Why do parents want their sons to play baseball?

I hate soccer!

I totally agree with the 1&2. After watching PO jrs first year. Things that come to mind are commitment, reponsibility, hard work & teamwork. We as parents didn't get a manual when they were born. None of us knew what they would be doing right now. I believe my son still loves the game dispite what ever influence I had. 

Glad I didn't blow it for him as well!

I never wanted my kids to play any particular sport. I wanted my kids to try every sport they could and decide which ones they liked playing. They were going to be physically active. Baseball/softball was a preference given I played baseball through college. It probably would have bugged me for a while if they didn't like baseball/softball. They also played other sports.

My son wanted to play because his buddies were playing. He played around ages 5 and 6. As we all know the game at that age can be quite challenging at times. Lots of standing around, kicking the ground, chasing butterflies, etc. So it killed me when he came to me and said he wanted to play SOCCER! Yes...communist kickball! But, I wanted him to figure out on his own what he liked playing as long as he was active as well. The next 5+ years were brutal for me as I endured each soccer season.

 

Then one day the clouds parted, the sun shined extra bright, the birds were singing when my son came to inform me that he was ready to play baseball again! (interject Angels strumming their harps).

 

Thus began the infamous money pit! But I would gladly do over again if I could. Memories built on and around the game with him are everlasting.

 

YGD

I have no idea why my parents first wanted me to play baseball. A few weeks ago someone asked me when I first realized I loved the game, and I didn't have an answer. Baseball has been in my life as long as I can remember. I've met a lot of people who are passionate about things, but I haven't met many that are able to make a living within their passion. My passion has always been baseball, and it continues to be baseball. And now, I get paid to have that passion. That's pretty awesome. Whatever the reason was that my parents wanted me to play baseball, I'm glad it happened.

We just wanted my son to be in team sports I did not care what it was as long as he was having fun and it kept him busy and out of the trouble that finds idle kids. He played soccer, baseball, basketball.  He was never interested in football and so he never played it. Baseball was his love from Tball on and I just went along for the ride. Still going, at least for one more year. 

 

 

Given how my son started out, I'm actually amazed that he's still playing and that it's the single most dominant passion in his life. He was one of those kids in little league who would roll around in the outfield grass and pick flowers during games.  I remember thinking,  "well, maybe this isn't his thing."

 

We exposed him to soccer and basketball too. He even took  dance lessons and music  lessons for a number of years. He also did cub scouts for awhile.   We were just looking for something for him to enjoy that took some focus and dedication to master. (and would allow him to expend some positive boy energy on a regular basis).   We didn't have any particular expectation that baseball would turn into his thing as opposed to other sports.  

 

We encouraged him to keep playing baseball  mostly to keep him active and because he didn't actively hate it  the way he seem to hate  soccer and basketball.  He was always one of the faster kids but also one of the smaller ones and he definitely did not get into mixing it up the way you have to in BB and "futbol."

 

Somewhere along the line,  not sure exactly when,  he  started to positively like baseball rather than just sort of tolerate it.   At about age 12 he had a really great coach for whom  I was the assistant.  Truly amazing guy.   He really taught the kids a lot and got them to play hard and have fun at the same time. We won a championship with a roster that wasn't anything like the most talented group of kids.  

 

That was the first year that I remember that  my  guy actually stared actively  working at the game and wanting to get better. Hasn't been the same since.   He had one big setback along the way during his freshman year in HS.  He was still a pretty tiny guy -- fast  and could swing it pretty well,  but he had no arm strength to speak of.  Got cut by the Frosh/Soph coach -- last guy to get cut (out of about 50), according to the coach.  The coach told me it was  because he thought he lacked enough arm strength to play him anywhere, but that he almost kept him anyway for his speed and his bat.  (Ironically  now the kid plays  on that coach's travel team - -though the coach  is no longer with our school.  And the coach is a huge fan who is  constantly singing the kid's  praises to anyone who will listen.)

