth continues, the career will continue and more importantly that is what parents will derive the most satisfaction from.

I caught an interview this morning on the radio with Archie Manning.
The question asked was what did he do when his boys were younger that made them who they are (great quarterbacks).
His answer was all he did was try to raise kids, not football stars. Learning to be good teammates, learn to be compassionate and take pride in what you love doing (whatever that may be), everything else took care of itself.
Great stuff.

It is just my opinion that once a player enters HS he should be playing with his peers meaning those that he will have to compete with in his grad class.