for display only
Big Blue Interactive The Corner Forum  
Back to the Corner

Archived Thread

NFT: Advice needed - Looking for a new sport for 12 yr old

Dang Man : 3/26/2024 10:49 am
Hi guys, unfortunately over the last year my son, who is a very good baseball player, has had some issues with his elbow and we’re giving him a year off after surgery this past year. To compound matters, he’s developed a horrible case of osgood schlatters which has his knees flaring up constantly.

We’re looking for something to occupy his time until football season where as a lineman perhaps he can manage the running. In the meantime, can anyone recommend any fun activities that could fill his time without stressing his joints? Swimming is ideal, but it’s a bit of an isolated sport. He loves team sports but was thinking maybe wrestling/jiu jitsu? Any advice is welcome.
Fishing, billiards, ping pong  
mako J : 3/26/2024 10:54 am : link
And golf.

Not necessarily in that order. I loved all of these at that age in addition to football, baseball, and basketball.
Was going to say swimming  
Costy16 : 3/26/2024 10:55 am : link
Wouldn't think wrestling would be good with the knee issue flaring up.
I had Osgood in both knees  
UConn4523 : 3/26/2024 10:57 am : link
it sucked but I liked soccer too much and just dealt with the knee pain. He should grow out of it by highschool. That doesn’t help you now but it should be comforting to know it isn’t long term and is usually just pain management.

Really comes down to pain tolerance, anything not in water is going to flare it up.
Golf?  
Chris684 : 3/26/2024 11:10 am : link
..
He can be a lacrosse  
pjcas18 : 3/26/2024 11:14 am : link
goalie. I'd say any position, but most involve running, except goalie.

does he like lacrosse? goalies don't run that much.

My college roommate was the goalie on our team at Quinnipiac and it's not like goalies don't get exercise, etc. they do and it's a fun sport.
Ice hockey, or ice skating in general  
Adam G in MD : 3/26/2024 11:20 am : link
Much less stress on the knees than running - less impact.
Steep learning curve, but great sport for kids and adults
RE: Golf?  
UConn4523 : 3/26/2024 11:22 am : link
In comment 16446503 Chris684 said:
Quote:
..


Unless he carts it full time the knee is going to be an issue in all likelihood, it did for me. Driving range + cart is probably fine but walking 18 could be rough.
Roller or ice hockey?  
GiantTuff1 : 3/26/2024 11:28 am : link
Something with more gliding and less pounding on knees?
Cycling or xc skiing  
VTChuck : 3/26/2024 11:53 am : link
?
What about crew?  
Section331 : 3/26/2024 12:04 pm : link
It can be tough to find crew teams to join, and travel can be a bitch, but it’s a great team sport, and an unbelievable workout. Your kid will be in great shape in no time.
First thank you all  
Dang Man : 3/26/2024 12:08 pm : link
For taking the time to respond. Some great suggestions. I’d love to find a team sport first as he loves being around “the guys”. That said it seems a bit more difficult. Plenty of ideas for me to mention to him. He loves skating so maybe it’s some beginner hockey, though not sure if that’s seasonal.

Either way thanks again.
RE: He can be a lacrosse  
Scott in Montreal : 3/26/2024 1:22 pm : link
In comment 16446507 pjcas18 said:
Quote:
goalie. I'd say any position, but most involve running, except goalie.

does he like lacrosse? goalies don't run that much.

My college roommate was the goalie on our team at Quinnipiac and it's not like goalies don't get exercise, etc. they do and it's a fun sport.


Agreed. Lacrosse is great.
My son played box Lacrosse for a couple seasons during the football offseason. He really enjoyed it.

He played everywhere. Even in net for some games during tournaments.
RE: What about crew?  
pmmanning : 3/26/2024 6:02 pm : link
In comment 16446573 Section331 said:
Quote:
It can be tough to find crew teams to join, and travel can be a bitch, but it’s a great team sport, and an unbelievable workout. Your kid will be in great shape in no time.


