I remembered we did something like this last year. Think it's time for a repeat.

For the parents whose sons are freshman (or sopomore's and want to join in).

How did his first semester go? Was it everything he expected? How are you doing? Share some details.
Same goes with the parents of players whose sons decided to go pro, please join in.

It's important to share your experiences with the parents whose sons will be heading off in 2006.

Well....my freshman.....think he was a little surprised at the competition he saw on the field. His school made it to the D3 CWS last year....and it attracted more players as a result. He says it's all good........think our high school varsity seniors....they enjoyed a certain status....and.... for most of them....they have to start earning it all over again as college freshmen.....lots and lots of hard work!

He has had his days where he is so very homesick....and then other days when he is so busy....he doesn't have time to think of home....I pray for busy days...it's difficult when they are 3,000 miles away....not so easy to comfort them....one thing his Dad and I try not to do....is bring up homesickness.....we really try to be positive on the phone...

He calls everyday.....we told him he didn't have to....but he said....no, he wanted to.....and we are glad he does.....knowing that will change with time.

He is doing very well in the classroom.....which tells us he wants to stay where he is....despite missing his dog...and us too....

My friends still question me....how could we let him go so far away to school....their kids are in colleges....close by....and at times....I find myself wishing the same....but....there comes a time when you have to let go.....for some of us.....sooner than later......

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Thanks TPM!....

Was hoping that someone would strike up this post...cool....looking forward to see what is going on with others...will help us compare...

AR...Enjoyed this...Found many parallels...

We have another "First Semester" coming next fall when younger son heads off to college, but this post is for those with sons having less than stellar first semesters, and I know they're out there.....

Our "First Semester" should've set a base line such that no poster should feel their son's was the worst ever. While the baseball part went well, between the girl back home, the adjustment to college, and Heaven knows what else, we received a GPA with nothing to the left of the decimal. The good news is that even starting off that incredibly low, and you can only imagine the parental angst, with a great academic advisor and an much improved commitment to the books, and a GONE girlfriend, within a year the GPA was back up to decency, and although Oxford has yet to call, it's starting to approach 3.0.

Moral: if they blow it, they won't be the first, or the last, to do so, and they can recover.

Ok, I'll bite too ....

In addition to learning his way to his classes and the field like he expected, he learned about the two other essentials of college baseball. 1. Where is the library 2. Where is the training room.

Classes are going fine, and he's taking some tough stuff already, so he's having to work pretty hard. He's in a fellows program also, so he lives in the library it seems.

But that's only when he's not in the weight room or on the field. He ran alot before he went to college, but found out he should have done a bit more and the fall would have been easier. Time management is going ok, could be better in dad's eye but he's satisfied.

Athletically, fall practice went well. Had a nagging little injury that hampered him but no long term consequence other than temporary discomfort and he never missed a practice or workout. Spend every day for about a month down with the trainers working on the injury or getting taped up, stretched out, rehabbed, prodded, poked and twisted.

Learned quickly that you don't make mistakes over the plate to college hitters. This a quote from him.

"If you hang a curve, their eyes get big, a little grin turns up in the corner of their mouth and they lift that front leg about 2 inches higher".

He didn't hang many and did fine. He had the usual adjustment and remarks about the speed of the game/players.

He's happy as a flea hiding in the hair of an English Shepherd. No regrets, doesn't miss home, will call every other week if he thinks about it or we don't give up and call him first. He's been home once for fall break. The only thing he did was sleep.

I've discovered that he is aesthetically challenged when it comes to food, since he says he likes the dining hall and has only eaten off campus (on his own money, excluding when someone else like mom/dad is treating him) 3 times since he arrived in late August.

Hokieone....a story with a happy first semester ending......it must have been a rough ride for everyone in the family....glad he was able to turn it around....that is an accomplishment that many students can't do....

Girlfriends.....gosh darn.....I'm not commenting here on her.....that's for another thread

All sounds familiar, I especially light HHH comments about the players. As my son told us, you cannot make a mistake, or you are a gonner.
Good thing that coaches allow for mistakes and let the player learn from them. What we did find is that the real thing (spring season) is a lot different from fall practice.

