My Pro Day Experience

[SecoSteve]

Does anyone have any input on this "My Pro Day Experience" put on by US Baseball Academy? It is a 3 hour deal where each kid is put in age appropriate groups and put through a series of drills and then evaluated and given a score to see where he stands against other kids his age all over the country.

I'm signing up my 9 year old hoping that something good comes from it. Either way, I'm just glad to get him on a field playing baseball between spring and fall ball.

[PhilliesPhan22]

How much $$$ that set you back?

[SecoSteve]

Oh boy did I get a deal!(sarcasm) It was $99, but since we did a camp previously I got it for $49.

[Jake Patterson]

Does anyone have any input on this "My Pro Day Experience" put on by US Baseball Academy? It is a 3 hour deal where each kid is put in age appropriate groups and put through a series of drills and then evaluated and given a score to see where he stands against other kids his age all over the country.

What "good" do you think can come from this? Where he ranks is irrelevent at this age. What if comes out below average? Does that mean he should quit, push harder, seek training, etc... What if he comes out above average???

I see these things, the same way as dads gunning their 9 y/o sons. Who cares what the results are?? You're putting the cart before the horse.

[bbrages]

Maybe he's below average in some areas, and above in others... you could work on the weak spots.

Probably you as a dad know the weak and strong spots better than somebody in a 3-hour camp, though...

[songtitle]

I see these things, the same way as dads gunning their 9 y/o sons.

Obviously, we have significant regional and cultural differences across the country as far as how we raise kids. Some view scores/grades/ranks as bad... others view it as essential.



Looks scary, huh?

[Standballdad]

Does anyone have any input on this "My Pro Day Experience" put on by US Baseball Academy? It is a 3 hour deal where each kid is put in age appropriate groups and put through a series of drills and then evaluated and given a score to see where he stands against other kids his age all over the country.

I'm signing up my 9 year old hoping that something good comes from it. Either way, I'm just glad to get him on a field playing baseball between spring and fall ball.

Save your money, the results are meaningless.

[SecoSteve]

What "good" do you think can come from this? Where he ranks is irrelevent at this age. What if comes out below average? Does that mean he should quit, push harder, seek training, etc... What if he comes out above average???

I see these things, the same way as dads gunning their 9 y/o sons. Who cares what the results are?? You're putting the cart before the horse.

Being ranked is secondary to me. I just want to take advantage of every opportunity to get my son on a field and not just in the back yard. Maybe his "report card" can help me help him. We live in PA and baseball isn't a year round sport. I was just curious if anyone had any information on this "clinic" or US Baseball Academy in general.

[CircleChange11]

Being ranked is secondary to me. I just want to take advantage of every opportunity to get my son on a field and not just in the back yard.

Really? This is the only way to get him to a field and not in the backyard?

You go to a pro day TO get ranked, not just "get in ball in". I don't show up for a half marathon just because i was tired of walking around the block.

Maybe his "report card" can help me help him.

Yeah, maybe.

My guess is that the academy uses the rankings to let you, the parent, know how they can help your kid "move up" the rankings ... and many parents sign up for the academy that day because they're told how talented their kid is and how they need some regular work with a highly skilled instructor which they ... like magic ... just happened to have.

If this were a cartoon, the wolves would be organizing a "Best Wool" contest for the sheep.

Really, I'd just take my kid out for some practice. If that's running its course, then bring some friends and play Indian ball.

The whole reason for going to these things is for the purpose of being ranked.

[tradosaurus]

What "good" do you think can come from this? Where he ranks is irrelevent at this age. What if comes out below average? Does that mean he should quit, push harder, seek training, etc... What if he comes out above average???

I see these things, the same way as dads gunning their 9 y/o sons. Who cares what the results are?? You're putting the cart before the horse.

Probably just as irrelevant how you rank in USSSA or Triple Crown or "fill in the blank".

[PhilliesPhan22]

What does your son want?

[tg643]

Does anyone have any input on this "My Pro Day Experience" put on by US Baseball Academy? It is a 3 hour deal where each kid is put in age appropriate groups and put through a series of drills and then evaluated and given a score to see where he stands against other kids his age all over the country.

I'm signing up my 9 year old hoping that something good comes from it. Either way, I'm just glad to get him on a field playing baseball between spring and fall ball.

What good is going to come of it? He's nine. What does it matter where he stands against other kids around the country? He's prepubescent. You're wasting money.

[tg643]

Being ranked is secondary to me. I just want to take advantage of every opportunity to get my son on a field and not just in the back yard. Maybe his "report card" can help me help him. We live in PA and baseball isn't a year round sport. I was just curious if anyone had any information on this "clinic" or US Baseball Academy in general.

My kids grew up in PA. They played or practiced year round starting in high school. They hit and fielded every week ten and a half months. Notice I didn't say threw. My son played in a weekend winter league under the dome at Diamond Nation in Flemington. Besides, what does it matter if baseball is a year round sport? My kids didn't focus on softball and baseball year round until high school. Even then my daughter played three high school sports and my son two (after he dropped basketball). They both play(ed) D1 college softball/baseball.

[tg643]

My guess is that the academy uses the rankings to let you, the parent, know how they can help your kid "move up" the rankings ... and many parents sign up for the academy that day because they're told how talented their kid is and how they need some regular work with a highly skilled instructor which they ... like magic ... just happened to have.

BINGO!

I once asked a D1 coach who ran 7-12yo summer clinics if parents ever pressed him for evaluations. He told every parent the same thing. "If he keeps working hard at the game there's no telling how far he'll go." It's not a lie. It's vague yet encouraging. You would be surprised how many parents took that for the kid has a future in the game. The coach added, "Am I supposed to tell them their kid sucks and don't waste your money here? It's how we finance our spring trip."

[SecoSteve]

What does your son want?

He just wants to play. He thinks it's cool to get evaluated. We will be going, but I will have an eye open for the "Hey we can help him get better for more $$$." Thanks for all the opnions here. Maybe my son will meet some kids and start a new friendship. Or he may get noticed and it may lead to playing on another team. Or maybe not.

There seems to be a lot of cynicsm here. I am new to this new youth baseball culture. When I was in Little League, I just remember playing and having fun(late 70's). No parents were living vicariously through their kids(at least I didn't see/know about it). Now, it seems different.