Son was asked to move up an age group - advice needed

[JaguarCrazy2832]

If he won't play much then dont move him up. Nothing is more painful and fun-sucking for a kid than riding the bench for long periods of time

[JPPT1974]

Yeah as he is just a kid. And just hope he can find someone on his level. And also that they can relate to one another. Here is hoping that both do not ride the bench for long. As everybody deserves a shot to play at their age.

[MWil23]

Honestly, as a current HS Baseball coach and former college baseball player, I'd figure out the following:

1. What would his/your goals be in doing this? Do you want him to be "challenged" more? Do you want him to have fun? Do you want both? 

2. To me, the bottom line is simple: He's 8, we have no idea how he's going to improve, fill out, whether or not he truly loves/is dedicated to the game, etc. He needs to play AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE right now, and that's the case up through his freshman year of high school. Playing time and repetitions are non negotiable and crucial to player development and love of the game. At some point, when he decided and you see how good he is/how much he loves the game, then challenge him. This is usually in the 12-13 age range, because the mound goes back to 60 feet and the bases go to 90 feet with kids leading off. Kids start throwing breaking balls and change ups, so maybe consider it then. 

JMHO

[Sugashane]

Yep, keeping him in his age group was the right choice. He is 3 games in and is 13 for 15. Today he went 4 for 4 with a 3 run home run (inside the park of course) - totaled 9 RBIs. The opposing coach is my friend, said he wanted my son tested after the game. LMAO

[vikesfan89]

On 5/15/2018 at 9:17 PM, Sugashane said:

Yep, keeping him in his age group was the right choice. He is 3 games in and is 13 for 15. Today he went 4 for 4 with a 3 run home run (inside the park of course) - totaled 9 RBIs. The opposing coach is my friend, said he wanted my son tested after the game. LMAO

I feel like he's more likely to stick with it if he has that kind of success early on

[Malfatron]

On 5/15/2018 at 9:17 PM, Sugashane said:

Yep, keeping him in his age group was the right choice. He is 3 games in and is 13 for 15. Today he went 4 for 4 with a 3 run home run (inside the park of course) - totaled 9 RBIs. The opposing coach is my friend, said he wanted my son tested after the game. LMAO

make sure your son drinks a lot before the test 

They will tell him to not drink water (or it will come back diluted), so substitute with Kool-Aid.

[Sugashane]

4 minutes ago, MathMan said:

make sure your son drinks a lot before the test 

They will tell him to not drink water (or it will come back diluted), so substitute with Kool-Aid.

Good advice.

I'll tell him to drink my whiskey then. Can't come up positive his he pees 50 proof and ruins the test.

 

[Malfatron]

1 minute ago, Sugashane said:

Good advice.

I'll tell him to drink my whiskey then. Can't come up positive his he pees 50 proof and ruins the test.

 

yep, and plus build his tolorance up now.

that way, when he goes drinking with the opposing team the night before the game, he will even have a bigger advantage

[Sugashane]

1 minute ago, MathMan said:

yep, and plus build his tolorance up now.

that way, when he goes drinking with the opposing team the night before the game, he will even have a bigger advantage

I like the way you think. He is going to own the traveling teams when he is 10.

 

Nothing more American than a 10 year old hopped up on HGH and Springbank 10 to succeed at sports the father failed in... well, if you ignore that the HGH is a Chinese synthetic and Springbank 10 is from Tasmania...

 

You get the damn point though.

[cddolphin]

54 minutes ago, MathMan said:

They will tell him to not drink water (or it will come back diluted), so substitute with Kool-Aid.

[Sugashane]

44 minutes ago, cddolphin said:

 

Not going to lie, I'm 30 and really want that Charmander shirt.

[showtime]

I don't really agree with letting an 8 year old decide something like this.  Of course you should ask him what he wants, but I would personally lean towards keeping him with kids his own age, especially since you said this was his first time really playing baseball.

Quick story.  I really liked baseball as a little kid.  I was pretty good when I played with kids around my age.  I then started to play with older kids and I really disliked it a lot.  Most were stronger, faster and just physically more mature than I was.  Instead of being a really good player at my age group, I played with older kids and was a mediocre player.  I eventually quit playing baseball and have never liked it again, I don't even watch it or care about it at all.

Moving on, I started to gravitate more towards basketball and football.  When I entered high school, I tried out for the basketball team - junior varsity.  Most freshman default played on the JV team, but the coach asked me to play on the varsity team.  I was basically going from playing with kids my age to playing against kids who were 17 when I was 14.  Three years is an absolutely MASSIVE difference at those ages.  I 100% refused to do it because of the experience I had playing baseball when I was younger.  I was the starting PG on the JV team as a freshman and I had a ton of fun.

[ThatJerkDave]

I had the opposite experience of @showtime.  I played up for two seasons and was in the lower half of players, but I held my own.  It was more challenging and I had a lot of fun.  Then I was on a team with kids my age, and they were not as good as I was, I got bored with baseball.  

 

Personally, I would have kept the kid in the older group.  You can coach him up at home, it is not like 8 year-old league practice a whole lot.  I also had a lot more fun when my dad would coach me 1-on-1 instead of a couple of seasons when he coached with the team.  It was hard to complain about the team when dad was the coach and not just a spectator 

 

Also the key on those drug tests is not alcohol, that does nothing.  Drink a bunch of water, then drink a diet coke so that there is color to the urine. 

[CWood21]

1 hour ago, showtime said:

Quick story.  I really liked baseball as a little kid.  I was pretty good when I played with kids around my age.  I then started to play with older kids and I really disliked it a lot.  Most were stronger, faster and just physically more mature than I was.  Instead of being a really good player at my age group, I played with older kids and was a mediocre player.  I eventually quit playing baseball and have never liked it again, I don't even watch it or care about it at all.

Maybe I'm wired a bit differently, but I had more fun when I was playing up a couple of years.  Played competitive soccer and the first few years I played competitively I hated it.  Thought about leaving it all together.  Then I switched teams which ended up getting folded into one of the older teams.  Really felt like I was forced to compete at a higher level.

[Malfatron]

46 minutes ago, DavidatMIZZOU said:

I had the opposite experience of @showtime.  I played up for two seasons and was in the lower half of players, but I held my own.  It was more challenging and I had a lot of fun.  Then I was on a team with kids my age, and they were not as good as I was, I got bored with baseball.  

 

Personally, I would have kept the kid in the older group.  You can coach him up at home, it is not like 8 year-old league practice a whole lot.  I also had a lot more fun when my dad would coach me 1-on-1 instead of a couple of seasons when he coached with the team.  It was hard to complain about the team when dad was the coach and not just a spectator 

 

Also the key on those drug tests is not alcohol, that does nothing.  Drink a bunch of water, then drink a diet coke so that there is color to the urine. 

or asparagus to troll them