Kids and Sports...What to do.

MacroGuru · 08-20-2008, 10:35 AM

Ok, I have traveled for most of my married life, not being home a lot for the kids as they grow up.

I have a daughter that is 11 and a son that is 8, and then my other son who is 3.

One Note, because of seeing a cousin walk away from over 72 scholarship offers in Football and Baseball because his parents wore him out with everything I refuse to pressure my kids into sports, I have the stance when they are ready they will approach....*cue weird irony music*

My daughter approached us recently and wants to start playing organized basketball, I know she can do it, since moving here when she has played at school the boys stopped letting her play because she can out shoot them. My father in law played High School ball and got an offer to go to college but went to Vietnam instead. So he taught her how to shoot a basketball since it is not my sport. She is ok and I am not to concerned with her.

My 8 year old has been an avid baseball fan, but never really shown any interest in playing it at all, until last night while we were watching the little league world series. I guess he has indicated it to my wife before, but with me gone and her not knowing anything about it she blew it off. We are a little to late in getting him into it here and he really doesn't understand a lot of the aspects of the game. I was asking him what position he wanted to play last night and he was really all about batting (The kid has a natural stance and can hit well.)

I myself caught up into High School, my dream(s) were either the majors or the NFL. And I dedicated all my baseball time to catching, perfecting my throws, plate blocking, running the game from behind the plate, even working the umpire. To me, it's a great spot.

If he is going to move towards this, I explained to him it becomes quite serious. He is getting to the ages it moves beyond rec ball to travel ball, organized teams and the likes. He was excited by that prospect and is looking for the challenge.

They question here is, I haven't coached or anything in baseball, I only know how to be a catcher.

I am so anxious and excited to support him and help him out here, but I do not know where to go. (If it was football, different story)

Without him knowing what position he wants to play, what do I do? Rather what would you do?

Godzilla Blitz · 08-20-2008, 11:04 AM

Random thoughts...

I'd remember to focus on fun. It it's fun, he'll want to play more. I've seen many parents/coaches get too serious, and they end up driving kids away from the sport.

Start simple. Play catch with him. Take him batting. Build his confidence. Praise the hell out of him when he does anything good.

I'm also a big believer in working on things daily. Do something with him as often as you can, but keep it short and fun so that it stays fresh.

EDIT: At his age, I think that the fundamentals are still key. Learning to catch, throw, and hit are the first things to master.

Passacaglia · 08-20-2008, 11:27 AM

Quote:

but went to Vietnam instead. So he taught her how to shoot

johnnyshaka · 08-20-2008, 12:08 PM

What GB said...it has to be fun...especially at that age.

I've coached a lot of Little League in the past and any team I've ever coached, fun was always the focus. Whether it's playing "coach in the middle" (instead of monkey in the middle) or hosing down a patch of grass in a field some where to practice sliding...the more fun the kids are having, the more they are open to learning something new and the more likely they are going to continue on playing sports.

I wouldn't worry about focusing on one or two positions just yet because that's the age where they need to learn how to do the fundamentals...again, like GD said. So, learn how to field a ground ball...not only doing it, but getting over the fear of taking a bad hop. Learn how to judge a fly ball. Stuff like that is tough to pickup as time goes on so the sooner those fundamentals are there, the better.

If he's really into baseball, try taking him to a baseball game (I see you're in Buffalo...the Jays are close, you've got a local minor league team and college ball, too) and go as early as you can to catch BP and warmups...heck, most of those guys will gladly sign autographs for youngsters and that might really make his day. Depending on how keen he is on the details, he may start to pick up some of the more technical details (you probably could, too, and later on when you think he's ready, try to pass them on) like footwork and how they catch and release the ball so quickly and smoothly. Not every kid is into stuff like that...but, you never know until you expose him to it, right?

EDIT: Regarding this last paragraph, this is where I think I really developed my passion for baseball. Being in a hockey-first country, baseball wasn't always easy to find but anything I could get my hands on to read, I'd read it...anything I could watch on TV, I'd watch it. But when my dad would take me to a game (we were two hours from the Expos and about five from the Jays) that's when I was in heaven. I didn't care what the score was at the end of the game nor did I care who we were going to see...I was all about watching all the stuff they did that WASN'T on TV or in books. Things like how the SS or 2B would cover up throws back to the pitcher with runners on base...you don't see that stuff on TV, but they do it. How the middle infielders work together to hold on a runner at 2nd base or how they communicate to each other about who's bag it is in case of a steal...and no, it's not as simple as most would think. My dad was there to have a beer and just relax without having mom nag him about something or other but I'm sure I drove him just as crazy with all of my observations..."Dad, did you just see that?"...I'm sure that gets as annoying as the infamous "Are we there yet?" cliche. Now, had it been the other way around where he was constantly telling me to watch this and that, then I'm not sure I would've enjoyed going to games as much or at all. So, keep it simple at first...let him decide what he wants to take away from the experience.

