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Post by jab on Aug 6, 2008 6:30:58 GMT -6
I really need some advice on this. I am an assistant JV coach at a large school. My son is going into 8th grade. Last year he was the back up for the freshmen team. This was ok because in our league he was able to play at least 1 quarter as the back up and was given significant playtime. This year the coaches would like him to play JV so they have a viable back up. As a coach I agree we need a back up. As a father my son would be the start at the 9th grade team and would play every down. What do you think? Is it better for him to run his own team or be the back up and play at the higher level?
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Post by coachjd on Aug 6, 2008 6:48:13 GMT -6
The kid needs to play IMO. REPS!!!
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Post by coach4life on Aug 6, 2008 7:07:16 GMT -6
He's working a year ahead of where he would normally be if I read that right, that's pretty good. Are the 9th grade team and JV running the same system? If so why not have him play 9th grade and if you need him you can always pull him up?
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Post by touchdowng on Aug 6, 2008 9:09:51 GMT -6
What kid is getting the reps at his real level?
And.....when will he pass your kid up?
Kids grow the most when they are getting reps in real game situations. I would lobby to keep him with his grade.
If a kid can play up - he should be a fulltime starter (just my philosophy) or he will get dissed on playing reps.
We have had a similary issues at QB, so we'll just pick an above average athlete from the RB's or REC's and teach them to be "emergency QB's" The playbook would be reduced for them, but it's working and I don't have to pull one of my freshman QB's up just to make sure we have a backup JV QB.
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Post by coachpoe on Aug 6, 2008 10:07:45 GMT -6
I agree with touchdown, if you are going to call the kid up he should be starting. Leave him at his own grade level so he can get reps and experience. Assuming you and the freshman run the same schemes, you can always pull him up to the JV team if needed. Kids improve the most from playing, and it almost seems like the JV staff would be stunting his growth (giving his reps to someone else) so the JV team can have an insurance policy. Just my $.02 but give him time to develop at his level so he is ready to produce when he gets older and reaches the varsity level. He'll always be there if you need him throughout the season.
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Post by major2222 on Aug 6, 2008 10:34:12 GMT -6
have him play both. Starts with the freshman and backs up as a JV.
We do this. some of our freshman will get into about 20 games a season.
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Post by ajreaper on Aug 6, 2008 11:35:38 GMT -6
have him play both. Starts with the freshman and backs up as a JV. We do this. some of our freshman will get into about 20 games a season. Your state association has no rules that limit # of games/quarters etc during the season? Most do so this is not something many of us could do. To answer the original question let him be the frosh starter and play a ton- reps matter and he'll get more as a starter then as a "viable" backup. |
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Post by calicoachh on Aug 6, 2008 13:55:04 GMT -6
younger players don't play up unless they are starters. in CA, we do have rules about number of games/quarters per week/day.
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Post by k on Aug 6, 2008 16:17:57 GMT -6
This seems like an odd problem to me. Here our JV QB is the Varsity backup and the Freshman is the JV backup.
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Post by jab on Aug 6, 2008 19:49:08 GMT -6
Thanks for all the advice.. He is going into 8th grade so even as a 8th grader he is playing one year above his grade level if he played freshmen. We are having our team camp and as of tonight I wouldd say the 10th grader and my son are about about even but the experience of the 10th grader is very clear.
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Post by coachd5085 on Aug 6, 2008 20:13:13 GMT -6
I think an important thing to consider is the practice structure. This could be offbase, but I would suspect that a program where a 7th grader is backing up up on the freshman squad, and an 8th grader able to back up the JV squad probably isn't a very strong program (I could be wrong obviously). What type of practice schedule and structure is there? I would argue that it is possible the JV route would produce a better, more polished varsity player due to a higher level of practices than he would get from starting/playing on a freshman team. That is what I would look to base some decisions on. Not just game reps, but total player development. How are the practices set up, and how does THAT affect his total development as a player?
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burn
Sophomore Member
Posts: 181
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Post by burn on Aug 6, 2008 23:31:54 GMT -6
Coach,
Dad first and coach second. Plays freshman for development and reps. If need be don't coach and ensure your boy has the experience he needs. Demanding him to play at his level is not out of reason.
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Post by poweriguy on Aug 7, 2008 12:22:49 GMT -6
You don't bring a kid up to ride the pine.
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Post by wingt74 on Aug 7, 2008 13:09:29 GMT -6
He's going into 8th grade? In Wisconsin, no matter how good a player is...until he is a freshman, he doesn't have anything to do with the HS teams.
If he is going to be a freshmen, then he should play freshmen ball...like the other coaches have mentioned.
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Post by talexander on Aug 8, 2008 6:47:23 GMT -6
I second what everyone else says. If a kid isn't going to get at least 50 % of the reps, they should NEVER be brought up.
Also wondering what the hell is going on when a Junior high kid could play on a high school team
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Post by hardknox on Aug 9, 2008 12:10:55 GMT -6
As a player is he mentally, physically, and emotionally ready to compete at that level? Or would he benefit, especially mentally, by playing down growing and truly learning how to lead a team. I believe these is the first questions that needs to be answered.
The next question is what are our long term plans for this kid in the program?
Is there a positive history of success with this approach in your program? (just asking)
At the QB position the best thing a kid can learn is how to lead. There is no better place to start than by leading kids his own age. That being said I think if your going move a kid up he must be THE GUY, but you must make sure the kid is ready.
He doesn't need to learn how to back up, while others his age at his position are learning to lead.
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