Collectively, A Thread To Celebrate Our Kids Athletic Accomplishments (1 Viewer)

[Chadstroma]

Because some go to college. Some go straight into the pro system

Yep, so many of the star players in HS go pro immediately. Also, Football has no minor league, it’s college and Basketball is similar but there are some exceptions going to G league and abroad. Baseball has a big minor league system and it’s almost rare that players go straight from college to the pros.

One other huge part is that there are way more foreign prospects in baseball, all of whom don’t go through college. Basketball is again between baseball and football in that there are some foreign prospects but not as many as baseball and after drafting they are typically in the pros, not much minors (some prospects sit in foreign leagues but usually less marquee ones).

Yea, but it isn't like the minor league teams are selling out either... well except for maybe those guys that do the little dances before pitches and stuff lol

Basketball is in danger of being over taken by foreign players. Maybe not now but the tides are turning. The Eastern European countries are obsessed with basketball and they actually develop their players through the fundamentals. So much of what is happening now in the US in basketball is that good players go to an AAU team and the focus is so much on 'exposure' so they will play a ton of games and very little practice. The Eastern Europeans practice, practice, practice on the fundamentals and then play some games. I heard recently one AAU coach that said he had a team with a bunch of eventual D1 and even pro guys and they did well but then the next season he lost three of them because another AAU coach told them that they didn't have to practice, just come to the games.

Basketball in the US is being degraded in development, lack of fundamentals and turning more and more in street ball while the Eastern Europeans are laser focused on development of the fundamentals through practice. You will continue to see the NBA be changed with a lot more names like Jokic, Doncic, and Sabonis being top stars.

 

[belljr]

Because some go to college. Some go straight into the pro system

Yep, so many of the star players in HS go pro immediately. Also, Football has no minor league, it’s college and Basketball is similar but there are some exceptions going to G league and abroad. Baseball has a big minor league system and it’s almost rare that players go straight from college to the pros.

One other huge part is that there are way more foreign prospects in baseball, all of whom don’t go through college. Basketball is again between baseball and football in that there are some foreign prospects but not as many as baseball and after drafting they are typically in the pros, not much minors (some prospects sit in foreign leagues but usually less marquee ones).

Yea, but it isn't like the minor league teams are selling out either... well except for maybe those guys that do the little dances before pitches and stuff lol

Basketball is in danger of being over taken by foreign players. Maybe not now but the tides are turning. The Eastern European countries are obsessed with basketball and they actually develop their players through the fundamentals. So much of what is happening now in the US in basketball is that good players go to an AAU team and the focus is so much on 'exposure' so they will play a ton of games and very little practice. The Eastern Europeans practice, practice, practice on the fundamentals and then play some games. I heard recently one AAU coach that said he had a team with a bunch of eventual D1 and even pro guys and they did well but then the next season he lost three of them because another AAU coach told them that they didn't have to practice, just come to the games.

Basketball in the US is being degraded in development, lack of fundamentals and turning more and more in street ball while the Eastern Europeans are laser focused on development of the fundamentals through practice. You will continue to see the NBA be changed with a lot more names like Jokic, Doncic, and Sabonis being top stars.

Minor leagues don't need to sell out because MLB is paying their small salaries

 

[Chadstroma]

Because some go to college. Some go straight into the pro system

Yep, so many of the star players in HS go pro immediately. Also, Football has no minor league, it’s college and Basketball is similar but there are some exceptions going to G league and abroad. Baseball has a big minor league system and it’s almost rare that players go straight from college to the pros.

One other huge part is that there are way more foreign prospects in baseball, all of whom don’t go through college. Basketball is again between baseball and football in that there are some foreign prospects but not as many as baseball and after drafting they are typically in the pros, not much minors (some prospects sit in foreign leagues but usually less marquee ones).

Yea, but it isn't like the minor league teams are selling out either... well except for maybe those guys that do the little dances before pitches and stuff lol

Basketball is in danger of being over taken by foreign players. Maybe not now but the tides are turning. The Eastern European countries are obsessed with basketball and they actually develop their players through the fundamentals. So much of what is happening now in the US in basketball is that good players go to an AAU team and the focus is so much on 'exposure' so they will play a ton of games and very little practice. The Eastern Europeans practice, practice, practice on the fundamentals and then play some games. I heard recently one AAU coach that said he had a team with a bunch of eventual D1 and even pro guys and they did well but then the next season he lost three of them because another AAU coach told them that they didn't have to practice, just come to the games.

Basketball in the US is being degraded in development, lack of fundamentals and turning more and more in street ball while the Eastern Europeans are laser focused on development of the fundamentals through practice. You will continue to see the NBA be changed with a lot more names like Jokic, Doncic, and Sabonis being top stars.

Minor leagues don't need to sell out because MLB is paying their small salaries

But that doesn't explain the lack of interest of fans.

 

[stbugs]

Because some go to college. Some go straight into the pro system

Yep, so many of the star players in HS go pro immediately. Also, Football has no minor league, it’s college and Basketball is similar but there are some exceptions going to G league and abroad. Baseball has a big minor league system and it’s almost rare that players go straight from college to the pros.

One other huge part is that there are way more foreign prospects in baseball, all of whom don’t go through college. Basketball is again between baseball and football in that there are some foreign prospects but not as many as baseball and after drafting they are typically in the pros, not much minors (some prospects sit in foreign leagues but usually less marquee ones).

Yea, but it isn't like the minor league teams are selling out either... well except for maybe those guys that do the little dances before pitches and stuff lol

Basketball is in danger of being over taken by foreign players. Maybe not now but the tides are turning. The Eastern European countries are obsessed with basketball and they actually develop their players through the fundamentals. So much of what is happening now in the US in basketball is that good players go to an AAU team and the focus is so much on 'exposure' so they will play a ton of games and very little practice. The Eastern Europeans practice, practice, practice on the fundamentals and then play some games. I heard recently one AAU coach that said he had a team with a bunch of eventual D1 and even pro guys and they did well but then the next season he lost three of them because another AAU coach told them that they didn't have to practice, just come to the games.

