Youth Sports: Hanging up the Spikes to Spike a Volleyball

My son, Nic, was born to play baseball. Or so I thought. He excelled at baseball at a young age.  Age 10 he played on a super elite team. That team went on to be finalist in the CABA World Series and Nic was named to the All Tournament Team. He could hit and he had a great arm. He set his dreams on playing in college and perhaps beyond.

I was amazed at how hard he could throw a baseball at that young age. It seemed unnatural. I guess it was because he broke his elbow at age 11 and his arm was never the same again.

At the end of the U15 season last year, his baseball team broke up. Tryouts for the 2013 season were held immediately after the 2012 season. Nic tried out for several elite teams, teams that were looking for 1 or 2 players to round out their rosters. I talked with many of the coaches. They loved Nic's speed, hitting mechanics, hustle and attitude, but they were concerned about his arm strength. Nic's arm was about dead after the long season and during tryouts. He did not make any elite teams. He was offered spots on lower level teams, but he did not want to do that. He knew his arm was always going to limit him. He decided to hang up the spikes. He felt like a dream died to him.

I convinced Nic to play volleyball, instead of baseball, in high school. I thought that volleyball would be the perfect game for his athletic ability. He will likely be tall, he can jump through the roof and he is very quick and athletic. It is also the perfect game for his temperament. It is sport where mistakes are not recorded. It is also a sport where the fans so close to the action and loud and he loves playing to a crowd.

The Main Point

When one door closes another one always opens. And you can walk through that opened door if you keep your head up.

Nic made his high school freshman team. He sat on the bench for the first 9 games. He was frustrated, but I told him to be patient. I reminded him that he is just learning the game. I told him to work hard in practice and before long he would be starting.

He got his chance in the 10th game. He has not sat out many points since. He loves his new sport.

Growing Up and Away From Sports

There comes a time when one realizes his or her sports career is coming to an end. It is a depressing time. It was for me.

My youth sports career was limited by my lack of focus. I played soccer and basketball and baseball and tennis and golf. I did not play any of these sports at a high level. I didn't even know that there were higher levels above town leagues. And I guess my parents were not too eager to find out about them either.

In 9th grade, my best days of baseball were behind me and I had fallen behind in soccer to players who knew that there was another level. Additionally, I was not tall enough for basketball and did not have the great ball handling skills to make it as a guard. At the time, there were no HS golf teams, so playing competitively did not cross my mind. That left tennis. I was really good at tennis, but it was not my passion. I decided to tryout for the tennis team. My high school was highly ranked, so I knew that it was not going to be an easy team to make. My dad belonged to a tennis club, so we played a couple of times a week in the mornings to prepare. He also invested in some lessons for me. When tryouts came around, I thought that I was ready. Unfortunately, the coaching staff did not. Very few freshman made the team and I was not one of the chosen few.

I immediately called the baseball coach and asked if it was to late to tryout for the baseball team. He allowed me to join in the later rounds of the tryouts, but I realized he was not paying any attention to me. When he posted the cut list, I saw my name. I wallowed in self-pity for the entire season. It was the first season that I did not have a sport to play. I didn't even pick up a racquet that season to play for fun. In fact, I never picked up a racquet to play competitively ever again.

Luckily, there was a new sport emerging, lacrosse. Few kids had played the sport growing up so I was not too far behind. My lax friends encouraged me to play. I picked up the game very quickly and found my passion. I made the JV team and eventually played on the varsity team. The game made me much much tougher. The game made me much more fit. And most importantly, the game gave me confidence and not just on the lax field. If I had all of these qualities before, I could have made the squads in any of the other sports I had played previously.

My son is going through a similar cycle and this fall is the first fall that he did not have fall ball baseball or golf or basketball. He was the last freshman cut from the golf team despite playing well. His baseball team broke up so he tried out for 4 club teams. He did not make any of the teams, his lingering arm problems finally caught up to him.

He felt the same way I did when I was in 9th grade.

The Main Point

I gave up on tennis after my setback, I will not let Nic give up on golf. Looking back, he wished that he had dropped baseball before last year to concentrate on golf. His friends that made their teams had played all spring and summer long to prepare for golf, Nic only played the three weeks between the end of baseball and the golf tryouts.

