How can a teenager learn a team sport?

[Pamela H in Texas]

It seems that in most team sports, the kids have been doing it for quite awhile by the time they are teenagers. Is there a way for a kid to learn a sport (like baseball) WELL as a teenager?

[Chelle in MO]

I have two players like this on my home school baseball team for 13 year olds. It depends greatly upon the individual skills of the kids involved. One of the beginners on my team is showing great progress every week. However, the other isn't doing as well picking up on the basic skills.

 

Like everything else, it just takes repetition. Some of the kids on my team, including my own, have been playing since they were 4 or 5. You can't imagine the repetitions these kids have had in the past 8 or 9 years. My 13 year old eats, sleeps and breathes baseball. He will play anytime and all of the time.

 

Teenage beginners need to be practicing the basic skills every day. For baseball, they need to be throwing and catching, either with someone else or by themselves. The team specific skills will come with the team practice, assuming they are practicing regularly.

[Samiam]

Hmm, I would think that it would take alot of practice outside of the team, on one's own, to excel at this age without prior background. I mean, any team sport is a combination of the team players doing their "job" cohesively....but each player needs to know their "job".

 

Baseball for example: A player needs to know how to field...this can definately be done outside of the team practices. A player needs to know how to bat...again this can, and SHOULD, be practiced outside of the team. A player needs to know how to throw, how to catch...all things that can be learned without a team. A parent, friend or worse case, there are usually baseball academies (training facilities) in many areas (at least where I live) where a person could be trained, all can help one-on-one learn these things.

 

If there was a HIGH interest in getting really good, then a study of the rules, and just watching games, would really help, so you have an idea of HOW the game is played on the field. But these types of things can also be picked up in team practices and game situations as they happen. But team practices, at least at that age, are less and less about learning fundamentals, and more about preparing for "game mode", so players would need to come in with those fundamentals. There are also camps, that you attend as a individual, not as a team, to get better at certain sports. Usually held in summer months.

 

Once a player knows these fundamentals, they can walk onto a baseball field and at least hold their own. As with anything in life, sometimes natural ability just makes things come easy for some, while others can become as good, but just have to work harder to get there. I don't think it is too late at any age, if there is a will to get there.

[AK_Mom4]

Many of the girls here never learn to play softball until they are 12 or 13. Athletic girls with good hand-eye corrdination do well. Tennis players, for example, are amazing when you put a bat in their hand and are really good fielders (you have to teach them how to throw, but their arm strength is wonderful).

 

Like the pp said - if the teen is willing to put some time in outside of practice, they can probably master the skills.

[Guest]

Anyone can learn a team sport at any age. The question is whether they end up with no options for actually joining a team because of the ultra-competitive model that seems to dominate most kids' sports these days. Fortunately, when you are grown up you can join interest-based teams rather than competitive ones; the emphasis changes from win win win win to playing for fun and companionship.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Karen, that is what I'm worried about.

 

He's considering tennis also which seems more do-able :)

But I don't want him to feel like he can't consider other things.

[Jane in NC]

Look for leagues that bill themselves as recreational--not competitive.

 

It is unfortunate that many kids who need recreational activities feel intimidated by leagues where only "experienced" players can participate. I think that communities would do a world of good by sponsoring activities for beginners of all ages.

 

Good luck,

 

Jane

[Rosie_0801]

Well, (depending on his age) if he's into archery or sword fighting, he can try the SCA. War is a team effort!

 

:lol:

Rosie

[cougarmom4]

I think sports are a little out of control in some ways by the teenage years. It kind of seems that those who aren't very good have already been 'weeded' out and so those who are still playing team sports are the ones who love it & live it & are good at it.

 

I think if the teenager is going to start at this point, you'd definitely want to have him do the learning & practicing away from the team until he is at an even performance level as his peers. Perhaps you can find a high schooler willing to coach him individually & teach him until he's ready to compete on a team.

 

I'd suggest trying to find a sport that kids don't start as early...in our area, lacrosse is just beginning to be offered in the recreational leagues. So it's a fairly new sport here, plus, the kids are all just beginning together. My ds12 has finally found his little niche--and I think it might be because all of the other kids haven't been doing it since the age of 4, with competitive 'elite' teams since the age of 8, etc.

 

I'd also add that independent sports still offer the 'team' experience--swim team, track club, tennis team--being involved with other peers.