 

As you can imagine, the  kid was  really  crushed.  By then he actually loved the game.   He was determined to keep playing.  He was still baseball 14 all through freshman year,  so joined a 14u travel team full of 8th graders mostly and he played with them, during the HS season.  He  pleaded with us to get him a regular hitting coach and a conditioning coach.  He worked really, really hard over the next year and  became a much better player.  

 

Mainly his mom and I couldn't believe how  focused and  determined the kid  had become -- amazing transformation.   Most kids who get cut in our program  just go away.  He refused to go away.  But how could you not want a kid to play something that he is willing to work so hard at?    

 

Definitely he has learned significant life lessons from baseball.  And  it also gives him great joy  (especially when he just relaxes and just lets it happen and doesn't focus on whats at stake or who is watching, etc.) 

 

Though he has his dreams of playing in college -- and as much as I hope some version of his dream comes true --  even if he doesn't play another game after high school, all in all, it's been a great ride for the kid, has taught him a lot about himself and about the world. 

 

At this point, I want Jam Jr to play because it is what he loves. I love that he loves it, I love listening to him talk about it and obvioualy love watching him play. I guess he started liking baseball because his dad did. When he was 2 he would watch every Yankee game with my husband. From that early age, he was like a sponge, learning the game. Then of course there was Backyard Baseball for the PC. We still talk about Pablo Sanchez, et al.

 

 

I homeschooled our son through the 6th grade. He played baseball, soccer, basketball, swim team,karate,  keyboard lessons, ceramics, watercolor classes, etc etc ,royal rangers(cub scouts type),even did some drama classes.

 

Through it all baseball became his passion early on. I remember when he was 8 and he was in the farm league, They moved kids around and he was playing first. He made this great stretch and caught the ball from the SS, the kid was out. The kid began to cry,the coach said just let him stay on first, my son was like no he is out( Son could not grasp why the other kid didn't get that.

 

Anyway a week later we were coming home from the store, my husband came outside and said son you have been drafted to the minors 9-10 group. My son was like what team drafted me, GIANTS said my husband. You have a game you have to be at the field.My son was beyond excited. .Husband said they need you to play CF. Their CF broke his foot. My son said mom you have to take me to Big 5 I need eye black for the OF.

 

He had so much eye black on his face, he walked up, the kid who got hurt was a 12 year old in (9-10) he was like 5'11.My son was maybe 3 feet seriously. He walks up and the coach said are you my replacement? 

 

Son said yep, I could read the guys face, he was trying not to smile cause with the eye black and his eagerness it was pretty darn cute.

 

He starts in CF and makes a diving catch, snow cone catch that dropped out last minute.The coaches from both teams came in front of the dugouts and clapped for him.This little 8 year old playing with the bigger boys and lies out for a ball.

 

That day was when I knew. He always played that way every game, every inning.

His love for the game was a joy to experience.

 

It is over for him now, but he is a happy young man who is a better person because of the game of baseball.

