You can make a team in high school
If you can pitch. So my everyone has to be a great hitter. my Dc he played three sports in
Middle school, and two in
High school. So cast a broad net and then let him
Decide. I wouldn't pick a high school based on a particular sport, but if your kid loves to be in a sports friendly environment take a look at Prep, Gonzaga, St. John's or DeMatha

Anonymous wrote:The kids who are attracted to baseball vs lacrosse at the high school level tend to have different personalities. I'm going to guess your son with a year or two under his belt will naturally select or will want to play which ever his friends play. I would definitely recommend against picking a school based significantly on a sport.

+1.

Both very good points.

The kids who are attracted to baseball vs lacrosse at the high school level tend to have different personalities. I'm going to guess your son with a year or two under his belt will naturally select or will want to play which ever his friends play. I would definitely recommend against picking a school based significantly on a sport.

Anonymous wrote:

Same at the MLB level too. Look at the Nats. Danny Espinosa was a great fielder, but a so-so hitter. Daniel Murphy is a space cadet at second base as balls roll by him, but he is an awesome hitter. One is an All-Star, while the other hit .178 for the Angels before being released.

Yeah, that's odd, isn't it, given the well worn maxim that "defense wins championships."

There's at least one exception: A reliable pitcher (and yes, that involves an enormous range of skills, more and more of them mental as the kids get older) may not need to hit as well as others.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have a thought as to whether it is more difficult to become good at baseball or lacrosse, or does it totally vary from player to player? They're both spring sports so would ultimately conflict with one another, I imagine.

Do you have a very young son, and you're planning things out years in advance? My suggestion is to let him try both sports (and others too) and see what he likes. If he likes a sport, he will be much more interested in practicing, and sticking with it until (and through) high school.

In my view, the key skill in baseball is the ability to hit the ball well. It's a skill that most kids don't have, and never will have--and if you don't have it, you won't play high school baseball. Lacrosse has more positions, and different positions require slightly different strengths and skills. My guess is that your odds of seeing a five year old boy through to an eventual high school lacrosse team are maybe a little better than eventually getting on a high school baseball team. But this is all a little silly because the key question is what sport does your child actually like to play? And PLAY is the key word. Once your son views it as work and not play, it's over.

Baseball requires a lot more skill than that; unless you're just in the hitting lineup, you have to be able to play defense (catch balls hit your way coming at a fast speed) and throw. You also have to know where to go with the throw based on the plays.

Of course it requires more skills than hitting. But most athletic kids can catch and throw and figure out where to throw, at the high school level. But hitting a ball thrown by a high school pitcher is very hard. Most kids, even fairly athletic ones, can't do it well. And if you can't do it well, you won't play.

By contrast, most athletic kids can find a position in lacrosse that matches the kid's strengths. I'm not saying lacrosse is an easy sport, but it does not have the same make or break skill like hitting a baseball.

Same at the MLB level too. Look at the Nats. Danny Espinosa was a great fielder, but a so-so hitter. Daniel Murphy is a space cadet at second base as balls roll by him, but he is an awesome hitter. One is an All-Star, while the other hit .178 for the Angels before being released.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have a thought as to whether it is more difficult to become good at baseball or lacrosse, or does it totally vary from player to player? They're both spring sports so would ultimately conflict with one another, I imagine.

Do you have a very young son, and you're planning things out years in advance? My suggestion is to let him try both sports (and others too) and see what he likes. If he likes a sport, he will be much more interested in practicing, and sticking with it until (and through) high school.

In my view, the key skill in baseball is the ability to hit the ball well. It's a skill that most kids don't have, and never will have--and if you don't have it, you won't play high school baseball. Lacrosse has more positions, and different positions require slightly different strengths and skills. My guess is that your odds of seeing a five year old boy through to an eventual high school lacrosse team are maybe a little better than eventually getting on a high school baseball team. But this is all a little silly because the key question is what sport does your child actually like to play? And PLAY is the key word. Once your son views it as work and not play, it's over.

Baseball requires a lot more skill than that; unless you're just in the hitting lineup, you have to be able to play defense (catch balls hit your way coming at a fast speed) and throw. You also have to know where to go with the throw based on the plays.

Of course it requires more skills than hitting. But most athletic kids can catch and throw and figure out where to throw, at the high school level. But hitting a ball thrown by a high school pitcher is very hard. Most kids, even fairly athletic ones, can't do it well. And if you can't do it well, you won't play.

By contrast, most athletic kids can find a position in lacrosse that matches the kid's strengths. I'm not saying lacrosse is an easy sport, but it does not have the same make or break skill like hitting a baseball.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have a thought as to whether it is more difficult to become good at baseball or lacrosse, or does it totally vary from player to player? They're both spring sports so would ultimately conflict with one another, I imagine.

Do you have a very young son, and you're planning things out years in advance? My suggestion is to let him try both sports (and others too) and see what he likes. If he likes a sport, he will be much more interested in practicing, and sticking with it until (and through) high school.

