What do we need to do?

Welcome to the HSBBW.
We need to clear one thing up first. Being a Mom has NO bearing on baseball knowledge. Some of the most informed posters here are moms.

A dose of reality. If he's academically eligable that's good. If not that's bad. Unless your son is guaranteed to play major league baseball (and trust me he isn't) ----- his (and your) first concern should be academics. Say that sentence over and over. Paste it on your refrigerator.

Being academic eligible does a couple of things. One it provides him with an opportunity to play college baseball. Two, it provides him with a foundation to have a productive life (with or without baseball).

This is a baseball website and we talk baseball. How to go about being recruited by this college or that college and whether a D-1 college is better that a D-2 or should he be a pitcher or a shortstop. But I can tell you being academically eligible is by far the most important. Being eligible is primary.

Is being drafted and playing professional baseball and option? My son played professional baseball for three years and I say NO. Playing professional baseball is like icing on the cake. It's sweet BUT if a big bowl of icing is the only thing you get at a birthday party you will be sick, VERY sick!

We have to be practical. The odds of getting sufficient money to forgo college is VERY poor. The odds of being able to provide a comfortable living from professional baseball is even poorer --- it's virtually impossible. It can happen --- and does ---- but the odds are against it.

1. If your son has the talent to play college baseball the odds are VERY GOOD he will get the opportunity to do so no matter what you do or don't do.

2. If your son is academically ineligible to go to college it is guaranteed he WILL NOT play college baseball!

Fungo

GA Baseball Mom, welcome! Glad you posted!

Fungo has given you some very good advice. I'll try to add to that.

Regarding academics, if your son has the ability to play Division 1 (or even Division 2), he needs to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. The NCAA certifies high school players based on their academics and test scores and without that certification, your son cannot play D1 or D2 ball no matter how badly schools want him. To register, go to https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibil...t/index_student.html Once he is registered, you need to check very carefully on the website to make sure he is taking all the required courses. Go to http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=263 and click on "2008-09 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete." Make sure you read the guide in its entirety. Lastly, go to this link https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibil...t/index_student.html and check to make sure that all the courses your son is taking at his specific high school are approved.

If your son's academics are a problem, one option is to play for a junior college. Junior colleges typically have much lower standards for admission, so your son would probably not have a problem getting in.

Regarding getting noticed without spending a lot of money, you should look this spring at the websites of colleges (both jr. colleges and 4-year schools) that your son is interested in playing at and enroll him in the camps/showcases that they sponsor. Some can cost several hundreds dollars, but many are much cheaper. Jr. college camps and tryouts can cost $25-$50, and camps at certain D1 and D2 schools can go for as little as $100-$200. Most schools should post information on their camps by April or May.

Since your son is a junior, you should find a select team for him to play for -- if you can at all afford it -- that will give him much higher exposure than his rec league. This is the summer that provides the most opportunity for recruitment. If you are unsure about which teams are best, post a question on the Georgia forum of this message board.

Lastly, your son should email or call the recruiting coordinators of the schools he is interested in (you can find contact info on the schools' websites) and give them his playing schedule for both spring and summer. He can also tell them a little about himself (height, weight, position, awards, etc.) in order to pique their interest.

Best wishes to you and your son!

Love of the game and all the skill in the world won't help if the grades arent there especially if as a junior the grades are slipping---the would much have see a C student going into the junior year work hard and get the GPA up to a C+ or a B---that shows them the boy can do the work and he has seen the light

Thank you for the nice welcome to HSBW.

I appreciate the advice. As TRhit said he has seen the light and the grades slipped during the soph. yr. and are coming up now. He has a great counselor at school that knows what he needs to compete as an athlete with the NCAA. He will be registering with the NCAA after the SAT he is taking next month.

I agree 100% that his EDUCATION is the #1 priority. Now while he is in HS and later on in College.

I just want him to have any and all opportunities open to him. Like all parents.

