Everything doesn't have to be about preparing kids for Varsity play. This is freshman ball and it should also be a little bit about participation. Although we are already 2/3 of the way through the school year, some freshman are still trying to see where they fit in at a school. Playing a freshman sport gives them a sense of commraderie and purpose, even if it is mostling sitting on the bench or pinch running. If you need the 8th graders to round out a roster, then great, include them. If you have enough freshman to field the team then the 8th graders should be excluded. They are obviously playing somewhere and preparing for high school with their summer teams.

I like this. The freshman team should be about encouraging as many freshmen kids to come out for the sport. So much growth is still happening that freshman year---physical, social, confidence, maturity, etc. Heck, some schools won't even allow freshmen to lift weights because of continued growth and development.

If you need the 8th graders to add to the roster then so be it. But if a frosh is cut to make room for the talented 8th grader, then that is just wrong.

I like this. The freshman team should be about encouraging as many freshmen kids to come out for the sport. So much growth is still happening that freshman year---physical, social, confidence, maturity, etc. Heck, some schools won't even allow freshmen to lift weights because of continued growth and development.

If you need the 8th graders to add to the roster then so be it. But if a frosh is cut to make room for the talented 8th grader, then that is just wrong.

 

I can see it from both sides but why is it wrong to promote a talented ball player? I don't think it should matter what grade the player is in. If you have a talented 8th grader I think you take him. If the 9th grader is that bad then you really aren't doing him any favors by keeping him around and letting him sit the bench. Once you hit 8th/9th grade you should be able to understand and except the fact that there are differences in your ability vs. someone else.

I can see it from both sides but why is it wrong to promote a talented ball player? I don't think it should matter what grade the player is in. If you have a talented 8th grader I think you take him. If the 9th grader is that bad then you really aren't doing him any favors by keeping him around and letting him sit the bench. Once you hit 8th/9th grade you should be able to understand and except the fact that there are differences in your ability vs. someone else.

 

I agree. It's not a question of physical development in most cases. Baseball is a tough game to learn and if you don't have rudimentary understanding of fundamentals by age 15, it's not likely going to come. My kid was lucky enough to play and play a lot as an 8th grader, but then got sat for the regional tourney last year because Freshman were brought down from JV. Not a big deal, they were better players. I watched some pretty awful freshman ball last year from many teams....kids that don't understand baserunning, where to throw the ball, heck even catching a fly ball in the outfield. Keeping even worse freshman simply because they are freshman isn't helping anybody get better, and is taking coaching time away from kids who could really benefit skills wise. Those freshman that don't make it (really anyone in highschool) always have knothole baseball available to them if they really want to play ball and improve their skills.

I agree. It's not a question of physical development in most cases. Baseball is a tough game to learn and if you don't have rudimentary understanding of fundamentals by age 15, it's not likely going to come. My kid was lucky enough to play and play a lot as an 8th grader, but then got sat for the regional tourney last year because Freshman were brought down from JV. Not a big deal, they were better players. I watched some pretty awful freshman ball last year from many teams....kids that don't understand baserunning, where to throw the ball, heck even catching a fly ball in the outfield. Keeping even worse freshman simply because they are freshman isn't helping anybody get better, and is taking coaching time away from kids who could really benefit skills wise. Those freshman that don't make it (really anyone in highschool) always have knothole baseball available to them if they really want to play ball and improve their skills.

 

Well said. I completely agree.

You have to deal with the whole "tuition" deal at a private school compared to a public school.

Public schools are able to keep 7th or 8th graders and cut freshmen. Unfortunately, private schools are not able to do that.

You have to deal with the whole "tuition" deal at a private school compared to a public school.

Public schools are able to keep 7th or 8th graders and cut freshmen. Unfortunately, private schools are not able to do that.

 

They are able to. They choose not to. I believe some public school systems choose not to as well. I come from a state where freshman baseball doesn't exist...only 5 or 6 freshman a year would make the JV team. As I said before, watch a few freshman baseball games. Some of it is truely awful, and take talented (or even solid) 8th graders out of the mix and it will be mostly unwatchable.

I can see it from both sides but why is it wrong to promote a talented ball player? I don't think it should matter what grade the player is in. If you have a talented 8th grader I think you take him. If the 9th grader is that bad then you really aren't doing him any favors by keeping him around and letting him sit the bench. Once you hit 8th/9th grade you should be able to understand and except the fact that there are differences in your ability vs. someone else.

 

This is a great argument for moving frosh to the JV and cutting Sophomores that have been passed by. Then you are dealing with two sets of students that both attend the HIGH SCHOOL. However, 8th graders don't yet attend the HIGH SCHOOL and should be used only when space permits or it is required to fill out a roster. I feel strongly that it is wrong to cut students of the high school in favor of players that don't even go to the school yet.

