A great reason to graduate early from high school if you can

[Silver King]

We had two Tarpons (our QB and FB) graduate 1st semester and get a jump on their recruiting classes. Both are over achievers in the classroom and on the field. Maleek was a load and played injured through the playoffs.

"Arkansas freshman RB Maleek Williams forcing his way into playing time

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas running back Maleek Williams should be preparing for prom, his running backs coach Reggie Mitchell pointed out Thursday.

Instead, Williams is spending the spring making a strong case for immediate playing time as a true freshman next fall."

https://www.seccountry.com/arkansas...ek-williams-forcing-his-way-into-playing-time

 

[Football941]

I think this can be true for only some athletes. While I know some kids can graduate early from a classroom standpoint, not all are ready for the field that soon.
When I saw Trey Burton leave to get to UF for Spring practice that made total sense.

 

[Silver King]

It's usually the high flyers in the classroom. Trey was one of those. Our QB is also a coach's son, grounded kids.

 

[DarterBlue2]

Good for them Silver. Early graduation is increasingly possible with the advent of on-line classes. Used to be you would have to go to summer school or take a larger load of regular classes during the semester. With proper planning, it is now a lot easier to complete high school a semester early.

To the extent you have the ability to compete for playing time as a true freshman, this gives you a big, big advantage.

 

[Silver King]

Yes it is a lot easier these days DB, but kids need to make the most of that freshman year and be sure they're getting all their credits - sometimes that's tough to make them see sometimes.

 

[DarterBlue2]

Yes it is a lot easier these days DB, but kids need to make the most of that freshman year and be sure they're getting all their credits - sometimes that's tough to make them see sometimes.

It is. At 18 or 19, you are no longer a child, but probably not an adult either. It helps when the athlete has good people that he trusts in his corner. Often that is not the case.

 

[Football941]

On the other side some kids are better served to stay in high school until the end.
As stated the maturity of one 18 yr old might not be on par with others much less going early. The grades you get in those early classes stay on your transcript. Same as if you had done dual enrolment.
For Athletics it is the same. If the kids can play and have an opportunity to possible contribute as a freshman then it makes sense to go early and start getting into that playbook and transition.
It also has to be said that you can only be a senior in high school once. I lean more towards that frame of mind. Do high school things when you are high school age. I'm pretty sure the pressures of college and being an adult will still be there when you graduate.

 

[Silver King]

Yeah, obviously it depends on the individual.

And age is a factor. Heck I remember the last time we played Manatee - think it was the last time they missed the playoffs after we beat them which was the same year we got you guys in the playoffs. Anyway, I really liked Manatee's hard running FB that year - his name escapes me. He got busted after the first of the year after that season and they had his age listed at 20 years old.

Heck when I was 20 years old, I had already started two years and was half way through my college career. I'd like to think I would have been hell on wheels on a high school field, so my opinion faded a bit.

 

[Football941]

I think the rule has changed for 2018 graduates but used to be 19 years and 9 months was the cut off.
The amount of parents holding their kids back for sports in 8th grade has become a bit alarming. A few years back when playing travel baseball my son was 14 and I watched kids drive up to the field in their own car and suit up. I then figured it out. The age was 14 OR 2018 graduate. The emphasis was on OR. That gave them a loop hole to compete with kids younger if they had been held back. I asked a parent from another team how old their kid was and his reply was 16 and had been held back twice. He was 6'4" 230lb 1st baseman from TX who had been flown in to play on this elite team.

 

[Silver King]

Yep, heard that called the Middle School Red Shirt. Wish I would have held my middle son back, very good OLB and was one of the youngest in his class, graduated at 17, but I was thinking like that when he was starting school.