Wow!  What a trip down memory lane!!  Son is in Ft. Myers with mom at PG 18U BCS as we speak so I couldn't ask him, but I will answer this from my perspective.  Like others, my son played several sports up through 9th grade. baseball, football and basketball.  He was never very big, but was very fast and had a strong, left arm.  I realized early on that he would either pitch or play outfield (dad is whopping 5'9").  I helped coach his teams through 10 or 11 years old.  When he was around 8 or 9 I moved him to the outfield.  Everyone thought I was crazy.  He was very athletic and was a really good 1st baseman.  I realized, thankfully, that he would play outfield as he was older because he was never gonna be big enough to play 1st.  At that age, you typically stuck your worst players in the outfield so it was seen as a big waste of talent.  What it did was allow my son to get a LOT of valuable reps and learn to read fly balls off the bat at a very early age.  That has served him so well.  Around 14 and 15 he was light years ahead of most outfielders.  Even today, their are kids that time faster than him in the 60, but I have NEVER seen a fly ball that anyone would have got to that he couldn't or didn't.  His jump off the bat and angle to the ball is unreal.  Now at 17 he is on one of the top 18U teams in the country, mainly as a PO.  His team consists of about 1/2 2014s and 1/2 2015s.  In last weeks PG 17U WWBA, our team did not play well in one particular pool game.  Coach was very frustrated with some of our approaches at the plate.  He put son in and jr propmtly went 2 for 3 with a walk.  He stayed in the lineup when he was not pitching.  Had the second best BA on team for tournament and highest OBP.  He and I both know his future is on the mound as he is LHP and finally broke the 90mph barrier in front of a LOT of scouts last week.  Selfishly, I was really glad he got a chance and did well.  He hadn't taken many cuts since early June, and did extremely well against some 90-95mph pitching.  Just glad to know that he can do it.  I will tie this to one of the other posts about PG.  I am so glad that an organization like PerfectGame exists.  We don't live in a large metropolitan area and a kid like mine may have gotten overlooked.  By the way, son is almost 6'1".  I think we prayed him there.  He has loved the game as long as I can remember.  He really loved basketball the best early on, I think because he was always a ball of energy and basketball was much faster paced.  Thank God he didn't grow until after he had really become uninterested in basketball, mainly because he didn't have very good coaching and realized he was putting in a lot of work and not seeing much improvement.  Anyway, God has a plan for his life and I can't wait to see where that takes him.

FOG your post got me a little misty......

 

Hope you are doing well with the baseball withdrawals. 

BOF,

 

Overall we are all doing well. There are moments when I miss seeing him play, watching him take BP. But he is starting his career away from baseball now. He is coaching though. Its ok, but Ill always love the game.

All the stories in this thread are awesome.

 

I had two boys - one two years older than the other.  When my wife took my oldest son who was 6 to the fire hall to sign him up for his first year of mighty might ball, of course she had to take his 4 year brother along.  When the 4 year old did not get to sign up like his brother, he cried so hard that he broke everyone's heart that was there.  They all agreed, what the heck, let the little brother sign up and be on the team as well.  When that little kid was in the field, he would draw pictures in the sand having no mind that he was to be playing defense.  When he would get a hit, he would stand there and admire his work.  The whole crowd, including grandmothers and grandfathers, would shout Run! Run! and nudge/point him to run toward first base.

 

And so it went.  The little brother was always on the big brother's team.  The little one became the shortstop and the big brother was the second baseman.  Both boys pitched.  The little guy was always the smallest on the field but in my mind he was always better than the kids two years older.  When he was 8, a traveling team coach asked him to play on a tournament team.  When I got home from work, he was so excited he wanted to play travel ball in the worst way.  I had never heard of travel ball and was afraid with my work schedule, we would have trouble getting him to games.  His persistence won me over and we agreed to let him play.  Baseball to him meant ultimate joy and still does.  He has always battled being the smallest guy and still does.  Nobody has a bigger heart however, and that is his greatest talent.  He wills himself because he loves the game.  If your son loves the game, everything else will take care of itself.   

I wanted somebody to play catch with and it just snowballed from there...

Mine played baseball, soccer, basketball and football as a youth player. Soccer gave way to football at age 8 when a choice had to be made. And basketball was in church rec league and was given up at age 12. From then on football and baseball only as they were the two sports he excelled at.

 

I probably encouraged those two the most, as I love football and baseball. He's going to play JUCO baseball next year, but had some options with football. His mother and I would have preferred he play D2 or D3 football, and told him so, but he ultimately chose baseball.

 

I grew up playing soccer. It was *the big thing* in central California in the mid-70s. I playerd well into HS but was never very good. Still enjoy watching WC soccer but that's about it.

