Young 12 year old prospect

I've coached kids like this where they are young for their age. I think I've seen just as many mature kids as I've seen immature kids due to this. I can't say holding him back will be the best solution because if you raise him right and he listens then emotionally he will be fine.

Physically he may not mature like the rest of those in his class. This is a valid reason to hold him back along with the emotional maturity issues. It puts him on a level playing field due to strength.

I can't give you advice one way or the other because it's truly a case by case situation. If you were going to hold him back to be older for his class then I would advise against it but since he's young for his class then I can see some benefits in it.

This has been discussed on this board some. I know in my area in the public school system, they will not "hold you back" just for sports...you need to be failing. Therefore, your child would need to enroll in private school for a year to repeat a grade. If you are already in private school, they may allow you to regrade your child. Some families have a child repeat Kindergarden or an additional year of preschool, but most of those families are not thinking about playing time 10 years down the road and it is more to ready their child for elementary school. Another option is "the 13th year" of high school at some (military, other) academy, to allow for another year of physical maturity. A friend of mine's son did that for basketball and got picked up by the Naval Academy!

I know of many school systems that do this for football.

Yes, it's been done.

Ask your son how he feels about it.

(you don't want to ask me. )

yotes - Welcome to the hsbaseballweb!

My older baseball-playing son entered college at age 17 (Fall birthday). I would say the single biggest issue going back to 5th/6th/7th grade was that socially he gravitated towards the kids a grade lower. Academically and athletically he was fine, but social maturity was probably a little behind.

IMO...looking back...the time to have adjusted this was in 4th/5th grade. I would not have done it for athletic reasons. Academic? Yes. Social? Yes. Athletic? No...not even if I thought that was the only way for him to succeed athletically.

On the other hand, he had a college teammate (at Stanford) who was held back in 6th/7th grade (going off memory here) and that teammate did great in every aspect...made it to the big leagues within about a year of being drafted (after only 2 years of college ball).

Each kid is different. There is no way for any of us to properly guide your situation. If you're really seriously considering it, I would talk to some teachers and try and figure out the social and academic ramifications.

While I won't get into the reasoning to hold a kid back for sports because it's dumb, suppose you hold a player back and someone from a younger grade who plays the same position is stronger than the crop of kids from the older grade? The kids who play HS ball is so much different than the group of kids who are playing at 12. Being that varsity teams are potentially picked from four grades, where's the guarentee that you're gonna have that growth spurt or the kids from the lower grades aren't better? It seems like an awfully big price to pay to squeeze an extra year in elementary or secondary school just to play varsity baseball.

You asked a specific question of how common is it to hold a kid back for sports. All I can give is my experience.

My son has a summer birthday. We had him repeat kindergarten so that he would be one of the older kids in his grade, not the youngest. He was not particularly mature, and it just seemed like a good idea to give him the extra year to develop in every way. We lived in Houston at the time, and it was not uncommon for parents to do this - my son had several friends in the same position. My son is 16 and he has thanked me for it at least a half dozen times for doing this - he likes being old for his grade. That being said, if we hadn't held him back when we did, I don't believe we would have held him back just for sports. In my mind that ship sailed once he started first grade. JMHO.

I don't know of any kids held back once they had progressed in school. So I would say it is uncommon, absent scholastic difficulties.

Just my $.02 from our experience...my son is a 2012 with a summer birthday (July 7th)...he's ALWAYS been the youngest...and over the years we debated as to whether we SHOULD have held him back, as many of the players in his same grade were almost a year older...however, he was always able to compete and even excel. As the recruiting process excelled for us last fall and this winter...what we thought was a disadvantage ACTUALLY turned into an advantage...coaches would look at him, watch him throwing 89-90 and not even shaving yet...and say, "you're only 16? you're just a junior?" I think what it did was actually show his upside...

SO...if the kid has game, I don't think it matters a hill of beans whether he's held back or not...coahces want players that can compete, and GET BETTER. He's now committed as a 2012 to Clemson University.

This issue is so emotional for many responders but IMO there are numerous maturity/educational benefits, resulting for boys, that far outnumber the negatives cited.

Continue to gather information and make the best informed decision for your son. Best of Luck.

