younger players

In hindsight I would say first and foremost "Let'em have fun and grow up", play every sport they have interest in, don't be afraid your missing anything if he chooses to skateboard or go fishing instead of a baseball camp one weekend. We started extremely early and I used to think that every opportunity was the most important, however, as the next one came along, I realized the previous one wasn't as important as I thought. If he has the gift and the passion, it will surface in due time, and you always run the risk of burning it out. Play a little Little league and see how he enjoys it. Let him initiate the want to play travel or club ball.
Lastly, try to attend as many games as you can...time moves very fast once it starts.

wanna b,
Welcome to the HSBBW. It's great you found the website so early in your son's career. First I would caution you about setting your sights so high but at the same time I know you, like myself and most others, would like to do your part if indeed your son has the desire and the talent to progress through the levels of baseball. At some point you MUST remove the rose colored glasses and evaluate your son for what he truly is and act accordingly. That could be devoting more time and spending more money on baseball lessons from professional baseball players ..... or it could be helping him earn a merit badge on cooking in the boy scouts. Seriously, your job is to be a parent, not a baseball coach. But let's assume your son is a talented athlete and you want to help him achieve his goal of playing high school, college, or even professional baseball. Support him ... Don't push him. It's fine to challenge him by helping him set goals but be reasonable. One of the most important things you can do is help him keep his desire to get better. Do the mundane things like driving him to the park. Ask him for his input. Does he want to get better? Is he willing to sacrifice the video games for baseball? If so, locate a hitting instructor, pitching instructor and work out the details. Make it fun. STAY POSITIVE!!! Feed his desire to be the best. YOUR reward will come from the SATISFACTION HE gets from his accomplishments .... not yours.
I remember when my son walked up the steps at Plainsman Park in Auburn (your home state) and turned to his mother and me and said... "This is where I want to play ball"! Trust me, I enjoyed the joy on his face much more than the beautiful baseball complex of Auburn.

Best of luck to your son and War Eagle!
Fungo

I wish I was as smart as you to ask someone back then so PLEASE hear this from a Dad/coach who did it the wrong way. Keep them safe, help them have fun, keep your mouth shut about winning, and don't let them hurt each other's feelings when they make mistakes. The food chain flips 3 times before age 16 and then a lot depends on the timing of their growth. The best 10 yr old I saw hit homers and then didn't play at 13 or after. The best 14 yr old pitched and hit homers at JV and at 17 he sat the bench at varsity. Throw a lot for fun, hit off the tee a lot for fun, go to a pro teacher once or twice each spring to correct form, then get serious with group lessons at age 13.

When people tell him there no crying in baseball, tell him thats not true.

Thats a moms point of view.

Introduce him to a lot of different stuff and be sure to let HIM decide what he likes to do and what his dreams are. Embrace that those likes and dreams will likely change several times and not necessarily stop on your personal favorite. Then, provide the support and guidance to help reach those dreams but not too much and definitely not too soon. There's a huge difference between an 9 yr old saying "I want to play in the major leagues" and a 15 yr old saying it.
IMO, at this age, work on nothing more than the most basic fundamentals of throwing, catching, hitting and HAVING FUN! If he prefers hitting a foam ball over a baseball because it doesn't hurt, foam balls it is. If he wants more, he'll let you know.

Welcome Wanna B. Our son played at least 3 sports until High School, then he did two until he graduated. At 9, we knew our son had talent so we never worried about or thought about HS at that time. No matter what level, he was on good teams and played the majority of the time.

Like others said, keep it simple and let him do other things that interest him. Once they reach High School be prepared for time to speed up.

Enjoy the ride.

wanna b,
Our son has signed a NLI to play D1 next year.

We didn't let him play baseball until he was nine. He began playing travel ball after his 12 year old Little League season, and started getting some professional instruction then. I had worked on some basic things when he was 11.

He also played soc-cer, basketball, and football.

We started his younger brother at 7, and he no longer plays any sport competitively in spite of obvious athletic ability. I think that is a reflection of his personality, but maybe if we had waited until he was older.....