MacroGuru · 08-20-2008, 12:14 PM

Great tips so far...

Him having fun is the most important part here, so I am aware there.

Celeval · 08-20-2008, 12:29 PM

Have fun, get his fundamentals into shape. Really, if he knows what he's doing fundamentally, he'll be on good footing even without the intricities.

JediKooter · 08-20-2008, 12:56 PM

Throw him in a pool, if he sinks, he's a catcher, if he floats, but doesn't bob up and down, he's an infielder, if he kicks and screams, he's a pitcher, if he immediatly starts to swim towards the side of the pool, he's an outfielder. Simple.

Huckleberry · 08-20-2008, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

If he is going to move towards this, I explained to him it becomes quite serious. He is getting to the ages it moves beyond rec ball to travel ball, organized teams and the likes. He was excited by that prospect and is looking for the challenge.

It doesn't have to move to travel ball. Explain to him that he was watching the Little League World Series. Not a select travel squad world series.

I played youth ball right at the beginning of the explosion of select and travel ball in my area. I played Little League and then Junior League and Senior League in the years before high school. When we all got to high school there were kids that had been on select travel squads.

It didn't really help them all that much once we got to tryouts and preseason practices. The best players play. Of course, I may have gotten lucky that my first high school coach was completely unplugged as far as politics go.

INDalltheway · 08-20-2008, 01:57 PM

Fun is definitely the key, and winning is fun. So just make sure he gets on the best team...

Honestly though, I agree with whoever said do things each day. Not a ton, just mastering the major things. (hitting, throwing, and fielding) Eventually your kid wont even need you to do these things each day because he'll have friends or siblings that will want to join in. Another big thing is to try to watch a game a week with him and just talk about the game. You may have to start watching just 3 or so innings, but eventually your son will be asking you to find him a game on tv.

Sgran · 08-20-2008, 04:27 PM

My dad didn't know shit about baseball, but he showed up to be the first-base coach and played catch with me when none of my friends weren't around. My p's made sure I was signed up for the league and that was all I needed. I got good by playing with my friends and watching games on tv. My point being that being supportive will probably be enough if you let your kids find and follow their own passions.
By the way, you'd better be working on your game -- you can't be losing to your daughter in the driveway.

Travis · 08-20-2008, 05:26 PM

One thing I will suggest (going from personal experience) is that if your son shows continued interest once he starts playing, try and find a good offseason instructional camp that he could go to.

I grew up playing hockey in the winters and ball in the summers so I didn't start going to winter ball camp until I was 14, but looking back, I really wish I had started doing them when I was 10-12. By then I was past the "hey this sport is fun, I want to play" and very much into "how do I become a better player" which is definitely important to make sure your son gets to before doing something like this (and going with a few friends would definitely help things). It helped me grow so much as a player in such a short period of time that it just blew me away. Our league/rep coaches were good, but the camp we had here in the winters had local (at the time) minor league AAA coaches who came out to teach us everything from throwing fundamentals to breaking down each kids swing technique's to try and eliminate flaws. Age range was I believe 10-18 with position/age group breakdowns to help keep things flowing. Was once a week for 2 hours during the offseason, but gave more than enough material to work on at home during the rest of the week if you wanted to.

Marc Vaughan · 08-20-2008, 05:26 PM

My first thought is that these kids want to play in teams because they think it'll be fun - leave it at that, if they turn out to be stellar then great let them decide if they want to make it more 'serious' or not - if not then hopefully they'll enjoy themselves.

(my dad played semi-pro soccer and really hoped I'd make it further, but it wasn't to be and while I enjoyed the time spent with him 'training' as a kid it did hurt out relationship a little because I always felt I was letting him down by not being as good as he'd hoped ...)

MacroGuru · 08-21-2008, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

My first thought is that these kids want to play in teams because they think it'll be fun - leave it at that, if they turn out to be stellar then great let them decide if they want to make it more 'serious' or not - if not then hopefully they'll enjoy themselves.

(my dad played semi-pro soccer and really hoped I'd make it further, but it wasn't to be and while I enjoyed the time spent with him 'training' as a kid it did hurt out relationship a little because I always felt I was letting him down by not being as good as he'd hoped ...)