Then this fall he did what I did. He found a new sport. He found boys volleyball. He joined a pre-season club team and learned the game. He fell in love with it. He signed up for tryouts for the club season, but a stress fracture in his back have derailed those plans for now. Hopefully he can get back to playing so he can prepare for the HS season.

Regardless, there comes a time when competitive sports stop and real life begins. Luckily, real life includes intramural sports and co-ed adult leagues.

Youth Sports: Study Because The Chances Of Going Pro Are Slim

A personal note to my kids. Please study in school because the chances of going pro in your chosen sport are slim. Go after it if that is your passion, but study, study, study so you have something else to fall back on.


Let's face it, there are lots of Crazy Youth Sports Parents who have their sights set on a pro contract for their kids. They spend lots of money, time and emotion to prepare their kids for stardom. They over-manage their kid's youth sports career to the point of insanity. They do this because there is an outside chance that their kid might be the next Ken Griffey Jr or Drew Brees or Dewayne Wade.


The players that make it to the pros are special, one in a million special and it is that slim chance that makes youth sports parents dumb.







A pro contract is a very remote possibility for all young athletes, even the ones who excel in youth sports and in high school. And I am going to prove it to you in this post.


Moeller High School is known for developing men of character, providing a highly regarded college prep education and dominating in sports. Consider the following regarding their sports program.


The Moeller Baseball program is also one of the best in the state every year. They have had 43 winning seasons, including 26 twenty-win seasons. They have won 5 Ohio State Championships ('72,'89, '93, '04, '09). They have also won the Cincinnati Greater Catholic League Championship 24 times making them the best baseball team in the city almost every couple of years. To achieve this type of success you need great baseball players. Making the varsity team is not easy and getting on the field to contribute is even harder. I hope that you would agree with me that Moeller baseball players are elite HS players.


The Moeller Basketball team is one of the best in the state every year too. They have won 3 Ohio State Championships ('99, '03 '07). They have also won the Cincinnati Greater Catholic League Championship 15 times making them the best basketball team in the city of Cincinnati every three of years or so. They have produced 4 Ohio Players of the Year or one every 10 years. To achieve this type of success you need great basketball players. One could argue based on the smaller size of the roster that it is even harder to make the varsity team basketball team compared to baseball. So I hope that you would agree that Moeller basketball players are elite HS players.


The Moeller Football team which was once coached by the legendary Jerry Faust is special too. The school has complied an overall record of 391-87-2 in its illustrious history. The program has garnered 5 National Championships and 7 Ohio State Championships while producing 87 All-Ohio players and 35 All-American players. According to the Moeller website, 389 players earned college scholarships. The Moeller football program does not cut players, so any Moeller student who wants to play football can participate. But the ones who start and have contributed to the amazing record of success are among the best. So again, I would hope you would agree that Moeller football players are elite HS players.

OK - I think that I have established that Moeller is a sports powerhouse so one would think that many professional athletes emerge from this program. Let's look at the numbers. 

Youth Soccer: What does it take to play D1 college soccer?

What does it take to play D1 college soccer?

1. Skills - absolutely, D1 college players are among the best of the best.
2. Speed - yes, soccer is a super fast game especially at the D1 level.
3. Determination - yes, you've got to want it because there are plenty of players who will try to take it from you.
4. Perseverance - yes, every career has ups and downs. Only the strong-minded survive.
5. Toughness - yes you need both mental and physical toughness.
6. Heart - yes, the desire to play has to run deep.
7. Support - yes, you need people who believe in you
8. A chance - yes, you need to get noticed.
9. Size - no, not necessarily, but toughness is a must.
10. Playing time in HS - no, apparently not. Some kids are late bloomers.
11. Success at college showcase club tournaments - no, apparently not.

This story proves that all of the above is correct.
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I was the head soccer coach for my older son's team when he was U10 to U13. The team I coached was the B team in a competitive select / travel soccer club. The A team was dominant. Every year, we would have a tryout and the A team coach would take the top 15 players. I took whoever was left.

The club was strong so, we had a few strong players on the B team. We also had kids with potential. Some of the kids had skills but no real burning desire. Some of the kids had loads of desire, but limited skills. Some kids were confident in their abilities and others lacked confidence. It was the job of the coaching staff to inspire and teach each kid and help them advance in the sport.

The coaching staff consisted of 1) a former Brazilian soccer pro who worked with the team on technical skills, 2) a former college coach who worked with the team on the tactical aspects of the game, 3) an affable, assistant coach with a passion for the sport and 4) me, a D licensed coach.