I don't get the point of holding him back for baseball ?? He can play with younger kids in the summer.
If its to grow and be stronger to get drafted after his senior yr ? He could always go to a junior college for 1 yr.
There are reasons to leave kids behind, I don't think sports is one of them. JMO

scdigger - Glad you responded with your experience. I have been thinking about posting as the OP did with the same question. Our boy is July 10 and I am pretty sure he will wind up graduating at age 17. (Momma will win this battle as I would do otherwise, but don't think it is worth fighting. He is home schooled now and will begin school at grade 5.) I had expected that colleges might look at boys like this as they did your son so your post is encouraging. This will probably have a bigger impact on our boy in HS football than in baseball but looks like baseball will be his sport of choice.

Per the OP, it is common here in Nashville to hold kids back for athletics, especially football. Probably same as in Texas.

Really interesting topic. I have had several parents of now Juniors or Seniors that have talked about their regrets in not holding their sons back when they first had the opportunity to do so. I somehow get the impression that by the time they reach 4th, 5th, 6th grade, that unless they are having some issues that would "justify" being held back, that you run the risk of opening some unknown can of worms. It is what it is. JMO

Having a Sept 30th birthday, I was, by definition, the youngest kid in my classes in Virginia growing up because if I was born Oct 1st I'd have been the oldest kid in my class. Having two LH brothers well over 6'0 in HS--one older, one younger--when I was 5'8 or so did not help. But I turned out okay (I think or at least hope).

I'd say in general that the window to do this sort of thing long-since passed and you should go with the cards your son has been dealt. I'm sure he'll make the best of it.

When the OP says his son is "very smart," I think about my son, who has a late July birthday and is the youngest in his 2011 class. I remember a meeting with his second grade teacher. We were concerned because he would cry the whole time when he had to do his reading homework because they had already read the story in class. She was a wonderful teacher. Ms. Crawford. Smiling the entire time, she told us that he and his buddy cut up all day long, but when she was trying to teach, and would ask 2B "what did I just say," he would repeat it verbatim. She separated him from his buddy and let him read Goosebumps books when he was done with his assignments, and everything was fine. And she said it was fine if he read "SI for Kids" at home instead of the textbook.

For him, I think it would have hurt him to hold him back - he may have been bored, gotten in more serious trouble, and taken an entirely different path. One never knows, but 2B is exactly where he needs to be, and I have no regrets.

I'll offer another story on the topic. I was a 17yr old HS Sr; offered a scholarship from a mid-major D1 school and drafted after my Sr. yr of college (21st Rd; released after 1 yr). Many (25) of my friends held back in 8th grade for athletic purposes. I was pressured to do so by coaches, but declined (of 11 Sr's on my HS baseball team, I was the only one who didn't turn 19 before/during the season). My college coach mentioned, during my recruitment, that one thing he liked was my projectability as a RHP (6'4 205, low/mid 80's)due to my age (I guess he was right; after 2 yrs, my velo had jumped about 6-8 mph).

Had I held back, and been older and more mature, physically and mentally, I may or may not have recieved a better offer from a more prestigious school. After starting the regional final game my Fr. year, I thought, "I am having success facing top D1 hitters; how easy would facing HS lineups have been this year!"
I do know this: being immersed in the "baseball is life" mindset of college baseball, having year round instruction from a knowledgable staff, not juggling football in the fall, and having access to premier facilities and coaching helped me get better faster than had I stayed in MS another year. By holding a kid back who has athletic promise, a parent delayes his exposure to all the great things that college athletics provides.

In the end, I don't think either decision is right/wrong/better/worse when based on all the information available at the time of the decision. Not until the kid is 21-22, will you have an idea of whether or not your decision maximized your son's opportunities.

Side note: I've got two boys under 2yrs old. My wife (also a former college athlete) and I have already danced around this topic more than once, and I don't know if either of the boys has a speck of athletic ability. Best of luck to any parent in making a decision that is right for his/her child.

This is probably just me being a little cranky wanting the weekend to start in the Bay Area, but what is a "12 year old prospect?"
Is that different than a 12 year old or a 12 year old playing baseball?
Who makes a 12 year old a "prospect" and for what are they a prospect, high school?
I think the question asked is a good one and often discussed on this board. CADad has some strong views which are well researched and well thought out. The discussion is great.
I just believe any parent who thinks their son is a "prospect" at age 12 might keep those thoughts to themselves. I don't feel they are doing their son any favor but sharing them here or elsewhere.
Baseball is a game and it is one that humbles everyone. Age 12 can be a good place to notice.

A 12 year old! Your son has a long way to go. I think your focus should be on his development as an overall person first, the baseball stuff will take care of itself if he has the desire and interest.

Lefty

infielddad - Where is the discussion that includes CADad's views? Thanks

Twelve year old prospect? Is your son a noticeable player on the 60/90 field against high school kids? The most dominating hitter/pitcher in our large county when my son was twelve didn't make varsity his junior year of high school. He's out of the game.