In a variety of small ways, help him come to appreciate that passion and ability, alone, are rarely enough; that it's dedication to continuous improvement ("hard work" in the vernacular) that is the link between passion/desire and success. It may turn out that baseball is not his passion; but, if he understands the general concept, he's got a great chance of applying himself and succeeding once he's determined his path. My older son is a musician, my younger one an athlete; and both have benefited mightily from the same basic approach to their chosen fields.

Once the younger one had decided to apply himself to baseball, I viewed myself as a resource. Early on, my principal mission was to try to see that he was coached by men who were great at teaching the game...and fine people off the field, as well. I also wanted to try to keep it fun for him to the extent that I could. Then, as he grew older and began to attract interest from various colleges, my mission shifted to one of supplying him with the information he needed to understand the recruiting process and pursue it if he saw fit. Fortunately, by that time, he was far enough along in his development as a player that he'd assumed responsibility for seeking out the best coaches and instructors and developed excellent work habits; so, my role there had attenuated appreciably.

As Fungo suggested earlier, you've come to the right place for advice. Welcome...and best of luck to your son!

For the kids to play in college, they have to keep playing through middle and high school. There are a lot of kids who drop out. Some don't have the talent, some take a hit and get scared, and some just don't want to listen to their parents any more.

There's not much you can do about the first two reasons, but you do control the last. Trying to coach your son from the stands during the game is a bad idea. I've seen kids turn around and yell at a parent "If you think it is so easy, you come do it".

After a game let him determine if he wants to talk about it. I found that sometimes I would want to analyze the games, and he just wanted a snow cone. So I learned to take my cues from him.

My son is in high school, so I don't have the same experience as some of the college/pro moms and dads on this forum, but this is what I've observed so far. Go watch a game of a local travel team, or a good high school team. You'll see the parents are much more laid back than they are at a typical Little League game. As a general rule (not always), the better the player, the more quiet the parent.

Just one parent's observations.

"As a general rule (not always), the better the player, the more quiet the parent."

Very true!

Great question. I have a freshmen pitcher in college, HS sophomore, and 8th grader. All like baseball, but in different ways. My advice would be to listen, support, learn as much as you can but know your limitations. My oldest has had a baseball passion since 4-5 years old. Recognize that passion, and help him when he asks you. Your son will help you guide him if you listen carefully. You'll know when it is time to seek higher levels of baseball (rec->travel->elite travel) and professional help because he will tell you.

Fast forward to today....In place of playing catch in the front yard, we're doing long toss and j-bands. It is still father/son bonding but in a different way. He is showing me how to use j-bands for my tennis game which always needs improvement. As others have said, enjoy it while you can. Every minute is golden.

quote:

What did some of you dads and players who have been recruited D1 or pro do with your sons as youngsters? Were you working with professionals?

Wannab,

Welcome to the greatest baseball resource for parents, anywhere. I can only echo what everyone is saying. Remember your place as a parent is to support and encourage. Mine was busy in so many fun things; s****r, gymnastics, basketball, Karate etc., that he didn't begin baseball until age 8. Travel at 12 and began really getting serious at around age 13. I was his only Coach until age 15 when we found a couple of great Coaches, Instructors to help him achieve HIS goals.

Early lessons should be on fun as everyone has said but don't be afraid to let him know early on that there are no short cuts. Great players became great players through dedication and hard work.

Enjoy it all and keep posting as you go through the trials and tribulations of raising a baseball player if that's the path the follows...

So the common thought is let them be kids and grow up. My son will only play baseball. He played basketball and did very well, and played s****r and did very well. Now I have asked him to play other sports and he will only play baseball. He is very good at baseball (he is only 7) What do you all think about Tiger Woods, or Serena and Venus Williams fathers approach? Those kids were groomed from very young and became the best at there given sports. I know my approach can be "over the top" which is why I decided to post. He has been going to a local baseball school two hours per week after school, and working with a hitting coach one day a week. I have asked him many times if he would like to stop and he says no. He goes to his lesson with a smile ready to play, he certainly does better with adults other than myself, although he always wants me to accompany him. Any thoughts or comments are very much appreciated.