Mine does not have a girlfriend, as he feels it is a huge distraction. In his senior year of HS I do believe that having a first love distracted him from preparing for a better position in the draft, I think he realizes it also. He does call us more than last year, mainly because his roomates are preoccupied with their "wives" and he is home alone. But that is today, tomorrow might be different.

The biggest challenge was school. Reality that it was NOT HS, hit hard the first sememster, but managed to get honor roll and is concentrating again for this year. He has great coaches that keep him focused on schoolwork as well as on the field and for that we are happy. Being away on your own and his new social life is no longer a priority.

Arizonared,
Sending your so far away, I can relate, and I admire the parent that is willing to let go and let son travel so far for the right opportunity.

Semester doesn't end until Christmas, but here goes....

My son is struggling (but surviving).

He was always in the top 5% in school and picked a very, very good (Hard) academic school. He is now finding the joys of professors who he cannot understand, the joys of everyone in his class being as smart as he is etc. He has gone from one of the best students in every class to one of the pack.

He is struggling a bit with time management, between classes, homework, work study, hitting , throwing, weight lifting, running, he is putting in some pretty long days.

He did not perform as well as he wanted to on the field this fall, I think a certain amount was making the adjustment to college/dorm life. He suffered a bit from homesickness for the frist month, got run down and caught a cold.

Recently (Saturday) the father of a very good friend of his passed away, and the fact that he is 800 miles from home really sunk in when he could not come home to support his friend.

Yet, even with all this, I think he is happy with his choice.

One great thing about this school, the baseball team really is one big family. The upper classmen all treat the underclassmen very well, this has been a big help to him. He has a friend who went to another school, and let's say the upper classmen are not as kind.

Our Freshman has now settled in and loves the school and the team. He, as most, got off to an eye opening start about one week after arriving in mid August.

Lots of running and more running, conditioning, swimming and he now proclaims he is in the best shape ever. He has lost about 15 pounds and looks great.

He said it's the toughest thing he has ever faced, but adjusted and overcame. He is becoming a man and his mom and I are proud of his accomplishments.

The upperclassmen teammates have totally accepted him and there is a true bond among all of the players.

The academics have been pretty good so far with the exception of biology which he has been assigned a mandatory study hall.

He has not been homesick and has found a nice little girlfriend who just happens to love baseball.

So for our freshman, things are great.

CV

quote:

"If you hang a curve, their eyes get big, a little grin turns up in the corner of their mouth and they lift that front leg about 2 inches higher".

ROFLMAO!

Nice thread, TPM!

Nothing left of the decimal was pretty good, too....

Funny how you could bring the HS just signees over here and they wouldn't believe a word. (I wouldn't have....)

And then look back from a soph's advantage point and think what a year!

By FO:
Funny how you could bring the HS just signees over here and they wouldn't believe a word. (I wouldn't have....)



I especially love the running stuff, it's a shock to EVERYONE.

Son's college coach has a physical and mental endurance test each year called Omaha Challenge. Players have to bench press 55 pounds. Last year son could did 3, today 22.

Just goes to show you how all those young freshman come to school thinking they are "studs".

As seems to be the case with most, my freshman has had a lot to deal with... living in a constant state of exhaustion...death of a friend's sister, staph infection in pitching thumb (thankfully healed quickly after lancing) and now Mono...has lost 25 lbs...last 10 is too much but is on the road to recovery. One class is kicking his butt... not used to that. Found out that even though he thought he was in shape he wasn't even close!
I think somewhere in all this he has realized that through thick and thin his parents have his back and is glad he is not too far away. He is very happy with his teammates and his coaches so ANY DAY THERE IS BASEBALL IS A GOOD DAY!

Baseballmom3,
Exhausted was a word we heard frequently from son all last fall.

Things should get easier in the spring as my son found it to be. No more 10 hour a week required study hall, everyday in the gym and practices replaced with games.

