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gamefanatic
40 Posts |
 Posted - 07/18/2011 : 16:40:14
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| Just curious how most teams handle the spring ball. 14 is an odd year since there could be 9th grade players (because of birthdays on or after 5/1) so how do most 14u teams handle the spring? Do you play anyway even if missing a couple of 9th graders? Do you wait until the whole team is together and don't start playing until after mid April? What about the Super Nit in March - seemed like a few teams were there at 14. We have an 8th grader so this turn of events is a surprise. On the other hand, looks like we may be playing later in the summer. What seems to be the norm? |
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oldmanmj
191 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2011 : 23:05:50
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| 14U will carry some 9th graders because of b-days. They will not be with the team until the high school season is over usually. You will play starting in March and finish in July/Aug depending on the team. Although you can play both school and travel ball, not a wise thing to do to the school or your kid. A few years ago my 9th grader made the Varsity and played through playoffs etc and got to the team in June. The travel team coaches understand. |
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in_the_know
985 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2011 : 00:11:22
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quote:
Originally posted by rippit
Good 9th grade coaches will scope out which weekends have the big tournaments early on. If they can avoid school games or agree to find time to reschedule them they will. Otherwise focus on the tourneys after spring break. Its much warmer then. Avoid players of parents who think vacay is more important than 14u baseball just prior to that player trying out for high school ball.
Seriously? You know a high school coach who gives a rip about travel ball schedules? I have yet to meet a high school coach who doesn't put his program above all others. In fact, the majority put travel ball off limits until the high school season is complete. |
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Hiredgun
44 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2011 : 08:06:07
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Gamdfanatic,
This was our travel team's 14 yr. old season and to be honest, it has been a cluster. We have a mixture of 8th graders and 9th graders. All of our team members played school ball, either middle school or high school.
We have only played 5 tournaments this season when compared to 14 last season. We have had to pick and choose when we could play due to the school season and playoffs. We shut down for the entire month of June due to high school summer ball. Please don't think that I am complaining because we all do the travel ball to get our kids ready for high school ball. I am just giving you the situation that or 14 yr. old team has had to deal with this year.
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gamefanatic
40 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2011 : 08:43:15
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| That's what we are hearing - no travel ball until after JV season. Our son is in 8th grade and he's already asking what he is going to do until mid April! Will be consideration for the team we choose this year. I guess we really won't know until January or February - will depend upon it the 9th graders make the team - I assume? If there is no JV team for coaches sons or the 9th graders on the team, then it's not an issue - other 14U will still be playing - or is that an incorrect assumption? |
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rippit
667 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2011 : 09:41:08
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quote:
Originally posted by in_the_know
quote:
Originally posted by rippit
Good 9th grade coaches will scope out which weekends have the big tournaments early on. If they can avoid school games or agree to find time to reschedule them they will. Otherwise focus on the tourneys after spring break. Its much warmer then. Avoid players of parents who think vacay is more important than 14u baseball just prior to that player trying out for high school ball.
Seriously? You know a high school coach who gives a rip about travel ball schedules? I have yet to meet a high school coach who doesn't put his program above all others. In fact, the majority put travel ball off limits until the high school season is complete.
My bad. It was 8th grade and it involved a couple of private schools. Kids are now in 9th grade. I'm just old and confused. |
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dmb350
135 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2011 : 10:13:10
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My son is finishing his 14U season right now (he was an 8th grader this year) and played up in 14U last season also (both seasons in Major/Elite) so here's how that works:
Almost all players in 9th grade who are playing HS will be in and out until HS ball is done. Many HS coaches do not allow travel ball during the HS season but some players will still play when the schedule permits. Your 14U team will play regardless. Many mostly 8th grader teams will be strong early and the other teams will be much better when they get the 9th graders back.
Ask the coach up front how many 9th graders he'll carry and if their positions are reserved until they get back from the HS season. Nothing is more frustrating for a player than to be a starter for several tournaments and then suddenly be sitting when a kid youve barely seen shows back up (including practices).