I think that we did a fairly good job. A few of our kids were promoted to the A team and eventually played significant roles on their HS teams. I always felt a sense of pride when the players from our team were highlighted in a HS soccer game recap in the local newspaper.

Brian U10

One of my favorite players from our team was a great kid named Brian, the assistant coach's son. Brian was a skilled player who could play defense or offense. He was small, but what he lacked in size he more than made up for in hustle, heart and determination. Brian's endurance and fearlessness were strengths of his game. He never seemed to tire and he never backed down from bigger players. Regardless, I never saw Brian's name in any HS sports newspaper stories. According to his dad, Brian made his high school team but did not play much.

Brian did not let that deter him.

Youth Basketball: One Very Special Game

I write about select youth sports. Actually most of my stories are about premier level select sports where the the best players in the area, region, state or even country compete against each other. You would think that the parents of these select athletes would be completely and consistently proud, yet many, way too many, are completely frustrated and never satisfied. These parents have lost perspective. I have asked my dear friend Ann and fellow blogger to give us some perspective. Ann writes the Intramuralist.

Ann is a mom of three boys, an avid lover of sports and a blogger. While at Purdue in the late 80's, she competed in every possible intramural competition. Winning slow pitch and fast pitch softball, basketball and racquetball championships. Her blog is not about sports specifically, it's about life and life differences,  but she never forgets that we ultimately all play for the same team.

As an avid sports fan, I enjoy multiple seasons via my three young sons.  To date, my favorite game this year was the hardwood season opener, played in by Josh, my youngest.  Both he and I thought it was wonderful.

Prior to tip-off, the teams proudly donned their new uniforms — Carolina blue for the Spirit, a roaring red for the visiting Firebirds.  After weeks of at times, individually grueling practice, it was fascinating to me the unique amount of hope the new uniform instilled.  The boys — and girls — were eager to play.

As my youngest son took the floor, his countenance was seemingly new.  It was a unique combination of confidence, excitement, and toughness.  This was a moment Josh had long waited for.  Tip-off came and off Josh immediately went.

Allow me to humbly share that Josh is an accomplished inside shooter; hence, he plays near to the basket, thereby increasing the probability of a successful shot.  The challenge with our enthusiastic young man playing basketball’s “4 spot” is that Josh is approximately, only 48” tall.  While might often comes in compact packages, Josh guarded and was guarded by players 12-24” taller.  As Josh gasped during an initial time out, “That is one big dude.”


 The game remained fairly close and was full of stereotypical hard court action.  There were a few 3’s, blocked shots, fierce rebounds, and solid team play.  There were fast breaks, efficient defense, and even some jaw-dropping, notably unselfish assists.  We chuckled on the sidelines at Josh’s most creative assist...

He received the ball just past mid-court and was quickly surrounded by 3 defenders.  The coaches yelled for Josh to pass the ball.  (Inside I wonder if he thought, “Sure. Great idea, guys.  Any thought about how to get it past 3 men way huger than me?”)  After a rather pregnant pause and then a seemingly internal light bulb going off, Josh glanced around, shrugged his shoulders, and proceeded to use his height to an extreme advantage by quickly rolling the ball through a defender’s legs.  It went straight to his teammate, heading for the basket.

What was not stereotypical about this game was that each athlete had a disability.  The range of physical impairment was wide.  While none utilized a wheelchair, one had no use of his left hand; the left leg of another didn’t function; and cognitive challenges covered a wide span.  Yet each of the basketball players seemed thrilled to be there... thrilled to play... and thrilled to find a place where they were generously affirmed.

The Main Point

For those of us who live with a special needs individual, there are days when you question if his or her experience is somewhat lesser.  There are even moments where people strongly suggest that it is... moments where you feel the world looks down on the disabled.  But on this day — via Spirit basketball — there was nothing lesser.  It was a wonderful game.

The Cincinnati Swish Spirit program, affiliated with Cincinnati Swish Basketball, is a non-profit organization based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their mission is to provide every kid (6 - 16) regardless of disability the opportunity to learn and play basketball. 

Youth Baseball: Rare night Second Base

Note to coaches. Don't tell a young kid that he cannot do something or will never be something. Especially when the kid is only 12 years old.

My son had been the primary catcher for his previous team. He played off and on in right field too, but wanted to play infield (2nd base) on occasion. He wanted to become more versatile for high school.

