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IBABASEBALL
45 Posts |
 Posted - 08/08/2017 : 09:48:21
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"Once your kid hits high school, focus on the grades, let the coaches and instructors take care of the baseball."
Why is it ok for parents to focus on grades but not sports?
I see them being very similar.
So why not let the teachers and instructors doing the academics at school handle the grades? Music lessons, Academics, Sports, what's the difference? Stop yelling at your kids about sports but its ok to yell about grades? I am just trying to see what others think.
Not really sure where I stand yet.
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turntwo
955 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2017 : 10:21:16
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"Coaches coach"... "Teachers teach"... Same thing. Comparing a parent yelling at their kid to perform on the field is akin to a parent yelling at their student in the class during a test.
The "concentrating on grades" is compared to paying for, or taking your kids to/from lessons/private instruction. You expect your kids to study, and prepare for tests... And maybe you're VERY involved in their studies/tutoring/etc., just as you MAY be very involved in them getting lessons/to and from practice/etc-- to prepare for games. |
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jmac83
46 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2017 : 10:35:48
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Since you seem to be asking for an opinion, mine is:
Academics/school performance sets the base and tone for everything your kid will do and accomplish throughout life. Close parental involvement is not only desirable but essential.
Baseball is an extracurricular activity. A game. If your son happens not to achieve at a high level in that game, not that much at stake, really. Other extracurriculars, other games are available. Not worth raising your blood pressure by getting engrossed in his performance. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2017 : 10:51:41
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quote:
Originally posted by turntwo
"Coaches coach"... "Teachers teach"... Same thing. Comparing a parent yelling at their kid to perform on the field is akin to a parent yelling at their student in the class during a test.
The "concentrating on grades" is compared to paying for, or taking your kids to/from lessons/private instruction. You expect your kids to study, and prepare for tests... And maybe you're VERY involved in their studies/tutoring/etc., just as you MAY be very involved in them getting lessons/to and from practice/etc-- to prepare for games.
^^^^^^ This. A parent would never even think about going into a student's classroom and giving them advice or yelling out tips or handing them a Gatorade or anything remotely close. The baseball field during a game is akin to a student's classroom. Off the field, coach, instruct, help, throw with, catch with your kid. Do what you can to help your kid get better. But on the field, try to let the kid apply what they have learned. Let them learn from their mistakes as well as their victories. Talk to them after the game.
Once again, there is a difference between school and baseball. Baseball is, after all, a game. There's nothing wrong with being encouraging. Nothing wrong with cheering. Really nothing wrong with throwing out an instructional cue here and there. But parents are not their kid's coach while they are on the field playing. |
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2017 : 11:33:05
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Because 99% of the parents don't know bubkis about sports.
I focus on his grades, every missed assignment, every poor grade he has to answer to me. I control if he goes out on a Friday night. I graduated college and can help him with his questions and direct him to resources.
Every missed catch, every poor throw, he has to answer to his coach. He controls if he plays in the games at all. The coach should be very knowledgeable about baseball, he can help him with his questions and direct him to resources.