[msjones]

I'd push him toward cross-country or swimming. Those are big teams with more spots available. Teams with only a few players (basketball, baseball) are pretty exclusive by high school.

 

My husband's high school football team welcomes beginners. But I see that you are in Texas so it may be different there. I hear that football is a Texan religion of sorts.

[Harriet Vane]

Just jump in and do it.

 

I started basketball at 14yo with absolutely NO sports experience of any kind outside of gym class prior. I was bookish and non-athletic. I was fortunate to be in a very tiny school with a very tiny basketball team--they were happy to have any warm bodies that wanted to give it a try. I continued to practice during the off-seasons. I was never a great player, but I did become a competent player and greatly enjoyed my time on the team.

 

If your child is not skilled enough to make the team from try-outs, try intramurals or the local park district.

[Peela]

Is there a reason they need to do it well other than pride? My ds14 started soccer last year when he was 13, and he'd never done it before except as fun with homeschoolers. He got graded and put in the bottom team. They won one game all season (you shoudl have seen us parents on the sidelines go off our rockers when they won!). But, he is not really bad at soccer- he just hadn't had much training or experience, particularly at playing and working with other team members.

It was a good experience. He is not sure he wants to do it again this season, but he needed to do it because it was one of those things he felt he had missed out on as a homeschooler- team sports. He didn't make a fool of himself. He was a worthy team member.

[Dobela]

My son just began bowling this last year and it has been an amazing team sport (not to mention as the mom I can stay in a climate controlled building LOL). He has the chance to improve and set personal goals while working as a team member and helping the team meet goals. Being on a league is very competitive and actually quite a vigerous exercise. At all age levels this year there were new bowlers so none of the new ones stood out. The most improvefd bowler this year is a 14 yr old who had never bowled before, average 20 in August and now over 100 per game. The National league (that our individual bowling alley is a part of) recognizes individual scores and team scores and rewards accordingly.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Thanks y'all.

 

I will look into recreational leagues and see what is available. What I was asking about was really for the high school. We have found out that they do try-outs for sports like baseball, football, volleyball, and such that could have been (dare I say should have been) started much younger. I'll find out when that is(was), but....

 

Now with Tennis or golf, it's different. My friend's son didn't know anything starting 9th grade. Supposedly he really kinda stunk at it. Anyway, he's now at the end of 10th grade an has made varsity :)

 

Anyway, I thought we had put to bed the going to high school idea as my son was pretty against it and then I had some fears regarding it for him. However, hubby has become pretty insistent for some other reasons. So we were going over class ideas with ds. He'll have 8 periods and has to have at least 1.5 years of P.E. soooo....

 

Anyway, but since he's really shown some interest in baseball, I'll look into the recreational teams and see if there are any options for high school age students.

[Mama Lynx]

We joined our local town's soccer league last year. Neither of my boys (then 11 and 13) had ever played soccer. The teams welcomed them, and it was not at all a big deal. Nor were they they only beginners at that age.

 

Personally, we're not looking for the boys to be greatly skilled and competitive. We just want them to get exercise, learn some sports skills, have fun, and learn to handle that kind of team environment and performance. They work, and they try hard to win, but the focus is more on fun and sportsmanship.

[chiguirre]

Also check out Special Olympics. They offer a LOT of sports and are very patient with older beginners. There are some higher functioning kids on our area's teams who couldn't compete on a regular, competitive team but who will probably go on to independent living. If SO wouldn't be a good fit, I'd ask around to see which leagues are for fun and which are competitive. This varies by area, so it's something you'll have to find out locally.

[RanchGirl]

If he really wants to pursue baseball and go for a competitive tryout team, get him on whatever team he can sign up for -- there are usually rec leagues at every level. But usually they are rec leagues because they are "for fun" -- nothing wrong with that, but it won't be a place where he gets a lot of intense coaching -- certainly not enough to start from zero and get to a competitive by next year's tryouts.

 

Also consider spending some time with a private training session. If there are batting cages near you, they often also have private coaches that you can hire by the half hour. If not, call the baseball association and ask for recommendations. A few sessions might help your son get the proper form down and then he would just need to practice practice practice. Of course he can practice without coaching, but proper form is key, you don't want to be reinforcing bad habits that will be difficult to unlearn later.