Diamond Stars 10U - Peterson

With the annual youth baseball try-out season upon us, I thought it appropriate to remind all of us parents of what this time in our son's "baseball life" is supposed to be about. I am talking about players anywhere from 7 to 14 years old. This is the time in which players are developing both as a baseball player and a young man. They should be learning the game - developing all facets of their game.
They should be learning:
- to compete
- to win gracefully
- to lose with dignity
- to be a great teammate
- to accept and learn from failure
- to be coachable
- to be accountable for their actions/behavior
- to have a good work ethic
- THAT YOU CAN HAVE FUN AND STILL BE GREAT
When you are looking for a team for your son or if you are considering a different team for your son... do so for the right reason - your son! All too often I am seeing players jump from one team to another because they feel their son needs to be on a better team... I see teams combining to try and form a "super team" at 9, 10, 11, 12 years old.. just to try and compete with or be the best team at their age. Some parents think that the end all and be all is being on a AAA/Major team. Some parents and coaches believe that if their team can't compete with what is considered to be the best team in their area, then they have to cut players and go and get better players or go to a different team. These coaches and parents are missing the point. We are supposed to be developing, coaching, teaching and enjoying the game with our kids. Find a team that your son enjoys being on, that has a good coach that cares about every player on the team, that has good parents that have good attitudes, a team that your son can develop on, one that he can make lifetime memories with his teammates... one that he can enjoy this time - they are only this age once in their life! Remember that players/boys develop and mature at different times and ages. Just because a player stands out as a great player at 7, 8, 9 or 10 years old doesn't mean they will be that stand out player at 14 or 15 when they start playing high school baseball. Players catch up. And just the same... just because a player may not stand out as being a dominant player at 8, 9 or 10 doesn't mean they won't be a dominant player in high school. Keep them working hard...keep them learning the game, working and developing on their fundamentals and mechanics and keep them having FUN! If they are not, then find somewhere they can.
If your goal is to prepare your son for high school baseball, here is the truth: High School coaches will NEVER take into consideration what team or club they played on when they were 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 years old. They will NEVER ask if they were on a AAA/Major team... they will NEVER ask how many games or trophies they won. Why? Because it's not important to them and it has and will have NO affect on whether your son makes the high school team or not... it will have NO affect on their playing time if they do make the team. So if you are a parent or coach that is putting too much emphasis on those things - you are wasting your time. Here's the truth: Here is what High School coaches are looking for at try-outs: A reason to cut you or a reason to keep you. Does your son know the game? Does he know multiple positions? Is your son a SS (2B, 1B, catcher etc...) when asked OR is he baseball player? Coaches look at attitude, effort and character. Is your son a good teammate? Show good sportsmanship? No matter what skill set your son has... is he hustling? Showing effort and working hard on every drill or play? Does he have good mechanics and is he fundamentally sound? How does your son act if he thinks no one is watching? Is there a difference in effort or attitude? How is he treating and interacting with his potential teammates? Does he make eye contact with the coaches when they are speaking to him or giving directions? And yes of course they are looking at their skill set and potential. They will be looking at speed, defense, pop times for catchers, hitting for average or power, pitching accuracy etc... All of which can be developed, coached, taught, enhanced etc... on many different teams - the right one for your son. Make sure during this stressful time that you are looking out for your son... put him in the best position to succeed and enjoy this time in his life... don't burn him out... don't put too much pressure on him... don't make this game that we all enjoy and love feel like WORK to him. Remember... he is only (blank) years old... let him be (blank) years old - it only happens once!

Diamond Stars go undefeated this weekend... GMB Cowboy Classic 10U Champions! Great job boys!

Tonight is the night - try-outs for the 10U Diamond Stars @ Arnold Athletic Association - field 2. Starts at 6:00... be there at 5:30 to register and warm-up. If you are looking for a great organization, professional training and a highly competitive team, bring your son tonight! Please dress in baseball pants and bring your gear! Please share to help spread the word. (If you can't make it tonight, please call me at 314-565-7572 to set up a private work-out)