I'll also add that if a kid can pitch 95mph that really can affect the rest of his life, just as poor grades can affect the rest of the kids life. Consider this though, if the scouts know the kid barely passed high school there is no need to make their best offer, that kid wasn't going to go to college anyway. Case in point, Diamond back pitcher Taijuan Walker. HS grad year 2010, in October of 2009 he was throwing 93mph according to PG, he went in the first round for 800K....did I mention his LISTED GPA on PG was a 2.6? It was probably much lower than a 2.6. Imagine what he could have gone for if he had a better GPA. |
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Crazyforbball
391 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2017 : 12:43:13
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| I assume you are referring to my comment about "if you are going to yell, yell about the C in chemistry not the dropped ball." As far as "yelling" I was being sarcastic. It is perfectly fine to be as involved, or not, in your child's sport as it is in his academics. The bigger point I was trying to illustrate was that some of us who have kids who play competitve sports can get so wrapped up in the game that it begins to take precedence over academics. The fact of the matter is that only a minute percentage will ever make it to the show so it's important to remind our kids to focus on their education 1st...AND for those few who are good enough to go D1, these schools expect good grades, not just athletes. Even for the rare athletes who are drafted right out of high school, if you look them up, MOST were outstanding students committed to D1 schools. It would be a shame to be a top level athlete, only to be turned away from a top school because the only thing you ever focused on was your sport. Or even worse, be injured and unable to play, and now not even be able to get into a mediocre school because your grades stink. Of course, to each his own, but my son knows if his grades stink, or he can't get his homework done, then baseball goes, not homework. What are your options if you are on the cusp as far as having what it takes to play in college, then realize as a junior that you are probably not going to make the cut? But you've spent ALL your time focusing on baseball up to this point? My comments were reinforcing the notion that for MOST players..you hope to be able to play baseball in order to get an education, not the other way around. |
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whits23
596 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2017 : 13:50:17
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| I always wonder why parents want to stand on fence and talk to kids during games but never go to school and tell them how to do their school work. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2017 : 14:41:26
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| I'll just add this as well. Through my son's college years, I saw more kids stop playing baseball because they couldn't stay academically eligible than any other reason. Academics will be important not only to get into college, but to stay in college. Might as well start developing those study habits now, while you are still around to help them stat disciplined. Once they are at college, it's all on them. As I'm sure you've heard before, there is WAY more academic money passed out than baseball money in college. A kid's chances of getting good money to go to college are much better academically than athletically... |
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2017 : 15:23:46
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quote:
Originally posted by Crazyforbball
I assume you are referring to my comment about "if you are going to yell, yell about the C in chemistry not the dropped ball." As far as "yelling" I was being sarcastic. It is perfectly fine to be as involved, or not, in your child's sport as it is in his academics. The bigger point I was trying to illustrate was that some of us who have kids who play competitve sports can get so wrapped up in the game that it begins to take precedence over academics. The fact of the matter is that only a minute percentage will ever make it to the show so it's important to remind our kids to focus on their education 1st...AND for those few who are good enough to go D1, these schools expect good grades, not just athletes. Even for the rare athletes who are drafted right out of high school, if you look them up, MOST were outstanding students committed to D1 schools. It would be a shame to be a top level athlete, only to be turned away from a top school because the only thing you ever focused on was your sport. Or even worse, be injured and unable to play, and now not even be able to get into a mediocre school because your grades stink. Of course, to each his own, but my son knows if his grades stink, or he can't get his homework done, then baseball goes, not homework. What are your options if you are on the cusp as far as having what it takes to play in college, then realize as a junior that you are probably not going to make the cut? But you've spent ALL your time focusing on baseball up to this point? My comments were reinforcing the notion that for MOST players..you hope to be able to play baseball in order to get an education, not the other way around.
I agree entirely with the statement "if you are going to yell, yell about the C in chemistry not the dropped ball." I didn't take it as sarcastic, I agreed 100%. A C in chem will get a conversation, if there is an "I don't care attitude" we WILL be progressing to yelling. |
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bfriendly
376 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2017 : 15:59:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Crazyforbball
I assume you are referring to my comment about "if you are going to yell, yell about the C in chemistry not the dropped ball." As far as "yelling" I was being sarcastic. It is perfectly fine to be as involved, or not, in your child's sport as it is in his academics. The bigger point I was trying to illustrate was that some of us who have kids who play competitve sports can get so wrapped up in the game that it begins to take precedence over academics. The fact of the matter is that only a minute percentage will ever make it to the show so it's important to remind our kids to focus on their education 1st...AND for those few who are good enough to go D1, these schools expect good grades, not just athletes. Even for the rare athletes who are drafted right out of high school, if you look them up, MOST were outstanding students committed to D1 schools. It would be a shame to be a top level athlete, only to be turned away from a top school because the only thing you ever focused on was your sport. Or even worse, be injured and unable to play, and now not even be able to get into a mediocre school because your grades stink. Of course, to each his own, but my son knows if his grades stink, or he can't get his homework done, then baseball goes, not homework. What are your options if you are on the cusp as far as having what it takes to play in college, then realize as a junior that you are probably not going to make the cut? But you've spent ALL your time focusing on baseball up to this point? My comments were reinforcing the notion that for MOST players..you hope to be able to play baseball in order to get an education, not the other way around.