I had mono my freshman year in college, what a bummer it ws, but glad to hear your son is recovering.

This is why so many college coaches tell their recruits to take time off in the summer before they come, or after their first year.

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Frankly, not big on highlighting my kid specifically, mostly prefer anonimity for him, but these posts are SO valuable to the next crop...gives them a real picture of what is to come...

Background: Freshman, DI 2005 regional qualifier...

OK, sorry TPM ET AL...I guess I have to be the conditioning outlaw....The Kid flat out worked his tail off all summer, doing two a-days on his own because he was scared to death of conditioning and because he wanted to go in strong. Breezed through tough fall conditioning in incredible heat. Take notice 06's...It can be done. Start now for next fall.

Recruited strictly as a LH hitter. A call a week before camp from the pitching coach said "get your arm ready, we are going to look at you as a pitcher too." Gulp. Split time between pitching and hitting for the fall. As a result of NCCA per hour rules during individual workout weeks (two per week ) wasn't able to do either justice in his opinion. Particularly hitting. Changed his stroke. ARRRGH....very frustrated. As a result went into fall final individual meeting with head coach with some apprehension. Came away very positive. Have a plans for him and happy with him as a recruit...Wheew!

As a result of the Dream school not coming through...took his best DI baseball option over the best academic option. "I want to try DI and see what I can do dad, it's a once in a lifetime chance" As a result breezing through school. At last count 4.0 including bio class that he has been told flunks EVERYONE. His roomate joking complained to the coaches about him..."The kid studies to get ready to study.." Grades can be done.

Like Big WI and CV Sting...the coaches are huge on the team being a family and the coaches being approachable. Loves this. Loves his teamates. Fits right in with "90%" of the players.

Rural Small town boy not enamoured of gritty big city environment but HAS been to concerts, Football games,...

Looking forward to the season. But knows that sitting great stretches for the first time in athletic life will be very hard...

Still....Looking like a good choice.Doesn't call much unless he needs $. Calls brother. We figure this is good for him (independence) but it's bad for us.

Huge, empty space at our house...hasn't been home yet. Thanksgiving will be big!

quote:

Frankly, not big on highlighting my kid specifically, mostly prefer anonimity for him

OB44,
I meant take summer off from playing, not conditioning, very important.
My son was given a conditioning program from CU spring of senior year to work on before he came to school.

OOPs!

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TPM....Not to worry about the conditioning! I knew what you meant.
I understand that there is no way your son got to that level without some very hard work and summer included...what I meant was it seemed that most EVERYONE who has posted in this thread was blown away by the difficulty conditioning. I thought mine oddly outlaw

Formerobserver....While I got you....LOVED the "musical chairs" post..one of my favorites.


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quote:

Like Big WI and CV Sting...the coaches are huge on the team being a family and the coaches being approachable. Loves this. Loves his teamates. Fits right in with "90%" of the players.

At the risk of stating the obvious, coaches understand if all are on the "same page" then the sum is greater than the parts.

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D04...

Agreed...
but some schools are absolutely relentless in their pursuit of team unity. Others not so emphatic. Some even recruit heavily on that basis. Some are happily willing to trade high athletic ability for ego and arrogance. Saw this clearly in our official trips.

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The first semester is by far the hardest. Time management was the biggest adjustment with money management coming in a close second. Luckily I was able to adjust. I filled most of my spare time with fishing and yard work. I was able to watch the History channel again and I no longer have to go upstairs to find missing articles of clothing. The refrigerator seems to be more organized and my naps are no longer interrupted by the ringing of the phone. I can go to bed at a normal hour and not have to get up during the night to see if his car has returned to the driveway. The screen name on the compute remains on “fungo” and doesn’t mysteriously change during the night to his screen name. It’s been tough but I adjusted. The money management was pretty simple. I just deposited all my money to his account and picked up aluminum cans to buy me some bologna, crackers, and fishing bait.
Thanks for asking,
Fungo