Our High School baseball tryouts start today and I was wondering if any of you veteran parents were nervous when your son tried out as a freshmen?
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Absolutely, you just never know what is in store. But after watching a couple of days of tryouts, i knew he would be ok. He went on to be the MVP of his freshman team voted by the coaches and players. Good luck and enjoy your son's high school career. It's a fun ride.
His mother and I were very apprehensive. I remember watching the tryouts and thinking that our son was in the "top 5" of the freshmen that tried out. As there was no freshmen team, however, we didn't know how many freshmen would be retained. Also, we had no idea if other factors (such as politics) would play into the decision.
To make things worse, this happened to be a February with a lot of rain. The tryouts "started" in the middle of the month and ended up lasting until the last week because of non-stop rain. We'd ask our son everyday after school, "have you heard anything yet?" The anticipation was driving all of us crazy.
I learned that our son had made the JV team that year when I drove by the school after work and witnessed the boys running suicides in the gym.
I empathize with all you parents of incoming freshmen. There were some uncertainties the next year as we wondered whether he'd make varsity, or stay on JV. But nothing compared to that first spring.
To make things worse, this happened to be a February with a lot of rain. The tryouts "started" in the middle of the month and ended up lasting until the last week because of non-stop rain. We'd ask our son everyday after school, "have you heard anything yet?" The anticipation was driving all of us crazy.
I learned that our son had made the JV team that year when I drove by the school after work and witnessed the boys running suicides in the gym.
I empathize with all you parents of incoming freshmen. There were some uncertainties the next year as we wondered whether he'd make varsity, or stay on JV. But nothing compared to that first spring.
I was a nervous wreck for two weeks, there were 75 kids going out for nine or so spots and three rounds of cuts to be got through. Don't think I got a good nights' sleep the whole time.
"I am thankful for my mom, my dad, my brother, my sister, my dog, my house, and most of the furniture."
"I am thankful for my mom, my dad, my brother, my sister, my dog, my house, and most of the furniture."
BBForLife - So, how did it go?
After reading an earlier thread about parents attending practice I decided to stay away from the tryouts. However I somehow found myself a little more punctual than usual and arrived to pick my son up about 20 minutes early. When I walked up several parents told me I had just missed my son hitting but that he had done well. After practice my son was in good spirits and said he had a good tryout, which is an encouraging sign because he is usually critical of himself if he doesn't feel he performed up to his capabilities.
From the 20 minutes of the tryout I did see there are a lot of talented players trying out but I do feel a little less nervous than yesterday. I think the first cuts are next Wed. so I will keep you posted on how the tryouts progress.
PS:dadchs24, beepers40 and Bizazz thanks for your posts, I was starting to think I was crazy getting this nervous for a high school tryout. But baseball means a lot to my son and in a sense having his fate in the hands of strangers is an uneasy feeling. Good news is that I have not heard anything about our tryouts being political.
From the 20 minutes of the tryout I did see there are a lot of talented players trying out but I do feel a little less nervous than yesterday. I think the first cuts are next Wed. so I will keep you posted on how the tryouts progress.
PS:dadchs24, beepers40 and Bizazz thanks for your posts, I was starting to think I was crazy getting this nervous for a high school tryout. But baseball means a lot to my son and in a sense having his fate in the hands of strangers is an uneasy feeling. Good news is that I have not heard anything about our tryouts being political.
Do I remember? Like it was yesterday! My son's freshmen year was the most nerve racking for me. We live in a small town that has a youth program but no high school. My kids have to go to high school in the next town. So we were not familiar with the kids he was up against. Everyday he would come home and we would ask how did it go? His answer was always the same "okay I guess". He never wanted us to go watch, but on the last day we did. At the end of tryouts that day the coach had all the boys together and he told them the first list I call out made the freshmen team. Our son was not named. Then he called out the names that made JV, again our son was not named. I was watching his face and it was killing me. Last the coach named all the players that made varsity, and when he named my son I wanted to jump up and down , but I didn't, till we got home. 