Yell This^^^^ at Yourself!! Very nicely put, SPOT ON!! |
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whits23
596 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2017 : 20:58:21
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| bballman was right but also sadly if you look at some baseball rosters in college all the kids take park management or something like that so 1 tutor can go on road and help them all with homework and they all get a crap degree. Then they become academy coaches or work at hertz. all due respect |
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bama21
278 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2017 : 06:59:05
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| If you don't have the grades, you are not going to college....PERIOD. Unless you are playing other sports, then that's a different story. For me, I expect excellence in the classroom and on the field, why shouldn't you expect both. Personally, I don't rely on his teachers for everything, nor do I with his coach. As far as the classroom vs. the field, totally different. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2017 : 10:29:01
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quote:
Originally posted by whits23
bballman was right but also sadly if you look at some baseball rosters in college all the kids take park management or something like that so 1 tutor can go on road and help them all with homework and they all get a crap degree. Then they become academy coaches or work at hertz. all due respect
Not in my experience.
Copied from a post on another board in reference to a study done with PAC12 athletes:
"This has been discussed a lot on here. But I think its something I wish I would have better understood before our sons started.
Football and School like Dueling Full Time Jobs
"In 2015, a Pac-12 survey said its athletes spend an average of 50 hours a week on their specific sports and are often “too exhausted to study effectively.”
From the Pac-12 study cited....
"The survey also concluded that travel for competitions is "extremely stressful" on athletes. Because of travel, athletes say they have fallen behind in homework, studying and sleeping."
"Lack of sleep was the No. 1 drawback to participating in athletics, the survey concluded. More than half of the respondents (55 percent) said sleep would be the No. 1 priority if they were granted an extra hour during the day."
Other conclusions:
• Eighty percent of Pac-12 athletes say they missed a class for a game in 2014-15.
• More than half (54 percent) say they don't have enough time to study for tests.
• Almost three-quarters (73 percent) said they felt a voluntary activity was considered mandatory. Some reported coaches threatening to "kick athletes off the team for missing voluntary activities."
• Two-thirds say sports demands impacted their social lives. "Pac-12 athletes express a desire to make new friends outside of their sports teams." |
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nastycurve
244 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2017 : 10:40:41
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quote:
Originally posted by CaCO3Girl
Because 99% of the parents don't know bubkis about sports.
I focus on his grades, every missed assignment, every poor grade he has to answer to me. I control if he goes out on a Friday night. I graduated college and can help him with his questions and direct him to resources.
Every missed catch, every poor throw, he has to answer to his coach. He controls if he plays in the games at all. The coach should be very knowledgeable about baseball, he can help him with his questions and direct him to resources.
I'll also add that if a kid can pitch 95mph that really can affect the rest of his life, just as poor grades can affect the rest of the kids life. Consider this though, if the scouts know the kid barely passed high school there is no need to make their best offer, that kid wasn't going to go to college anyway. Case in point, Diamond back pitcher Taijuan Walker. HS grad year 2010, in October of 2009 he was throwing 93mph according to PG, he went in the first round for 800K....did I mention his LISTED GPA on PG was a 2.6? It was probably much lower than a 2.6. Imagine what he could have gone for if he had a better GPA.
I agree books are the most important. I tell my so all the time its easier to be a lawyer and make 200k than it is to be a baseball player. And if you are a lawyer you never have to worry about throwing or hitting a curveball lol. Books guarantee a future, baseball has no guarantees.
With that said, MLB is a professional athletic organization. Outside of the correct attitude and temperament(to a point)all they need is the baseball IQ, skill and athletic ability.
We were at a camp and talking with an Orioles Scout and a mom wanted him to explain to her husband how important grades were for him to have a career in the major leagues. He replied "Ma'am, we don't care about grades. As a matter of fact we don't care if he can spell baseball as long as he can throw, hit or catch one. Colleges care about grades and personally I recommend he get them, but if hes great, we will take him." |
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2017 : 10:47:21
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quote:
Originally posted by whits23
bballman was right but also sadly if you look at some baseball rosters in college all the kids take park management or something like that so 1 tutor can go on road and help them all with homework and they all get a crap degree. Then they become academy coaches or work at hertz. all due respect
I think that was more a back in the day thing. Some have random majors, but some don't. The kid that comes to mind is Max Pentecost. He went to Kennesaw as a bio-engineer or something like that, crazy difficult major and was no slouch on the field either, or so says his first round draft pick status.