Basketball in the US is being degraded in development, lack of fundamentals and turning more and more in street ball while the Eastern Europeans are laser focused on development of the fundamentals through practice. You will continue to see the NBA be changed with a lot more names like Jokic, Doncic, and Sabonis being top stars.

Minor leagues don't need to sell out because MLB is paying their small salaries

But that doesn't explain the lack of interest of fans.

Minor league games are fun but it’s still not the stars so you don’t get MLB attendance. That said you asked my college baseball wasn’t as popular as MLB compared to college football/NFL and college basketball/NBA. The vastness and development of minor league baseball is why college baseball isn’t as interesting to fans. So many prospects don’t go to college and foreign players go straight to MLB or minors. Football has no minors so development is college and you can’t even go to the draft until 3 years from HS. Basketball makes US prospects play one year of college or G league/foreign league but college is still the majority choice. Even if foreign players are growing, they still only makeup 20%. Baseball is almost 30% and again has the biggest and well setup minor leagues.

 

[Todem]

Because some go to college. Some go straight into the pro system

Yep, so many of the star players in HS go pro immediately. Also, Football has no minor league, it’s college and Basketball is similar but there are some exceptions going to G league and abroad. Baseball has a big minor league system and it’s almost rare that players go straight from college to the pros.

One other huge part is that there are way more foreign prospects in baseball, all of whom don’t go through college. Basketball is again between baseball and football in that there are some foreign prospects but not as many as baseball and after drafting they are typically in the pros, not much minors (some prospects sit in foreign leagues but usually less marquee ones).

Yea, but it isn't like the minor league teams are selling out either... well except for maybe those guys that do the little dances before pitches and stuff lol

Basketball is in danger of being over taken by foreign players. Maybe not now but the tides are turning. The Eastern European countries are obsessed with basketball and they actually develop their players through the fundamentals. So much of what is happening now in the US in basketball is that good players go to an AAU team and the focus is so much on 'exposure' so they will play a ton of games and very little practice. The Eastern Europeans practice, practice, practice on the fundamentals and then play some games. I heard recently one AAU coach that said he had a team with a bunch of eventual D1 and even pro guys and they did well but then the next season he lost three of them because another AAU coach told them that they didn't have to practice, just come to the games.

Basketball in the US is being degraded in development, lack of fundamentals and turning more and more in street ball while the Eastern Europeans are laser focused on development of the fundamentals through practice. You will continue to see the NBA be changed with a lot more names like Jokic, Doncic, and Sabonis being top stars.

Spot on post.

Baseball has also become a far more International game in the last 15 years.

My son and I worked on fundamentals constantly.....practice practice practice....yes we were a travel ball family but the team I ran was more about practice and seasonal play then about getting into every PG tournament we could. And when he was doing high school showcase travel....those summers were exclusively for exposure but his Fall and Spring was the grind of far more practice than season games.

The tournament business has gotten insane crazy in this country.

 

[Todem]

Because some go to college. Some go straight into the pro system

Yep, so many of the star players in HS go pro immediately. Also, Football has no minor league, it’s college and Basketball is similar but there are some exceptions going to G league and abroad. Baseball has a big minor league system and it’s almost rare that players go straight from college to the pros.

One other huge part is that there are way more foreign prospects in baseball, all of whom don’t go through college. Basketball is again between baseball and football in that there are some foreign prospects but not as many as baseball and after drafting they are typically in the pros, not much minors (some prospects sit in foreign leagues but usually less marquee ones).

Yea, but it isn't like the minor league teams are selling out either... well except for maybe those guys that do the little dances before pitches and stuff lol

Basketball is in danger of being over taken by foreign players. Maybe not now but the tides are turning. The Eastern European countries are obsessed with basketball and they actually develop their players through the fundamentals. So much of what is happening now in the US in basketball is that good players go to an AAU team and the focus is so much on 'exposure' so they will play a ton of games and very little practice. The Eastern Europeans practice, practice, practice on the fundamentals and then play some games. I heard recently one AAU coach that said he had a team with a bunch of eventual D1 and even pro guys and they did well but then the next season he lost three of them because another AAU coach told them that they didn't have to practice, just come to the games.

Basketball in the US is being degraded in development, lack of fundamentals and turning more and more in street ball while the Eastern Europeans are laser focused on development of the fundamentals through practice. You will continue to see the NBA be changed with a lot more names like Jokic, Doncic, and Sabonis being top stars.

Minor leagues don't need to sell out because MLB is paying their small salaries

But that doesn't explain the lack of interest of fans.

I don't think people over the last 15 years have the patience anymore for Americas past time.

And it's a shame. Because baseball is a beautiful game.

The new pitch clock rules are actually a positive because it became a slog and the pace was being taken advantage of by numerous pitchers.

Baseball simply has lost the "it" factor in America. And the only explanation I have is the complete lack of patience todays
Society has evolved to.

Everything is instant gratification in todays world in every corner of life.

 

[Gally]

Baseball simply has lost the "it" factor in America. And the only explanation I have is the complete lack of patience todays
Society has evolved to.

I think it even goes beyond lack of patience although maybe patience is the right term. For example, when people say the game is too slow I completely disagree. If you are thinking about pitch sequencing leading to defensive positioning leading to steal/no steal/bunt/hit&run/etc you run out of time quickly and it becomes a fast game. But when you are only looking for bombs and 105mph pitches then the game is boring.

I do think over-reliance on analytics also plays a part because it has led to a lack of situational hitting and the nuance/beauty of the game. I still love watching the game and will watch a ton over the summer. It's on every day and my son and I have back and forth's about pitch sequencing, hitting approach and defensive play every pitch while we are watching. It's fascinating and awesome to do. Problem is there aren't a lot of people that have that "patience" to do that. It's disappointing.

