Which HS Sport To Consider?

[Rusty914s]

XC is perhaps the easiest sport to pick up, I ran long distance in HS just to keep in shape and still made state.

Track is a mofo, it may not look like there is skill but it is brutal, perhaps is because I sucked so badly.

I was very good at baseball although I never played it in my life, it seemed like an easy enough sport to learn...could be wrong.

Football is also another sport that if you're smart and can pick up the plays and obviously have the strength/speed, is an easy sport to pick up although now HS kids look like pros did 10 years ago.

Basketball, Soccer...no way, too much strategy and pure reaction, he'll get buried.

Tennis, probably would get buried as well but a great fun sport that he can play forever.

[ckelly78z]

I would reccomend track as a good team/individual sport where you can compete against your own times/distances/heights to achieve to be better. It's great cheering on your teammates to victory because you know it helps the team. There doesn't seem to be the politics that basketball (only 5 players play), and football (only the big and the fast play) and doesn't require the technical aspect of Soccer and Golf.

I played BBall, and track all 4 years of HS, and loved going to track meets much more than ball games.

[jyl]

Talked to him about this. He says he's not interested in football.

Oddly (to me), also no interest in martial arts. Although he was a fencer (foil) for some years, that's a martial art, isn't it? He had speed and natural talent and was pretty good at it, but got more interested in dance, so he's not fencing now. The local fencing center is very good but rather inconvenient to get to, and I think he wants the social, team camraderie aspect of HS sport. Also, I know two fencers who have blown out their knees - the lunges are tough on that joint.

[McLovin]

IMO pick whatever one he thinks has the best chance of helping him with college.

I've found that these days, it means a sport that he will actually play in college and that they will recruit him.

Because what I've seen in our very academically competitive high school and city is that unless you are good enough to be recruited to play at a college, high school sports are basically a waste of time.

I'd always thought that even if you aren't good enough to play in college, colleges would be impressed that you are a very, very good high school athlete, you showed determination in pursuing a sport, etc.

I've found that to not be true. If a college coach wants you on a team, and you are academically qualified, you WILL get in. On the other hand, if you are a good athlete and dedicated to your sport, etc., but no coach wants you, the admissions departments care very little about it.

We know kids going to Harvard, Stanford, etc. and it's all because of athletics. My son is being recruited as a HS sophomore by many schools, including Ivy League, and the Ivy League coaches have told me that most kids get into their schools by "being on a list." That means a list that the college coaches (and others at the school) turn into the admissions department. Without being on a list it's very hard to get in, they tell me.

So, here's my advice:

1. Your son is probably in a good position. My guess is he is going to be interested in academic schools, many of which will NOT be D1 schools. Being recruited and playing on pretty much any D1 school in a sport is difficult (I think there's something like a 5% chance for a HS varsity athlete to play at a D1 school). But for Ivy and other smaller liberal arts schools, it will be easier (still hard for most, but not impossible).

2. You need to keep perspective. Athletics is a huge way to get into high level schools, so it's worth pursuing. If he becomes a "recruitable" athlete, it's worth putting the time into it. And it takes a LOT of time. But if not, he can still participate in the sport, but with perspective, i.e., that it isn't really going to get him anywhere (yeah, I know, "life lessons," "facing adversity" etc., but I'm more pragmatic than that, esp. with academically gifted kids.).

3. I think you see that it's too late for any of the major team sports like baseball, bball, fball, etc. That's probably true for any of the skill sports (golf, tennis, etc.).

4. That probably leaves track as the best option. At our schools (and I think at many or most HSs) track is one of the "no cut" sports that is open to anyone. He sounds athletic and coordinated, and there very well may be a track event that he can excel at. I'd say try them all with the focus being on what suits him best. Our friend's daughter is now a junior at Harvard and she got in by being on the track team. It can be done.

[herr_oberst]

How about Lacrosse?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Rusty, you're seriously underestimating the complexity of most team sports. My 10-year old is learning things in football, basketball, and football that I've never encountered as a fan. It seems simple when you play a pickup game in the back yard, but there are a lot of nuances and strategy that take time to learn.

McLovin, you're seriously missing the point of high school sports. Learning to work as a team, how to deal with victory and defeat, the value of hard work, there are many life lessons that can be learned from sports. Oh yeah, and they're fun too.