 

If you need the 8th graders, then bring them onto the team. If the 8th graders are better than the frosh, I have no problem with them playing in front of frosh. "If you're on the team, you're on the team" and play can be based on merit. However, I see no reason that freshman should be cut to make room for players from outside the school.

Look at it this way, most high school AP classes have limited space. Do we ever bring extremely smart middle schoolers into those classrooms in lieu of high school kids who would have otherwise been selected? NEVER. Why not? Because we'd be robbing those high school kids of the opportunity to learn the things taught in that class. The middle school kid will have the opportunity to learn those things when he/she gets to the high school. Why should sports be any different? Be careful. High school sports do not exist to prepare athletes for college athletics. Nor do they exist as a source of entertainment for the community. They exist to provide additional educational opportunities for those students at the school.

Look at it this way, most high school AP classes have limited space. Do we ever bring extremely smart middle schoolers into those classrooms in lieu of high school kids who would have otherwise been selected? NEVER. Why not? Because we'd be robbing those high school kids of the opportunity to learn the things taught in that class. The middle school kid will have the opportunity to learn those things when he/she gets to the high school. Why should sports be any different? Be careful. High school sports do not exist to prepare athletes for college athletics. Nor do they exist as a source of entertainment for the community. They exist to provide additional educational opportunities for those students at the school.

 

Very well said!

Look at it this way, most high school AP classes have limited space. Do we ever bring extremely smart middle schoolers into those classrooms in lieu of high school kids who would have otherwise been selected? NEVER. Why not? Because we'd be robbing those high school kids of the opportunity to learn the things taught in that class. The middle school kid will have the opportunity to learn those things when he/she gets to the high school. Why should sports be any different? Be careful. High school sports do not exist to prepare athletes for college athletics. Nor do they exist as a source of entertainment for the community. They exist to provide additional educational opportunities for those students at the school.

 

Well, let's just not cut anybody....every kid makes the team, and gets a juice box and a cookie after every game. I don't see how it's denying a kid an opportunity if he isn't good enough to deserve it. And let's just apply this type of thinking across the board. Play the less talented senior over the super talented freshman, because the senior deserves the right to experience of playing his senior year. What about the handful of eighth graders that play varsity baseball, basketball and almost every other sport? Should they not play even though they earned the spot? You don't see 8thgraders taking AP courses over high schoolers because no matter how smart you are, typically an 8th grader isn't ready to take AP calculus. There are 8th graders ready to play freshman sports, and even JV and varsity. And I can guarantee if Joe Eighthgrader proved he could handle AP Calculus, and Physics, or whatever, the school district would do whatever it needed to do to allow that kid to take those classes. Conversely, they aren't going to allow Joe Freshman (or any other kid regardless of age) to take AP classes if they AREN'T prepared or academically able to just so they can have the experience of doing so, even if they will likely fail miserably. So, I guess I do agree that sports shouldn't be handled any differently than athletics. Put children (and adults too in the adult world) in positions where they can succeed.

 

On the point of high school athletics NOT being there to prepare kids for college sport, I ask why isn't it? You certainly have a much better chance of playing college sports if you play in HS. Yes only a few kids will have an opportunity to play at the next level, but what you learn in high school sports certainly does prepare you. And if you don't make the baseball team, there are plenty of other sports, clubs, classes and extracurricular activities that DON'T cut that kids can participate in. When one door closes another one opens.

You do realize how few HS kids get college scholarship for sports don't you, and the little amount of money even when they do receive one for baseball don't you?

 

If your worried about that (your kid getting a scholarship) , might I suggest you put more into his studies, where he has a pretty darn good chance of it!

 

Just wondering as I sometimes do, those 8th graders, are they of Freshmen age aka were they held back or are they true 8th graders?

 

It's getting to the point that one day soon, a young man of the current correct freshmen age entering HS, will be as foreign as people knowing how to drive a car using a clutch.

 

BTW rjs4470 what about those home schooled kids playing instead of your son! Would that be alright with you? Remember you want the best kid for the program/team no matter what and while they don't attend the HS they could! So is their a difference?

You do realize how few HS kids get college scholarship for sports don't you, and the little amount of money even when they do receive one for baseball don't you?

 

If your worried about that (your kid getting a scholarship) , might I suggest you put more into his studies, where he has a pretty darn good chance of it!

 

Just wondering as I sometimes do, those 8th graders, are they of Freshmen age aka were they held back or are they true 8th graders?

 

It's getting to the point that one day soon, a young man of the current correct freshmen age entering HS, will be as foreign as people knowing how to drive a car using a clutch.

 

BTW rjs4470 what about those home schooled kids playing instead of your son! Would that be alright with you? Remember you want the best kid for the program/team no matter what and while they don't attend the HS they could! So is their a difference?

 

What if the kid is just an average student and no matter how much he works he will not get to the level of earning an academic scholarship? I'd say most kids fall into that category. What if the kid's best chance to get money for school is sports?