Thanks

quote:

but has he messed himself up because of this?

GA Baseball Mom ... mine was also academically ineligible as a soph. While he didn't permanently "mess himself up", he did limit his opportunities. For example: I know of a number of colleges that called his high school asking to see a transcript, who we never heard from again. Those were opportunities that were permanently lost. In our experience, what that meant was that we had to work extra hard to find additional opportunities where he was a better academic fit.

GA mom, one thing that we are finding out is that my son's slip ups are keeping him from getting the academic scholarships that are available at the school he got recruited to play for, which is a DIII. To qualify for a $7000 scholly, he needed a 3.3gpa to go along with a 22 act. He got a 26 on his act. But he is just short of a 3.0 because of his freshamn an soph years. Did great the last 2 years, but not strong enough to balance it. And don't get me wrong, he didn't fail any classes those years, just got too many c's.

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Excellent advice so far...

Observations...

Some kids are built for the academic game as it is played and flourish. Others may be just as bright, and intelligent but simply do not fit the game and rules as they are layed out. Best to know which one you have. The academic strategies are different for each type, in HS and in college. We have one of each type, and the expectations, strategies and approaches are different for each.

As you are seeing, many young people (HS boys in particular) have moments of academic clarity and moments of academic idiocy. It's pretty normal. While I would be concerned and take steps to solve the problem, it is not a panic situation. Comes with the territory. Not all kids are on an academic mission. The fact that your son got back into the academic game and acheiving bodes well for his future. I can make a case in any endeavor that slipping and getting back up teaches great lessons and perhaps greater lessons than not. Just as in baseball, at some point in academics you are going to be knocked down and blodied, if not now, then later. The real question, in the end is not can you avoid struggle and failure, but can you muster the resources to come back stronger when it happens, and I guarantee that it will at some point. A young man who has been down and back up, has a better understanding of himself, his resources and of the realities of life than one who has not. In our area we see many very bright, academic, lifetime high acheiving kids from one of the best private schools in the country, kids who have never really struggled, go off to college and blow back out with their academic tails between their legs when faced with the next level of competition and the prospect of a real academic fight just for lower grades. Adapt, adjust, fix, struggle, fall and get up...great skills to have as an academic and as a person. My son'e HS coach told this story....becasue of sports he squaked into one of the best colleges in the country. The kids on his dorm floor were all 4.0 out of HS. He was barely a 3.0, and the only "low" academic. By the end of the semester the dorm floor was only 2/3rd's full. Many of the 4.0's had gone home and he was one of the survivors because he knew about struggle and perseverance and the goal of education not just grades. Got by on his attitude and effort not his SAT scores.

Remember, It is a long, long long road. That strike out with the winning run on base in the last inning when your son was a 9 year old, one that seemed career threatning and tragic at the time is but a faded memory now. Course adjustment and move forward. Perseverance. Look at the big picture amd take the long term view. Nobody gets out unblodied. better now then later. Not to say that I want or accept academic failure but I can make a case that HS was a long time ago and that C- that we all paniced about in HS seems but a distant memory.

There is more than a single path to the prize. As 08 said above JC is a great option. Great place for a player to get his college academic legs under him and the baseball can be excellent and innings can be had.

I'll stick my neck out here a bit.......Big picture, This journey is not about baseball it is about academics...Big picture this journey is not about academics it is about education...Big picture this journey is not about education it is about what you do with that education...Big picture it is not about WHAT you do, it is about WHO you are...character.

44
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quote:

I'll stick my neck out here a bit.......Big picture, This journey is not about baseball it is about academics...Big picture this journey is not about academics it is about education...Big picture this journey is not about education it is about what you do with that education...Big picture it is not about WHAT you do, it is about WHO you are...character.