 

[belljr]

Baseball simply has lost the "it" factor in America. And the only explanation I have is the complete lack of patience todays
Society has evolved to.

I think it even goes beyond lack of patience although maybe patience is the right term. For example, when people say the game is too slow I completely disagree. If you are thinking about pitch sequencing leading to defensive positioning leading to steal/no steal/bunt/hit&run/etc you run out of time quickly and it becomes a fast game. But when you are only looking for bombs and 105mph pitches then the game is boring.

I do think over-reliance on analytics also plays a part because it has led to a lack of situational hitting and the nuance/beauty of the game. I still love watching the game and will watch a ton over the summer. It's on every day and my son and I have back and forth's about pitch sequencing, hitting approach and defensive play every pitch while we are watching. It's fascinating and awesome to do. Problem is there aren't a lot of people that have that "patience" to do that. It's disappointing.

The game 100% changed and not in a good way.... it lost a lot of old timers imo.... the changes they made while I don't agree with all of them have definitely improved the product.

That said - I know I crap on hitters that can't go the other way etc but also when you got bonuses tied to doubles its hard to get mad at the hitters lol

 

[Chadstroma]

Because some go to college. Some go straight into the pro system

Yep, so many of the star players in HS go pro immediately. Also, Football has no minor league, it’s college and Basketball is similar but there are some exceptions going to G league and abroad. Baseball has a big minor league system and it’s almost rare that players go straight from college to the pros.

One other huge part is that there are way more foreign prospects in baseball, all of whom don’t go through college. Basketball is again between baseball and football in that there are some foreign prospects but not as many as baseball and after drafting they are typically in the pros, not much minors (some prospects sit in foreign leagues but usually less marquee ones).

Yea, but it isn't like the minor league teams are selling out either... well except for maybe those guys that do the little dances before pitches and stuff lol

Basketball is in danger of being over taken by foreign players. Maybe not now but the tides are turning. The Eastern European countries are obsessed with basketball and they actually develop their players through the fundamentals. So much of what is happening now in the US in basketball is that good players go to an AAU team and the focus is so much on 'exposure' so they will play a ton of games and very little practice. The Eastern Europeans practice, practice, practice on the fundamentals and then play some games. I heard recently one AAU coach that said he had a team with a bunch of eventual D1 and even pro guys and they did well but then the next season he lost three of them because another AAU coach told them that they didn't have to practice, just come to the games.

Basketball in the US is being degraded in development, lack of fundamentals and turning more and more in street ball while the Eastern Europeans are laser focused on development of the fundamentals through practice. You will continue to see the NBA be changed with a lot more names like Jokic, Doncic, and Sabonis being top stars.

Spot on post.

Baseball has also become a far more International game in the last 15 years.

My son and I worked on fundamentals constantly.....practice practice practice....yes we were a travel ball family but the team I ran was more about practice and seasonal play then about getting into every PG tournament we could. And when he was doing high school showcase travel....those summers were exclusively for exposure but his Fall and Spring was the grind of far more practice than season games.

The tournament business has gotten insane crazy in this country.

That last part is the key I think.... for so many "coaches" the focus is on them making money. They only do that if they win and it doesn't matter if they develop the players or not as long as they win. So everything they do is geared towards winning and appealing to parents who think they their kid just needs to be seen to get a full ride D1 scholarship. And the business isn't just tournaments but it is training, camps, clinics, etc. Is it to say that trainers, camps, clinics, etc don't offer value, no, of course not.

The path of the NBA only reinforces this as they have made the rules are not enforced them to be more street ball than good fundamentals so all the American kids want to shoot 3's like Curry all day long or break ankles with some flashy dribbling. It is all about the 'ooooooooooo' factor and not the ho hum execution of like Tim Duncan or Joker.

I have three focuses on my team (Private Catholic school 5th grade): Defense, rebounding and passing. Kids really do respond to what you focus on. Our team is usually the better defensive team, better rebounding team and better passing team when we hit the court. I try to focus them on the fundamentals of developing as players because who knows what coaching they will get as they move on (or for some, drop out of organized basketball).

The teams that give us a hard time are the teams that I can tell that they are coached well on the fundamentals.

 

[Todem]

Baseball simply has lost the "it" factor in America. And the only explanation I have is the complete lack of patience todays
Society has evolved to.

I think it even goes beyond lack of patience although maybe patience is the right term. For example, when people say the game is too slow I completely disagree. If you are thinking about pitch sequencing leading to defensive positioning leading to steal/no steal/bunt/hit&run/etc you run out of time quickly and it becomes a fast game. But when you are only looking for bombs and 105mph pitches then the game is boring.

I do think over-reliance on analytics also plays a part because it has led to a lack of situational hitting and the nuance/beauty of the game. I still love watching the game and will watch a ton over the summer. It's on every day and my son and I have back and forth's about pitch sequencing, hitting approach and defensive play every pitch while we are watching. It's fascinating and awesome to do. Problem is there aren't a lot of people that have that "patience" to do that. It's disappointing.

The game 100% changed and not in a good way.... it lost a lot of old timers imo.... the changes they made while I don't agree with all of them have definitely improved the product.

That said - I know I crap on hitters that can't go the other way etc but also when you got bonuses tied to doubles its hard to get mad at the hitters lol

Gap to gap hitters are in short supply. One of the main reasons my son was recruited was his gap to gap prowess, approach and ability to go the other way and bunt.

Lost arts in todays Pro game which I agree....has changed drastically and not for the better....which brings me to this.

College baseball is what the MLB used to be....lots of small ball lots of bunting hit and run etc.

Power 5 not so much but the majority of college baseball is fantastic to watch. In fact I watched more NCAA baseball last year than pro....the Super Regionals and conference tournaments leading up to the CWS was equally thrilling.