I told my son to approach the coach and ask him if he could get a chance to play 2nd base in practices with a chance to earn some playing time in games. His ex-coach, chuckled at him and said, "Nic your not an infielder" and turned away. My son walked away without comment, but was absolutely furious. He was close to tears telling me the story in the car ride home from the practice. I wanted to approach the coach and plead my son's case, not for playing time but for respect and a chance. My son forbade me. I told my son to hang in there that this was our last year with this coach.

This season, my son is on a new team with a new coach. He has been playing second or catcher all year long.  Tonight he was at second base and had a terrific game, a once in a lifetime type of game.

My son made 12 of the 27 outs at second base. He fielded 8 grounders to get 8 force outs at first base. He also caught 2 pop ups and 2 line drives, one of which was spectacular and turned out to be a game saving grab.

He did not make a single error. In fact, he has only made one error at second base all year long.

The Main Point

Coaches, I am going to state the obvious. Kids change continuously. Their bodies, their confidence level, their attitude and their courage can and will all change year after year, maybe even month after month. As such, don't pigeon hole a kid into a position or prevent a kid from practicing a position he wants to learn. Who knows maybe he will be spectacular at a position.

Youth Basketball: Big Dreams

My daughter is a 10 year old basketball player. Earlier this year, she heard about the amazing UCONN women's team and began watching them play on TV. She went to the UCONN women's basketball website to learn the names and heights of all of the players. At 4' 7' in 4th grade, she is worried that she will not be tall enough to play for UCONN. She was comforted to learn that there are some shorter girls playing for the team. Lorin Dixon is listed at 5' 4" and Bria Hartley is listed at 5' 7". Both of these UCONN players are shorter than the tallest girl (5' 9") on her 4th AAU team.

This past weekend, I took my daughter to see the UCONN girls play live versus in Cincinnati. My daughter could not wait to see Maya Moore (the best women's NCAA basketball player) and Tiffany Hayes in action up close. Neither disappointed. Maya scored 23 points and had 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Tiffany Hayes scored 16 with 5 rebounds and 5 assists. My daughter was grinning from ear to ear during the game as UCONN beat the University of Cincinnati by 35 points.

After the game, as we were driving from the stadium to the gym where she would play her games, my daughter CC reconfirmed that she wants to go to UCONN to play basketball.

Games 26 and 27



CC's 4th Grade AAU team ran into some very tough 5th graders in game one and lost big. Then they played a 6th grade team. They lost that game too but it was a close game. The coach plays older teams to prepare the team for the AAU championships. CC was the smallest on the court.  During the 6th grade game, CC was run over by a 6th grade girl as she was trying to complete a fastbreak. CC was lucky that her elbow did not get a fast break.  It turned black and blue and swollen, but she is ok. Undeterred and unintimidated, she went back into the game to play. She will have to be tough to play for UCONN. Those women play a very tough brand of basketball.

The Main Point

Let your kids dream big. Help them understand what it takes to get to the top. Dreaming big and working hard to make dreams happen will benefit my daughter even if she never suits up for UCONN.

Sports mom, JBMThinks, illustrated just how hard it is to earn a roster spot on a Division 1 college sport team in a recent post. Only 3% for HS basketball players will earn that distinction.

What a 9 Year Old Athlete Wants to be When She Grows Up

For a recent school assignment, my nine year old daughter had to write an essay on what she wants to be when she grows up. She got an A on the following essay. Nothing she does surprises me, but the maturity in this writing did. She seems to have a very healthy outlook.

When I grow up I want to be many different things like maybe a professional soccer player, a fashion designer, a famous actress or a famous singer. If I end up being any one of those awesome things I still want a family. I want 4 or 5 children and a loving husband. I want to be a professional soccer player because I've been playing soccer since I was 4 1/2 and I still love it. I wouldn't just play one position, I would want to play a couple like right wing and right defense. I want to be like Mia Hamm, the professional soccer player. I want to be a fashion designer because I use [sp] to play dress up a lot when I was younger. Another reason is because I love shopping and watching fashion shows. I would love to be a famous actress because I have been in a few plays and I enjoy them so much. My favorite job I think would be a famous singer because I love singing and hearing songs from the radio, and I am now taking vocal lessons. I will make one of my dreams come true. No matter what job I get I will still have fun friends and family forever.