Great post as usual. You have a great way with words.I think many kids do not see the big picture, unfortunately, and as a parent there is not much you can do, nag, threaten, cut them off, etc etc, THEY have to step up and become men, and watching that transformation is both painful, frustrating and exciting when they begin to understand what the big picture is.

fan

Why dont the players see the big picture/ Is it because of their parents dreams?

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TR...

While this may be/bring a hijack it is a good educational moment, so I'll take a shot at that....and get drawn in....yes, parental dreams, but more specifically than that...

Parental Fear...we fear getting behind...we fear getting left behind...gotta be with the front runners rather than having the courage to take our own path with our kids, at their personal pace, in their own direction. Herd mentality is strong. I think we have all felt that as parents of athletes. The question is how far do we buy in. Had one who was perfect for the grind of travel ball, another who simply was wrong for it. Both are in college, both are playing ball. Both retain their passion for the game and for their upside. Different paths for different kids.

And parental status/competition....It is an extremely fine line between using sports as a developer of character and competing ourselves through our kids. Our dreams are to be at the top of the heap as well, and our kids and their sports can very easily become one of our own competitions. Hard to stay in a developmental mode rather than a win now, gte OUR brass ring one. While I am all for sane development in all respects, emotional, physical, charcater...Have always said that with enough insanity you can turn a 12 year old athlete into a 14 year old one, but at what cost, when in the end players will find their own level and will become 14 year old atheltes anyway. I'm afraid that we as parents often dangerously cross the line from big picture balance to small picture imbalanace, from sanity to insanity, from parent to agent in a headlong and blind rush at early winning and success.

44
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Excellent observations as always ob44!

Sometimes I wonder about perspective as well. For instance, is one man's helicopter parent another man's concerned/conscientious parent?

Seriously, I think with baseball and perhaps other areas of life, it is best to have a long term view. Let things play out in their own course of time and without regard to someone elses time as ob44 suggests. What you see today is not what you'll see five years from now. Sometimes all it takes is the patience and perseverance to see things through. All around me, I see yesterday's hype as today's failure and vis versa.

quote:

Originally posted by ClevelandDad:
Seriously, I think with baseball and perhaps other areas of life, it is best to have a long term view. Let things play out in their own course of time and without regard to someone elses time.... What you see today is not what you'll see five years from now. Sometimes all it takes is the patience and perseverance to see things through. All around me, I see yesterday's hype as today's failure and vis versa.

That is why in the end I nievely believe so much in character. Attitude, work ethic, tenacity are the water that wears down rocks...give me kid with character...

Sorry thing, IMO, is that I see less and less of it...it is why kids with it stand out now so clearly...but are we really caring if they do?

44
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Thrit,

To answer that question myself:I have no aspirations for my son to be drafted, I want him to get an education. He just turned 19, do you think EVERY 19 year old sees the big picture. I dont want the kids who go to Stanford majoring in enginnering parents to answer. Some do , and some do not.
Honestly my son is having an incredible year as a true freshmen, hitting over .400 , playing every inning, hiiting third, blah blah blah,but he is 19 and he is experiencing freedom and girls, and all the things college kids experience.
Hes not thinking about ( well ten years from now I amy have a wife and kids so I need to take care of my degree) he doesnt think beyond next week at times, and hes a good kid. Maybe your kids did and thats great but what Observer 44 said is kids have to fail sometimes and its tough as a parent to watch it, its a struggle because we do see the big picture.
Not every 18-20 year old young man has it all figured out,for those of you whose kids do terrific but there are many who dont.I have no question of my sons character, and I know he wants to get his degree, but he does get side tracked and distracted, in the moment.
It is his dream to get drafted and play baseball forever, if it happens thats I guess, a plus, but for me I am the NAG when it comes to EDUCATION, EDUCATION.
I got my transcrips out from when I was 18 and just starting college, I though i was such a good student looking back, I have C's, a withdrawl, now my first semester I was distracted when my 20 year old boyfriend was shot and killed in front of me, but I didnt get all A's and B's , I do now as I finish my bachelors.
My son has a tremendous work ethic, but he moved out this semester and I was against it and I can see that he has struggled up against the world and its temptations.He isnt doing anything horrible , but its tough. Baseball 6 days a week, school, cooking for himself, studying, etc etc,My hats off to the kids who sail through it all and their parents. maybe you did a better job than me in your parenting skills.
My son took out a student loan to move out, we were against it, he is doing ok, passing all his classes, attending class, etc, but its been a much tougher semester than when he was home.But he is learning and thats what its about, and in the long run his character and work ethic will get him through life.