"good is never good enough when better is possible"
"good is never good enough when better is possible"
I recall vividly
I went to work as usual--came home as usual-- son said it went well-- that was it
TRhit
I went to work as usual--came home as usual-- son said it went well-- that was it
TRhit
BBFORLIFE,
Please do not allow some peoples' opinions on this site deter you from what you feel in your heart about being around your son. There are no experts in the field of raising children. Be at every practice if you choose to be(based on YOUR relationship with your son) and be proud of it.
As one father stated on another thread when his son was asked by a teammate why his father was always at practices, his son replied, "Why is your father never here?"
Parents not wanting to be at certain events and functions
of their children have every right not to be and should not be judged because of it.
Good luck with your son.
Moc1
Please do not allow some peoples' opinions on this site deter you from what you feel in your heart about being around your son. There are no experts in the field of raising children. Be at every practice if you choose to be(based on YOUR relationship with your son) and be proud of it.
As one father stated on another thread when his son was asked by a teammate why his father was always at practices, his son replied, "Why is your father never here?"
Parents not wanting to be at certain events and functions
of their children have every right not to be and should not be judged because of it.
Good luck with your son.
Moc1
Be sure he knows that the easiest thing to showcase is "Hustle". Don't lolligag. Run onto the field. Run off of the field. When it's time to pick up baseballs, pick up more than anyone else. Hustle.
Wear the uniform with pride. Dress for success. Wear you hat properly. Clean up those old cleats. Look like a ball player.
Relax. You've been on a baseball field before. Just do your best. Nothing more and nothing less. That's all you can do.
- Whoever said a walk was as good as a hit, couldn't hit.
Wear the uniform with pride. Dress for success. Wear you hat properly. Clean up those old cleats. Look like a ball player.
Relax. You've been on a baseball field before. Just do your best. Nothing more and nothing less. That's all you can do.
- Whoever said a walk was as good as a hit, couldn't hit.
Moc1 - we can agree to disagree on the "parents at practices" thing, but I would strongly recommend against attending tryouts. Once the team is named, well, that's between you and your son. But having Dad staring through the fence at tryouts isn't going to make it any easier on a freshman, and I doubt it's going to be veiwed in a positive way by the coach. (A lot of parents show up early to pick up their son, though - that's probably OK.) 
D'oh!
D'oh!
P-Dog...I have absolutely no problen with parents who have no interest in attending practices for whatever reason. I rarely
went to my daughter's swimming practices because it made no difference to her and frankly to me they were boring. My sons
really want me to be at their baseball practices so that I can give them tips on what I saw that may be able to help them.
Our stands were full for tryouts and the coaches had no problem with it. I understand what you are saying as far as a freshman feeling pressure with his parents watching at the tryout but could not the reverse be true? Others might see it
as moral support to know that they have someone pulling for them in the stands or on the sidelines. Just a thought.
Moc1
went to my daughter's swimming practices because it made no difference to her and frankly to me they were boring. My sons
really want me to be at their baseball practices so that I can give them tips on what I saw that may be able to help them.
Our stands were full for tryouts and the coaches had no problem with it. I understand what you are saying as far as a freshman feeling pressure with his parents watching at the tryout but could not the reverse be true? Others might see it
as moral support to know that they have someone pulling for them in the stands or on the sidelines. Just a thought.
Moc1
BNA - hope you don't mind but I copied and saved your msg above. Very nicely put. May I use it in my 'Welcome to the Team' letter for this coming season?
"Son, when you pitch a strike, Mr. Hornsby will let you know."
"Son, when you pitch a strike, Mr. Hornsby will let you know."
BBFORLIFE...IMHO you should share as many experiences with your son as possible. As we tell our sons "they will never get this chance again", WE, the parents "may never get this chance again".
I enjoy the practices more than the games...seeing the team build and develop.
MOC1
As one father stated on another thread when his son was asked by a teammate why his father was always at practices, his son replied, "Why is your father never here?"
Great Line!!
"If you can imagine it you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it". William Arthur Ward
"Baseball is Life"
I enjoy the practices more than the games...seeing the team build and develop.