I do wish there was a website for the draft that put Majors with the kids name and position. |
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Hurricane
351 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2017 : 11:45:03
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| Just as some kids will never throw 90MPH or run a sub 7.0- 60 yard dash. Some will never be doctors or attorneys no matter how hard they work or study. |
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dgersh22
169 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2017 : 11:55:38
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quote:
Originally posted by CaCO3Girl
quote:
Originally posted by whits23
bballman was right but also sadly if you look at some baseball rosters in college all the kids take park management or something like that so 1 tutor can go on road and help them all with homework and they all get a crap degree. Then they become academy coaches or work at hertz. all due respect
I think that was more a back in the day thing. Some have random majors, but some don't. The kid that comes to mind is Max Pentecost. He went to Kennesaw as a bio-engineer or something like that, crazy difficult major and was no slouch on the field either, or so says his first round draft pick status.
I do wish there was a website for the draft that put Majors with the kids name and position.
You might be surprised, Whits23 is probably still not that far off. I looked at the roster from UGA last year and yes some of there players are taking a very hard major, but the majority have majors that are not too taxing.
1- 5th year grad student
1-Civil engineering
1-Bio Molecular engineering
2- Biology
2- Exercise Science
5- Sports Management
7- Communication Studies
1- Finance & MIS
4- Management
2- Real Estate
3- Marketing
1- Computer Science
3- Business |
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Crazyforbball
391 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2017 : 13:47:11
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| The truth is only 4% of MLB players have college degrees. But if he is "that guy" you probably know that by the end of freshman year. Bballman's post is very relevant. The sad truth is we are so focused on success on the field that we forget these are kids. They want a life. They want to be successful but sometimes we need to keep the whole process in perspective. It's made known pretty early on in high school that it's not really realistic to pursue high school baseball AND AP classes...stick with honors, and get all A's. It's sad that they are basically forced to pick a path...of course there are exceptions but unless your kid is a total braniac, there are only so many hours in the day. This is representative of society as a whole. I'm no spring chicken but a mere 30 years ago it was possible to do both well. No longer. |
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2017 : 14:30:24
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quote:
Originally posted by nastycurve
quote:
Originally posted by CaCO3Girl
Because 99% of the parents don't know bubkis about sports.
I focus on his grades, every missed assignment, every poor grade he has to answer to me. I control if he goes out on a Friday night. I graduated college and can help him with his questions and direct him to resources.
Every missed catch, every poor throw, he has to answer to his coach. He controls if he plays in the games at all. The coach should be very knowledgeable about baseball, he can help him with his questions and direct him to resources.
I'll also add that if a kid can pitch 95mph that really can affect the rest of his life, just as poor grades can affect the rest of the kids life. Consider this though, if the scouts know the kid barely passed high school there is no need to make their best offer, that kid wasn't going to go to college anyway. Case in point, Diamond back pitcher Taijuan Walker. HS grad year 2010, in October of 2009 he was throwing 93mph according to PG, he went in the first round for 800K....did I mention his LISTED GPA on PG was a 2.6? It was probably much lower than a 2.6. Imagine what he could have gone for if he had a better GPA.
I agree books are the most important. I tell my so all the time its easier to be a lawyer and make 200k than it is to be a baseball player. And if you are a lawyer you never have to worry about throwing or hitting a curveball lol. Books guarantee a future, baseball has no guarantees.
With that said, MLB is a professional athletic organization. Outside of the correct attitude and temperament(to a point)all they need is the baseball IQ, skill and athletic ability.
We were at a camp and talking with an Orioles Scout and a mom wanted him to explain to her husband how important grades were for him to have a career in the major leagues. He replied "Ma'am, we don't care about grades. As a matter of fact we don't care if he can spell baseball as long as he can throw, hit or catch one. Colleges care about grades and personally I recommend he get them, but if hes great, we will take him."