 

[Gally]

Gap to gap hitters are in short supply. One of the main reasons my son was recruited was his gap to gap prowess, approach and ability to go the other way and bunt.

After last year my son figured his best bet for the college level was as a pitcher because he didn't hit for power. He hit for good average, goes the other way great, but didn't have any power. Basically a singles hitter. I keep telling him there is a place in college for his type of hitting. He can use all fields, good bunter, and never strikes out. He just didn't think it would be wanted.


After this summer of growing a bit and getting stronger in the weight room he has started to add a little pop. He is rethinking the pitcher only mentality since he is driving the ball better. We will see how the year goes, and I do think pitching is his ticket but I have no doubt he could have value at the college level as a situational hitter and defensive guy if given the chance. Time will tell.

 

[Todem]

Gap to gap hitters are in short supply. One of the main reasons my son was recruited was his gap to gap prowess, approach and ability to go the other way and bunt.

After last year my son figured his best bet for the college level was as a pitcher because he didn't hit for power. He hit for good average, goes the other way great, but didn't have any power. Basically a singles hitter. I keep telling him there is a place in college for his type of hitting. He can use all fields, good bunter, and never strikes out. He just didn't think it would be wanted.


After this summer of growing a bit and getting stronger in the weight room he has started to add a little pop. He is rethinking the pitcher only mentality since he is driving the ball better. We will see how the year goes, and I do think pitching is his ticket but I have no doubt he could have value at the college level as a situational hitter and defensive guy if given the chance. Time will tell.

So my son entered Fall 2023 5'9 1/2 and 138 LBS. After his first Fall In college he gained 23LBS of pure lean muscle and added 1.5 inches to his height. He is now 5'11 161 lbs.

We went out to hit many times over his winter break.....he consistently was putting balls over the fence. His longest shot which we verified via google map went 383 feet.

Yeah....classic late bloomer and power comes later for many hitters. In fact it is well known in baseball hitters do not hit their absolute prime till age 25-27 (if you're blessed to still be playing).

Tell him to keep grinding.

 

[The Z Machine]

Basketball is similar but there are some exceptions going to G league and abroad.

I gotta think that's only going to increase as the star athletes find that their training and prospects are better by NOT going to college.

 

[Chadstroma]

Basketball is similar but there are some exceptions going to G league and abroad.

I gotta think that's only going to increase as the star athletes find that their training and prospects are better by NOT going to college.

I don't know... with all the NIL money in college now... the money that they can make in college is likely more for the top talent than the G league or abroad.

 

[Hot Diggity Dog]

I found out last night that my daughter is going to be the starting pitcher opening day for her softball team. Her first game as a freshman and she draws the start. Now I just need to find a way down to Houston in a month.

 

[the moops]

10 and 12 year old boys got into bouldering at the end of the summer. Tryouts for the team were in Sept, and to our surprise (and delight) the 12 year old made senior team - which is made up of 12-18 year olds. The 10 year old made junior team which is made up of mostly 8-11 year olds.

First competition ever for them was last weekend. 10 year old ****ing crushed it. Finished in 2nd place (just missed first by one attempt). And the 12 year old finished in 10th (out of 30). So proud of them. We were all a little nervous but that quickly subsided and now we are even headed to Milwaukee this weekend for another competition.

For those unfamiliar, I would highly recommend bouldering as a sport for anyone. The kids get damn strong, develop some excellent self discipline and determination, and the sport overall is just a highly encouraging environment.

So...after a quick look....how un-safe is this?

Not unsafe at all. I mean sure there are injuries just like any other sport but i dont think bouldering is out of ordinary

I looked it up as well -by definition bouldering is rock climbing without ropes.

My kids do indoor bouldering. The gym is specific to bouldering. Floor is like 15 inch super soft foam and the highest one climbs is like 12-15 feet

Well my 10 year old has now qualified for regional championships in Chicago. Came in 5th place out in Milwaukee this past weekend, and that coupled with his 2nd place finish in Minneapolis guarantees him a spot. Only been climbing seriously since September so super

One cool moment this weekend. The comp last 3 hours. There are 6 problems (that's what they call each bouldering route) and you can attempt each one up to 15 times (this varies by comp but generally somewhere in the 5-15 range). But you never really get to try one 15 times both because of time constraints and just general fatigue. So hard for a 10 year old to convince themselves to rest when it is so important for you are better off taking fewer attempts and be rested then just keep trying trying trying.

With like 30 minutes to go he was completely exhausted and was ready to just be done. He was in 10th place at that point and that would have been good enough to qualify but we told him to just relax and chill for a bit. With 1 minute to go in the competition, he decided to give one problem one more try. He had failed 7 times at it, but was rested now. Well, he ****ing nailed it. Vaulted him from 10th to 5th. Super cool moment to see.

And in case anyone cares https://www.tiktok.com/@patrickmckennan/video/7300663670000946475

Nice job Nico!

Little dude finished in 5th place in the regional championships! We were down in Chicago for the weekend and they had the North regional championships (ND, SD, MN, WI, IA, IL) on Saturday. After a ****ty super delayed Amtrak down from the twin cities - we got into our hotel at 1AM and had to be at the gym for him to enter isolation at 7:15. Yikes!

Nearly got 2nd place - just missed one last move on the last boulder and ended up in 5th. In his age catgegory (born in 2013 or later) regional championships is as far as he goes. For older kids the top 13 make it to divisionals, then the top 6 from there make it to nationals.

 

[Chadstroma]

Over the weekend, the basketball team I coach with my son for 5th grade won a tournament championship. Nice big trophy for the school case and the kids got little ones.