Your experience with your father and my friends with his is exactly why I am not pushing the issue. I played up to the Semi-Pro level in Football, not good enough to finish playing college ball because of injuries. I am a nut about sports and I am not wanting to push my kid because of it, the fear there of having the 3 most precious parts of my life reject me when they are older. It took my friend years to get over the I disappointed my dad aspect.

Barkeep49 · 08-21-2008, 07:40 AM

Sound advice all around so far. Now I don't think this applies to your 8 y/o since h already has a swing from what you say, but make any kid you can a lefty. Hitting is completely different from throwing so even if the kid is right hand dominant he can still be a hell of a lefty batter.

johnnyshaka · 08-21-2008, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barkeep49

Sound advice all around so far. Now I don't think this applies to your 8 y/o since h already has a swing from what you say, but make any kid you can a lefty. Hitting is completely different from throwing so even if the kid is right hand dominant he can still be a hell of a lefty batter.

Hehe...I'm righthanded but bat, shoot (hockey), and golf lefthanded. Definitely an advantage growing up as there was only one lefthanded pitcher in my neighbourhood!! But whenever I'm golfing with my grandfather he still introduces me as "his retarded grandson" because of the side of the ball I stand on. Old people make me laugh.

Godzilla Blitz · 08-21-2008, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barkeep49

Sound advice all around so far. Now I don't think this applies to your 8 y/o since h already has a swing from what you say, but make any kid you can a lefty. Hitting is completely different from throwing so even if the kid is right hand dominant he can still be a hell of a lefty batter.

+1!!!!

Wonderful advice, and easily overlooked if you haven't played a lot of baseball.

If my kid hit righty at eight (we made both of ours lefties), I'd probably spend a little time with him or her each time we played to have them hit from the left side too.

08-20-2008, 11:04 AM	#2
Godzilla Blitz College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000	Random thoughts... I'd remember to focus on fun. It it's fun, he'll want to play more. I've seen many parents/coaches get too serious, and they end up driving kids away from the sport. Start simple. Play catch with him. Take him batting. Build his confidence. Praise the hell out of him when he does anything good. I'm also a big believer in working on things daily. Do something with him as often as you can, but keep it short and fun so that it stays fresh. EDIT: At his age, I think that the fundamentals are still key. Learning to catch, throw, and hit are the first things to master. __________________ Current Blog Projects: Final Fantasy: Lost in Japanese Kaboom Review Last edited by Godzilla Blitz : 08-20-2008 at 11:08 AM.

08-20-2008, 12:08 PM	#4
johnnyshaka College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Edmonton, AB	What GB said...it has to be fun...especially at that age. I've coached a lot of Little League in the past and any team I've ever coached, fun was always the focus. Whether it's playing "coach in the middle" (instead of monkey in the middle) or hosing down a patch of grass in a field some where to practice sliding...the more fun the kids are having, the more they are open to learning something new and the more likely they are going to continue on playing sports. I wouldn't worry about focusing on one or two positions just yet because that's the age where they need to learn how to do the fundamentals...again, like GD said. So, learn how to field a ground ball...not only doing it, but getting over the fear of taking a bad hop. Learn how to judge a fly ball. Stuff like that is tough to pickup as time goes on so the sooner those fundamentals are there, the better. If he's really into baseball, try taking him to a baseball game (I see you're in Buffalo...the Jays are close, you've got a local minor league team and college ball, too) and go as early as you can to catch BP and warmups...heck, most of those guys will gladly sign autographs for youngsters and that might really make his day. Depending on how keen he is on the details, he may start to pick up some of the more technical details (you probably could, too, and later on when you think he's ready, try to pass them on) like footwork and how they catch and release the ball so quickly and smoothly. Not every kid is into stuff like that...but, you never know until you expose him to it, right? EDIT: Regarding this last paragraph, this is where I think I really developed my passion for baseball. Being in a hockey-first country, baseball wasn't always easy to find but anything I could get my hands on to read, I'd read it...anything I could watch on TV, I'd watch it. But when my dad would take me to a game (we were two hours from the Expos and about five from the Jays) that's when I was in heaven. I didn't care what the score was at the end of the game nor did I care who we were going to see...I was all about watching all the stuff they did that WASN'T on TV or in books. Things like how the SS or 2B would cover up throws back to the pitcher with runners on base...you don't see that stuff on TV, but they do it. How the middle infielders work together to hold on a runner at 2nd base or how they communicate to each other about who's bag it is in case of a steal...and no, it's not as simple as most would think. My dad was there to have a beer and just relax without having mom nag him about something or other but I'm sure I drove him just as crazy with all of my observations..."Dad, did you just see that?"...I'm sure that gets as annoying as the infamous "Are we there yet?" cliche. Now, had it been the other way around where he was constantly telling me to watch this and that, then I'm not sure I would've enjoyed going to games as much or at all. So, keep it simple at first...let him decide what he wants to take away from the experience. Last edited by johnnyshaka : 08-20-2008 at 12:31 PM.