MOC1
As one father stated on another thread when his son was asked by a teammate why his father was always at practices, his son replied, "Why is your father never here?"
Great Line!!
"If you can imagine it you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it". William Arthur Ward
"Baseball is Life"
Starrz, Thanks-wish I could take credit for it!
Moc1
Moc1
Krakatoa -- Sure it's okay.
One other piece of advice I give my son about practice. Always do something extra, every day. When practice is over -- run a few more poles, run a few sprints, find a buddy and do a few more soft toss drills, take a few more swings in the batting cage, hit off the tee -- but do something extra. Coaches notice, teamates take note, and it will make you a little better ballplayer.
- Whoever said a walk was as good as a hit, couldn't hit.
One other piece of advice I give my son about practice. Always do something extra, every day. When practice is over -- run a few more poles, run a few sprints, find a buddy and do a few more soft toss drills, take a few more swings in the batting cage, hit off the tee -- but do something extra. Coaches notice, teamates take note, and it will make you a little better ballplayer.
- Whoever said a walk was as good as a hit, couldn't hit.
Well last night I went to tryouts for about the last hour and when I arrived there were only two dads there and several others started showing up with about 30-45 minutes left. Good news is I did get to see the coaching staff in action and was impressed with how the tryout was being run. Lots of stations with the kids all getting plenty of work and instruction.
Well he made it.
Bump...
I started looking at the board today and to my surprise saw a topic I started a little over a year ago at the top of the page. Not sure why but looks like MWR-VA put it there with his post "Bump". Anyway sure did bring back a few memories as last year I was sweating bullets wondering if my son would make the freshmen team. Well he did make the team and performed better than I expected both at the plate and on the mound. Now he has been asked to try out for varsity as a sophomore which is a great honor at our school which is a very large AAAAA high school located right in the heart of East Cobb Baseball country. Sure does show what a difference a year can make.
bbforlife
I remember that year too. The year before, our HS had only kept 4 freshman total on the JV squad. There were 4 middle school baseball teams feeding that high school and there sure were a lot of nervous parents.
Junior made it up to varsity that freshman year as a pitcher. As an 8th grader, we were worried about him even making the JV team. None of the HS in our area even have freshman teams (money issue).
Reading back, this sure brought back some good memories. Congrats to your fella.
I remember that year too. The year before, our HS had only kept 4 freshman total on the JV squad. There were 4 middle school baseball teams feeding that high school and there sure were a lot of nervous parents.
Junior made it up to varsity that freshman year as a pitcher. As an 8th grader, we were worried about him even making the JV team. None of the HS in our area even have freshman teams (money issue).
Reading back, this sure brought back some good memories. Congrats to your fella.
bbforlife...
As I'm sure you know by now, "bump" is a word we use when someone finds it necessary to bring back an important post from the past.
Yours seemed appropriate to me as I felt it is now that same time of year again when it is "someone elses turn".
You may have noticed, I "bumped" several posts from the recent past as well. Just thought it might help some new folks whom are just beginnning their hs baseball search and needing a little help for their son(s).
We all learn from each other and sometimes we need another reminder.
As I'm sure you know by now, "bump" is a word we use when someone finds it necessary to bring back an important post from the past.
Yours seemed appropriate to me as I felt it is now that same time of year again when it is "someone elses turn".
You may have noticed, I "bumped" several posts from the recent past as well. Just thought it might help some new folks whom are just beginnning their hs baseball search and needing a little help for their son(s).
We all learn from each other and sometimes we need another reminder.
MWR-VA,
I could not agree more with the sentiments expressed in your post. I have been coming to this website for a little over a year now and have learned a tremendous amount and on a few occasions shared my knowledge of the game where I thought I could add some value.
Also thanks for bumping the post as it brought back some good memories from my son's tryout last year.
I could not agree more with the sentiments expressed in your post. I have been coming to this website for a little over a year now and have learned a tremendous amount and on a few occasions shared my knowledge of the game where I thought I could add some value.
Also thanks for bumping the post as it brought back some good memories from my son's tryout last year.