Tomorrow is a big game in a league we are undefeated in (we are in two leagues overall record now including tournament is 13-2-1). It is against a team that supposedly has the best player in the league (both leagues basically have the same teams). My son is our best on ball defender so I will be putting him on their star. I told my son that he was my secret defensive weapon because he has the speed/quickness to keep up with pretty much the fastest/quickest kids but also has the size/strength to go up against pretty much all the bigger/stronger kids. He does a good job of really limiting star players so it will be a good match up to see and see how he does with it.

 

[Chadstroma]

10 and 12 year old boys got into bouldering at the end of the summer. Tryouts for the team were in Sept, and to our surprise (and delight) the 12 year old made senior team - which is made up of 12-18 year olds. The 10 year old made junior team which is made up of mostly 8-11 year olds.

First competition ever for them was last weekend. 10 year old ****ing crushed it. Finished in 2nd place (just missed first by one attempt). And the 12 year old finished in 10th (out of 30). So proud of them. We were all a little nervous but that quickly subsided and now we are even headed to Milwaukee this weekend for another competition.

For those unfamiliar, I would highly recommend bouldering as a sport for anyone. The kids get damn strong, develop some excellent self discipline and determination, and the sport overall is just a highly encouraging environment.

So...after a quick look....how un-safe is this?

Not unsafe at all. I mean sure there are injuries just like any other sport but i dont think bouldering is out of ordinary

I looked it up as well -by definition bouldering is rock climbing without ropes.

My kids do indoor bouldering. The gym is specific to bouldering. Floor is like 15 inch super soft foam and the highest one climbs is like 12-15 feet

Well my 10 year old has now qualified for regional championships in Chicago. Came in 5th place out in Milwaukee this past weekend, and that coupled with his 2nd place finish in Minneapolis guarantees him a spot. Only been climbing seriously since September so super

One cool moment this weekend. The comp last 3 hours. There are 6 problems (that's what they call each bouldering route) and you can attempt each one up to 15 times (this varies by comp but generally somewhere in the 5-15 range). But you never really get to try one 15 times both because of time constraints and just general fatigue. So hard for a 10 year old to convince themselves to rest when it is so important for you are better off taking fewer attempts and be rested then just keep trying trying trying.

With like 30 minutes to go he was completely exhausted and was ready to just be done. He was in 10th place at that point and that would have been good enough to qualify but we told him to just relax and chill for a bit. With 1 minute to go in the competition, he decided to give one problem one more try. He had failed 7 times at it, but was rested now. Well, he ****ing nailed it. Vaulted him from 10th to 5th. Super cool moment to see.

And in case anyone cares https://www.tiktok.com/@patrickmckennan/video/7300663670000946475

Nice job Nico!

Little dude finished in 5th place in the regional championships! We were down in Chicago for the weekend and they had the North regional championships (ND, SD, MN, WI, IA, IL) on Saturday. After a ****ty super delayed Amtrak down from the twin cities - we got into our hotel at 1AM and had to be at the gym for him to enter isolation at 7:15. Yikes!

Nearly got 2nd place - just missed one last move on the last boulder and ended up in 5th. In his age catgegory (born in 2013 or later) regional championships is as far as he goes. For older kids the top 13 make it to divisionals, then the top 6 from there make it to nationals.

Nice!

Isolation?

 

[the moops]

Isolation?

Yea probably should have explained that one. When you get this far along, the format changes. There are only 4 boulders you need to try and complete and you only have 4 minutes to attempt each one (with 4 minutes of rest in between each one). So climbers have to go into isolation until they are called out for their attempts. No climber can see the boulder until their attempt, thus they are in a back room with their coach and the other climbers.

So you are called out, you get your first glance at the boulder as the clock starts. Then you gotta survey it and figure out how you want to climb it. If you fail, you can try again. And you can try as many times as possible in that 4 minutes, but realistically because of exhaustion you only get 3 maybe 4 attempts. You score better if you finish it in fewer attempts, so taking your time to figure it out has to be balanced with maximizing the clock. It's a mental and physical problem for sure

 

[ChiefD]

Little dude finished in 5th place in the regional championships! We were down in Chicago for the weekend and they had the North regional championships (ND, SD, MN, WI, IA, IL) on Saturday. After a ****ty super delayed Amtrak down from the twin cities - we got into our hotel at 1AM and had to be at the gym for him to enter isolation at 7:15. Yikes!

Nearly got 2nd place - just missed one last move on the last boulder and ended up in 5th. In his age catgegory (born in 2013 or later) regional championships is as far as he goes. For older kids the top 13 make it to divisionals, then the top 6 from there make it to nationals.

Sweet - congrats!

Just an FYI - as a result of your initial post I asked my 13 year old daughter if she would be interested in something like this. She said "sure".

So we signed her up for a beginner rock climbing class right before Christmas. She LOVED it. So she wants to keep pursuing that and get some more time at the rock climbing gym. Not sure if she is going to do the bouldering yet - she wants to build her confidence.

But thank you for the original post.

 

[the moops]

Little dude finished in 5th place in the regional championships! We were down in Chicago for the weekend and they had the North regional championships (ND, SD, MN, WI, IA, IL) on Saturday. After a ****ty super delayed Amtrak down from the twin cities - we got into our hotel at 1AM and had to be at the gym for him to enter isolation at 7:15. Yikes!

Nearly got 2nd place - just missed one last move on the last boulder and ended up in 5th. In his age catgegory (born in 2013 or later) regional championships is as far as he goes. For older kids the top 13 make it to divisionals, then the top 6 from there make it to nationals.

Sweet - congrats!

Just an FYI - as a result of your initial post I asked my 13 year old daughter if she would be interested in something like this. She said "sure".

So we signed her up for a beginner rock climbing class right before Christmas. She LOVED it. So she wants to keep pursuing that and get some more time at the rock climbing gym. Not sure if she is going to do the bouldering yet - she wants to build her confidence.

But thank you for the original post.

Hell yea! Get your *** in there climbing with her too! It is heck of fun and a great workout. Be careful though, my elbows are killing me.