 

My son was in 1st grade and it seemed like option 1 was soccer and 2 was baseball. He chose baseball. Okay. I knew next to nothing about it the ins and outs, despite being a lifelong Cubs fan (folks from Chicago, it's tough). Weird thing is, he throws right handed but wanted to bat left handed and switched back and forth but quickly stuck with LH. I did not find out until he was 13 that he was left-eye dominant. Well, my Dad and both brothers are left handed so I suppose it sort of runs in the family.

 

He's a 2017 and is going into 10th grade. Has played mostly year-round ever since and is a fine player and catcher. Funny thing was my older brother Richard said semi-jokingly back when he was 8 or 9 YO "he should play catcher since he's built like a catcher and bats lefty." A 6-inch growth spurt and committment to fitness got rid of the build but he still plays catcher all these years later...

My son played Ice Hockey, Basketball, Football and Baseball. Baseball was his first sport at the age of 5 (tee-Ball) followed by Ice Hockeyat 6. Football came along a bit later at the 70lb level. Basketball started around the same time. He really could of excelled at anyone of those sports. I was a Football guy and kinda wished he stayed playing that, however that was the first one to go after the 105 lb season. Ice Hockey was the next sport he choose to stop playing, his coaches couldn't believe it because they thought he had some much potential but I knew he wasn't that into it because I always had to keep on him about being ready for practice and stuff. He played Basketball thru Freshman year of HS. He told me he didn't want to play Soph year because he lost 6 lbs and it took him forever to put back on. So that left just Baseball. He always had a passion for Baseball, at 3 years old he would sleep with his glove and bat. Carried them ever where he went. Its all he cared about! Never ever did I have to motivate him for a practice, a game, training, conditioning or those long ass tournaments. Even with all the travel and missing out on a lot of social activities till this day he still shows/has that passion. This coming year he will be a senior and it will be a bitter sweet time during his senior year. In the fall of 2015 he will be a Scarlet Night with no tuition worries, so hopefully# 4 will help along the process of reaching # 1 & 2. I will do my best not go over board on 3 & 6. As far as # 7, well kind of agree but my dream for him has always been for him to reach his goals and dreams. GO RU! #RUnowBIG

Why do parents want their sons to play baseball?

 

Because its a great game and it looks easy.

 

Why do kids lose interest in playing baseball?

 

Because it isn't as easy as parents make it seem.

That's our story too.

I never played baseball, hated to watch baseball and just didn't really get what the game was all about.  When my son was about 2 years old, I started tossing a hacky sack to him in the living room while watching tv as the kid just needed something to do ALL the time.  I started noticing that he would throw it back to me with whatever hand he caught it with (yes, I said caught it at age 2 every time).  I thought this was pretty funny so I went and bought him a little glove so we could play catch which I thought would be fun. It was pretty clear from that point that he had something God given as I've never seen a kid that couldn't hardly do anything catch everything with the glove and then throw it back to me on a rope.  Needless to say it wasn't long after that the we bought him a little plastic bat and some wiffle balls and he would play with me all day and night in the back yard.  What was weird is he would never hit right handed.  He always hit left handed.  I kept trying to move him to the other side of the plate and he would always switch over to the left side (I did mention, I know nothing about baseball at this point).  Anyway, he could never get enough of the sport.  We found a league that would take him when he was 4 and 15 years later he is about to start his 2nd year of college playing the game he still loves to this day. What is weird is after all the years, it is now my favorite sport.  I can stop down and watch a game anytime anywhere.  I love it.  There is so much more to baseball than what you first encounter watching a game.  He did play all other sports growing up, but he always loved baseball.  As long as he was having fun and enjoying it, we encouraged him to do whatever his passion led him.  High school football scared the crap out of me, but he loved it and lived through it.  I think it made him a better baseball player also.  What a great thread.  Love the stories.  

My son was also an ice hockey player. At one point, I thought he might pick that over baseball.  But living in Georgia, he realized his options were limited.  It did give him incredibly strong legs and quickness.  he gave up basketball in high school and will eneter 10th grade next month playing only baseball.  

