Coach Caden Discusses Why A Player Shouldn’t Feel Discouraged Because He’s Not The Best At 13!
Hey Coach, my son is 13 and plays travel but isn’t the best on his team. What should his long term aspirations for baseball be?
Like i always say, the best players at 13 aren’t always the best at 18. Your son’s long term aspirations for baseball shouldn’t be determined by his status on his 
13 year old travel team. Your son’s goals for baseball shouldn’t be discouraged because he’s not the best player on his team at 13. All athletes develop at a different pace! Especially at that age when kids are going through puberty, some kids might be more developed and physically matured.
My advice is to not let that discourage their goals. Tell him to continue to work on their mechanics and skills. As they get older, they’ll develop physically and become bigger, stronger, faster and can improve even more by working out. Other ways to help develop their skills is to provide them with good coaches who can teach them how to play the game. This can come from private lessons, training, or clinics. It’s also important to make sure they’re in a quality travel program that cares about development and not just wins.
One thing that I’ve noticed is that the kids that are really good at 18 are usually the ones that work the hardest at the game. They have great work ethic and figured out what they have to do to be the best. So, don’t be discouraged at 13 because you’re not the “best,” continue to work hard on your game and strive to reach your goals.