VERY FEW sports offer true full ride scholarships, most are partial payment at best. My wife and I went to a great "kids and sports" lecture by a former D1 football player where he talked through the reality of college sports. Bottom line was that you have to love to sport to make the sacrifices required to first get to a D1 level, and then allow it to dominate your college experience. Playing just for a scholarship isn't worth the time.

[Arizona_928]

Do baseball. Most of the time the cut is at varsity level, and he'll be put on JV...

[JavaBrewer]

^Negative

Most our local High Schools have Frosh, JV, and Var teams. Freshman tryouts get ~ 40 kids most of whom have played year round on club teams since they were 10 or younger. Cuts made to get team down to 16-18 for Spring. If you don't play as Frosh you have nill chance of playing next season. JV boys who did not make Varsity are cut by Junior year. Local power house Poway had 70 freshman try out 2 years ago. Coach said it was really hard - all were very good. Cut 40 kids in the first week.

[Soterik]

I've got 2 boys, one 16 and a soph, and one 20 also a soph. Both have/are doing a variety of sports through high school.

Ours made a few changes along the way (and still are). What was fun thinking of doing prior to HS changed in some cases, so be open to football if he changes his mind. Peer pressure and what his friends are doing may also play a part in the decision process.

Love the idea of drama, great social connections to make, and I would hope he would consider a sport where that can continue.

Both of mine did football though neither one would you even remotely consider a candidate from the outset. The older one got very good at it despite only having one year prior to HS, and has gone on to being a starting linebacker at the D3 level in college (despite being all of 5' 10" and 185). Both wrestle, though hadn't done the sport prior to high school... consider that sport to be a great confidence builder for my boys and built them up physically as well. Wrestling helped with football a lot with conditioning, balance, grip, tackling etc., but it's not very social in terms of girls (but they both built great physiques).

The ski team might be interesting, ours did this, but from the club level, not high school. Socially this might be fun (as I recall from my hs years) as you have the bus up and back, and usually there's as many girls as guys, and the time on the bus is good social interaction. Note that the serious skiers are probably not going to be on the HS ski team, they are already competing at the club level on the Hood team (my sons skied there against them and other teams and also did summer race training at Hood).

My .02, good luck, and be open to changes!

Eric

[Rusty914s]

Yes, you're right. My point, sports that you get to "reset" are easier to get. In basketball or soccer, you can get lost so quickly.

But you're right, I am over-generalizing.

Rusty, you're seriously underestimating the complexity of most team sports. My 10-year old is learning things in football, basketball, and football that I've never encountered as a fan. It seems simple when you play a pickup game in the back yard, but there are a lot of nuances and strategy that take time to learn.



McLovin, you're seriously missing the point of high school sports. Learning to work as a team, how to deal with victory and defeat, the value of hard work, there are many life lessons that can be learned from sports. Oh yeah, and they're fun too.



VERY FEW sports offer true full ride scholarships, most are partial payment at best. My wife and I went to a great "kids and sports" lecture by a former D1 football player where he talked through the reality of college sports. Bottom line was that you have to love to sport to make the sacrifices required to first get to a D1 level, and then allow it to dominate your college experience. Playing just for a scholarship isn't worth the time.

[Aggie93]

I'll toss wrestling into the ring (bad pun?). It probably won't have a lot of kids that have ten years of experience. His body type combined with agility and balance would be beneficial.

[bleucamaro]

Another vote for swimming, or cross-country/track.

I would have done swimming in high school, but practice was 5:00 - 7:30 am, and I did jazz band at 7.

Tennis is a sport that can be learned, but it also depends on how competitive / developed his school's program is. There may be tryouts for tennis, without room for those just learning the game. My HS did have room (it was a start-up program that began my Jr. year) and a few "learners" did pretty well.

[jyl]

No wrestling in his HS, which kind of surprises me. Also no gymnastics, maybe I already mentioned that.

I thought the classic HS sport to get one into an Ivy was crew? That is a stereotype based on no information at all - is it true?

[Soterik]

Ivy League? Here's more info on college's than you want to know.
College Admissions, Search, and Financial Aid Help from College Confidential
I've been on it for years, some good info, lots of bad (kinda like Pelican!). You son needs to get crazy good grades and have off the charts SAT's, lot's of extra curriculars, probably do every APP class or be get an IB diploma as well.... though I'm certain that somebody knows a kid who's a legacy and knows somebody and was able to get in.
My older boy is very happy in a very good lib arts school in the mid west doing pre-med, had most of his education cost picked up in academic scholarships and plays football as well.

