The Summer After HS Ends

My son played on the local American Legion team.  It worked out well, because he already had played against a lot of these guys through high school, and got a chance to play with them and build some relationships.  In previous years, he had always played tournament / showcase games with his summer organization, so wasn't able to do the legion thing.  It really is much different - kind of a high school all-star type experience.  Played about 40 games, including a playoff run, and had a big time.

I’ve seen three options ...

1) Play Legion for a lighter schedule and focus on physical development

2) Play 20u to play with younger, typically D3 players and other incoming freshmen

3) Play in a collegiate league that allows incoming freshmen

Even though my son returned from his injuries in time for senior year he still needed rehab to get college ball strong again. He went with #1. All the seniors returned from travel to play Legion for one last hurrah. The team went to states for the first time in years.

A (now years later) humorous moment. My son and several teammates returned from the Shore for an 11am Sunday morning game. It was Senior Week at the Shore. I arrived first. When the kids got out of the car my first question was, “Did you get any sleep?” The response was five kids laughing. They slept for three hours. My second question, more importantly, “Are you all sober?”

It really depends on the situation. For both POs and position players I would really want to take a class or two and live on campus with some other incoming freshman. Whether that is a short 4 week class or the entire summer doesn't really matter. Get used to having options as far as going to class and doing your homework vs hanging out, partying, girls, sun, etc. It also helps get in a routine. Eat, class, lift, eat, hang out, practice, homework/social activity, etc.

And if I were a position player I would want to play in a local collegiate league. I've found that the transition for pitchers is easier than it is for hitters. So in an ideal world I'd live on campus from June to end of July, play in a league and come home for a few weeks in August for time with family/friends before school starts back up at the end of August.

For some there aren't options. In our case he came home from prom weekend on a Sunday and had class Tuesday morning. It was worth it for the lifting alone, it really didn't compare to anything he would've been doing on his own at the gym.

@T_Thomas posted:

My son played on the local American Legion team.  It worked out well, because he already had played against a lot of these guys through high school, and got a chance to play with them and build some relationships.  In previous years, he had always played tournament / showcase games with his summer organization, so wasn't able to do the legion thing.  It really is much different - kind of a high school all-star type experience.  Played about 40 games, including a playoff run, and had a big time.

This is what keewartson did as well.  It was fun for him to play WITH kids he had played against in HS for many years.

@Francis7 posted:

Most HS baseball seasons are done or near done by the start of June, I assume.  And, kids start college in August, at some time that month, normally.

For the HS players who are going on to play in college, how did you handle those couple of months between the end of HS ball and reporting to college?  Did you just train for the 2 months without playing?  Or, did you play with some sort of team?  If you did play, was it a lighter schedule than your normal summer routine?  Basically, what did you do “the summer” after HS and before college, when it came to baseball?

Son graduated HS in 2020.  Plan was to work out, hang out first four or so weeks, then go off to second summer session at his intended college.  That's what the school wanted. Same for he and I.  Covid changed that.

He PO'd in a local collegiate league with 5/6 D1 recruits on his team, 5/6 JUCO recruits and 5/6 current college players.  Threw maybe 7 innings.

If possible, getting to your school and getting familiar with everything for the summer is the way to go.

18U Summer Travel Teams and Tournaments are becoming more common.  I think a college league that allows incoming freshman is often a better option.

I would have your son contact the college coach and see if they have plans on putting him somewhere.  My son was told they can put him on a team or he can find a team on his own.  If you son has the option on finding a team/league I would suggest playing to enjoy the game.  Realistically this may be the last opportunity to play for fun, with no pressure to excel because there will be eyes watching in later years.  This is assuming he stays with the college team and not a college club/IM league.  Spend time with you and the family.  The days are numbered.

Hopefully 2020 was a one off !! Son's senior HS season was canceled. He was supposed to head off to College almost immediately after graduation, that was canceled, he attended on line. Local Northwoods League team offered him a sport for a partial season, that team canceled their season because they play on a college campus.