 

[nirad3]

My 7th-grade daughter's volleyball team had a nice come-from-behind victory last night. They lost the first game (barely) and really cranked things up in games 2 and 3 to win. The coach has two lineups; one for game one, one for game two, and then plays the "best" players for the third and final game. My daughter subbed in halfway through the first game, played the entire second game, and then was on for the third and final game. She is a true HUSTLER... gets on the ground way more than any other player. I tell her, as a past coach myself (soccer and basketball) that HUSTLE and EFFORT are recognized by coaches. We are hoping to find a club team that is affordable, since that seems to be the best way to get kids to really improve. I know it's a long way off but I am hopeful that she can not only make the HS team here in a year or two, but be good enough for a scholarship. I think she's well on her way.

 

[Gally]

We are hoping to find a club team that is affordable,

Really research the organization before signing on. Find out how they run practices, games, tournaments to see what their true goals and development approach is. Not every club is equal even if they seem so on the surface. You really need to make sure that their approach lines up with your mentality (same level of winning vs development approach). If your values don't align it will be no fun for anyone.

Go to tournaments with that organization's coaches and just observe how they do things. Don't let them know you are there as this is a good way to get a true vision of how they run things. If you can, talk to parents that have left the organization to see what they liked and didn't like. The more you can find out ahead of time the better off you will be.

 

[skol asylum]

My 14 year old hit a walk off 2 RBI single last night that won their softball game. That was fun.

 

[ChiefD]

So this past weekend my 16 year old son was playing in a hockey tournament in Chicago. They were playing for 3rd place and in that game went down 4-1 going into the 3rd period. He scores in the third and they then come back to tie it and go into overtime.

He ends up scoring the game winner in OT. I posted this in one of the game threads this weekend but here's the video. One of the dads was in the PERFECT spot to catch this.

Game Winner Video

 

[Gally]

So this past weekend my 16 year old son was playing in a hockey tournament in Chicago. They were playing for 3rd place and in that game went down 4-1 going into the 3rd period. He scores in the third and they then come back to tie it and go into overtime.

He ends up scoring the game winner in OT. I posted this in one of the game threads this weekend but here's the video. One of the dads was in the PERFECT spot to catch this.

Game Winner Video

Awesome video. As you said.......perfect spot.

 

[the moops]

So this past weekend my 16 year old son was playing in a hockey tournament in Chicago. They were playing for 3rd place and in that game went down 4-1 going into the 3rd period. He scores in the third and they then come back to tie it and go into overtime.

He ends up scoring the game winner in OT. I posted this in one of the game threads this weekend but here's the video. One of the dads was in the PERFECT spot to catch this.

Game Winner Video

Awesome video. As you said.......perfect spot.

Sick goal!

May I ask the format of this? Looks like it was a one on one thing or something?

 

[the moops]

My 14 year old hit a walk off 2 RBI single last night that won their softball game. That was fun.

Your other post got deleted, but I saw the video.

Goes down 0-2? No problem, sick RBI single! Way to go daughter of @skol asylum

 

[skol asylum]

My 14 year old hit a walk off 2 RBI single last night that won their softball game. That was fun.

Your other post got deleted, but I saw the video.

Goes down 0-2? No problem, sick RBI single! Way to go daughter of @skol asylum

Thanks. Yeah especially when the ump was blind and it should have been 2-0.

walk off 2 RBI single

New item · Album by Scott Hanson

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[ChiefD]

So this past weekend my 16 year old son was playing in a hockey tournament in Chicago. They were playing for 3rd place and in that game went down 4-1 going into the 3rd period. He scores in the third and they then come back to tie it and go into overtime.

He ends up scoring the game winner in OT. I posted this in one of the game threads this weekend but here's the video. One of the dads was in the PERFECT spot to catch this.

Game Winner Video

Awesome video. As you said.......perfect spot.

Sick goal!

May I ask the format of this? Looks like it was a one on one thing or something?

They were in overtime so it was 3 on 3. His team was playing defense and he was playing the outside guy at the blue line. The other team passed it back to the blue line and their guy mucked with the puck and my son stole the puck and beat the defender down the ice for the goal.

 

[belljr]

Three on three is probably one of the only changes I really enjoy in hockey. Along with getting rid of the two line pass

 

[Gally]

Three on three is probably one of the only changes I really enjoy in hockey. Along with getting rid of the two line pass

I think it was better before the teams figured out the analytics if it. Now one team gets possession and keeps it until they can complete a line change and keep the other team out until they are tired and work to get a perfect shot. It actually slows the game down and limits overall possessions. I don't like it nearly as much now with this approach.

 

[Drunken knight]

So- i cannot find my post, but my daughter was fighting through back pain. Yesterday we finally received something more concrete: she has spondylolisthesis where spinal vertebrae slips over one another.... L4, L5, S1. she is going to try to play her senior year (wants her 4th letter for lax).

This week we found out she got into Cal State SF, and Cal State Channel Islands...14 more to go, but she is relieved that she is in nursing programs.

@CGRdrJoe
San Marcos was one the schools we visited in October. We liked it. In her top 5

Poor thing is still dealing with the back pain and we may have seen the end of her playing days

ASU is her #1 right now (going to visit in Feb). They actually have a pretty good women’s team should she be able to go back to it later

@skol asylum

Who are our other az FBG?

 

[Gally]

Then he will sign a letter of intent on National Signing day at his high school that will be provided to him by his college coach. I think you told me he already applied and was accepted to the school? Was there any academic money they offered him? You can negotiate that as well FYI.

Before he does that.....he should personally speak to the D2 head coach and tell him I am excited to formally commit to the program and can’t wait to get started.

So the D2 head coach called my son last night to make the "preferred walk on" offer and my son accepted. He asked the coach if there was anything he needed to do for official commitment and he was told there wan't anything yet. They talked for about 15 minutes and I thought the coach was genuine (same as when we met him over the summer on our unofficial visit). He then started a group text chain with another incoming freshman commit so they could make sure they got housing together and could get started on that process.