Put me down for #1 and #2, and you can add "The prospect of playing college baseball has motivated my son to work harder in school and to take a greater role in his college selection process".

 

Funny, I really didn't care if he played baseball when he was little; I wasn't much of a baseball fan at that time.

 

As long as we're strolling down memory lane, two memories stand out.

 

1. I was sure that T-Ball at the local LL was a disaster. Son was bored out of his mind, and could not pay attention to the "game" for more than a few seconds at a time. The following spring when sign-ups were announced I indifferently asked my 6 year-old, "You don't want to play Little League this year, right?" He jumped up and protested, "Yes I do!" I was totally dumbfounded.

 

2. During one year at 12 yo, 2015 was playing baseball (2 team + fall), outdoor soccer, indoor soccer, swim team, flag football, and basketball... always with at least two sports simultaneously. One summer day we ran from a swim meet to a soccer game to baseball game. He was the only one amongst his friends who was doing this, and the other parents thought we were crazy... or worse. In hindsight, I really don't think I would change much.

Oldest son chose baseball mostly because he liked to throw things at a young age, it involved numbers, and he (strangley) liked to watch it on TV.  He got caught up in statistics and numbers at a very young age and he thought the numbers were cool.   Younger son's picked baseball too (despite my wife and I being tennis players), possibly from older son influence.

 

As a parent, it was something that brought oldest son great happiness and taught him life skills.  We never dreamed baseball would offer him so many options academically, athletically and financially.....but it was good to have those options when selecting colleges.  Middle son had some options too, but decided to focus on academics without distractions.  Youngest son is still working it.

 

When oldest son was younger, he was not even close to being the best kid on his rec teams or youth travel teams.  He's had to work hard at every level including high school, showcase and college teams.  I think it has taught him how to prepare and work hard at something he is passionate about which translated into the classroom too.  It has taught him (and his younger brothers) a great work ethic.  Now that he's recently graduated, he can look back at the opportunities that baseball provided him and there are many.   After graduation, he quickly signed up for an adult baseball league while working his first professional full time job.  My guess is he will keep playing until he can't.  My two youngest are still finding their paths.

I spent yesterday working with my 84 year old dad as we repaired the steps leading up to my screened in porch.  It was a day of talking baseball.  My dad has skin cancer, just had a huge portion of his ears cut off due to the cancer and is covered all over his body.  He is going to have a tough way the rest of his life.  Looking back, baseball is what we always had together.

 

My dad never played.  He left school at a very young age and drove mules in a lumber yard.  My Grandfather was a huge baseball fan, had a tremendous arm but was never able to play because he had to work.  So, when I got to be of age to play, my Grandfather insisted that my dad let me and my brother play.  I was, at that time, pulling roots out of a persimmon orchard trying to get it cleared so that we could plant corn.  I think I was 9.  We were as poor as poor can get.  I got to play and that became the big thing for my dad. 

 

We had to move and ended up in Illinois.  Me and brother were able to continue playing.  My dad worked every low paying high sweat job you can find to make ends meet.  He would show up at the games and somehow that made his day bearable.  In HS, my dad would show up at the end of the games and sit by a big tree down the line.  He worked in a vinegar mill by then and he smelled strongly of vinegar.  He was also filthy from that job.  My HS baseball coach would find a way every home game to walk down that line and say a kind word to my dad.  My dad would go to work and he could be proud of his son.  I did well at the HS level and made all of the post season awards I could earn. 

 

One of the stories my dad always tells is when a local drug dealer (teenager) was in the park and I was named the starting pitcher for the local All Star game.  He commented in the stands that he could get a hit off of me.  Dad heard him bragging saying the same and so, went up to him and told him that I'd throw 5 pitches to him and that if he got a hit on any one pitch, dad would give him $5.  The park and parents had wanted to keep this kid out of the park but somehow he always got out of jail and was back at the park.  Dad came up to me and asked me if I could take him.  He was 2 years older than me but I told dad no problem.  So, after the game was played, dad had this kid get a bat and go to the plate.  Then, dad walked up and told me to hit him 5 times.  I gladly obeyed.  Dad went to the kid and gave him the $5.  Then, he told him that if he had a problem with me, that I was standing there on the mound so go get some.  The kid stopped coming to the park.  Dad laughs every time he tells that story.