MLB doesn't care about grades, you are very right. However, if you have excellent grades that will help you go higher in the draft. They have to entice you away from college. If you have a 2.2 GPA you are probably going to take a pack of gum as a signing bonus rather than going to college....and they know that! |
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Newbie BB Mom
141 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2017 : 15:10:18
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I personally know of talented baseball kids who had their D1 baseball dreams dashed because of their high school grades. The better your academic record, the better your chances are of making that college roster. If you have a 2.6 in high school and want to play D1 college ball, you better be really, really good at baseball.
On the other hand, a decent (by Atlanta-area standards) baseball player with a 3.8 and a solid SAT score has access to colleges they might not otherwise have a chance with. Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Stanford, etc. Push that GPA up a little more and the Ivies might be interested. As bballman said, they won't get baseball scholarships (which are paltry anyways), but they'll get in to schools they otherwise wouldn't and probably get academic money instead. Kids who are willing to work hard at school can use their baseball to get a great college education. |
Edited by - Newbie BB Mom on 08/09/2017 17:23:36 |
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whits23
596 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2017 : 20:01:18
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not to pick on certain schools but i know one that is in SC that had 11 kids of 27 taking parks and rec management HMMM. They also discourage you from taking any honor classes in HS as it can make your gpa lower. They will get you in and get you out if you can play.
That is just the life of college sports..they use you so make sure you use them.
I visited John Thompson coach of GTOWN once and he always had a flat basketball on his desk to explain to kids that when the air is gone from basketball you better have a GOOD degree to fall back on. He would also say..Yes we use you but you need to use us..get a degree you can use. |
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2017 : 08:32:47
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quote:
Originally posted by whits23
not to pick on certain schools but i know one that is in SC that had 11 kids of 27 taking parks and rec management HMMM. They also discourage you from taking any honor classes in HS as it can make your gpa lower. They will get you in and get you out if you can play.
That is just the life of college sports..they use you so make sure you use them.
I visited John Thompson coach of GTOWN once and he always had a flat basketball on his desk to explain to kids that when the air is gone from basketball you better have a GOOD degree to fall back on. He would also say..Yes we use you but you need to use us..get a degree you can use.
If a kid has zero AP or honors classes and a 2.9 GPA the college may not let him in. Just remember in order to play baseball at Ga Tech you still have to be able to get INTO GA tech. Coaches can only help so much, and it's a lot less than people think. If the kid washes out in the first year due to grades it doesn't help anyone, so the colleges really try to take only baseball players that can cut it academically.
Also, AP classes (if you pass the test) can be very helpful. If you start your freshman year with only 12 credits but you also have 6 AP credits it gives you a cushion. The NCAA's job is suppose to be to keep kids on track for graduating. Not having to take 16 credits per semester, because you have some credits already, while being on the road would help with that goal. |
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Shut Out
512 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2017 : 09:08:38
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| I wish there was a "like" button on this website. CaCOGirl you are right on! |
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NF1974
62 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2017 : 10:47:00
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I agree with CaCO3girl about the fact that getting good grades will also help you if you do get drafted right out of highschool as you will have some leverage, namely college.
I also want to reiterate the point being made here that there is academic money,not baseball scholarship, available to a kid who has good grades/test scores etc. My own experience is that my son got almost all of his tuition paid for with academic grants etc.. and played baseball. There is a lot of money out there if you look for it. |
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in_the_know
985 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2017 : 10:59:03
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quote:
Originally posted by whits23
bballman was right but also sadly if you look at some baseball rosters in college all the kids take park management or something like that so 1 tutor can go on road and help them all with homework and they all get a crap degree. Then they become academy coaches or work at hertz. all due respect
In the words of the late, great Judge Smails, "Well, the world needs ditch diggers too" |
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jbarley
75 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2017 : 18:42:45
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If you have a low gpa with honors that is not as good as high gpa without as far as getting in school for sports. We are talking sports and there are High Academic schools that will get you in if you throw 90 plus.
Probably safe to say 90 percent of the people on this board will not or do not have kids playing div 1 baseball. Even less go to Ga Tech.
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Why is it ok for Parents to Focus on grades but...
