CHANGE MY LOCATION
Sports
Examiners
Sports Examiner
Most Recent Post
Radio hosts get blast back from Magic Johnson after accusations of faking AIDS
California News
Multimedia News
Varsity freshmen are playing well beyond their years
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: BALTIMORE
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Every season produces a little crop of freshmen capable of making significant impacts on a high school teams.
Almost every spring a national caliber ninth grade softball pitcher tears through her high school opponents, the way Kaila Jenkins did at Severna Park a few years back. A promising young golfer can also change the fortunes of an entire team, as Stephanie Connelly proved at Northeast.
This season, a number of schools are benefiting from young guns, including Spalding girls‚ basketball team, which is particularly unusual because of the four freshman impact players on the roster.
Their contributions extend beyond skills: Freshman often play a little more recklessly than their older teammates. They haven’t been around the high school game enough to develop a fear — or even a respect — for the big-name opponents. Those good enough to make the team have usually acquired a sizable level of confidence on middle school or club teams.
Given the opportunity, they are willing to try new game plans and strategy. And unless they are benched for making mistakes, they can test themselves in ways that more experienced players fear.
But these great young players do present some issues for high school coaches and parents. It’s important that these adults don’t just sit back and enjoy the youth game.
The age and maturity difference between high school freshmen and seniors is a natural obstacle to team camaraderie. Parents don’t — or shouldn’t — want their 14-year-old freshmen spending all their free time with 18-year-olds. But teams need bonding time away from the field, so coaches have to create appropriate environments for players to become friends. And parents need to make sure that these youngsters also have time to spend with children their own age.
A few years back, a three-sport standout at an area school opted to graduate in three years and head to college to play basketball. Though she cited a variety of reasons, she mentioned at the time that most of her friends — teammates on the basketball, soccer and lacrosse teams — were older and would be gone if she stayed for her senior year.
Coaches also face potential unhappiness among older players when the youngsters are the stars. Generally, I see that handled well. By the time these kids are juniors and seniors, they recognize skill when they see it. And most seem willing to embrace the youthful influence and help these players along. But coaches need to help clear that path.
The tougher challenge to coaches is recognizing that the greatest contributions freshmen bring to the game — their excitement, enthusiasm and spark — is the toughest to maintain. When the thrill of making the team as a freshman begins to dim, some other joy has to take its place.
Sometimes, winning alone can keep players happy and motivated. And for some, there is joy in growing into a position of leadership.
But some just grow tired of the high school game. Some were the biggest or fastest freshmen, who watched teammates and opponents catch up with them. Some discovered that it’s not that much fun being the player everyone depends upon.
And so coaches and parents need to work just as hard with their freshman phenoms to ensure they continue to grow with the game. Just like every other player, they need to improve and be challenged, not just admired.
Effie Dawson writes about high school and youth sports. She can be reached at edawson@baltimoreexaminer.com.
Comments from Examiner Readers
4:21 AM MST on Mon., Jul. 21, 2008 re: "Jousting: An age-old tradition is alive and well in the land of pleasant living"
Report as inappropriate
7:41 PM MST on Sat., Jul. 19, 2008
re: "Jousting: An age-old tradition is alive and well in the land of pleasant living"
Report as inappropriate
3:21 PM MST on Fri., Jul. 4, 2008
re: "Superstars not needed for family sports fun"
Report as inappropriate
1:27 AM MST on Fri., Jul. 4, 2008
re: "Superstars not needed for family sports fun"
Report as inappropriate
4:37 AM MST on Fri., Jun. 13, 2008
re: "Stressed out? Out of shape? Go for a run"
Report as inappropriate
9:46 AM MST on Mon., Jun. 2, 2008
re: "Baltimore needs to expand its proud lacrosse tradition, advance the sport"
Report as inappropriate
10:24 AM MST on Fri., May. 30, 2008
re: "Baltimore needs to expand its proud lacrosse tradition, advance the sport"
Report as inappropriate
10:51 AM MST on Fri., May. 9, 2008
re: "History vanishes into the night"
Report as inappropriate
11:49 AM MST on Wed., Apr. 23, 2008
re: "Who’s No. 1? We’ll probably never know"
Report as inappropriate
6:42 AM MST on Wed., Mar. 26, 2008
re: "Sometimes life’s lessons are the hardest to learn"
Report as inappropriate
9:02 PM MST on Wed., Feb. 13, 2008
re: "A sad tale everyone should take to Hart"
Report as inappropriate
7:28 AM MST on Tue., Oct. 23, 2007
re: "Let kids be kids first"
Report as inappropriate
5:47 AM MST on Tue., Oct. 23, 2007
re: "Let kids be kids first"
Report as inappropriate
7:51 AM MST on Wed., Oct. 10, 2007
re: "Parents need to be positive or silent"
Report as inappropriate
Examiner Reader said:
Thank you for a wonderful article and capturing the spirit of an equine sport we love. Vicki Betts, President, Maryland Jousting Tournament Association
6 agree | 4 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Effie- What fun to read- What a great Maryland tradition that is being kept alive-Thanks this was fun to read.