 

Dad was working in a muffler shop at the age of 74 and I was coaching HS baseball. He and I would talk on the phone after every game.  He never met any of those kids and yet, he knew them all.  My cousin who worked with dad would say that dad would brag about my teams and my players.  Those teams helped my dad through everyday of work.  As we worked yesterday, dad asked about some of those boys.  He still remembered their names. 

 

There are so many reasons why parents want their sons to play baseball.  In the end, baseball got me into college and so, I was the first person on either my mom's or dad's side to go to college.  I owe that to baseball and a dad who was willing to work every stinking job in America to give me that opportunity. 

CoachB25 - Great story.  Your dad is charitable, giving that kid $5 although he didn't get a hit!

Coach b25, thats an awesome story on so many levels.  Thank you for sharing.  Baseball provides so many connections and opportunities and great great stories.  God bless you and your dad!

What a story!!  I truly have nothing to say but freakin awesome.

Coach B25,

 

No better way to discribe the American Dream.. I tip my hat to you and your dad.

 

 

Joe

CoachB25 - that was a wonderful story.  Your Dad is a great man.

Coach what a lucky man you are to have him as your father. What a wonderful man! 

Nice,great story.

Lots of good stories here and my own is similar so some, yet different as one might expect.   First, going back to the OP, as couple of other reasons that were involved with my two sons was that with my oldest, I felt baseball was the sport best suited to his skills and physical make up as he grew older.  For my youngest son, I didn't have a preference since he was such a good athlete he could do well at whatever sport he chose and it didn't matter to me which sport as long as he was enjoying doing what he loved to do.

 

As a parent my wife and I did not want our kids to be couch potatoes as the age of the age of video games was taking root.  So, we wanted to have our kids involved in some kind of physical activities.  As my boys grew they knew I played basketball regularly to stay fit as well has golf and they had occasions to watch.  So, when the kids were very young, I would shoot hoops or play catch either with a baseball or a football (like nerf or small rubber balls).  But their first organized team experience was in Soccer since it was easy for them to play at age 5.  And by age 7 I began getting them involved in LL baseball in addition to their soccer activities.

 

When my older son was about 4, he had a lightweight rubber ball and a nerf bat and in the family room I would toss the ball to him that he could hit it with the bat.  I would toss the ball such that he wouldn't miss too often and when he did make contact his eyes would just light up as he would get a thrill as he would swing with all his might and knock the ball into another room.   As he got older, he loved to play baseball, but he tended to have problems with coaches as he grew older and became a kid that was not very "coachable" resulting in not getting the kind of playing time he felt he deserved.  He played baseball up until HS where he found that he began to love football as he loved to knock people around (he had the build of a lineman).  I tried to encourage him to keep playing baseball as I still felt it was the best sport for his athletic talent, skills and physical attributes.  But I did support him  in his love for playing football.  As it turned out, he was not as good a football player as he was a baseball player, but he didn't really care enough about either to do what it takes academically to continue with any sport.  So as much as his mother and I tries to encouraged him, he lost all interest in participating in any sport by the time he as a Jr. in HS.

 

Now my younger son has quite a different story.  There's almost a 4 year difference between the two boys and so as one might expect, my young son was always trying to compete that the level of his older brother.  I pretty much did the same things with the younger boy as I did with the older in the early years (play catch, getting him involved in organized sports, etc.).   I notice early on some advanced athleticism in him that surprised me that I hadn't ever noticed in his brother or other kids his age.  It seem he was always running everywhere he went (it seemed he didn't like to just walk).  Often there were occasions for him to participate with his older brother in practices (whether it was soccer or baseball) and he would do surprisingly well as  that level.  He loved soccer in his younger year and had advanced skills and understanding of how to play the game and at age 8 he tended to be board playing baseball.  At age 9 he showed some outstanding athletic plays in baseball (like I vividly remember when he was put at the catcher's position to help kept his attention engaged and he did a full big-league horizontal layout along the 3rd base line to catch a low popup; everyone including myself was totally amazed.) 

