My son is having a hard time between deciding rather to freestyle wrestle or play baseball this summer. He has done very well this season in wrestling but he has always played baseball during the summertime,I don't want to pursuade him one way or the other but I need help in deciding his faith this summer. What good camps are in Northeast Kansas for freestyle?

I would let him play baseball. We played baseball last year. Found a camp that didn't interfere with baseball. Then found enough kids to practice for a month and we went and wrestled at the Sunflower games. I even wrestled myself in the 30 and over.

As much as I love wrestling it all comes down to how much of a love the sport is to him. There will be plenty of times to try to get on the mat if you call up an area coach or something I'm sure someone will open the mats to keep your son in "wrestling shape" I think some great wrestlers get burnt out and I wouldn't want to see that happen either, so weigh your options, also how old is your son?

Not even a question in my mind as to which one to choose.

Pretty vague question, I'll try my best.

First off, what is your son's caliber in both sports. If he's just a recreational wrestler/baseball player, I'd say both.

If he's on an elite team for baseball and is just starting freestyle, I still say both. Freestyle starts in April and is done by May (competitively). Baseball usually starts in mid March and if you're on an elite team, they play every weekend. So the days he isn't playing, have him in the room. More than likely he'll chose freestyle next year because it is WAY less demanding than baseball elite teams. Heck, it's less demanding that folkstyle for that matter.

If he's an elite wrestler and elite baseballer, then your going to have to chose one or the other. Since it's his first year of freestyle, I say start him slow this year and let him figure it out for next year once the season is over.

One of the key things to remember is to make sure that whenever a season ends, he wants more and isn't excited about the season being done.

In our house, baseball/softball rules. It would not be a hard decision at all for my kids. Reading the responses and your question brought back an interview I read about sports. Cal Ripken talked about how he tells his own son to put away the glove when the summer is over. He then goes on to talk about how an athlete uses muscles, coordination, and experience from many different sports instead of just one. Cal Ripken then talked about how he is alarmed at a national trend where kids as young as 10 are starting to play just one sport year round. This is leading to burnout, sports injuries (using the same muscles all the time) and other problems. What skills you learn in football, basketball, baseball, track ect will help in wrestling. I know that my son does basketball and wrestling right now. The basketball practices and games gives him endurance for those tough wrestling matches when it comes down to the wire. That is just one example of how one sport can compliment the other. If he can do both without any conflicts, let him do both. Just my opinion.

In our house, there are four seasons. Football, wrestling, track/golf, and baseball. Toss in summer mini-camps and we are busy all year round. Finances are a consideration as well. I think I get a reprieve during the summer BUT those darn mini-camps take quite a chunk as well. My sons all played baseball every single summer since they were 6. Now only 1 out of my 4 still plays. Other things became more important to them . I think the bottom line in choosing is know your kids. Know their limitations because they don't. As parents, WE have a responsibility to not only let our children choose but to choose for them when they can't. Sometimes that means saying NO. My 8th grader wanted to do wrestling AND baseball AND attend all the camps AND go to Washington DC on a sponsored trip and I laughed and said "get a job". Well he did and I still told him to choose between baseball and wrestling. He chose baseball. . We avoid burn-out in a simple fashion..absolutely no year-round sports. I get burned out on the girls but I don't have a choice.

Encourage your kid to participate in more than just wrestling. Especially if he is young. This decision in high school will come way too soon! My freshman wrestler chose not to play baseball in high school - prior to this year he has played tournament baseball for 4 years.

I'm in mourning right now - I am a baseball mom at heart. Thank goodness I have two others playing still!

I think it depends on how old he is. If he is jr. high level, I don't think one season would hurt. After that he can alternate each year or work on what sport he needs more work on. I also agree that more than one sport is good. As far as Car Ripken and using diffrent muscles.......Okay I won't go there. Greco teaches you to use your hips, and freestyle teaches you to wrestle at a faster pace.

Thanks to all who have posted. I don't no if our decision is easier or what. I guess time will tell. Baseball is good, but wrestling is great!!!

I think the first thing you need to do is talk to your son and find out what is truly most important to him. You have to listen with an open mind and realize that it is his decision not yours. Remember, if you push him too hard it may come back to haunt you in the future.

I'm a high school wrestler, and i say let your kid choose what he has most fun at!! Even if her chooses to do freestyle let him. Doing year round sports don't always lead to a burn out! I love baseball! I played it from when i was 5-13!! But when it came down to it i chose wrestling in the summer to! If he really loves the sport he wont get bunt out! Most kids get burt out when their parents are always pressureing them to be the best!!!! So i say if he has more fun in wrestling then wrestle! If he has more fun in baseball then play baseball!!!

even if he*** (sorry)

Think about what he is better at and what he accomplished more in.

I too am faced with this same decision. Being a first year wrestler, my son has come to love the sport and has accomplished quite a lot this year and wants to get better as much and as quickly as he can. Also, being 7 years old, he is somewhat limited on his choices for baseball in this area, there is a FEW competitive baseball teams that would take on a 7 year old and have them play up in age group, but not many. And the Rec league in the area doesn't start kid pitch until the kids are in 5th grade. Last summer, my older son was on a competitive baseball team and my 7 year old (then he was 6) was practicing with the 10 year olds and the coach wanted him to join the team due to his apparent skill and desire to play. We didn't allow him to play up last year, but did allow him to practice with the team (at the coaches request) whenever possible.

Most of these comments have helped us figure out what we are going to do this summer and since he truly loves both sports and is successful in both, i think we will try to squeeze in summer freestyle/Greco wrestling in with baseball, even if it is just in the recreational league.

Crash99 you are in a good area for him to learn FS/GR. He will like it.