If you had to choose...

[shockandawe08]

...would you choose to stand out on an average (or below) team - in this case, baseball - or be average (or a little better) on a stand-out team? In other words, is it better to be a big fish in a little pond or a little fish in a big pond? My 14-year-old son was faced with this dilemma this summer and I'd really like some input on this before I elaborate further. Thanks. :blink:


I'm sorry, didn't I say, "why?" I thought I said, "why?" (to change Helen Hunt's line in "As Good As It Gets.") ;-)

[SpanglerFan316]

a little fish in a big pond

[shockandawe08]

If only I could get some feedback from current Shocker players in similar straits who are playing in summer leagues right now...
Considering what I posted on another thread, I'm sure some of them know what I'm talking about.

[CharlieHog]

It seems like at 14 you would want to be in a place where you can get better so you'd want to be on the better team. The better the players around you the more you're challenged.

[SubGod22]

Nothing beats being a part of a winning team and getting the chance to learn from others that can play and pushing eachother to get better.

[hiboy]

put the kid where he can play and compete. Same with college. Don't send him to sit the bench at a d-1 when he could be on the field at a d-2. If he can play on the better team, fine, but if he's going to sit and watch, he won't get better doing that.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

It seems like at 14 you would want to be in a place where you can get better so you'd want to be on the better team. The better the players around you the more you're challenged.

[Shocker85]

Definitely little fish in a big pond.

Someone once said “Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.” Players learn the mentality of coming to the yard with the proper state of mind to be successful if the team as a whole is successful. You learn routines that lead to success and have way more fun in the process.

A very good player on a poor team can start doubting his own ability because the team isn't winning. That mindset can be addressed, but baseball can become a chore and it isn't supposed to be that way - it is a game and should be fun.

--'85.

[SubGod22]

A very good player on a poor team can start doubting his own ability because the team isn't winning. That mindset can be addressed, but baseball can become a chore and it isn't supposed to be that way - it is a game and should be fun.

--'85.

That's one reason I stopped playing baseball. There were a few of us that weren't bad at all but no matter how hard we played we were almost always a part of a losing team. I always felt baseball was probably my best sport but it stopped being fun.

[William]

little fish big pond, the high tide raises all boats.

[BostonWu]

Definitely little fish in a big pond.

Someone once said “Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.” Players learn the mentality of coming to the yard with the proper state of mind to be successful if the team as a whole is successful. You learn routines that lead to success and have way more fun in the process.

A very good player on a poor team can start doubting his own ability because the team isn't winning. That mindset can be addressed, but baseball can become a chore and it isn't supposed to be that way - it is a game and should be fun.

--'85.

Conversely if the kid is riding the pine he'll start to lose confidence.

[engrshock]

Definitely little fish in a big pond.

Someone once said “Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.” Players learn the mentality of coming to the yard with the proper state of mind to be successful if the team as a whole is successful. You learn routines that lead to success and have way more fun in the process.

A very good player on a poor team can start doubting his own ability because the team isn't winning. That mindset can be addressed, but baseball can become a chore and it isn't supposed to be that way - it is a game and should be fun.

--'85.

Conversely if the kid is riding the pine he'll start to lose confidence.

There is no one answer to the question. A large part depends upon the capability of the player mentally and physically. I have a friend who has his 11 year old team playing up a level against 12 year olds. It had worked for them in the past but this year they have been getting beat fairly often by the 12 year olds and there has been grumbling much of it by the parents. However, when this team plays tournaments against other 11 year olds they compete very well. He said the difficulty getting the kids to try and compete in their league against the 12 year olds. Some of the players start out with their heads hanging down thinking they have no chance. Others are raring to go. Thus it seems to me that it depends upon the player and their mental toughness and physical capability and there can be no right answer to the question at hand for all players.

[shockandawe08]

My son has played baseball every year, starting as a scrawny kid hitting off a T. In the early years, everyone took turns on the bench. By the time he was 11, he was a head taller than his peers and puberty had struck with a vengeance. Though he was never on very good teams, he consistently made the All Stars and traveled to Pratt, where it usually turned out that his All Star team wasn't very good either. But he had shining moments at Pratt last summer and found himself intentionally walked after hitting two home runs, one inside the park and the other over the left field fence. I thought I would always be a baseball mom.
Then he excelled in football this past Fall in middle school, starting every game, playing both sides of the ball and his team won their league and he was hooked. He's not playing baseball this summer, instead choosing to hit the weight room at the high school four days a week for supervised regimented workouts.
Then, last week, two baseball coaches began pressuring him to play, saying they really needed him. They filled his head with visions of Pratt and the All Stars. Now he wants to play and I refuse to let him, so here we are. I don't think it's right to join a team late and get to start when he hasn't been to the practices. I'm uncomfortable about the apparent emphasis on winning, but I feel lost this summer and I can bearly stand to drive by the baseball fields. This is hard, even though I know he'll eventually get "glad in the same pants he got mad in," as my grandpa used to say.
Thanks for these really great answers, ShockerNetters!!! :yes:

[t7017s]

I might consider taking him out of the weight room at the age of 14. I wouldnt let him in one day before 16 personally. I would recommend calisthenics which wont tear his muscles down completely before rebuilding them and at the same point not limiting his growth potential. You would be amazed at the results calisthenics can give using only your own body weight. I would like to add that this is not meant to be a post "telling you how to raise your child" so much as a personal opinion and a suggestion.

[t7017s]

A couple examples of workouts...

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw2.htm

And another good link with some additional explanation...

http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=15833023&an=0&page=0