 

The home-schooled argument is flawed. The kid is not in the school system. Home-schooled kids do not get to sing in the choir, march in the band, participate on the Governor's Cup team, nor should they play sports.

You do realize how few HS kids get college scholarship for sports don't you, and the little amount of money even when they do receive one for baseball don't you?

 

If your worried about that (your kid getting a scholarship) , might I suggest you put more into his studies, where he has a pretty darn good chance of it!

 

Just wondering as I sometimes do, those 8th graders, are they of Freshmen age aka were they held back or are they true 8th graders?

 

It's getting to the point that one day soon, a young man of the current correct freshmen age entering HS, will be as foreign as people knowing how to drive a car using a clutch.

 

BTW rjs4470 what about those home schooled kids playing instead of your son! Would that be alright with you? Remember you want the best kid for the program/team no matter what and while they don't attend the HS they could! So is their a difference?

 

I'm quite aware of how little money there is in college baseball...I played low level D1 baseball and got a partial ride, and couldn't have gone where I went without it...I got a bigger chunk academically, which still wasn't enough. And I focus a lot more on academics than sports for my kids, because I'm almost certain that my kids won't get any money for sports to go to college (at least I'm not counting on it). However for those who are lucky enough, and while not many, there are at least a handful from every school, what they learn in high school is invaluable toward them being able to get that ride (or partial ride) in terms of experience and visibility. My kids also did not "redshirt" despite the fact that two of them could have. The home schooled argument is ridiculous and not relevant to the situation, because in this state, they can't play. Their parents (or maybe the students themselves), made a choice, just like parents who open enroll their kids, or send them to a private school. Like any parent, they are doing what they feel is right for their kid. Their choice however does not allow them to play high school sports. If they could play and the rules allowed it, and they were better than my kid then fine. In fact my youngest got cut from the 6th grade basketball team, and decided to wrestle and finished the year ranked in the top 10 in his weight class in the state. Had he not gotten cut, he would have wasted away on the bench of a middle school basketball team, rather than experiencing success at something he was much better at. And I was not happy he got cut from hoops when it happened, but it was one of the best things that ever happened to him. There are quite a few homeschoolers that get athletic scholarships, although mostly in the individual sports. For team sports, there are many summer and AAU teams in almost every other sport (except for football) that will allow them to develop their skill and be part of a team, just like those kids who were not good enough to make a high school team. I'm not into all this feel good, everybody wins attitude that is prominent in our society. People fail...you can't always win, can't always be the best. You need to learn to deal with failure in life (at least most of us do). That failure can push you in the right direction, helping you find what you are truly good at, whether it's sports, business, music or tiddly winks. There are almost limitless opportunities out there for kids to find something they are good at and enjoy, or even to enjoy if they aren't good at it (d level softball comes to mind).

What if the kid is just an average student and no matter how much he works he will not get to the level of earning an academic scholarship? I'd say most kids fall into that category. What if the kid's best chance to get money for school is sports?

 

The home-schooled argument is flawed. The kid is not in the school system. Home-schooled kids do not get to sing in the choir, march in the band, participate on the Governor's Cup team, nor should they play sports.

 

Come on Clyde, lets a get someone to nominate a 5th grader to be the prom queen, lets have a 3rd grader be the editor of the year book, lets elect a seventh grader as the president of the senior class, do you want me to continue?

 

Lets let the HS kids play the HS sports and keep the middle school-er in middle school! If Billy wants to play HS sports then by pass his 8th grade year or tell Billy parents that just because he is old enough to be a freshmen, he is still in the 8th grade!

 

BTW sorry for this late reply but our electric and Intenet went down for a bit.

 

Agreed you do learn to deal with failute but you also learn to grow as a member of a team. A young freshmen who gets to play on his HS team grows in confidence of himself and that more important than any super stud 8th grader playing in front of him.

Keep HS sports for HS kids, the middler schoolers will get their turn soon eough!

Come on Clyde, lets a get someone to nominate a 5th grader to be the prom queen, lets have a 3rd grader be the editor of the year book, lets elect a seventh grader as the president of the senior class, do you want me to continue?

 

Lets let the HS kids play the HS sports and keep the middle school-er in middle school! If Billy wants to play HS sports then by pass his 8th grade year or tell Billy parents that just because he is old enough to be a freshmen, he is still in the 8th grade!

 

BTW sorry for this late reply but our electric and Intenet went down for a bit.

 

Agreed you do learn to deal with failute but you also learn to grow as a member of a team. A young freshmen who gets to play on his HS team grows in confidence of himself and that more important than any super stud 8th grader playing in front of him.

Keep HS sports for HS kids, the middler schoolers will get their turn soon eough!

 

Did you reply to the wrong person because your response doesnt relate to my post?