quote:

Big picture, This journey is not about baseball it is about academics...Big picture this journey is not about academics it is about education...Big picture this journey is not about education it is about what you do with that education...Big picture it is not about WHAT you do, it is about WHO you are...character.

O44,
That is some really good stuff right there!

We the parents can see the big picture because we have lived and seen all the little pictures that make up the big picture. The big picture is easier to see one small picture at a time. We wonder where our kids will fit into this big picture we talk and worry about.

IMO it is the rare teenager who sees the big picture. Maybe they shouldn't see or be concerned with it all the time. If they worry about too many things (the big picture) maybe they won't take some risks that are sometimes necessary to succeed.

This is a subject that is very close to me. In fact it is me. I was the kid in school that sat in class and day dreamed about what I was going to do when I got out of class. I did just enough to pass "most of the time." When I got in HS I continued to do just enough to be elgible to play sports. If it were not for sports I am not sure I would have graduated from High School. At the start of my senior year I had several college programs contacting my HS coach about me playing football at their schools. I was told by several schools "If you had the grades we would offer you but your grades are just not good enough." It was at this time during my senior year that I realized I had messed up. My parents constantly talked to me , my coaches constantly talked to me , but I was a hard headed kid and I had to learn for myself.

I went to a JUCO here in NC because that was the only school I could get into. I did just enough to stay elgible once again. I did not graduate and my grades were not good enough to get into a four year school to continue to play. I ended up getting a job with the Police Dept because one of my former volunteer HS coaches was a Major on the Dept. I finally realized "in my mid 20's" that I would never achieve what I wanted to achieve in life if I didnt get a formal education past a HS degree. I went on to get two degrees while working a full time job plus a part time job as a security officer at a grocery store. I put my wife through college at the same time while making less than 20k per year.

The bottom line was no matter what anyone told me I had to learn for myself. I had to be the one that was the driving force. Once I was the driving force I was determined to make it happen. But it does not come without a price. I had to suffer through some very tough times. I had to miss out of alot of things I should not have missed out on.

The BEST possible thing that could happen to your son is that he learn these lessons now! That he not be able to play the game he loves. That he understands the fact that "The decisions you make today will impact your life for years to come." I hope this lights a fire under him and he realizes how important an education is and how important it is that he makes good decisions. Good luck

GA Baseball Mom,

Welcome. I think that you have gotten some good advice. As a junior, your son needs to step it up, and also find a very good team with exposure this summer to be seen. I am sure that your son is a very good ballplayer, has the agility, abilty and power and spirit just like most of our son's here have. But I am sure that you understand that does not guarantee you a roster spot on any college campus these days.
Don't sit around waiting for someone to discover your son, you have much work to do. Don't let others tell you that they will help you, it is something that you and your son must work together on. It takes time and patience, but you need to begin now.
The JUCO experience, IMO, is something that should be strongly considered, regardless of your son's eligibility with the clearinghouse (D1 or D2). If staying eligible was a challenge for your son in HS, it's even more difficult in college, any college. And baseball adds to the difficulty.

There's nothing wrong with looking at the big picture, I think the earlier you discuss these things with your son as they enter HS, the better they understand how to take care of business.

WOW!! What great advise and personal experiences that are so similar. I am making sure my son reads all of the forum posts. I really appreciate the knowledge and encouragement each of you have shared with me and my son.

