There is a big difference between being good enough to play and being out their because you don't have enough players. That is when somebody would get hurt.......not good enough but necessary to field a team.

A lot of schools still don't have middle school teams. Therefore when they turn 13 and can't play little league they move up...to the HS team. Just because they are done with LL and there isn't a middle school team should they be forced to wait until HS to play competitive baseball?

 

It shouldn't matter how old a kid is, if the tryouts are opened to MS and HS then the best kids should play. And it should be a wake up call to the older kids to work harder if a younger kid beats them out of a position.

 

I think this whole situation comes down to a different breed of kids in the schools today. Many kids today expect things to be given to them. For example, just because they are older they should be allowed to play or start. What they need to understand is that playing HS baseball is a privilege, not a right and that simply being on the team is an accomplishment.

I have watched a lot AABC ball for the past 4 years at the 11 thru 14 year old levels. I'm not taking anything from knothole, babe ruth, LL, cal ripken... etc, it's simply because I have not seen many kids play from those leagues and/or know who they are. And, I have also seen a share of high school ball. IMO, there are some kids that are 7th, 8th and 9th graders in AABC (or other select leagues) that can compete with most of the HS players (at least the majority of players that are sophs and juniors). However, this will change if more kids start playing select ball at age 11 or 12 in the future. In NKY we are starting to see an influx of players coming into HS ball from select leagues. I think it makes a difference when a 13 year old that has faced top competition in Greater Cincinnati and has played 200+ games in the last 4 years faces a kid 2 years older that has played 60 or so rec. games in the last 4 years. The hardest thing to get the 13 year old to believe is that he is as good as the "kid" he's looking at on the other team that hasn't shaved in a couple of days.

Go to a team that is very good and go to a team that is not very good - ask both of the older players about having talented younger players (7th / 8th / 9th graders) in the starting lineup for varsity games.

 

The good team's older players will say there is nothing wrong with it and want the younger kids to contribute and will help them.

 

The bad team's older players (and parents) will say it is wrong because the team is about the Seniors and older guys. The younger guys should wait their turn.

 

Sports is not like other activities at the school. It comes down to wins and losses and there are some coaches who are fired because they do not win enough. We don't live in a nice world that allows people to do the job because they are older - businesses want people who are going to make them money and they could care less about age.

This is dangerous. IMO, 7/8th graders should not be allowed to play any V sport. I think it is a matter of time before a real injury occurs and the KHSAA finally adopts the rules used by other states, meaning, middle school kids play middle school sports. Once becoming a freshman, good luck and more power to you playing V.

Depends on the kid Johnson Central has a 8th grader who is 6ft4 and throws in the lower 80's. It was dangerous for him to throw against some middle school players. If you have a kid that big who throws that hard why stunt his development? If you are worried about a REAL injury, worry about the 5ft3 85lb. 6th or 7th grader who has to face these physicaly developed young men.

This is really funny ! Those of you who believe this need to go out and watch some quality youth baseball this summer .I think you'll find that what you have been watching to make these comments does not apply to all kids of that age.Let me know ,I can give some schedules to check out some great baseball ,at the 12 to 15 year old range .You will probably be amazed .

I'll tell you this ,I can't wait for it to start .I am tired of watching UPPERCLASSMEN make errors and carry it on the rest of the game .

 

THE MOST IMPORTANT PLAY IN BASEBALL IS ......................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE NEXT ONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:thumb:

KHSAA allows 7th grade players, to play Varsity Baseball, if the coach chooses. Can 7th grade players, routinely compete with upperclassmen....No, but that's not anyone argument but rather, they have the right to be on the team and play at the discretion of the coach.

 

Often, younger players are involved in the game courtesy running or pinch-running, when situations allow. They usually carry equipment, chase foul balls and learn the game, by watching/interacting.

:thumb: Great post. I had the good fortune of playing high school baseball as an 8th grader. I saw playing time as you mentioned, certain situations, pinch running and a pinch hit every once in a while. I gained valuable experience just watching and learning how the older players prepare for a game and how they approached practices. I also learned what the coaches expected and what I needed to do to become a better player.

If a younger player has the desire to play and is willing to sacrifice and work to become a member of the team I highly recommend they go out for the varsity if the opportunity allows. Learning the TEAM concept at an early age can and will make you a better baseball player.

