Select and League ball?

[gablfan]

Just wanting to get some advice out there. My 8 year old son (about to be 9) plays both league and select ball at the present time is saying he wants to take a      "break" from league ball next year. The last thing I wanna do is wear him out. Come next year he could change his mind but I'm leaning towards letting him decide. Should I let him play strictly select next year and see how it turns out for him.Thanks for any positive comments.

[moose48]

That would be a hard decision for any dad who wants the best for his son. When my son was 10 he played select and league ball. He loved it for two years and stop playing select to play league ball. It killed me for him not to play select. Select made him a better player. It made him good enough to make all- stars in league play. I did not push him after he made his decision. He kept his confidence from select ball and this past year made the freshman team. He did continue to take hitting lessons from Sam Moore and continues with Rodrick Robertson. He enjoys being with his friends. I have a 9 yr. old playing both right now and loves it. Little league has been fun for him but the talent is such a big difference than select. If he ask me to go select  only I would more than likely do what he wanted to do. If they are not happy then the whole family is going to be effected by this.You have the whole summer to think it over. A  8-9 yr. old changes his mind a lot.

          Good luck

[td]

Just wanting to get some advice out there. My 8 year old son (about to be 9) plays both league and select ball at the present time is saying he wants to take a       "break" from league ball next year. The last thing I wanna do is wear him out. Come next year he could change his mind but I'm leaning towards letting him decide. Should I let him play strictly select next year and see how it turns out for him.Thanks for any positive comments.

My 7 and 9 year olds are playing both this year in different leagues. They play together on a select team. It's very time consuming for me to coach all three teams but it has been a pleasure. I am glad it's starting to come to an end. They both say they want to only play select baseball next year. If that's what they want that's more than fine with me. However, we will still spend time out at the OYBS ballpark. There is something to be said for them just hanging out and playing wall ball with their friends. Eating nachos and good greasy hamburgers. Not to mention the snowcones and chasing foul balls. Those are the things I don't want them to miss. As far as the competition, there is no question where the best competition is.

[midcountymadness]

What we are doing now in southeast texas is not working.  Our 4A district was once the crown jewel of Region III baseball.  Last year produced THREE 4A "one round and outs".

This year has given us ONE "one round and out", ONE two rounds and out", and ONE TBA.  A far cry from the meet in the regional final that we had many, many, many times.

What has changed?  Same schools, same gene pool, same coaches.

Different summer and fall set up!

[9Doggies]

All depends on what your son wants. League ball is not what it used to be. The talent pool has been drained by select ball. League ball is still if not worse " Daddy Ball ", But if your son wants to just play baseball to have fun League ball is where he needs to be. Select ball is a whole different story. First it takes a huge commitment, lots of time, a thirst for getting better and a challenge of playing against the best players in the country. He will miss a lot of other activities that a young kid may not want to miss. My personal opinion boys your sons age should learn to love the game first, he may turn out to be a soccer player, etc. Select ball can get very demanding and i think it starts way to early in age.

What we are doing now in southeast texas is not working.  Our 4A district was once the crown jewel of Region III baseball.  Last year produced THREE 4A "one round and outs".

This year has given us ONE "one round and out", ONE two rounds and out", and ONE TBA.  A far cry from the meet in the regional final that we had many, many, many times.

What has changed?  Same schools, same gene pool, same coaches.

Different summer and fall set up!

The difference in what they do is Baseball Players play baseball year round. We are playing football, basketball, soccer, etc. I've seen Varsity Baseball Players in our area not pick up a bat, glove or ball after their summer league. If we could some how keep the teams together and play summer/fall ball as a unit it would help. I know this happens a lot in the Houston area. You would develop players in different positions and would help your pitching staff.

[EAGLE07]

All depends on what your son wants. League ball is not what it used to be. The talent pool has been drained by select ball. League ball is still if not worse " Daddy Ball ", But if your son wants to just play baseball to have fun League ball is where he needs to be. Select ball is a whole different story. First it takes a huge commitment, lots of time, a thirst for getting better and a challenge of playing against the best players in the country. He will miss a lot of other activities that a young kid may not want to miss. My personal opinion boys your sons age should learn to love the game first, he may turn out to be a soccer player, etc. Select ball can get very demanding and i think it starts way to early in age.

I could not agree more. Select/travel/tournament ball starts way too early. I've seen many talented kids get burned out completely before reaching the 9th grade. I'd encourage playing league ball with their friends, let their talent and love for the game grow, and then consider select ball.....around 12-14 years old. I read a flyer just the other day searching for 7-year old "select" players...I mean come on, what makes a 7-8-9 year old a select player. You ain't even pitching yet. It might as well have read...looking for 7-year old players w/ parents who want to spend money.

