where to play in 2007?

[bigredmachine#1]

I have a 13 year old (just turned 13 a few days ago). He played 12 year old travel ball this past spring/summer. The team played in a travel league playing competitive travel teams from around the city and suburbs (28 league games) and also played several tournaments in the southeast and mid-atlantic regions . A total of over 70 games.

For 2007 the manager wants to only play tournaments from late March through July accumulating as many USSSA points as possible. The team will play other tournaments as well, not only USSSA tournaments. The team will not participate in the travel league that it has played in the past 3 seasons, finishing 1st or 2nd each year.

My son wants to play high school ball when he starts HS the fall of 2007 (season starts spring 2008). I am not convinced that playing tournaments almost every weekend from late March through July will make him a better ball player than playing in the travel league with several tournaments mixed in before, during and after the travel league schedule as he has for the past 3 seasons.

Playing only tournaments from March through July (most of them out of town) will be very, very expensive and I don't see the value in it. I don't see how that it will give my son much more of an advantage, if any at all, to make a high school baseball team. I don't think a HS baseball coach will care.

My son can either stay with his current team that will only play tournaments next year or he has the opportunity to play for another team that will play a regular schedule travel league in the area plus play at least 6 to 8 competitive tournaments in the southeast and mid-atlantic next year. Either way he will play over 70 games.

Any thoughts? Please save the lectures about 70 games being to many for a 12 or 13 year old to play and so on.....Thanks

[Jake Patterson]

I don't think a HS baseball coach will care....
Not any HS coach I know.

Any thoughts? Please save the lectures about 70 games being to many for a 12 or 13 year old to play and so on.....Thanks

Big If you don't want the lectures.. why ask for the advice?

In the school in which I coach - high school players are NOT allowed to play on any other team during the school season.

My son and the hundreds of others who I have coached were able to get more out of HS ball than they were travel or rec.

[bigredmachine#1]

Not any HS coach I know.



Big If you don't want the lectures.. why ask for the advice?

In the school in which I coach - high school players are NOT allowed to play on any other team during the school season.

My son and the hundreds of others who I have coached were able to get more out of HS ball than they were travel or rec.

Jake, thanks for the response. Please don't take what I said regarding the lecturing about playing 70+ games the wrong way. I know that some folks will focus only on the number of games he is playing and totally disregard the rest of my post. Thanks again for your response.

[Jake Patterson]

Jake, thanks for the response. Please don't take what I said regarding the lecturing about playing 70+ games the wrong way. I know that some folks will focus only on the number of games he is playing and totally disregard the rest of my post. Thanks again for your response.

The number of games a child should play is directly related to the player's training regiment, throwing program, physical maturity and physical development. A biological 13y/o still has major potential for long term arm damage if any of the above become an issue.

Our HS season was 20-25 games. We started in Late Feb. and ended in June. Most of the better players played in Legion which was another 25-30 games. Their season ended in July. When combined thats equates to 21 weeks or approximately 400 hours of baseball - not including the cage time the players did on their own - more than enough baseball for a teenager.

The CIAC (CT Interscholastic Athletic Conference) Does not allow a HS player to play during a HS season. As far as I know other states to include SC have the same restrictions. Legion ball accomodates that.

[Ursa Major]

Jake, I don't think there will be a conflict, as you are concerned. As I understand, the decision of BRM1 is what type of team the boy should be in during Spring 2007, with a consideration being which will best prepare him for high school ball in Spring 2008.

IMHO, it would seem that a consideration that should trump these is the quality of the instruction and/or competition. And what should trump all of these is what is best for the whole kid. I'd worry that too many tournaments will cut into his studies, not to mention his relationships with his friends. Setting aside that he should have a major say in the decision (and you don't tell us what he wants -- he may want to stay with his friends), it sounds like you've got pretty well-grounded criteria for not wanting to go in the direction of an all-tournament schedule. Frankly, I'd worry about a coach who's obsessed with USAssAss (or whatever) "points" rather than focusing on what's the best experience for the kids.

I don't know the caliber of play at your high school, but it sounds like the kid's skills and either of the two choices should give him a solid transition to HS ball. To be sure, sometimes you do worry that one of the coaches or the other on the two teams has the 'ear' of the HS coach, which will give kids from one team a leg up. If that's not the case, he'll be either good enough to make the HS team or he won't.

It sounds like you're primarily worried that in two years' time you'll be kicking yourself if you discover that you've made the wrong choice. Speaking as a dad and a grownup and a businessman, my frank advice is to simply get the best information you can and the best counsel from people you trust, consult the kid, make a decision together .... AND DON'T LOOK BACK.

[bigredmachine#1]

Jake, I don't think there will be a conflict, as you are concerned. As I understand, the decision of BRM1 is what type of team the boy should be in during Spring 2007, with a consideration being which will best prepare him for high school ball in Spring 2008.



You're exactly right Ursa Major. I am just trying to make the best decision for the 2007 spring/summer season to best prepare him for his first year in high school ball which will be the spring of 2008. The 2007 year will be his transition season year to the 90' diamond. He has already played a few fall season games recently on the 90' diamond and so far so good. He is handling the 60'6" pitching distance surprisingly well. But it's only been a few games.

Anyway, I was just looking for some opinions regarding the team he should play with next year. A travel team that will only play tournaments from late March through July of 2007 or a travel team that will play in a regular travel team league as well as 7 tournaments or so mixed in throughout the season. Both teams will play a very competitive schedule. I am not totally convinced that traveling around the eastern half of the country most every weekend in the pursuit of USSSA tournament points is worth the time and the very high expense of doing this.

Does a high school coach care if the kid traveled all over the place or played mostly competitive local ball with some tournaments mixed in the year before he comes out for high school ball?

I appreciate your and everyone else's thoughts.

[Jake Patterson]

Does a high school coach care if the kid traveled all over the place or played mostly competitive local ball with some tournaments mixed in the year before he comes out for high school ball?

I appreciate your and everyone else's thoughts.

My grandmother used to say: "The devil is in the detail." I missed the 2007/2008 thing -sorry about that...

As a HS coach I did not give much stock to where or who the try-out squad played for. I evaluated each player based on the talents and skills they brought to my try-out. The only time I would consider other leagues was when I had to make a choice between two players who were marginal.