Baseball season is just around the corner and it's time for you and your son to decide to play high school and/or Legion baseball.

As a parent of a former player and now a coach's wife, I would ask you to carefully consider the following:

1. Does your son want to have fun playing baseball?

2. Is baseball a big part of your son's life but not his whole life?

3. Does your son want a fair shot at playing college baseball?

4. Does your son want to see how West River schools match up with East River schools?

5. Do you want a family vacation, even as a side trip after an out-of-town game in which your son could travel with you?

6. Does your son want to be a kid at times and have water balloons fights, go frolfing, have a picnic, watch the tournament teams play their games, or enjoy other downtime fun while waiting between games at an out-of-town tournament instead of sitting in a motel room all day?

If you or your son answered yes to any of these, the choice is clear.

Go Cavaliers, Cobblers and Raiders during this upcoming baseball season.

MARIAN GATES

Rapid City