I've seen way too many parents, mostly Dad's, destroy their son's chances to develop a passion and love for the game, and ultimately their chances to play at higher and higher levels, by ramming it down their throats. I think you have heard excellent advise here. You do need to give them an opportunity to play and learn the skills by exposing them to team play, instruction, and all that, but if it becomes something other than fun for them at 7,8, and 9 years old, it's not worth doing. By exposing them to the right envirements, they will learn that there is a connection between getting better and practice, and eventually, success and hard work. Passion and love for the game is not something that you can buy at the store and "make" your child wear. They will find it someplace in their hearts through love, encouragement, and just simply letting them play the game. Try to enjoy each step in the process, let them enjoy it also. Tomorrow will come soon enough.

quote:

Originally posted by wanna b:
I have asked him many times if he would like to stop and he says no. He goes to his lesson with a smile ready to play,

Wannab, if you read the book by Andre Agassi, it is possible to force feed a kid into greatness, but they have to have the talent/athleticism to begin with.

As long as you make it clear to him that this is for him, not you and he can take a breather if needed, no harm will come.

Well I agree with all posts and, from the numerous posts, one can tell that its not a simple subject. In addition to the above I'd suggest adding the following:

1. Teach them to take care of their equipment and have it ready to go for the next practice.

2. Teach them to play while wearing a cup.

3. Teach them to get to practice on time and that means by you getting them to practice on time.

4. Teach them to cheer in a positive fashion.

5. Reward effort and personal courage just as much as actual production. A good hack is as good as a good hit.

6. Expose them to all positions while also explaining to them that positions are ultimately earned and not given. If they want to play SS in the big games they'll need to work harder on their skills at that position than the next player.

7. Keep them in a "league environment" where they play with their neighborhood friends even if their developed skill level and early growth makes them eligible for a competitive travel team.

8. Remember at 7 - 10 its largely about the snacks following the game. Win or lose they have serious fun and quickly move on to other activities and focus as soon as the last out is made.

Players improve their game by working at it in the off season. When your son gets to about 11-12 years old, if he's still playing and shows talent and a desire to play the game find him a good place to workout consistently over the winter. Organized and with good coaches. If you're and ex player maybe you can do it at home.

The game and the workouts have to be fun at this young age. Somewhere he wants to go, not somewhere you have to drag him to. Somewhere he can laugh and cut up with friends while still working on his swing, arm and fielding. Also, the coaches while getting their lessons across, should be making it fun. There is plenty of time once he gets to high school for the more serious stuff.

I am gald that you posted this question. I also have a young player -- he's 8.

I try to pick my spots with instruction. If he's not ready to learn, we're going to end up butting heads. There's nothing wrong with playing catch just for fun. That's good father/son time.

However, I always try keep an eye out for that window of opportunity for hen he's ready to try to get better as a player. That's when I focus on fundamentals. When he's receptive, we (yes, we) make a lot of improvement and he gets better a lot faster than when I force it on him.

Wanna B,
you asked for advice and received it from many posters......yet when it doesnt match up with your "over the top" approach, you ask for more....ok,....understood...here is mine...

As an "OLD-TIMER" I have seen many parents come and go over the years.....In the reality of baseball, all players stop playing...and its hard to see some posters saying they insist that "the bopper" hit 100 balls a day and attend this select camp or that travel team, only to see them drift away when "the bopper" decides that girls, or music or football is his true passion.......

There is a fine line between supporting and pressuring....I was lucky that my son at 12 told me my pressuring "wasnt helping".........

My last advice comes under the heading of measuring what success is.....If your son never plays another inning of baseball beyond HS and has enjoyed it.. that is success....

If only making it to Pro ball or D1 is the measure of success then the vast majority of parents will be disapointed....

For most players, HS will be the last organized baseball they will ever play........a much smaller group will go on and play college ball and and even smaller group will have a go at professional baseball, a even smaller group will play Major League baseball....and on and on to the steps of Cooperstown....

There are levels of success along the way...and 7 years old is way too soon to be worrying about it....

also please decide who it really is that wants to be "wanna be"....