Young Left Handed Pitcher/hitter

I had the same problem when our son was playing 13 year old baseball with the East Cobb program, his birthday is July 30th. I really wanted to hold him back, but he wanted to stay with the kids he started with. My wife and I let him make the decision and it could not have worked out any better. He is also a left handed pitcher and this summer he enroled at a D1 school in our state. He is on scholarship and played very well in the Fall. All this time I thought we made a big mistake, but in the last month he said how happy he is going to the school he is at. It dawned on me he had made the right decision. All any parent wants is to see their children happy.

I agree. Ours also has a late birthday. It amazes me when I see kids older than our son a class behind him. But I think most started a year late. I don't believe parents held them back in middle school. Our son loves his class, and has been challenged academically as well as athletically. I have to believe it will work out.

Another reason not touched on too often in this type discussion, but I am under the belief that a pitcher'e arm needs to be protected. In our minds, our son has been blessed with good health up to this point. He trains hard to throw hard, and hopefully well. Why put an extra year's wear and tear on his arm when he could get into college and have a coach who is monitoring his every move. For us, our son wants to pitch at a competitive college. In my mind, we want him to go there with a strong arm. Would the extra year's wear be worth the opportunity to develop a year earlier under a tremendous coach? Just thinking....

I can only say what was right for my son.He is also a LHP and he has a Sept. birthday, and did not turn 18 till he was in college for a week.

No he did not go to a division one school. But he went to a school that was the best fit. Would he have if we held him back? Maybe.

He was taking AP and honors courses all through high school. I always wonder if he would have been less challenged if we held him back.

The school system we are in would have looked at his grades and maturity and would have suggested against it or even denied it in 8th grade.

Each child is different, only you can judge what is right for your son. Will he benifit athletically by having the extra year? Probably. The question is will it benefit him in others ways. How are his grades, how does he get along with his class mates.

A lot to take into consideration

Another factor to consider is that sometimes a kid's chronological age doesn't match his biological age. My son will be 18 in February. He still doesn't have to shave. There are kids younger than he is who shave daily, are done growing and getting their "man muscles." You just never know.

I think the general consensus here is..

1. Every kid is different. Only the parents will know best.

2. From a pure competitive standpoint, if you are considering just college, holding back can be to his advantage. If eventually pro, it can be a disadvantage (one less year of a youthful live fastball, etc.).

Other things to consider...


[QUOTE]Originally posted by yotes78:
I have a 13 yr old 8th grader that has played at the highest level of Select Baseball in South Texas. He has not reached puberty yet and is an outstanding pitcher with smooth mechanics and ability.
QUOTE]

If he's already that good, what will you gain from holding him back?

What kind of student is he?

Will he do well with being that kid that was held back for sports? What if sports doesn't work out? Will he still be OK with this?

Does he like his 8th grade friends? These are likely to be his good HS buddies. If you hold him back, you take him away from that group in many or most circumstances.

My LHP / OF is a very young senior and yes, his stock would likely be a bit higher and he probably would have gotten a few more opportunities for a few more looks had he been held back a year but he is still the same kid with roughly the same body type, skill set, heart and desire for the game that he would be a year from now. He has played plenty of ball. His many childhood buds are still his HS graduating buds and that is invaluable for us anyway. At some point, baseball will end. Hopefully, it will be a lifetime before his close friendships fade.

I can't imagine "holding a kid back" after they have started school for anything other than grades. And if that is the case there are issues at stake other than baseball readiness.
Our son has a mid August birthday, and could have started school since the "cutoff" was Sept. We spoke to a fellow educator who teaches kindergarten and her observation was.....
1. Young girls seem to be more prepared to start on time
2. Young boys seem to benefit from being held back a year.
We decided to delay his start.....(2 weeks younger and we would not have had a choice) of course we had no idea at that time about his ability on the field.

I dont know, maybe it is the son of a teacher and husband of a teacher coming out in me by thinking it is unbelievably crazy to hold an 8th grader back due to athletics. I mean, how do you explain that to people when your son is in his second year of 8th grade? How does your son explain to his friends that he wont be starting high school with all his friends? Wouldnt the natural reaction from others be "Isnt your son good enough to start this year?"

My son has an October birthday so it wasnt an issue with him. My oldest daughter has a June 26th birthday, and my wife always said if she was a boy she would have started kindergarten a year later, since boys are usually a little more immature then girls. That would seem like the time to hold a kid back, before they ever start school. Then they make friends in that grade, and go off to high school together.

I could never imagine having my son go through 8th grade twice, just because of his left arm.

I was young in my class. It was a long time ago. I did okay -- as well as I could. But overall, it was a huge handicap. I always wished I could have had one more year. It would have made a difference. It has had little or no impact on my life, but I still wish I had started a year later. As a parent, and knowing what I know, I would never start a boy early. And, among those who I have seen held back, it upset a lot of other people every time, but, at lest from afar, always benefitted the kid (especially if they switched schools in doing it).

yotes, we have a son that is about the same age as yours. I don’t think my son would be too happy to repeat any grade at this point in his life. No matter what the reason is.

FWIW his b-day is in Feb and he seems to be in the "older" group for his 8th grade class. Many of his friends that are his same age are freshmen this year. I think it has to do with the age and birthday cutoff that they enroll kids in school here in Ca because my son was never held back.