Some coaches want almost all 9th graders (14U Astros) if possible because they are typically the bigger stronger players but some coaches prefer 8th graders so they dont lose players for half the season. Most will tell you that the real baseball doesn't start until the HS ball players are back but if the teams are playing then it counts in my mind. Either way, don't let it really affect your decision unless the team is going to not play at all until after HS ball is done. If that's the case then move on, there are MANY good teams that will play 14U at all levels (AA-Major/Elite) starting in Feb. so don't let someone B.S. you into thinking that you need to wait on a team to start after HS ball is over. Hope this helps. |
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bbmom2
119 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2011 : 07:28:31
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We're starting to run into this too and the answers on this thread is helping us to ask the right questions. Thank you. I guess this opens - once again - the question of why doesn't the governing baseball bodies use the registration ages closer to what schools are - even though there is some disparity state to state with that - at least it gets them all closer to the same.
I can understand how this is a cluster for some teams. We've been told - not playing until middle of April. Been told if you are a 9th grader going to for JV - need not apply. If you are a 9th grader on my team don't consider JV. If baseball did a 9/1 cutoff wouldn't that take care of most of these issues? Or is my mind not functioning correctly with this?
Find it very "not right" for both sets of boys. We are 8th grade and are dismissing a good team and good coach because they aren't playing until mid April - coaches son is in 9th grade. Really a shame.
(I guess this also assumes that the 9th graders will make the teams since most don't hold tryouts until Jan/Feb?)
Good advice here - thank you. |
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rippit
667 Posts |
Posted - 07/26/2011 : 09:30:36
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quote:
Originally posted by bbmom2
We're starting to run into this too and the answers on this thread is helping us to ask the right questions. Thank you. I guess this opens - once again - the question of why doesn't the governing baseball bodies use the registration ages closer to what schools are - even though there is some disparity state to state with that - at least it gets them all closer to the same.
I can understand how this is a cluster for some teams. We've been told - not playing until middle of April. Been told if you are a 9th grader going to for JV - need not apply. If you are a 9th grader on my team don't consider JV. If baseball did a 9/1 cutoff wouldn't that take care of most of these issues? Or is my mind not functioning correctly with this?
Find it very "not right" for both sets of boys. We are 8th grade and are dismissing a good team and good coach because they aren't playing until mid April - coaches son is in 9th grade. Really a shame.
(I guess this also assumes that the 9th graders will make the teams since most don't hold tryouts until Jan/Feb?)
Good advice here - thank you.
Here comes a ramble...it's even a little more complicated in Gwinnett County because of GGBL.
Some teams play only GGBL plus a couple tournaments. GGBL starts the first week of March and for 14U ends with a tournament the week leading up to Memorial Day. I THINK this is because of the June summer teams that the high schools have. Some high schools have a true rising 9th grade team and others mix in a couple of rising 9th grade players secretly chosen in the dark of the night and never revealed to anyone NOT in the know...
But anyway. For the rest of us, you have to choose between playing GGBL only or tournament only or a combination of the two - but which team? Like you said...do you forgo the team waiting until after middle school ball is finished? Gwinnett County itself doesn't have middle school ball although one city school has allowed 8th graders to play with their 9th grade team in the past and there are a bunch of private schools around playing middle school ball. And, we are surrounded by counties with middle school programs, so then what? Tell all those kids they can't play on a GGBL team? Make them choose? What about the 9th graders who can still play 14U? Add them after their season is over? Or make them play 15U?
I guess the coaches can decide the parameters if they can afford to be that choosy.
I agree the dates for ALL SPORTS should mirror the school age cutoff dates. I mean football goes by grade and basketball has a different age cutoff date than baseball. Why so complicated?
So, bottom line: if there is a team who doesn't start until after middle school ball is over, but then loses players to a June feeder team, then the season is really only about 6 weeks long. That's kinda dumb.  |
Edited by - rippit on 07/26/2011 10:22:47 |
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With-a-stick
33 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2011 : 13:46:49
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Need some new thinking on this, not just spring baseball but fall baseball as well.