5 agree | 4 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Attila the Hon said:
Please disregard the previous comment. He didn't even explain himself. Pretty gutless, I think. It's great to see a Baltimore-area newspaper columnist finally show some love for Crystal Palace Baltimore. I always look forward to the Examiner's refreshing coverage of this very highly deserving team. Puts to shame The Sun which almost always ignores Palace and deserves its declining readership. Keep up the good work. GO PALACE! UPSET NEW ENGLAND!
12 agree | 9 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Worst. Column. Ever.
10 agree | 15 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
The Undertaker said:
People in this country are too fat, lazy, and stupid.
11 agree | 11 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
"These days Maryland kids often get their first sticks before their first tricycles. College coaches flock to the state for showcase camps and recruiting tournaments. And lacrosse has deep roots in the business and political communities, where former players maintain connections far stronger than academic degrees." Laugh out loud. This is a paragraph supporting lacrosse? In truth it is an indictment of all that is wrong with the sport. Kids SHOULD get trikes before sticks. Most lacrosse families consist of semi-talented white athletes (who couldn't compete in other sports) pushed hard by parents who live vicariously through them, and hope to achieve greater social status through their "Excellent play". So sad.
11 agree | 11 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Please don't say the l word around baseball people.
13 agree | 12 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
This Annapolis woman, who has taken Rafael Alvarez spot on page six is BORING. BRING BACK ALVAREZ, he is from Baltimroe, where we who live in BALTIMORE can read about our town.
11 agree | 11 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Bravo! I totally agree! With a daughter on the John Carroll team, I know they'd welcome a game to determine the mythical "champion"! What a blast that would be.
11 agree | 12 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
A Mother of Boys said:
Thank you for your insights on the life lessons for this young man. He has carved a hard road for himself, and forced the grown ups around him (parents, coaches, authorities) to make hard choices about his future. We, like you, are praying that he gets a second chance, and makes the most of it. That's another life lesson.
12 agree | 11 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
examiner reader said:
This guy should be hillary's running mate
73 agree | 56 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Not...paying attention said:
The writer actually points out the fact that children know the score and are competative. She is correctly trying to make the point that youth sports should be about learning the fundamentals of the game and sportsmanship. For young children, the experience should be FUN. Winning is much less important to most 6-7 year olds than their parents. Most children would much rather play in the game than watch their "team" win. Children who enjoy the experience will be much more likely to develop a passion for the sport and a commitment to self development. This provides a much stronger mental foundation for the player when they hit High School and College when sports are rightly focused on winning and losing. It is a shame that children no longer experience the sand lot version of sports where parents are no where to be found. Yes, we kept score but it was forgotten as soon as we started the next game. We played because it was FUN!
104 agree | 128 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Not said:
"But those wonderful first years of athletic participation are not the time to teach kids that sports are all about winning." They do not have to be taught this. Kids keep score on everything competitive and naturally seek to win. This mamby-pamby false protectiveness of children is precisely the kind of crud that is counter intuitive for chidren.
120 agree | 127 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Don said:
I'm glad I am done with all of that sports stuff, and competition dance is even worse....been there, seen it done it. Its no small wonder why older people have grey hair.
142 agree | 140 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree