At what age can a kid start baseball or football and contribute at the high school level?

Baseball should start young as possible, outside of pitching too hard and throwing curveballs what's the down side to starting young?

Football all depends on athleticism. Tons of athletes start football in High school and get scholarships to college.

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travel baseball leagues

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I'd literally rather my entire family get leprosy than ever put my child in travel baseball.

I don't understand this question. like what year should they start, or what year in high school can they contribute? I started baseball at 4 years old. Lettered sophomore year. know guys who lettered freshman year. know guys in middle school who we thought were a lock to make it to the majors who never stepped foot on a high school field. I never played travel ball or anything. And I frankly sucked through my junior year, but was 1st team all region my senior year when I really hit my stride.

Point is, kids and sports are a crapshoot. there's no special formula. There's nothing to say that if they aren't amazing when 8 y/o that they won't get good. And nothing that says that because they are good at 8, that they will be in high school. Let them play while they love it and teach them the right way to do it. It's all you can do. I get annoyed listening to friends and relatives judge what their kids high school future will be based off his travel team results....

depends on the kid. i started T-ball at 4/5 played YMCA/BREC through 8th grade, and lettered 3 years in high school. no travel ball. Played Legion Ball in the summers in high school with my high school teammates.


But that was nearly 30 years ago....

The only advantage a kid who starts football before 12 has is understanding terminology and where to line up. Athleticism wins in jr high, high school is a combination of awareness and athleticism...or sometimes simply size.

Football before 12 is a clusterfrick.

Baseball is a little more complicated; so much going on it helps to start early just to understand the game. But the demands of travel ball are never worth it IMO. Maybe if you have just one kid.

Depends on natural talent.

Kid runs a 4.5 or better and over 6'? He could start varsity in his first year in high school.

My son started going to all the high school football games this year, he's a 5th grader, and he loves it. Says no doubt he'll play. He's a good place kicker, but I don't think he's willing to put all his eggs in one basket.

His friends are playing football now and he feels left out. We're neck deep in club soccer though.

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Have to start travel ball at 3.

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That's at least a year too late.

Football? Plenty start freshman year and become varsity starters. It's all about size and athleticism (unless they are trying to be a qb).

Baseball requires a lot of skill. I'd say you want a kid playing by 10 years old if they want to play in high school.