So your kid is a ballplayer, and has "special talent?" (ha, ha)
So your kid plays ball? And has special talent? This is for you.
I know, I know, your kid is the most talented one on the team. And looks like he'll be the most talented one in the whole neighborhood. Well, here's a little something to bring it all into perspective.
A known fact of youth, which you are ignoring, is that kids have an average growth rate. Yes AVERAGE. That means that some will be ahead of the growth curve, and some will be behind it. Some 11 year-olds will actually be biologically 11 years old. But some will be biologically 12, and a few will be biologically 13. And some will be biologically 10, and a few will be biologically 9. So you know how your kid looks so good against all the other 11 year olds? It's because he's ahead of the curve. You have a biological 12 year old playing against biological 10 and 11 year olds. Plus, every youth in America has an age cut off date. In our area, it's July 31. If a kid has a birthday in early August, then he's 51 weeks older than the kid whose birthday is in late July. The bones won't stop growing until the kid is about 16. By then, they'll have all caught up with each other, and your kid will look just about like the other kids.
Also, you know how your kid is such a great pitcher? A real fireballer? Have dreams of college scholarship, maybe a shot at the majors? Well I hate to pop your balloon, ol' buddy, but let's look at a few more facts.
Remember those growing bones I mentioned? The bones of your kid's pitching arm have growth plates on the ends of the bones. They don't stop growing until about age 16. Too many regular, everyday fastballs will cause damage to the growth plates. And if they don't have good mechanics, or if they throw traditional curveballs, the tendon on the inside of their elbow will start to tear. And if they're catching and pitching, that means they throw on every pitch of every game. So, bottom line, you are slowly destroying your kids pitching arm. Wanna know how many hotshot youth league pitchers make it to the majors nowdays? None. Zero. Zippo. Zilch. Your kid won't either. The successful major league pitchers of today start out at another position, and switch to pitching after they're 16, when the bones stop growing. So what happens to all those hotshot, best-in-the-city 10 and 11 year old pitchers? Well, most of them have had their dad pushing them to compete since they were 6, so by the time they get to adolescence at 14 and the hormones kick in, they quit. The ones that don't, have pitched so much that they're arm is gone by 15. And the rest turn into average pitchers when the rest of the kids catch up, and they're all the same biological age by 16.
I guess I'm trying to tell you that you just think your kid is a hot shot, because he just looks that way against people who are in your tiny little neighborhood.
Oh, I forgot, your kid is special. Yeah, well, let's see. Just for the sake of argument, let's say your kid grows up to be the best player in your high school. First, he'll have to compete against some pretty stiff competition. In my city, Houston, they're are at least 6 major tournament team organizations. Each of them runs multiple tournament teams of 16 to 18 year olds. They're set up as 501(c)3 non-profit corporations, and cost between $1200 and $3000 per year to be on it. One of the better ones has 7 teams of 16 to 18 year olds, and has a coaching staff of about 12 coaches, two of which pitched in the major leagues, and one of which won the Cy Young last year. Then, let's say your kid beats out the other 24,000 kids who are also the best in their high school, and gets a minor league contract. He'll get rewarded with living on a bus, sleeping at Motel 6, and making $27,000 a year. Oh yeah, he'll also have to give up a college education, because he'll have to play ball. Oh, so you're just going out for a scholarship? Again, there are 24,000 high schools in the US, and a few hundred scholarships. Good luck, you'll need it. And if he makes it through several years of minor league ball? Andy Messerschmidt was one of the best pitchers in the 1970's: he played for the Dodgers, and was very good. Before he was finished playing, his elbow had calcified to the point that he could not eat or comb his hair with his pitching arm. He couldn't bend his arm. So you're still in it, eh? OK, now you have to compete with the people from other countries. Do you realize that Major League Baseball has 27 baseball academies in the Dominican Republic? 27 Schools. And now you'll have to compete with South Korea, and who knows where else. Good luck.
Oh, what's that, you say? The money is worth it? Listen, a good industrial salesman can make $400,000 a year if he applies himself, and his knees won't get bad at 39. He'll be able to make that money till he's 70.
So big boy, what you're really doing is wasting the fun you could be having with your kid, by pushing him into the heavy competition, and pushing him into the tournament teams. Do yourself and your kid and your wallet a favor. Play ball, have fun, enjoy the competition, and when the season is over, take him fishing.
If you don't believe me, and still want to investigate further, just nose around for a while on the website of Mike Marshall. It's at www.drmikemarshall.com. You'll read letters from knuckleheads that are having Tommy John surgery on their 16 year olds.
Oh, yeah, here's one more: Sammy Sosa didn't start playing organized baseball until he was 14. SO YOU'RE WRONG ABOUT HAVING TO KEEP YOUR KIDS SKILLS UP. Just relax and have fun with him. Let him be a kid, for crying out loud.