:thumb: Great post. I had the good fortune of playing high school baseball as an 8th grader. I saw playing time as you mentioned, certain situations, pinch running and a pinch hit every once in a while. I gained valuable experience just watching and learning how the older players prepare for a game and how they approached practices. I also learned what the coaches expected and what I needed to do to become a better player.

If a younger player has the desire to play and is willing to sacrifice and work to become a member of the team I highly recommend they go out for the varsity if the opportunity allows. Learning the TEAM concept at an early age can and will make you a better baseball player.

:thumb: :thumb: Great post cville, all kids are different. Some could handle it and it would help them while others imo it would have the opposite effect.

Some people fail to realize that many Class A and some Class AA schools run in cycles when it comes to numbers and talent. Some years you will have 25 kids come out and have a good season. Other years, you may have 10 high school kids go out for the team and you may need to add some middle schoolers to field a full team.

 

Before you say a team that can't field a team full of high schoolers should drop the program, then what happens in 2-3 years when the numbers are back up. You can't waffle year-to-year on whether you will play because of KHSAA alignment. In football, you sit out the four-year term if you do not wish to compete in a district. It's not a year-to-year decision.

 

It's just a fact the smaller schools suffer through numbers fluctuation more than larger schools do. When it happens, you have to adjust.

:thumb: :thumb: Great post cville, all kids are different. Some could handle it and it would help them while others imo it would have the opposite effect.

Good point Oldrambler. I think that most coaches at the high school level can see wheteher a young kid can handle the situation and would make a fair decision to allow them to play or not. I have seen some kids develope their full potential by the 8th grade and never improve as a player beyond those years. The major leagues have a lot of those type of players..:lol:

nothing classifies baseball players or athletes for that matter. the prom king is always senior, class presidents obviously are from their class. So you are saying OJ Mayo shouldn't have played high school sports as 8th grader? He was All State. His teamates gained by playing with him along with coach. Older kids that haven't paid the price or don't have the talent always complain. 8th grader started in Lexington and made all city that year hitting .410 the better players all accepted him and realized he would help them win . Team that no one took seriously made 11th region finals that year and the next and won State championship the following year. High school sports are not extra curricular activity they are competitive.The work and dedication it takes to be good athlete not understood by many(spring breaks missed,summer trips planned around baseball,etc)but these older athletes that most the time wouldn't have played any way complain about playing time but don't take the time to work on skills. Compete don't complain.

 

Exactly. How many high school games did LeBron James play in while in middle school? Mel Thomas (look her up at UConn) was the best grade school player I ever saw and could have started for just about any high school team in Ohio while in grade school, but Ohio has it correct and she had to wait until she was in high school to play high school ball.

Some people fail to realize that many Class A and some Class AA schools run in cycles when it comes to numbers and talent. Some years you will have 25 kids come out and have a good season. Other years, you may have 10 high school kids go out for the team and you may need to add some middle schoolers to field a full team.

 

Before you say a team that can't field a team full of high schoolers should drop the program, then what happens in 2-3 years when the numbers are back up. You can't waffle year-to-year on whether you will play because of KHSAA alignment. In football, you sit out the four-year term if you do not wish to compete in a district. It's not a year-to-year decision.

 

It's just a fact the smaller schools suffer through numbers fluctuation more than larger schools do. When it happens, you have to adjust.

 

But what do schools in Ohio, or most other states that don't allow grade school kids to play varsity HS sports do? They have small schools also...and the grade school kids can't play there.....

Harrison County has played 7th and 8th graders before with great success. I have coached 8th graders that were better than most upperclassmen in our school, or some in the conference. Small schools that need to fill a void should not be a problem. If the school is relying solely on grade school players for varsity, then perhaps the coach should evaluate a JV season for a year or two. As far as NKY, I have not seen a situation where a varsity was predominantly grade school. If they are good enough, let them play.:ylsuper:

Harrison County has played 7th and 8th graders before with great success. If they are good enough, let them play.:ylsuper:

 

 

I agree!

Lawrence County has a kid that was a starting pitcher who was a 7th grader last year. Holding him back would have done him much more harm than good because he had always played "up".this kid was a true 13 year old 7th grader-never held back and frankly if he earned the position, it rightfully was his. Regardless of his age.