As for holding your son back, the only reasons would be emotional and educational. Athletically is a bad reason. At twelve you don't know if your son is going to get a baseball scholarship. And if he does chances are it will be a partial of 25%. Your son has a twenty-two times better chance of getting academic money.

I figured if anything needed to be done, if my son showed promise in high school but needed an extra year for physical development he could PG for a year after high school. This is the avenue I recommend. However, if you have it in your head holding him back is the right thing to do, hold him back after 9th grade when you can better assess what his athletic future might be.

yotes78, Welcome to HSBW. Don't give the stickinthemuds any mind, many of us know the level of youth travelball player you're speaking of. Using the term "prospect" or "12U stud" probably isn't the best term, it will always draw their ire.

Here's my .02, my youngest was a 13 last year, & again very dominant for his age. Back before the national age change, he played on the same team with several same grade, but much later birthdays; ie, May & June's of the following year. This was very commonplace. After the age change, nearly all of the dominant local AAA-Major players of my youngest son's age were all the "old" ones with birthdays from May through September.

After the age change on a few occasions, both of these younger ballplayers played up a year in a tournament or two on the same team with my boy. All are solid Majors players & have been in their age since the 10's. Both of the younger ones could get the job done immediately when they jumped from their normal 50-70 fields to the 13U 54-80 fields.

Today, both of these 8th graders are 5-2 to 5-4 & I'd bet neither weighs more than 115lbs. I'm sure they will end up playing against some absolute "man-childs" this season. One could say, these 2 are small for their age, yet with the height of their parents & grandparents, I'd bet they will be well over 6 foot when fully grown. On their respective 13Majors teams both can play any position, & I'm sure neither would have little problem playing on "the big field" this Spring... too many tools. 60-90 won't be happening for either this Spring, as both of them will be repeating 8th grade next Fall. In our state they can only play 8th grade school ball once. Another year to grow & fill out can't hurt them at all. Bigger, stronger, quicker, & another full season of Majors travelball, I'm sure ending again after Steamboat or Disney, that can't hurt them, just Mom & Dad's pocketbook

Over the years, I've witnessed a bunch of local "younger" ballplayers repeat 8th grade. Quite a few others repeated 5th grade for similar reasons. For all means, check out what your school district's policy is. Know of several local districts that won't allow repeating 8th grade, unless the student is just dumber than a post. That doesn't help. Good luck in your decision.

quote:

Don't give the stickinthemuds any mind, many of us know the level of youth travelball player you're speaking of. Using the term "prospect" or "12U stud" probably isn't the best term, it will always draw their ire.

Here's my .02, my youngest was a 13 last year, & again very dominant for his age. Back before the national age change, he played on the same team with several same grade, but much later birthdays; ie, May & June's of the following year. This was very commonplace. After the age change, nearly all of the dominant local AAA-Major players of my youngest son's age were all the "old" ones with birthdays from May through September.

Today, both of these 8th graders are 5-2 to 5-4 & I'd bet neither weighs more than 115lbs.

Good point there journey2. What could a stick in the mud like me know about the prospects and studs, and all that means in the world of baseball, because your sons are playing travel ball at ages 12/13? What could my son possibly have experienced by the time he retired at age 27 that you and your son's haven't by age 12/13?
What could our son possibly have experienced in baseball now that he is returning to coach in a DI program while obtaining his Masters in coaching?
What could we possibly know about the game?
What could we possibly know about the challenges, the experience and the quality of play that exists when the pyramid of talent gets to the top, begins to equalize, and travel ball means nothing?
Excuse me. Enjoy your view of "reality."

Journey2,

Thank you for your perspective and thanks to everyone else that has responded. I may have used the wrong term as "Prospect", but what else do you say if he's a top 12U LH Pitcher and hitter and can run and play center too? We've played 13u tournaments this past Fall and he shut down kids twice his size and hit shots in the gaps.

I just wanted to get a College Recruiter's perspective on this and if it would help or hurt his chances between D1 or a D2 school. I know things could change, but he eats and sleeps baseball and its been my experience that it will only continue until he gets older.

thanks for the comments.