I know, I know, your kid is the most talented one on the team. And looks like he'll be the most talented one in the whole neighborhood. Well, here's a little something to bring it all into perspective.
A known fact of youth, which you are ignoring, is that kids have an average growth rate. Yes AVERAGE. That means that some will be ahead of the growth curve, and some will be behind it. Some 11 year-olds will actually be biologically 11 years old. But some will be biologically 12, and a few will be biologically 13. And some will be biologically 10, and a few will be biologically 9. So you know how your kid looks so good against all the other 11 year olds? It's because he's ahead of the curve. You have a biological 12 year old playing against biological 10 and 11 year olds. Plus, every youth in America has an age cut off date. In our area, it's July 31. If a kid has a birthday in early August, then he's 51 weeks older than the kid whose birthday is in late July. The bones won't stop growing until the kid is about 16. By then, they'll have all caught up with each other, and your kid will look just about like the other kids.
Also, you know how your kid is such a great pitcher? A real fireballer? Have dreams of college scholarship, maybe a shot at the majors? Well I hate to pop your balloon, ol' buddy, but let's look at a few more facts.
Remember those growing bones I mentioned? The bones of your kid's pitching arm have growth plates on the ends of the bones. They don't stop growing until about age 16. Too many regular, everyday fastballs will cause damage to the growth plates. And if they don't have good mechanics, or if they throw traditional curveballs, the tendon on the inside of their elbow will start to tear. And if they're catching and pitching, that means they throw on every pitch of every game. So, bottom line, you are slowly destroying your kids pitching arm. Wanna know how many hotshot youth league pitchers make it to the majors nowdays? None. Zero. Zippo. Zilch. Your kid won't either. The successful major league pitchers of today start out at another position, and switch to pitching after they're 16, when the bones stop growing. So what happens to all those hotshot, best-in-the-city 10 and 11 year old pitchers? Well, most of them have had their dad pushing them to compete since they were 6, so by the time they get to adolescence at 14 and the hormones kick in, they quit. The ones that don't, have pitched so much that they're arm is gone by 15. And the rest turn into average pitchers when the rest of the kids catch up, and they're all the same biological age by 16.
I guess I'm trying to tell you that you just think your kid is a hot shot, because he just looks that way against people who are in your tiny little neighborhood.
Oh, I forgot, your kid is special. Yeah, well, let's see. Just for the sake of argument, let's say your kid grows up to be the best player in your high school. First, he'll have to compete against some pretty stiff competition. In my city, Houston, they're are at least 6 major tournament team organizations. Each of them runs multiple tournament teams of 16 to 18 year olds. They're set up as 501(c)3 non-profit corporations, and cost between $1200 and $3000 per year to be on it. One of the better ones has 7 teams of 16 to 18 year olds, and has a coaching staff of about 12 coaches, two of which pitched in the major leagues, and one of which won the Cy Young last year. Then, let's say your kid beats out the other 24,000 kids who are also the best in their high school, and gets a minor league contract. He'll get rewarded with living on a bus, sleeping at Motel 6, and making $27,000 a year. Oh yeah, he'll also have to give up a college education, because he'll have to play ball. Oh, so you're just going out for a scholarship? Again, there are 24,000 high schools in the US, and a few hundred scholarships. Good luck, you'll need it. And if he makes it through several years of minor league ball? Andy Messerschmidt was one of the best pitchers in the 1970's: he played for the Dodgers, and was very good. Before he was finished playing, his elbow had calcified to the point that he could not eat or comb his hair with his pitching arm. He couldn't bend his arm. So you're still in it, eh? OK, now you have to compete with the people from other countries. Do you realize that Major League Baseball has 27 baseball academies in the Dominican Republic? 27 Schools. And now you'll have to compete with South Korea, and who knows where else. Good luck.
Oh, what's that, you say? The money is worth it? Listen, a good industrial salesman can make $400,000 a year if he applies himself, and his knees won't get bad at 39. He'll be able to make that money till he's 70.
So big boy, what you're really doing is wasting the fun you could be having with your kid, by pushing him into the heavy competition, and pushing him into the tournament teams. Do yourself and your kid and your wallet a favor. Play ball, have fun, enjoy the competition, and when the season is over, take him fishing.
If you don't believe me, and still want to investigate further, just nose around for a while on the website of Mike Marshall. It's at www.drmikemarshall.com. You'll read letters from knuckleheads that are having Tommy John surgery on their 16 year olds.
Oh, yeah, here's one more: Sammy Sosa didn't start playing organized baseball until he was 14. SO YOU'RE WRONG ABOUT HAVING TO KEEP YOUR KIDS SKILLS UP. Just relax and have fun with him. Let him be a kid, for crying out loud.
posted by humblesmith at 8:34 PM
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