2nd Crew just put my 12 year old in. I rowed in college you're part of a team. I'm in Port Jeff and there clubs that are open now.
jujitsu  
Archer : 3/26/2024 6:56 pm : link
I am a big proponent of Brazilian Jiujitsu and boxing for anyone but more specifically for young people.

It develops strength, stamina, flexibility, speed, dexterity, and balance.

It has great crossover benefits to football as it will strengthen your hands, joints, arms, core, and legs while increasing explosive power.

Jujitsu is a good one  
JerrysKids : 3/26/2024 10:06 pm : link
But if you can afford the expense I would recommend golf.
My son played Lacrosse  
Giant John : 3/27/2024 2:56 am : link
He loved the game,
Swimming is very team oriented for kids  
St. Jimmy : 3/27/2024 6:30 am : link
The meets are long and a kid will only swim 3 or 4 times. It is all about hanging out with your friends and cheering on other people who are swimming.

It is a huge commitment though. Swimming is basically what you do during the season. As a parent, there is a lot of volunteering. You'll have to time races, work the snack bar, bring stuff for the snack bar.
Wrestling is an amazing sport  
antdog24 : 3/27/2024 9:55 am : link
teaches discipline, work ethic, self esteem. Helped my son tremendously as he was struggling with all those things. We also started him wrestling at 12, he's going to continue it next year as a freshman in high school.
As someone who suffered greatly from Osgood Schlatter's, I'd say the  
CT Charlie : 3/28/2024 7:55 pm : link
worst pain for me was anything risking direct contact to the . tibial tubercle, the point just below the kneecap where the thigh muscles connect to the top of the tibia (shin bone). Running wasn't nearly as painful doing anything on my knees. Wrestling, crawling (diving for a loose ball on hardwood), or getting blocked in the knee in a football drill would be the worst. No, maybe the worst would be taking a direct hit from a lacrosse ball as a goalie...

Even today, 60 years later, the thought of kneeling on a floor makes me wince. I squat or sit on my butt rather than kneel because of the sensitivity.

So for me, running was never much of an issue, and I ended up playing soccer in college and even running the equivalent of several hundred half marathons in one crazy 10-month period in my twenties.
If your son is working with an elbow that's healing  
RC in MD : 3/28/2024 10:36 pm : link
And knees that are giving him issues, be careful with BJJ. BJJ isn't easy on the joints and can possibly lead to additional elbow injuries.

My nine year old son has been doing BJJ since he was seven, and I've been doing it for a bit over a year. While I'm a 100% believer in the benefits of BJJ, just practice caution if you are waiting for your son's joints to get better.
RE: As someone who suffered greatly from Osgood Schlatter's, I'd say the  
RC in MD : 3/28/2024 10:37 pm : link
In comment 16449510 CT Charlie said:
Quote:
worst pain for me was anything risking direct contact to the . tibial tubercle, the point just below the kneecap where the thigh muscles connect to the top of the tibia (shin bone). Running wasn't nearly as painful doing anything on my knees. Wrestling, crawling (diving for a loose ball on hardwood), or getting blocked in the knee in a football drill would be the worst. No, maybe the worst would be taking a direct hit from a lacrosse ball as a goalie...

Even today, 60 years later, the thought of kneeling on a floor makes me wince. I squat or sit on my butt rather than kneel because of the sensitivity.

So for me, running was never much of an issue, and I ended up playing soccer in college and even running the equivalent of several hundred half marathons in one crazy 10-month period in my twenties.


This...there will be a lot of impact to the knee for BJJ.
BJJ & wrestling  
bc4life : 3/29/2024 3:58 pm : link
would think that places a lot of stress on the joints
swimming isolated?  
bc4life : 3/29/2024 3:59 pm : link
most of the people I know into scuba do it in groups
Back to the Corner