In my view, the key skill in baseball is the ability to hit the ball well. It's a skill that most kids don't have, and never will have--and if you don't have it, you won't play high school baseball. Lacrosse has more positions, and different positions require slightly different strengths and skills. My guess is that your odds of seeing a five year old boy through to an eventual high school lacrosse team are maybe a little better than eventually getting on a high school baseball team. But this is all a little silly because the key question is what sport does your child actually like to play? And PLAY is the key word. Once your son views it as work and not play, it's over.

No. I have a middle schooler who enjoys playing both.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have a thought as to whether it is more difficult to become good at baseball or lacrosse, or does it totally vary from player to player? They're both spring sports so would ultimately conflict with one another, I imagine.

Do you have a very young son, and you're planning things out years in advance? My suggestion is to let him try both sports (and others too) and see what he likes. If he likes a sport, he will be much more interested in practicing, and sticking with it until (and through) high school.

In my view, the key skill in baseball is the ability to hit the ball well. It's a skill that most kids don't have, and never will have--and if you don't have it, you won't play high school baseball. Lacrosse has more positions, and different positions require slightly different strengths and skills. My guess is that your odds of seeing a five year old boy through to an eventual high school lacrosse team are maybe a little better than eventually getting on a high school baseball team. But this is all a little silly because the key question is what sport does your child actually like to play? And PLAY is the key word. Once your son views it as work and not play, it's over.

Baseball requires a lot more skill than that; unless you're just in the hitting lineup, you have to be able to play defense (catch balls hit your way coming at a fast speed) and throw. You also have to know where to go with the throw based on the plays.

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have a thought as to whether it is more difficult to become good at baseball or lacrosse, or does it totally vary from player to player? They're both spring sports so would ultimately conflict with one another, I imagine.

Do you have a very young son, and you're planning things out years in advance? My suggestion is to let him try both sports (and others too) and see what he likes. If he likes a sport, he will be much more interested in practicing, and sticking with it until (and through) high school.

In my view, the key skill in baseball is the ability to hit the ball well. It's a skill that most kids don't have, and never will have--and if you don't have it, you won't play high school baseball. Lacrosse has more positions, and different positions require slightly different strengths and skills. My guess is that your odds of seeing a five year old boy through to an eventual high school lacrosse team are maybe a little better than eventually getting on a high school baseball team. But this is all a little silly because the key question is what sport does your child actually like to play? And PLAY is the key word. Once your son views it as work and not play, it's over.

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have a thought as to whether it is more difficult to become good at baseball or lacrosse, or does it totally vary from player to player? They're both spring sports so would ultimately conflict with one another, I imagine.

It's not unusual for a player to have to choose at some point when seasons conflict, and, as you imply, there's no clear answer.

Years ago I worked with a world-class soccer player who announced after ninth grade that he wanted to quit. Not that they could force him, but his parents decided to let him do what he felt like doing. After a year away, he returned to the sport and eventually received a soccer scholarship — at a Division III school. Could he have played D-1? Maybe, maybe not. But ultimately his parents felt like allowing him the choice would be the bigger "win."

So back to the (I assume) real son: Which sport does he like better? That's really the only question. There's no formula, and I'd be very wary of trying to "calculate" this kind of ineffable equation.

Peter

Does anyone have a thought as to whether it is more difficult to become good at baseball or lacrosse, or does it totally vary from player to player? They're both spring sports so would ultimately conflict with one another, I imagine.

My son played at St Joh's and is now playing in college, as do the majority of his teammates. Extremely intense and competitive program, but if your son is passionate and willing to work hard it is great.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of football and lacrosse talk on here, but what about baseball? Anyone have a kid playing baseball? Which high schools are the most competitive? Is it hard to make the teams? Harder or easier to excel at compared w/ lacrosse?

Most schools field teams, some are more competitive than others. If your kid wants to play in college, there are all sorts of out of school opportunities which will serve him much better than his high school team.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of football and lacrosse talk on here, but what about baseball? Anyone have a kid playing baseball? Which high schools are the most competitive? Is it hard to make the teams? Harder or easier to excel at compared w/ lacrosse?

In DC, St. John's and Maret typically have very strong baseball teams. Gonzaga and St. Albans also field teams that do well.

As you'd expect, the better the team, the harder it is to make it.

I have a rising ninth grader who's a decent ballplayer as well. I'd be happy to talk further if you want. My email is below.

Peter
_____________________

Disclaimer: The anonymity here makes me uncomfortable; it's easy to be uninformed, personal, or simply mean-spirited if people don't identify themselves. For that reason, I have an account so you know whose words you're reading. I have more than 20 years' experience as a teacher and administrator in independent schools, and I have counseled hundreds of students in finding their next schools. I hope I can be helpful to some folks. If you don't like something I've said, you're in good company — there's a long line of past students and parents ahead of you. If you want to chat further, please feel free to contact me offline: peter <at> arcpd <dot> com

Lots of football and lacrosse talk on here, but what about baseball? Anyone have a kid playing baseball? Which high schools are the most competitive? Is it hard to make the teams? Harder or easier to excel at compared w/ lacrosse?