What age do you know?

[ScoutingReport]

At what age do you think you know when you have a special group of kids. Football season this 7th grade bunch had an undefeated season and did not have anyone come within 20 points. Now in Basketball they have started off out-scoring their opponents 195-28...yes, that is not a typo. I know all kids mature at different ages, but just wanted your opinion.

[Maudite]

If they aren't ahead of all the other kids ie (they all have mustaches and sing bass for Boyz to men) then you should be excited. I watched some JH football this year and you can definitely tell the teams that are full of kids that have already gone through the change.

[REL1978]

It is so hard to predict from any age. How mature are they physically? 8th graders who shave on a regular basis don't normally grow much. Will their work ethic stay good? You just never know, sometimes kids get to hearing how good they are and decide they don't have to work as hard as others. Who are they playing? In Tyler when I grew up there the junior highs just played each other they didn't play the Longview and Lufkin junior highs so a group would look really good beating kids who didn't even play high school football. Many great junior high athletes get into high school and decide girls, drinking, partying, work or many other things are more important than the hard work it takes to be great especially the ones who went to the super bowl in third grade. They get burned out. Good coaches and parents will help with a bunch of this.

[Guest 4to3]

At what age do you think you know when you have a special group of kids. Football season this 7th grade bunch had an undefeated season and did not have anyone come within 20 points. Now in Basketball they have started off out-scoring their opponents 195-28...yes, that is not a typo. I know all kids mature at different ages, but just wanted your opinion.

Don't get too excited. You may lose some as transfers.

[player73]

One or two good athletes can make the whole grade look awesome in Jr High.

[Eagleborn]

At what age do you think you know when you have a special group of kids. Football season this 7th grade bunch had an undefeated season and did not have anyone come within 20 points. Now in Basketball they have started off out-scoring their opponents 195-28...yes, that is not a typo. I know all kids mature at different ages, but just wanted your opinion.

Not sure if there is a way to tell.

 

We've had a group of 7th graders go winless and ended up wining state.

 

Had another group go winless and ended up going 4-6.

 

Groups in front or behind them makes a huge difference.

[Wild74]

Well I keep my eye on the lower grades last years 8th grade didn't do that well they are now freshmen but as JV they done pretty good but there was a few 11th graders on that team also. This years 7&8th didn't lose a game, 8th did tie with Troup. Lot of talent and very fast backs on these teams. Saying that I know that a few of the kids will not come out and play, maybe they are scared or don't want to do the work such as weights and fall practice. I'm like EB undefeated 8th grade might not turn into much down the road.

[BuckNut]

Gotta look at the group above and below them and what kind of high school coaching they will be getting. If both those are good then you can start getting excited if not hold on.

[hogwash]

Coaching is the KEY.

[Stoney]

Our class was deep with lineman, shallow at the skill positions. 7th, 8th grade we got our clocks cleaned. By our junior/ senior years with help from some talented underclassmen we were pretty dang good. Luck and good districting by the UIL doesnt hurt.

[BuckNut]

At what age do you think you know when you have a special group of kids. Football season this 7th grade bunch had an undefeated season and did not have anyone come within 20 points. Now in Basketball they have started off out-scoring their opponents 195-28...yes, that is not a typo. I know all kids mature at different ages, but just wanted your opinion.

Where is this awesome group from I want to keep an eye. Out for them in the 2019 state championship plus we need to make sure Gilmer keeps them off our schedule.

[ScoutingReport]

Where is this awesome group from I want to keep an eye. Out for them in the 2019 state championship plus we need to make sure Gilmer keeps them off our schedule.

don't think you will be playing us anytime soon, not unless we get about a 1000 move in's.

[CasualObserver70]

hard to say, but I've watched Buckeye football (7th - Varsity) for 11 years now. Everyone Knew Stump was Special in 7th grade, and sure enough, they won a state championship his senior year. Everyone knew the 2011 group was special as early as 8th grade. I still think they would have won state if Luke doesn't break his ankle against Carthage.

And everyone was talking about this group as early as the 7th grade. So yes, there's something to be said about seeing it early and noticing it.

 

However, everyone thought the superstar of that group in 7th grade would be Chase Tate. Problem is, he's still the same size as he was 5 years ago. He's a great player, but never grew. So you can tell, but you can't tell. And yes, it's definitely about how players develop, and coaching, and the grades around them. But you usually know a truly "special" talent early on. Just hard to miss.

[BlackBeard]

I saw a special group of kids as early as 10 y.o. in peewee football about six years ago

[RickyTheNatureBoyFlair]

10th Grade is very close. Maturity starts to even out then cars and girls really enter into the equation. Once they can't get by on sheer talent they have to spend the time to keep getting better. Their definition of "fun" seems to change and practice time is a couple of hours they can use in other areas.

[regaleagle]

If you have a special group as youngsters that are all very athletic in lots of sports, then chances are that group will be very good in high school as well....regardless of who moves, drops out, or concentrates on one sport only. There will always be a few that will replace those, and then there are the late bloomers that are surprises.

[buckeyebob]

7th grade is the "Test" year...8th is for "Sure"...in Mini-Bux, you have an eye out... gotta be early

[pushemback]

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

[bob cousy]

If they already have hair on their legs you are in trouble.

[purprleragedad]

7th grade is the "Test" year...8th is for "Sure"...in Mini-Bux, you have an eye out... gotta be early

BUCK.... there was a kid in Elkhart back in the late 80's that as a 7/8 grader was a HOSS of a kid...was one of the best jr. high players I had ever seen...BUT by his soph year all the "young bucks" became BIG BUCKS and he stayed a 5'5" 175 grown man that became very ineffective....can't judge a kid until probably soph/jr year... .Have had players that grew 5-6 inches and put on 40 lbs. AFTER they finished playing football

[pushemback]

If they already have hair on their legs you are in trouble.

And if they shave that hair that is another issue

 

purprleragedad is right about early develpoers.

I think one University tried to get the jump on some by getting Sophs to committ and they had peaked and later develpoers proved better.

[RickyTheNatureBoyFlair]

Uh... Kids get leg hair young. REALLY young. I'm talking 1st grade here.

The place to check for hair is behind the knee, above the calf. It's not "scientifically proven" but after years of coaching I've never once seen a kid with hair there get any bigger. I was told that my first year and 20+ years later it has never failed.

[mav6325]

At what age do you think you know when you have a special group of kids. Football season this 7th grade bunch had an undefeated season and did not have anyone come within 20 points. Now in Basketball they have started off out-scoring their opponents 195-28...yes, that is not a typo. I know all kids mature at different ages, but just wanted your opinion.

Hopefully they will all stay together through the years and have a couple of kids transfer in and put them over the top when it counts!

[justthinkin11]

Everyone has hit on what I have learned about these exceptional groups when they are in Jr. High and just dominate other schools. 1. Do they have a pretty good class either behind or in front of them 2. Check for the hair on the legs 3. You better have a coach that can coach. Other schools will catch up to them physically to some extent but even if you don't have 1-3 they will be very competitive. If you don't have atleast #1 and #3 I say they still have great seasons but I would hold off on making any reservations in Dallas or Austin justthinkin

[dogs3505]

Jr. High isn't one of those things your can predict easily. Have coached at both the Jr. High and High School level and you know there will be a few kids who will be studs, some that will turn into studs, and those who will fizzle out. You cant predict the teenage mind at all but coaching plays a big role in keeping them going. With that said, when they get to high school ( at least in a football standpoint) the numbers game will play a huge role well so you want to try to keep even the worst kid on the team as they may serve as a huge part of the team.