Anonymous wrote:I can not believe we are teaching kids to NOT try new sports in their early teens. Or if they want to start to hire a professional coach to help? Good lord people. Is the only goal to excel? They are kids. This 13yr old has about 4 more years to enjoy being a kid. He doesn't need training. He needs to pick the sport he may like and try it. The End.

OP, have him try anything he wants to try. You have already focused him on one sport for too long in his life. You need to break that habit.

I agree with this.

However, as a naturally uncoordinated person, I could see where a 13 year old would feel self-conscious to try tennis, baseball, or lacrosse for the fist time at school among his peers. A class through parks and recreation is pretty inexpensive. Hiring a coach one or two times to learn the basics isn't the same thing as hiring a coach so you can become a star or get that sports scholarship.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he is 13 and not yet mastered the hand-eye coordination needed for baseball and lacrosse then forget it. He will be embarassed. I don't understand how a boy gets to be 13 years old without ever playing baseball.

Track his only option. It's called the social sport because everyone is welcome and you can be slowest kid in school or the fastest and you will be welcome.

My kid has never played baseball, mostly because I don't want him around parents like you.

You sound like a twat. You would keep your kid away from something because you fear other parents. WTF?

Whoosh! PP's comment went over your head. Nice language too. No wonder other parents want to avoid you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand how a boy gets to be 13 years old without ever playing baseball.

Uhhh.... because baseball sucks and is not really a sport? It's a game that a lot of people like to watch, and it certainly requires a great deal of skill to do well (kind of like cornhole).

Like to watch baseball? Jesus, there is nothing more soporific than watching a baseball game.

I was never on an actual baseball team as a kid. But I sure played it a lot at the playground with other kids, and also as an intramural PE sport. Do kids not do that now?

They do, but there's no real coaching associated with it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand how a boy gets to be 13 years old without ever playing baseball.

Uhhh.... because baseball sucks and is not really a sport? It's a game that a lot of people like to watch, and it certainly requires a great deal of skill to do well (kind of like cornhole).

Like to watch baseball? Jesus, there is nothing more soporific than watching a baseball game.

I was never on an actual baseball team as a kid. But I sure played it a lot at the playground with other kids, and also as an intramural PE sport. Do kids not do that now?

If he is 13 and not yet mastered the hand-eye coordination needed for baseball and lacrosse then forget it. He will be embarassed. I don't understand how a boy gets to be 13 years old without ever playing baseball.

Yikes! My son has never played baseball, because he was more interested in soccer and martial arts, and we have limited time and energy to drag him to activities.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he is 13 and not yet mastered the hand-eye coordination needed for baseball and lacrosse then forget it. He will be embarassed. I don't understand how a boy gets to be 13 years old without ever playing baseball.

Track his only option. It's called the social sport because everyone is welcome and you can be slowest kid in school or the fastest and you will be welcome.

My kid has never played baseball, mostly because I don't want him around parents like you.

You sound like a twat. You would keep your kid away from something because you fear other parents. WTF?

*overdo

Track is the best bet for your kid OP, just be aware that your son's legs will not be as conditioned as his cardiovascular system, so he will be very tempted to overdue it, especially during track season, since running around a track can injure kids without a decent mileage base.

He would do well to start running a bit now or even run-walking to condition his legs before track season.

A decent swimmer will run middle and long distance events better than some kids on the track team right out of the gate (at least that was my experience when I did high school track). I loved track and eventually switched from primarily swimming to 100% running.

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand how a boy gets to be 13 years old without ever playing baseball.

Uhhh.... because baseball sucks and is not really a sport? It's a game that a lot of people like to watch, and it certainly requires a great deal of skill to do well (kind of like cornhole).

I can not believe we are teaching kids to NOT try new sports in their early teens. Or if they want to start to hire a professional coach to help? Good lord people. Is the only goal to excel? They are kids. This 13yr old has about 4 more years to enjoy being a kid. He doesn't need training. He needs to pick the sport he may like and try it. The End.

OP, have him try anything he wants to try. You have already focused him on one sport for too long in his life. You need to break that habit.

Anonymous wrote:Tennis. If someone enjoys it, it can be played for a lifetime. Requires good hand eye coordination. Learning how to serve can be tough.

+1. As long as the school has other beginners at it, he'll be fine.
And unlike things like baseball and lacrosse... its something he'll use throughout his life once he develops the basic skills.

Anonymous wrote:If he is 13 and not yet mastered the hand-eye coordination needed for baseball and lacrosse then forget it. He will be embarassed. I don't understand how a boy gets to be 13 years old without ever playing baseball.

Track his only option. It's called the social sport because everyone is welcome and you can be slowest kid in school or the fastest and you will be welcome.

Wow, you are so nurturing and supportive of new endeavors, how nice for your children.

Anonymous wrote:I would stay away from baseball, especially if he hasn't watched A LOT of it on TV or live. It is such a skill game (I hesitate to call it a sport), and there is a lot of groundwork needed to get up to speed. Lacrosse would be easier, but again not a cakewalk.

Lacrosse is harder than baseball.

I remain astonished at how many kids in this area start playing lacrosse at age 5.

Tennis - Your kid will be up to speed in no time. That being said, tennis is pretty solitary, and if your kid wants to have a team experience, he would likely make more friends with lacrosse or baseball. Lacrosse is more physical (more running and contact), if that means anything to your kid.

Tennis. If someone enjoys it, it can be played for a lifetime. Requires good hand eye coordination. Learning how to serve can be tough.