Yotes,
Your son is 12 years old. My point is not to be antagonistic. It is to point out it is a huge baseball world at age 12 that will change dramatically by the time your son is 17-18.
We cannot even fathom the changes that occur in our son's during that interval and certainly cannot project how those changes will translate in baseball, nor how the game of baseball recruiting might change.
Just today, Cal dropped baseball because it is a money loser. I, for one, am very worried this won't be the only one to do so with the current state of our economy and the costs of college, which are escalating.
Add to that issues like the MLB draft being changed, restricted, reorganized, bonus payments becoming standardized and one might suggest that it might be prudent to let your son be 12, try and make decisions that seem best for him, and not try and project them to age 18.
College baseball and playing beyond HS is becoming ever more dependent on TV exposure, TV revenue and other sources of money. If they don't increase, opportunities will decline.
As I said before, I think the question you have posed is a very important one and very much worthy of a solid exchange of information.
Where we diverge is putting your great and important question into the context of playing the sport at age 17-18 and thinking prospects exist at age 12.
No one can know or reliably predict any player's future in baseball at age 12.

quote:

Originally posted by yotes78:
but what else do you say if he's a top 12U LH Pitcher and hitter and can run and play center too? We've played 13u tournaments this past Fall and he shut down kids twice his size and hit shots in the gaps.

The point here is don't say anything. All our members here can say those things about their kids at that age. The liklihood that your "prospect" will make the high school team are slim let alone stand out there let alone play college ball etc.

Let his play do all the "talking" and we'll see if he is a prospect at the proper time (bonified member of the stick-in-the-mud club here ). In the mean time, make this fun for your son and most importantly enjoy these precious years which fly-by all too fast.

Welcome to the hsbbweb btw

Honestly, holding a 12 year old back would have huge social ramifications. Typically kids are held back when they are in kindergarten or 1st grade so that they age with their peers. I would suspect that a 12 year old would be completely embarrassed no matter the reason to be held back. Everyone would know, everyone would make fun of him. He would forever be the kid who was held back to be good in sports and the pressure would be huge. If he is doing well in school, why put him through that obvious social angst?

quote:

I may have used the wrong term as "Prospect", but what else do you say if he's a top 12U LH Pitcher and hitter and can run and play center too?

A college recruiter wouldn't have an opinion on a twelve year. Here's a simple question to ask. Over the next three years what's the best way to prepare my son for high school ball?

quote:

... but he eats and sleeps baseball and its been my experience that it will only continue until he gets older.

I'm guessing this is your oldest child. You have no idea of the distractions that can get in the way of baseball over the next five, six years.

quote:

We've played 13u tournaments this past Fall and he shut down kids twice his size and hit shots in the gaps.

Chances are you just described the sons of almost every poster on this site and kids whose parents (and the kids) disappeared along the journey. 13U fall ball is slow motion baseball.

Good luck with the journey. Don't forget to enjoy middle school and the early teen travel years along the way.

Everybody's advise is very good, I was in the same situation as You. I have an 18 year old senior in HS and a 16 year old junior (october bday). He is great socially, academically, maturity levels, everything is great, except athletically He lacks a bit of strength. I believe that one year of physical development is very important if the kid has aspirations to play pro ball after HS, however if He wants to go to college to play, then that year becomes less important. If I knew then (8 to 10 years old) that He was going to be very good, I would have held him back to give him a better chance to compete on a more even playing field. Unfortunately We are not wizards to know the future. Without knowing the future, I wouldn't do it. Best of luck!

Other than academics I just don't like the concept of holding a kid back because of athletics.

He is 12. There are about 10 billion things that will attempt to interfere with his 'dream' of playing baseball. Everything from girls to cars to friends to other outside interests can and probably will put a demand on his focus.

Holding a kid back, making him repeat the same classes over on the relatively small chance that he will get a D1 scholarship just doesn't really fit with me. My youngest is in the same situation as your son, 13 years old, played 14U at the age of 11, outstanding ballplayer that will graduate at the age of 17. If he had trouble due to the inability to keep up with grades I would have considered holding him back but he is a straight A student so to me holding him back a year would literally be holding him back.

If he is a good baseball player at 12 and continues to improve then he will be a good baseball player at 17. Short of him being a real phenom I can't see a reason to hold a kid back a year, have him repeat all that stuff again just on the off chance it will benefit him in six years.

quote:

Originally posted by yotes78:
Journey2,

Thank you for your perspective and thanks to everyone else that has responded. I may have used the wrong term as "Prospect", but what else do you say if he's a top 12U LH Pitcher and hitter and can run and play center too?

My son didn't pitch until age 13. All of his peers who were considered "prospects" at age 12 are now out of baseball, but for a few.

At age 13, my son (LHP) and one other player were regular subs on a travel team who always sat in favor of the nine guys in front of them. Both him and that player were eventually drafted --the only ones on that team-- and in the same round.