We're seeing two approaches and both would drive our son crazy, both suggest you're not serious about the baseball to him. It'll be a sell job for us to convince him they're still committed to competitive ball.
Fall schedule:
Seems the major teams have very light fall schedules planned, even to the point of no practice but 1-2 walk on tournaments? Allows for the fall sports without the friction caused by no shows to practice because of other sports.Then in our case there is the JV and HS players gone for 6-8 weeks in the spring?
Now contrast this with some AAA teams having multi-day/week scheduled practices all fall with 3-4 tournaments possible. Playing with who can make it more or less because we know there is little energy left after 5 days of practice in football/basketball/soccer etc... Is it enough?
Now, the majors say go play somewhere else in the fall. Prefer not baseball but that is our only option, to play baseball. Do we play rec, 15u-17u to stay on the big field? Take that chance for bad habits and the frustration of playing rec? I'm glad my son isn't playing football anymore but wish he could play fall and spring baseball on the same team? Does he play major for 4 spring months a year or AAA for 8-9 months I guess answers the question? Any thoughts to the contrary, I believe in coaching, reps and competition in that order, but getting only half could be painful. |
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oldmanmj
191 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2011 : 22:01:52
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| After 60-80 games during the summer, you need the time off. Your body needs to recuperate. You can ready tons on repeative injuries among young players. Any doctor in the sports industry will tell you stop and or play something else to give your body a rest. My boys played 3 sports until their senior year and then selected the one they loved the most. They were in great condition for the next sport and their arms and legs weren't worn out. If you don't play another sport, work out. You can't run enough, every day, look into the Vanderbilt throwing program as one that is excellent, and then lots of tee work with the swing. You will be surprised about how ready you will be come February. |
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BigDawg5
16 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2011 : 12:46:31
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Well just to toss a little more poo into the fan.. 
We live in DeKalb but play in Gwinnett and I know that these 2 school districts are different for example I know Gwinnett at least PV has a 9th grade summer team as someone mentioned above that runs till the end of June but in DeKalb if you’re a good enough 8th grader you can try out for the High School Jv team. So the question to you all is what is it in the remaining counties as the AAA and Major teams will have players from the different metro counties.
1)Do the high schools have a 9th grade team or JV?
2)Do they have a 9th grade summer team?
3)Do they allow the 8th graders to tryout for the Jv team if they don't have a 9th grade team?
Cobb => ? Rockdale=>?
Henry=> ? Cherokee=>
Fulton=> ?
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sportsfamily
4 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2011 : 08:45:07
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| I would like to share my thoughts on this.....My son is now a sophomore and glad to be over that year. It is a year I would like to go back and replay. He did not play at his HS and would have been a starter on Varsity. We played with the travel team through the early part of the season and once the HS players join it was totally different. Coaches words need to be true and honest because they impact a young man's life. Looking back I wished I had encouraged my son to make the HS memories and join the travel team after the season was over. Looking forward a smoother year of ball.....Ask your ball player what he wants, it is time for him to start make choices for himself. |
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Charlie Hustle
29 Posts |
Posted - 08/24/2011 : 13:31:57
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| Hey BigDawg , we live in Rockdale, and my son as an eighth grader has a chance to play 9th grade, and I think JV , if chosen. I'll worry about travel after that is over !!! |
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BigDawg5
16 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2011 : 15:42:05
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Charlie Hustle,
I was thinking the same but most of the teams have spring tryouts near the end of fall.. also was wondering if there were any other counties out there that let the 8th graders try out for JV.
We did end up getting on a fall travel team but it seems to me just from this team and the other post that a lot of teams are having problems finding Players for the 14u fall... |
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balk
37 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2011 : 11:18:54
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quote:
Originally posted by sportsfamily
Ask your ball player what he wants, it is time for him to start make choices for himself.
Smartest thing I've seen on here in a while. |
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