The coach also said that he is still looking at his money situation for next year and there is a good chance he will have a little bit of money for him scholarship wise which I thought was a great statement and unexpected.

So now nothing to do but focus on the season and finishing up his HS career strong.

 

[belljr]

Awesome - such a load off and relief

 

[Kuz]

Then he will sign a letter of intent on National Signing day at his high school that will be provided to him by his college coach. I think you told me he already applied and was accepted to the school? Was there any academic money they offered him? You can negotiate that as well FYI.

Before he does that.....he should personally speak to the D2 head coach and tell him I am excited to formally commit to the program and can’t wait to get started.

So the D2 head coach called my son last night to make the "preferred walk on" offer and my son accepted. He asked the coach if there was anything he needed to do for official commitment and he was told there wan't anything yet. They talked for about 15 minutes and I thought the coach was genuine (same as when we met him over the summer on our unofficial visit). He then started a group text chain with another incoming freshman commit so they could make sure they got housing together and could get started on that process.

The coach also said that he is still looking at his money situation for next year and there is a good chance he will have a little bit of money for him scholarship wise which I thought was a great statement and unexpected.

So now nothing to do but focus on the season and finishing up his HS career strong.

Congrats - That's awesome. Good luck to your son

 

[Chadstroma]

Conference Meet last night (so that is 6 of the clubs in the conference at the meet.... kind of like a championship game)

My older son had 1st in 50 Fly.
He made up a lot of time in their free relay to get them to 2nd place (was about a half of a pool length behind) and 3rd in the medley relay, again, making up a lot of time on his leg.

The heart break was the 100 IM. He needed .31 off his best time to get a regional cut. He cut .43 off with a 2nd place finish! I was ecstatic but then the app updated and he had a DQ. He has been preoccupied with doing flip turns on the back stroke as he knew if he did he would make the cut there as well,,,, the IM, you can't do a flip turn coming out of the back stroke.... but he did.

We have a "last chance" intrasquad meet where he can swim three events to get cuts. I was hoping he would have the IM and then do the 50 Back, 50 and 100 Breast but we are dropping the 50 back and doing the IM to hopefully make that. He needs to cut .37 off 50 Breast and 1.74 off 100 Breast. Currently, he has made 4 regional cuts 50 and 100 Free and 50 and 100 Fly. It will be awesome for him to make 7 regional events but 4 is a huge achievement and even more so when he has a whole season to go in the 10U and swim is not his sport focus.

My little guy DQ'd in the medley relay and should have on the 25 Fly but my app shows him placing 5th. He got 6th in the 25 Free and 3rd in the Free Relay.

 

[Hot Diggity Dog]

I found out last night that my daughter is going to be the starting pitcher opening day for her softball team. Her first game as a freshman and she draws the start. Now I just need to find a way down to Houston in a month.

Start went great. Gave up one run in four innings, closer came in and held them for a 4-1 victory. Getting a win in here first collegiate start was exciting.

 

[Instinctive]

Officially a future entry to this thread, with our son born late late late last night!!! Can't wait for the first post...will it be catching something? Throwing something accurately? Jumping? Who knows...

 

[Todem]

So we are back after our short timeout.

The kids first collegiate start he went 3/4 4RBI 3Runs Triple off the left field wall on the very first pitch he saw and drove in 2 on that one. Ripped two more line drive rbi singles.

Second game he went 1/2 with an rbi and walk.

Double header Wednesday.

We are going up 3/4-3/6 and 4/1-4/6

Exciting!

 

[The Z Machine]

The kids first collegiate start he went 3/4 4RBI 3Runs Triple off the left field wall on the very first pitch he saw and drove in 2 on that one. Ripped two more line drive rbi singles.

Damn, what a debut! Nice work, kid

 

[Gally]

First week of the senior season and so far so good. The team went 3-0 and my son is off to a great start:

Game 1 (18-2 W):

• Pitching: ND, 2 IP, 6 K, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 unearned run (dropped third strike to get on, followed by an error on the next batter)
• Hitting: 3-4, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, SB, 2 BB

Game 2 (2-0 W, 9 Innings):

• Pitching: W, 9 IP, 11K, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 104 pitches (not one ball hit into the OF; Team had 3 errors on ground balls, two runners erased on double plays so he faced one batter over the minimum) -
• Hitting: 1-3, 2 HBP

Game 3 (6-1 W)

• Designated Hitter so no pitching. It was the second game of a doubleheader
• Hitting: 0-2, BB, HBP, SB

Next game is this Friday. Not sure who will be getting the start on the mound as of yet.

 

[belljr]

So we are back after our short timeout.

The kids first collegiate start he went 3/4 4RBI 3Runs Triple off the left field wall on the very first pitch he saw and drove in 2 on that one. Ripped two more line drive rbi singles.

Second game he went 1/2 with an rbi and walk.

Double header Wednesday.

We are going up 3/4-3/6 and 4/1-4/6

Exciting!

baby belljr doesnt start to march but she says shes struggling hitting - mostly timing but fingers crossed she works it out or the coach sees it - and or she asks for help.

I know based on her ability she could start based on what ive seen the last year for her current team and her ability but if she doesnt put it together not much good it will be

 

[Gally]

baby belljr doesnt start to march but she says shes struggling hitting - mostly timing but fingers crossed she works it out or the coach sees it - and or she asks for help.

I know based on her ability she could start based on what ive seen the last year for her current team and her ability but if she doesnt put it together not much good it will be

Off season is the time to struggle a bit as you fine tune some mechanics or work on things. Key is to not get wrapped up in results right now. Keep plugging away with fine tuning mechanics and trust the process of the off season. Worst thing to do is get frustrated to the point it gets in your head. But I am sure you are already telling her that...hahaha

 

[belljr]

baby belljr doesnt start to march but she says shes struggling hitting - mostly timing but fingers crossed she works it out or the coach sees it - and or she asks for help.