There is no such thing as a 12 y.o. prospect, no matter how good you think he is. At least it's pretty rare. With all due respect, it is a longer ride than you may think. Be humble, because the least can become the greatest. Most of the 12 y.o.'s who played with my son dropped out of baseball because either they --or their dads that pushed too hard-- never figured out how or when the other kids caught up. JMHO.

Yotes,

Welcome. My son is also one of the youngest in his class, and will be 17 upon HS graduation. He told me just a month ago he is so glad we never held him back for sports. We thought about starting him in K a year later because he was so quiet and held my hand virtually everywhere. His PreK teacher advised against it. Said he was very ready, and was fine as soon as I left in the am. He loves his classmates and teammates, and stacks up well. I'm afraid holding your son back at this stage in the game could backfire, certainly from an academic standpoint.

quote:

Originally posted by infielddad:
This is probably just me being a little cranky wanting the weekend to start in the Bay Area, but what is a "12 year old prospect?"
Is that different than a 12 year old or a 12 year old playing baseball?
Who makes a 12 year old a "prospect" and for what are they a prospect, high school?
I think the question asked is a good one and often discussed on this board. CADad has some strong views which are well researched and well thought out. The discussion is great.
I just believe any parent who thinks their son is a "prospect" at age 12 might keep those thoughts to themselves. I don't feel they are doing their son any favor but sharing them here or elsewhere.
Baseball is a game and it is one that humbles everyone. Age 12 can be a good place to notice.

I am a little late reading, but my thoughts exactly.

In my humble opinion, people who know what they're doing, sports-wise, hold their sons back a year. Gives them a huge advantage. All of our sons would have benefitted since they were late bloomers, like alot of boys, so knowing what I know now I would have done it.

IMO holding a child back for whatever the reason will not make much of a difference in his athletic future. A player is who he is no matter his birthday.

My son is born the end of August. He was not held back. Most of the kids born that summer were held back at kindergarten. I believe they all reached their potential regardless of their grade.

I know of two kids who repeated 8th grade for sports. Neither one was very big or strong but both played varsity sports. After the extra year to grow neither grew very much and both had decent high school careers and might play in college. The extra year did not make them stand outs or special players. They both most likely attained the same level of success had they not been held back.

The other side to being younger is that once in HS the player is competing with players much older than himself. I believe playing sports with older kids, whether in school or pick up games, makes a player better. Having to work hard to compete is a good thing.

The best players I've seen over the years have had nothing to do with what grade they were in. It had to do with talent. They were noticable regardless if they were a junior or a senior.

quote:

Originally posted by fillsfan:
The best players I've seen over the years have had nothing to do with what grade they were in. It had to do with talent. They were noticable regardless if they were a junior or a senior.

People tend to forget it's about talent, they will use the "he should have been held back" card for an excuse, sounds harsh to say but that's my opinion.

Ok let me look into my crystal ball...........
now about holding your son back... WAIT WAIT its a blur but I do see the winning lotto numbers.
i have to go! we can talk about holding you son back later....... like in 5 to 6 years thats when we will know if you should of or not.

quote:

In my humble opinion, people who know what they're doing, sports-wise, hold their sons back a year.

"MANY ARE CALLED, FEW ARE CHOSEN"

quote:

Originally posted by GA SC Diamond:
Ok let me look into my crystal ball...........
now about holding your son back... WAIT WAIT its a blur but I do see the winning lotto numbers.
i have to go! we can talk about holding you son back later....... like in 5 to 6 years thats when we will know if you should of or not.

GA SC Diamond,
Take another look in the crystal ball. If you can make out the date and the state of those winning Lotto numbers, would you mind shooting me a quick PM? Thanks!

I know all the winning lottery numbers. I just don't know which six to use on what day.

I think there's about one 12yo prospect a year, maybe less in the country and a lot can still change in a couple years.

My opinions on this are strong but to be honest I'm not certain a July birthday is a good reason for holding a player back. That's on the margin of doing it to get an advantage rather than doing it to not be at a disadvantage. I wouldn't get angry over someone doing it, but I wouldn't recommend it either. Like everything else it depends on the individual and their family. There is no one right way of doing it.

Let's take a scholarship out of the equation. Almost every one of us has spent far more on baseball than we could ever recoup through a scholarship. We do it to see our son's get the most joy and fulfillment possible from the game. There really isn't any other valid reason for what we do although I'll admit most of us get a lot of satisfaction from seeing our son's continue to play baseball for as long as possible.