Bay Area World Series

I often get questions from parents on a wide range of topics but one question I get most often is when to have a player attend a showcase. There isn't one answer. Know that as I wrote this, my own son was a 14-year old freshman and I applied the same perspective to him, as his dad.

This was my reply to a father who has an 8th grader (BAWS Underclass is for players who just finished their 8th grade and freshman years)...

From the dad: 'He is good, he works very hard and wants to be great.  But he is not one of those kids who is 6'1", 185 lbs as an 8th grader.  His measurables are decent, not outstanding.  But he is still a skinny kid.  5'9", 138 lbs.  Smart and getting better.  If this is your kid, does a kid like this go to these events or am I setting him up for failure?  I have no idea.  I am putting him with good people and each coach loves him but I want to be realistic.  Any feedback you have would be greatly appreciated.'

My reply: 'Not setting him up for failure at all. At his age, in an event like BAWS Underclass, it's a great opportunity to get young players out there among peers, some his age, some a little younger, some a little older. The competition is great, the experience is valuable, setting a baseline for where he is relative to all the players there is also valuable. The data/stats that are returned give great present day measurables to then create a training plan to improve.

No failure opportunity at all. It's experience and awareness and competition and fun. It is a great atmosphere and as he ages and develops, having gone through it at least once as a player just entering HS, can be a wonderful experience to fall back on... to know his heartbeat as all that took place.

That's how I've seen it for my own son, as his dad, not as the person who runs the event.'