08-20-2008, 12:14 PM	#5
MacroGuru Coordinator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Utah	Great tips so far... Him having fun is the most important part here, so I am aware there. __________________ "forgetting what is in the past, I strive for the future"

08-20-2008, 12:56 PM	#7
JediKooter Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: San Diego via Sausalito via San Jose via San Diego	Throw him in a pool, if he sinks, he's a catcher, if he floats, but doesn't bob up and down, he's an infielder, if he kicks and screams, he's a pitcher, if he immediatly starts to swim towards the side of the pool, he's an outfielder. Simple. __________________ I'm no longer a Chargers fan, they are dead to me Coming this summer to a movie theater near you: The Adventures of Jedikooter: Part 4 Last edited by JediKooter : 08-20-2008 at 12:56 PM. Reason: word add

08-20-2008, 04:27 PM	#10
Sgran High School Varsity Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Budapest	My dad didn't know shit about baseball, but he showed up to be the first-base coach and played catch with me when none of my friends weren't around. My p's made sure I was signed up for the league and that was all I needed. I got good by playing with my friends and watching games on tv. My point being that being supportive will probably be enough if you let your kids find and follow their own passions. By the way, you'd better be working on your game -- you can't be losing to your daughter in the driveway. __________________ What the hell is Mike Brown diagramming for them during timeouts? Is he like the guy from "Memento" or something? Guys, I just thought of something … what if we ran a high screen for LeBron?

08-20-2008, 12:29 PM	#6
Celeval Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Cary, NC, USA	Have fun, get his fundamentals into shape. Really, if he knows what he's doing fundamentally, he'll be on good footing even without the intricities.

08-20-2008, 01:57 PM	#9
INDalltheway College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Chicago	Fun is definitely the key, and winning is fun. So just make sure he gets on the best team... Honestly though, I agree with whoever said do things each day. Not a ton, just mastering the major things. (hitting, throwing, and fielding) Eventually your kid wont even need you to do these things each day because he'll have friends or siblings that will want to join in. Another big thing is to try to watch a game a week with him and just talk about the game. You may have to start watching just 3 or so innings, but eventually your son will be asking you to find him a game on tv.

08-20-2008, 05:26 PM	#11
Travis Pro Rookie Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Canada eh	One thing I will suggest (going from personal experience) is that if your son shows continued interest once he starts playing, try and find a good offseason instructional camp that he could go to. I grew up playing hockey in the winters and ball in the summers so I didn't start going to winter ball camp until I was 14, but looking back, I really wish I had started doing them when I was 10-12. By then I was past the "hey this sport is fun, I want to play" and very much into "how do I become a better player" which is definitely important to make sure your son gets to before doing something like this (and going with a few friends would definitely help things). It helped me grow so much as a player in such a short period of time that it just blew me away. Our league/rep coaches were good, but the camp we had here in the winters had local (at the time) minor league AAA coaches who came out to teach us everything from throwing fundamentals to breaking down each kids swing technique's to try and eliminate flaws. Age range was I believe 10-18 with position/age group breakdowns to help keep things flowing. Was once a week for 2 hours during the offseason, but gave more than enough material to work on at home during the rest of the week if you wanted to. __________________ "I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it." - Rogers Hornsby

08-20-2008, 05:26 PM	#12
Marc Vaughan SI Games Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Melbourne, FL	My first thought is that these kids want to play in teams because they think it'll be fun - leave it at that, if they turn out to be stellar then great let them decide if they want to make it more 'serious' or not - if not then hopefully they'll enjoy themselves. (my dad played semi-pro soccer and really hoped I'd make it further, but it wasn't to be and while I enjoyed the time spent with him 'training' as a kid it did hurt out relationship a little because I always felt I was letting him down by not being as good as he'd hoped ...)

08-21-2008, 07:40 AM	#14
Barkeep49 Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Not too far away	Sound advice all around so far. Now I don't think this applies to your 8 y/o since h already has a swing from what you say, but make any kid you can a lefty. Hitting is completely different from throwing so even if the kid is right hand dominant he can still be a hell of a lefty batter. Last edited by Barkeep49 : 08-21-2008 at 07:40 AM.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)