His counselor at school was "the guy that should have gone on to play Basketball" but his grades held him back.. So he is really good mentor to him.

A Coach told us how so many freshmen in college seem to go thru this experience, so maybe he is getting his out of the way early..???

He is already thinking and planning to do a JUCO, and maybe use it as a stepping stone... we will see what he does.

As the parent I do see the whole picture. I don't really have any aspirations for him, so I don't care what he finally makes of himself... I want him to be happy and satisfied. BUT.. I want him to be able to make those decisions for himself, not be limited by his mistakes. I, like so many of you, just don't want him to be disappointed and have regrets... But he is 17, soon to be 18, so all I can do is advise him and let him read and listen to others that have gone thru the same experiences.

He is a very good kid, and besides the lack of effort in school, he stays away from trouble and has seen what the wrong choices get you. I trust him which to me says alot.

Another question if I may: If you had to choose between a PG and TPX TOP 96 event, which would you choose?

THANKS AGAIN!!

quote:

Big picture, This journey is not about baseball it is about academics...Big picture this journey is not about academics it is about education...Big picture this journey is not about education it is about what you do with that education...Big picture it is not about WHAT you do, it is about WHO you are...character.

GREAT STUFF!!
I'm going to print that out and post it in my computer room!
Thanks

Since my son has been to neither I am completely unbiassed ---- or maybe uninformed ---- but it would be PG.

I'd go to Perfect Game. That and Headfirst are the two programs that, in my opinion, stand above the others.

quote:

As the parent I do see the whole picture. I don't really have any aspirations for him, so I don't care what he finally makes of himself... I want him to be happy and satisfied. BUT.. I want him to be able to make those decisions for himself, not be limited by his mistakes. I, like so many of you, just don't want him to be disappointed and have regrets... But he is 17, soon to be 18, so all I can do is advise him and let him read and listen to others that have gone thru the same experiences.

Its a tough thing to do, but its part of their growing up.

GA baseball mom: I wish somebody had been as honest as you several years ago when I was in a very similar position with shakey grades and lackluster motivation. If I had it to do over again, I would have made big changes in freshman/sophomore year...up to and including limiting baseball. I know this is practically heresy to many on this website. Certainly, my husband and I had major conflict on this issue. But it may have provided one more incentive for son to get his grades up, learn better study habits and bear down when the going gets tough. We felt that baseball would carry him through the rough spots. It will not unless he is off the charts with stats...a one in a million. Do not dismiss the notion that you might have rose colored glasses on..if his grades are poor, they are poor..and a college that will take him with poor grades will not be able to fix poor study habits, etc. Particularly when you factor in baseball..it is a huge committment.

PM me if you want

Between the two showcases:

PGame first, but it's pretty expensive. Do the SE showcase rather than the National. You live in Georgia and I'd venture to say your son may end up going to a GA school, so I'd tell you to add the Young Harris Showcase to your list. It's a good one for exposure and isn't expensive, but it fills up fast. Find it on their website. Lots of bang for the buck. **Don't even consider the Headfirst Showcases if your son has a splotchy academic record. It would be a waste of your money as the point of the showcase is to identify athletes with strong academics.

JUCOs are a possibility, or a less selective 4 year. You'll have to target carefully.

FWIW,

I would call and ask the top colleges in Georgia or other areas you are interested in, for advise as to what events would be most benificial. Might as well start at the top with Georgia and Georgia Tech.

If you want to expand a little, you might check with... Clemson, South Carolina or Coastal Carolina.

Same goes for Alabama and Auburn or any other DI college somewhat close to you. North Carolina schools could also be checked.

Also you could ask any full time MLB scouts if you know any or see any. The more people you ask the better decision you can make for your son. I would also ask people who have actually attended events in the past and I would definitely check out the websites thoroughly to see how much information you can find about the players who have attended the various events.