You're going to have a very fun next 4 years!

e

[jyl]

I guess if he chooses something like XC or swimming, he can or maybe should do some running or swimming over the summer in preparation.

Wait a minute - that means I will have to do some running or swimming with him over the summer. Ugh . . . why the heck isn't there a cycling team?

I ran XC and played tennis in HS. I was a tennis fanatic so I liked that sport. As for the XC, well, let's just say I swore I'd never run again . . .

[madmmac]

Slim and average is not going to make it in rowing. Unless you're really small and like to yell "Stroke".

Some of the UW crew.

Carcano, Guglielmo 6-4 Fr. Italy
Clark, Robert 6-4 So. Bellevue, Wash. / Lakeside
Helgerson, Kyle 6-4 Fr. Mill Creek, Wash.
Henry, Graham 6-4 Fr. Seattle, Wash. / Chief Sealth
Hershberger, Zachary 6-4 Jr. Los Gatos, Calif. / Bellarmine
Markovc, Jernej 6-4 Fr. Bled, Slovenia
Meek, Henry 6-4 Jr. Melbourne, Australia / Geelong Grammar
Michael, Jay 6-4 Fr.
Piton, Ivan 6-4 Fr. Pula, Croatia
Svoboda, Julian 6-4 Sr. North Canterbury, New Zealand
Thornton, Michael 6-4 Sr. Mill Bay, BC, Canada / Frances Kelsey
Cypro, Nicolas 6-5 Jr. Spokane, Wash. / Lewis & Clark
Dawson, Jacob 6-5 So. Plymouth, England / Plymstock Secondary School
Ledbetter, Eric 6-5 Jr. Bellevue, Wash. / Lakeside
Medalia, Matthew 6-5 Fr. Edmonds, Wash. / Bishop Blanchet
Nemeth, Corban 6-5 Fr. Olympia, Wash.
Zileri Dal Verme, Pietro 6-5 Fr. Florence, Italy
O'Connor, Kevin 6-5 So. Claremont, Calif. / St. Paul's School
Kelly, Ian 6-6 Fr. Seattle, Wash.
Miller, David 6-6 So. Bainbridge Island, Wash. / Bainbridge
Milner, Matthew 6-6 Jr. San Francisco, Calif. / International
Morton, Jacob 6-6 So. Puyallup, Wash. / Bellarmine Prep
Bowyer, Marcus 6-7 Jr. South Mooreland, UK / King's
Schroeder, Finn 6-7 So. Lubeck, Germany / Obeschule zum Dom zu Lubeck
Neary, Myles 6-8 Sr. London, United Kingdom / Tiffin School
Raffetto, Sean 6-8 Jr. Folsom, Calif. / Folsom

[81Kremer930]

The choice should be his, if he likes it, he'll progress and continue to do so at a rate that will put him in good shape within 12-18 months of being varsity status. You can basically run, swim, and play tennis forever. The running and swimming with help keep his metabolism and wind up for the ongoing dance events.... What about cheerleading? Seriously, girls?? No issue there, and it's a form of dance! Just a rambling thought...

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by jyl

No wrestling in his HS, which kind of surprises me. Also no gymnastics, maybe I already mentioned that.

I thought the classic HS sport to get one into an Ivy was crew? That is a stereotype based on no information at all - is it true?

Crew is probably one - and probably not a bad one to get into if you could! The barriers to entry are pretty high, so I'd imagine that the pool of competition is much less deep than most any other sport.

I think a long time ago, the Ivies really didn't recruit for sports. They truly were scholars first, then athletes. You got into the school, then tried out for the team. Modern times have caught up to most of the Ivies. Although some still don't like to admit it, they actively recruit for most sports these days.

As far as "off the chart" grades and SAT, hmm. Yeah, they need to be high. But what the Ivies use is the "AI" (Academic Index), which is a combo of SAT and GPA. I'm being told by Ivy coaches that they can get athletes they want in with a 210-220 AI. You can google "Academic Index calculator" to see what that translates to.

High, but not crazy high.

(But then again, I don't know if they are telling me the truth or just blowing smoke!)

[carambola]

your problems are my problems, my little man is eight and i ask him what sports he wants to do. my enjoyment comes from seeing him laugh on the field

[Rodsrsr]

Whatever he likes. we tend to be drawn to the things we naturally excel at.