[westend1]

These parents think that select ball is going to make their kids great.  I have done both, and as I see it, by the age of 14 or so, the athletes take over, no matter where they played when they were 8-12.  Play where you have the most fun, because in the end, it really doesn't matter much.    JMO

[Kelly Baseball]

Select ball vs. League ball is such a tired argument, yet it takes up tons of space on sites like this.  Saying that what we're doing right now isn't working because our HS teams aren't winning the state title is a little bit unfair, in my opinion.  I don't really think that is a reflection of league ball vs. select ball, either.  It could be any number of reasons, none of the least bit being that kids are just getting better everywhere.  WestEnd1 made a great point when he said that after the age of 14 or so, the athlete just sorta takes over.  I agree with that, but I'll also say that when I kid is a 15 year old freshman, and he's only played "open bases" for 2 seasons, he's not quite as well-versed as a kid who has done it since the age of 10 or so.

As with everything else, you get out of it what you put into it.  Depending upon the organization you play with, or the coaching staff your son plays for, or the surrounding talent on your ballclub, your experience will vary.  If you want to get better, and if you are willing to put in the time, I expect you will improve at a faster rate than those who do not.

[midcountymadness]

I was not making a comparison between league ball and select.  I simply ask the question, What are we doing different now than when we were the elite 4A district in th State. 

IMO the difference does lie within what we are doing in the summers and the falls.

[9Doggies]

Eagle07, looking for 7 year old players with parents that want to spend money. That's a classic. Parents need to read doctors reports about kids playing year round now and the surge in arm problems. Scenario :Little Jimmy is playing in his World Series at age 10, his team comes in 3rd place out of 100 teams, yea way to go Jimmy. But do to the lack of team pitching little Jimmy threw 250 pitches for the week. Little Jimmy's a stud pitcher in everybody eyes. It won't matter in the long run. I would wait until the age 12 for select and try not to do both select and league at the same time. Remember guys this dad is asking for advice, lets not get off in left field here.

[The Voice]

Taking a break isnot as much as a problem for the child as it is for the parent. My oldest (19) never shut the engine off, and I didn't either, he had to take a break at 15 and have elbow surgery. Hello! The year he had off made both of us realize what was important. He came back refreshed and determined to succeed. Just finished his 2nd year of college ball. My youngest son (14) took a year off when he was 9 and planning to take this summer off. I say allow the breaks, before your kid breaks!

[strosbros]

Good advice from The Voice.  A great man, with great kids.  A man that has been down this road before and is about to go down it again.

[gablfan]

Well I didnt start this subject to compare select and league. I just wanted to hear what others have gone through with their kids in the past. W e play for a good organization and I am one of the coaches but the other 2 are good coaches and they know their stuff. My son seems to like it alot. He likes league also but I think he likes the competition better and we have started playing kid pitch in select where he is still in coach pitch in league. I agree on letting him decide. If he doesn't want to play league i want dispute it. I would hate to over do it with him or wear him out at such a young age. I do let him pitch a little even though he is only 8(will be 9 in july), I dont work with him on it that much, only bout once a week if not every other week. And when we do work out on pitching he only pitches bout 20 or 30 pitches and thats it.

[MIF04]

I will weigh in with advice to play in your local league until he is 12...he needs the local influence, the friends, the chasing foul balls, etc...Nothing (and I mean nothing) beats your Little League years.  Is select more competitive?  Sure.  Is the talent level higher?  Sure.  But, at that age, it really isn't that important.  The other things are.  If he is really interested, let him take a couple of lessons a week as he grows. 

Now, after his 12 y/o year, then you can evaluate if select is, or is not, for him.  By then, the boy may have decided he wants to play golf...or soccer...or whatever.  Once he gets to that age, you can start getting some real use out of the select programs.

One note:  I disagree wholeheartedly with the comment that, by age 14, the athlete takes over.  They need the teaching and experience more at that age than ever.  Been there, seen it, know it.

Another note:  as usual, I agree with The Voice.  He, too, has been down the road (some of it with me).  The kids needs a break every now and then.  Sometimes, a day off is the best thing a coach can do...

Good luck.

[EAGLE07]

I will weigh in with advice to play in your local league until he is 12...he needs the local influence, the friends, the chasing foul balls, etc...Nothing (and I mean nothing) beats your Little League years.  Is select more competitive?  Sure.  Is the talent level higher?  Sure.  But, at that age, it really isn't that important.  The other things are.  If he is really interested, let him take a couple of lessons a week as he grows. 

Now, after his 12 y/o year, then you can evaluate if select is, or is not, for him.  By then, the boy may have decided he wants to play golf...or soccer...or whatever.  Once he gets to that age, you can start getting some real use out of the select programs.

One note:  I disagree wholeheartedly with the comment that, by age 14, the athlete takes over.  They need the teaching and experience more at that age than ever.  Been there, seen it, know it.

Another note:  as usual, I agree with The Voice.  He, too, has been down the road (some of it with me).  The kids needs a break every now and then.  Sometimes, a day off is the best thing a coach can do...

Good luck.

Exactly....MIF04 is able to say better than I.