Best upcoming freshman

[926]

That's what I'm looking for...opinions of the pros and cons of holding back a child who is not behind the curve in any aspect other than the age between him and his peers. The difference between holding him back is the difference between getting playing time as a sophomore or playing time as a freshman and starting as a junior or starting as a sophomore. Remember that the kids in his grade who are competing for the same positions he plays (RB & LB) are all one or two years older than he is. And the kids who play these positions in the class below him are his age or a little older due to being held back, advantageous birthdays or both. Physically, I have no doubt he can compete against kids his age and a little older. My concerns arise from the knowledge that he's going to be judged alongside kids who are in the same grade and the grade above him who are much older than he is. He is well aware that most of the kids who play his positions were held back, and I believe that is why he is so competitive with them (friendly competition), or maybe he just gets it from his ultra competitive mom. He knows the weight room maxes of all the kids in his grade and most of the kids in the grade above him.

I'll admit that this whole "holding back" thing stems from the fact that I was a behind the age curve the entire time I was in school. I started as a junior and senior, but could have been held back and still graduate as an 18 year old and played an extra year. As a matter of fact, if my I had been born less than a week later than I was, I could have been held back 2 years and still been legal...that's how young I was. I just don't want him to feel like he's left anything on the table like I did.

[cbg]

926,

 

I to could have participated in high school athletics 2 years after I graduated and still been eligible. I didn't seem to hurt me because I went on to participate in D-1 athletics on the collegiate level. Today most of the kids are not held back for athletic purposes but just start to kindergarten as 6 year olds or turn 6 before the Christmas Holidays.

[mood1801]

If there is a more gifted incoming freshman anywhere in the state of Tennessee, than Chris Donald of Huntingdon, then I would gladly pay to see him. As a 12 yr old little leaguer, he pitched Huntingdon to the state championship game only to lose 1-0 to Donelson. He then started (and dominated) as a 7th grader as a center on Huntingdon Middle Schools basketball team that finished 2nd in 3A TNT state middle school tourney. In football as an 8th grader he rushed for over a 1,000 yards and was frankly unstoppable. The team went undefeated, then this year in basketball Huntingdon won the 2A state basketball Middle School Championship. Chris is 6'0 and can dunk flatfooted..The kid is 13 yrs old!!! I have heard that Huntingdon is going to run the Power I this year about 50% of the time this year with him in the backfield. We typically run the Wing T, and have both starters back from last year who both rushed for over 1,000 yds. That should tell you what kinda athlete this kid is...Remember you heard it here first, but you'll be hearing this kids name alot over the next 4 years......

[notredame788]

i hear that father ryan is getting an awesome player by the name of erik benton he is an awesome qb he runs a 4.2 40 he is going to be awesome i wouldnt be surprised if he started his freshmen year

[AGGSL]

As a parent, would you really hold your son back purely for athletic reasons? If he fits in well academically and socially , I see absolutely no reason to hold him back just so he will be the biggest, strongest, oldest... kid in his class.High school sports are important but they ought not drive such important decisions as this one.

It might be hard to believe, but the chances of most kids being Div 1 atjhletes are much less likely than many parents believe-particularly when the kid is 13.

[middlecoach]

JEREMY YOUNG FROM GRA-MAR MIDDLE IS ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED EIGHTH GRADERS IN METRO .....AS LONG AS HE STAY FOCUSED ON THE BIG PICTURE HE WILL BE A STUD IN UPCOMING YEARS....HIS FAMILY HAS NOT DECIDED ON HIGH SCHOOLS YET.....MAPLEWOOD/HUNTERS LANE/HILLSBORO/PEARL... 6'2 180

[WesVLT]

Posted by notredame788:

i hear that father ryan is getting an awesome player by the name of erik benton he is an awesome qb he runs a 4.2 40 he is going to be awesome i wouldnt be surprised if he started his freshmen year

 

They need players.

[926]

AGGSL,

So it is ok to advance an academically gifted child based purely on his or her intellect, even if this child fits in with his or her classmates socially, just so the child can ultimately begin their career at an earlier age? If a child was academically and socially adequate, but physically appeared to be much younger, would it be improper to hold him back?

If I were to hold him back, he wouldn't be the biggest, the linemen are still bigger. He wouldn't even be the oldest...read my earlier post. He would, however, be the strongest and fastest...he already is the fastest and second strongest in his grade. The kid that is stronger than him is about 2 inches shorter and outweighs him by a good 50-60 pounds. And who said anything about playing D1 anything (or DII or DIII for that matter)? I was just contemplating the feasibility of letting him play as long as the TSSAA rules would allow. If you were, like most of us, a high school athlete who wondered what you could have done with just one more year, then you know where I'm coming from.

Now, having said this, he and I have talked and we've decided that, even though there would be a marked athletic benefit to holding him back, he will advance with his classmates. He obviously isn't lacking the physical ability to compete with kids his age...the odd flat footed dunker and 4.2 40 runner not withstanding .

[AGGSL]

926

Thanks for the response.

 

I hope I did not offend you with my post. My point was, or should be, that a kid who fits in socially and academically may have problems fitting in if held back while his classmaytes, many of whom have been his classmates for several years, move ahead. I have just seen too many people make all their decsions as to holding a kid back based upon their perceived (and hoped for) athletic future. I guess you took it more personally than I meant it-sorry for the poor articualtion on my part. Hope your son does well in the coming years.

[DSGB54]

theres this kid out of blackman middle school named Locke. this kid is a middle school rohan davey. he has an arm and is fast for an eighth grader.

[reff]

PLEASE 4.2 40????, come on lets be reasonable

[SurferDude288]

yes marcus lock is very good.. he is big and has an arm. if works on his speed then he would be an awsoem QB. as for starting his sophmore year at QB. i dont think he will. blackman had a freshman QB named Matt Dawson who has talent..

 

another freshman is named TOny Shepard. he went to smyrna middle last year and atleat has one touchdown every game. he led them over blackman middle. he runs like a 4.7.. if he works hard in the weight room and is dedicated then he will be really good in the future