 

The following year, he was chosen to play on the LL Major's team.  Now he was still playing soccer and doing extremely well and had offers to play for very advanced teams.  He wanted to play both baseball and soccer, but I insisted he had to choose only one, as practices would be overlapping and interfering with full time commitment to either sport.  (Also at this stage, he began to have a real interest in participating in track and field and spoke of Olympic aspirations.)    Now while I did not directly tell him what to choose, I did say some very subtle things to suggest he should choose baseball (I felt it had a better future for him) .  . . but it was his decision and I was prepared support him in whatever he did choose.  I think it was a tough choice for him, but he chose to go with baseball (I think maybe because he had more school friends he knew there than at soccer).  Thus started his focus on baseball.

 

He and I would work on his game outside of practices, playing catch, working on hitting skills where I'd pitch to him or I'd be hitting him ground balls.  LL parents would comment about how good he was, but I couldn't tell just how good he might be as there was really nothing in the league for me to compare (the players in our particular league were really awful and everyone knew it).

 

At age 12 and at the end of LL season, one of the coaches talked to me about travel ball and I had no idea what it was really all about.  But what was proposed was a way to raise the bar and onto a team at a higher level to see how me might compare with better players.  The travel ball coaches said they saw a lot of potential and I took it with a grain of salt since the travel ball organization was not a charity.  But, my son did show his competiveness and did well as he moved onto some very elite teams.  As always, I continued to work with my son trying to help him hone his baseball skills.  We couldn't afford paid instructors, so I'd try to teach from my own limited knowledge and insights . . . and review with him video tapes of him hitting and fielding.  Fortunately, I had a job where I never missed a game.

 

When he entered Jr. High, told me had a goal of attending a D-1 college (nothing more specific than that at that time).  That was great for me to hear as I am the only one in all my family that's ever gone to college and I wanted very badly for my kids to go to a good college . . .but a D-1?   Why he said a D-1 I don't really know, but I think it must of been something said by some friends.  I figured he still had aspirations for Track & Field and the Olympics and encouraged him to play in as many sports as he could.  And so, he did and he did exceptionally well at all the sports he participated in while still playing in travel baseball.  When he participated in various track and field events he very often would win the event, even though he hadn't much experience (e.g. high jump, shot put, long jump, 400m relay, hurdles) and competing in meets with several schools involved.  Some parent thought he had professional coaching for the hurdles when all I did was tell him basic techniques to get over hurdles quickly, and he simply executed well.  Not only was he showing outstanding athletic ability, throughout Jr. High he was always worked hard and would be on the Dean's List in order to achieve his goal for going to a D-1 college.   And. . .I nor his mother ever had to push him for any of his achievements.  What a dream compared to so many other kids (not that he was "perfect", but it was nice not having issues over grades or getting homework done).

 

When he got to high school, I continued to encouraged him to play multiple sports.  And I continue to work out with him playing catch, pitching to him, working on fielding and reviewing video tapes with him.  His freshman year he played basketball and did quite well, particularly for someone who just doesn't play a lot (though I still played a lot myself).  But he got bummed out when the basketball season overlapped into baseball where he was to play on the Varsity Baseball Team at the start of the season.  Though I continued to encourage him to play multiple sports, he never did after that as he became highly focused on baseball and was now looking further than just going to a D-1 college, but now to the possibility of professional baseball in his future.

 

While I know he was enjoying baseball, he didn't seem to be having fun as I thought he might where I could see him having a good time.  It seemed he was always serious and didn't like it if any team member was not taking their game seriously as he.  And I was ask him from time to time if he was having fun out there and he would always assure me that he was.