I know based on her ability she could start based on what ive seen the last year for her current team and her ability but if she doesnt put it together not much good it will be

Off season is the time to struggle a bit as you fine tune some mechanics or work on things. Key is to not get wrapped up in results right now. Keep plugging away with fine tuning mechanics and trust the process of the off season. Worst thing to do is get frustrated to the point it gets in your head. But I am sure you are already telling her that...hahaha

Well shes at college so i just tell her to keep working hard, stay confident and talk with the coach

Abotu all I can do now

 

[The Z Machine]

First week of the senior season and so far so good. The team went 3-0 and my son is off to a great start:

Game 1 (18-2 W):

• Pitching: ND, 2 IP, 6 K, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 unearned run (dropped third strike to get on, followed by an error on the next batter)
• Hitting: 3-4, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, SB, 2 BB

Game 2 (2-0 W, 9 Innings):

• Pitching: W, 9 IP, 11K, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 104 pitches (not one ball hit into the OF; Team had 3 errors on ground balls, two runners erased on double plays so he faced one batter over the minimum) -
• Hitting: 1-3, 2 HBP

Game 3 (6-1 W)

• Designated Hitter so no pitching. It was the second game of a doubleheader
• Hitting: 0-2, BB, HBP, SB

Next game is this Friday. Not sure who will be getting the start on the mound as of yet.

Wait, he threw a no hitter???

 

[Gally]

First week of the senior season and so far so good. The team went 3-0 and my son is off to a great start:

Game 1 (18-2 W):

• Pitching: ND, 2 IP, 6 K, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 unearned run (dropped third strike to get on, followed by an error on the next batter)
• Hitting: 3-4, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, SB, 2 BB

Game 2 (2-0 W, 9 Innings):

• Pitching: W, 9 IP, 11K, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 104 pitches (not one ball hit into the OF; Team had 3 errors on ground balls, two runners erased on double plays so he faced one batter over the minimum) -
• Hitting: 1-3, 2 HBP

Game 3 (6-1 W)

• Designated Hitter so no pitching. It was the second game of a doubleheader
• Hitting: 0-2, BB, HBP, SB

Next game is this Friday. Not sure who will be getting the start on the mound as of yet.

Wait, he threw a no hitter???

Yep. Second high school no hitter. He threw one last year as well

 

[The Z Machine]

First week of the senior season and so far so good. The team went 3-0 and my son is off to a great start:

Game 1 (18-2 W):

• Pitching: ND, 2 IP, 6 K, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 unearned run (dropped third strike to get on, followed by an error on the next batter)
• Hitting: 3-4, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, SB, 2 BB

Game 2 (2-0 W, 9 Innings):

• Pitching: W, 9 IP, 11K, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 104 pitches (not one ball hit into the OF; Team had 3 errors on ground balls, two runners erased on double plays so he faced one batter over the minimum) -
• Hitting: 1-3, 2 HBP

Game 3 (6-1 W)

• Designated Hitter so no pitching. It was the second game of a doubleheader
• Hitting: 0-2, BB, HBP, SB

Next game is this Friday. Not sure who will be getting the start on the mound as of yet.

Wait, he threw a no hitter???

Yep. Second high school no hitter. He threw one last year as well

Ah, I thought he was playing D3 college ball. Still super impressive.

 

[Gally]

First week of the senior season and so far so good. The team went 3-0 and my son is off to a great start:

Game 1 (18-2 W):

• Pitching: ND, 2 IP, 6 K, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 unearned run (dropped third strike to get on, followed by an error on the next batter)
• Hitting: 3-4, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, SB, 2 BB

Game 2 (2-0 W, 9 Innings):

• Pitching: W, 9 IP, 11K, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 104 pitches (not one ball hit into the OF; Team had 3 errors on ground balls, two runners erased on double plays so he faced one batter over the minimum) -
• Hitting: 1-3, 2 HBP

Game 3 (6-1 W)

• Designated Hitter so no pitching. It was the second game of a doubleheader
• Hitting: 0-2, BB, HBP, SB

Next game is this Friday. Not sure who will be getting the start on the mound as of yet.

Wait, he threw a no hitter???

Yep. Second high school no hitter. He threw one last year as well

Ah, I thought he was playing D3 college ball. Still super impressive.

He is still a senior in high school. As of right now he has verbally committed to a D2 school in Colorado.

 

[Todem]

Game 3 and 4

Batting from the 3 hole

Total's from the day:

3/7
2B
2 RBI
2 R
SB
BB

Kid is mashing. His outs were hard hit rockets, one where he reached on an error on a frozen rope down the 3B line and the 3B bobbled it then threw a low bouncer because he was hauling down the baseline.

His RBI stand up double was a 10 pitch AB. Worked an 0-2 count to 3-2 then fouled off 4 straight sliders. Pitcher finally gave in on a middle in fastball that he one hopped the LF wall on.

Also worked an 8 pitch walk and saw nothing but breaking pitches that AB.

Made all his plays defensively.

Needless to say his coaches are thrilled and he is in a zone.....next double header is the 28th.

A call up to Varsity is gonna happen soon.

His coaches told him he is seeing better pitching than the Varsity squad.....they have played 2 JUCO's and they are D1 caliber JUCO's he has faced. Guys sitting between 88-92 with junk.

Proud of him. He never misses a lift, he is so locked in.

His overall body strength has accelerated since he left Douglas and was put on a strength, speed and conditioning program at the collegiate level. It really is pretty amazing the transformation he has made physically. Yet he is still nimble and has increased his speed, range and arm strength defensively.

Love it. A true late bloomer success story developing here.

We head up March 4-6 and April 1-6 and I can't wait to see him play in person again. It's been a long time.