His travel team didn't have an 18u team because in normal times all the kids are off to their new school......SO.

He was invited to pitch for a Texas based travel program that has lots of teams and supports 18U. Additionally, he pitched a few games for an adult league locally.  

We thought we were done with Perfect Game when he graduated...... We remained flexible, did another summer of tournaments, traveled great distances to pitch a single game and I can honestly say that we truly enjoyed one more summer with our son........

Long winded answer to the question. Short answer is, remain flexible and support him to play in order to stay sharp for the fall. I hope the normal type of schedule returns, but if it doesn't, be open to the alternatives.

Happy Thanksgiving in advance!!

Around here there are many 18 u teams. Seems there are 16U and 18 u. Sone played one more summer with his 18U team. They played in several tounaments that used Legion rules. He has a Sept birthday, so this may not work for everybody.

If not for this option there are local collegiate Woodbat teams around here. It is a very local league. Son's travel team would play one them early in the season every summer. His travel usually beat them pretty soundly. So while that was an option, he preferred to play with th 18u as they faced tougher competition.

My son was a SS and pitcher in HS.  He played both all thru travel.  He was recruited as a pitcher.  The summer after his senior year in HS he played 18U and a few games with the Legion.  Played mostly SS because he truly loved that position....and only threw a few innings a week at most just to keep his arm in shape. 

My son graduated last year, normally he would have reported to school July 5, so he wouldn't have played at all.  I know a lot of schools like to get them in the weight program before the other guys return.  He did one PG tournament for fun with some of his hs teammates since they lost their season. He did a couple of things in May/June for last minute draft stuff but his coach really didn't want him doing anything.  He didn't tell his coach he was doing the PG tournament and he got a call from him as soon as the game was over as someone had already sent him video.  The baseball world gets very small.

My son continued his play in American Legion the summer before. Really critical for a position player getting additional ABs (especially if the high school team was eliminated early). Pitchers may be different, especially if starters were overused in HS to win the championship (how many pitches thrown in season). Son's school didn't give any regiment (including lifting, etc). Big thing they emphasized was reporting healthy and ready to go.

My suggestion is that if you want to compete with 22-23 year olds in the fall for a position you start getting an opportunity to play against older,stronger players. It’s simply not happening in Legion ball anymore for various reasons. Mine will play on a “committed” regional team that plays against tougher competition. If we could get him placed on a lower level collegiate team during the week we will and he’s a D2 ss. So take that for what it’s worth.

@Francis7 posted:

Most HS baseball seasons are done or near done by the start of June, I assume.  And, kids start college in August, at some time that month, normally.

For the HS players who are going on to play in college, how did you handle those couple of months between the end of HS ball and reporting to college?  Did you just train for the 2 months without playing?  Or, did you play with some sort of team?  If you did play, was it a lighter schedule than your normal summer routine?  Basically, what did you do “the summer” after HS and before college, when it came to baseball?

Like some others, Foxson played Legion before reporting to college.   From June to late July they played about 40 games including the district playoffs.   At the time college freshman who had completed their first year could play one final time in Legion.  He was able to play with many of the kids he played with and against one final time.   He came back to play Legion one final time after his college freshman year.

His last Legion at-bat (2013):

In Iowa, HS baseball ends in July. After HS ball there were a couple of statewide all-star tournaments that he participated in and then moved in to campus in mid-August. He also got a couple of weeks to relax, sleep late and spend time with his friends before they headed off to school.

I think that was the first year that we got The Letter from coaches reminding us that committing wasn't the end of the journey but the beginning and kids who came on campus out of shape were likely to end up hurt.

The quality of Legion Ball in 2019-2020 really varies around the country.  In much of the upper Midwest, Legion Ball is where you face 74 mph “fastballs” and where what should be a routine ground ball double play ends up being a Triple (with no errors)