 

My son's baseball experience was excellent during HS as was the rest of the HS experience for him and he did quite well academically.  And so, he achieved HIS goals he set so early (not his parents) of not only going to and getting scholarship offers from just any D-1 college, but from top D-1 colleges across the nation . . .including his "dream school."  Not only that, but he was drafted to play pro-ball out of HS.  So, he has attended and played for his "dream school" AND he is now playing professional baseball.  And I occasionally still ask him if he's really enjoying playing ball still and he still assures me he's having fun.

 

My wife and I can take very little credit for our youngest son reaching his goals or guiding him towards baseball.  Those goals were set by him and his mother and I were (and still are) dedicated to giving him as much support as we could.  It was never that I wanted my sons to play baseball, but I wanted my sons to have the opportunities to achieve their dreams.  And it happened that one of my sons grabbed hold of his opportunities from the start and has been an effective example on the other son for doing the same.  And in the case of my older son, yes . . . I would have wanted him to play baseball because in his particular case I felt, and still do feel) it would have been the best sport choice as a catalyst to achieving his dreams too.

I think that a lot of people encourage their kids to play baseball because it is familiar. They probably played as a kid, or their fathers and brothers played and they grew up around the game. It's still the American game, the national pastime, and just something you do. Most kids at least try tee ball and it goes from there. Most every city, county, civic, and church recreation departments have long established baseball programs.

 

There's also, in my opinion, an erroneous undercurrent in baseball at the youth level. If a kid is small, or not very fast, or very athletic, baseball is believed to be a place where a kid can still excel. Not big or fast enough for football, too short and uncoordinated for basketball. And yes, you can practice repetitively and learn to hit, catch and throw without actually moving much. So, the basics can be learned without being an exceptional athlete. And above average size is not a requirement.

 

Because it is the greatest game ever invented.

 

And we want our children to experience that.

Each of my 3 kids where required to play flag fb, soccer, basketball, baseball/softball, swm, gymnastics and martial arts. Find what you like and enjoy. Oldest loves sports and played fb, bask, base, track and cc in middle school,  then fb and baseball in hs. Gave up fb to focus on baseball playing college.
Middle son tried each one and hates sports. But as a jr in hs he goes and runs 4 miles a day for fun.
Daughter didnt like sports and bc of class schedule issue in 8th grade had to play tennis. Played again last year in hs and will again this year.
Key was activities.   We had them all take 5 dance classes, art classes, science clubs and library activities. Oldest loves to read about history,  middle loves theater and journalism and daughter fallen in love with dance and sign language.
We wanted to open their minds to different things.

My father was a HS baseball coach. He brought me up as a left handed batting catcher, and I was pretty decent. Unfortunately for him, he also introduced me to the game of golf.

When I got to high school, the baseball and golf seasons conflicted, and I broke my dad's heart when I chose golf. So, I paid him back by bringing up a left handed batting catcher of my own, who was far more talented than I ever was.

 

Jeff played high school baseball and football at the same high school my dad coached both sports 50 years prior. One of my dad's former players was my son's position coach. 

Jeff always loved baseball, but I'm not sure he didn't like football even more. He probably actually stood out more in football than he did in baseball, (www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u8ZsPORHe0) but his size precluded high level college football from being a realistic possibility.

He still blames my inferior genetics for him not being a two sport college guy!

Looking at that video, I'm not so sure he couldn't have started for the 2010 and 2011 football teams.

Rob - I have kept up with what Jeff is doing since I saw his stats each time in looked at Chris's.  Wow, he was a heck of a football player, the tenacity and toughness come through.  Best of luck to him in pro ball.

Thanks for sharing, CoachB.  Very special.  I lost my dad a few years back.  Mom is 87 and stays with one of my sisters on the other side of the country.  This week, we are having a family reunion (about 40 people) where she is the center of attention.  I'll be treasuring every minute.