Coach_Dad posted:First time posting, long time reader of these forums. I've been using this website and forums for about 5 years now trying to plan / guide my 2018 to be in the best possible position to be a successful baseball player. He's worked hard, off season workouts since 6th grade, has a good bat (told he definitely has a college "swing" -- whatever that means. His off tee VELO his freshman year was metered at 75 mph by University of Michigan during a clinic), good arm and glove. By far not the best kid on the team but definitely no slouch and working on improving his game as much as possible. Has a deep passion and I feel he's one of those players that's a student of the game.
Unfortunately, 2018 is in a toxic baseball program that includes verbal and mentally abusive staff. And no one wants to say anything about it because they are afraid of how that will affect playing time -- and sadly, we're one of those parents. We've seen retribution many times. HS program does not have a great history, since this coaching staff took over about 6 years ago, of connecting players to good colleges and baseball programs and the coaches do not have a very good reputation among their peers.
2018 batted over .600 for most of the 2016 season on JV and for some reason was the only soph not pulled up to Varsity at end of the year. 2018 had many conversations with coaches to see what he could so to improve only to get the run around and blown off. We were warned from a couple of parents before his freshman year that coaching staff usually has at least 1-2 kids in "the doghouse" regardless of what they do, and that our kid would most likely be one of those kids. Sure as anything, 2018 has permanent residency in the doghouse. He's been very frustrated over this situation but fights through it and does not give up.
We have never really had the means to get 2018 into travel programs; however, we were told last year that if our 2018 would have any hope getting into a college program (we're looking at junior colleges, only at this point due to 4 year costs) that he needed to get on a travel team this year. He's been very successful in his community athletic league program but I guess that doesn't really hold as much weight as it did when I played community ball 30+ years ago.
Fortunately, 2018 was picked up by a great travel organization and the team is playing up a division (playing "up" an age or two is something we've been doing as much as possible) and there appears to be a potential route to a junior college 2018 has targeted through this organization. Both travel org and HS program will be practicing pretty much at the same times on the same day. Up to this point, 2018 has been to every off-season HS workout program, even taking clinics / camps run by HS coaches to get more face time and display what he can provide to them. Everything seemed pretty cut and dried to us parents: go to the travel practices and catch up with the HS program once tryouts start.
But, after reading the postings in this thread, I'm concerned that if our 2018 chooses travel over HS that it will basically sink him with the HS program for the 2017 season. I'd like to get some input into our situation as it seems unique from what others have been posting. Is it "safe" for 2018 to take a chance on choosing travel over HS practices in our case? And, this is not a case of "daddy goggles"; the situation with coaching staff has been the subject of many conversations with parents and players before and after we got into the program.
As much as I feel HS baseball should be a HS kid's goal, there are rare cases where it's in the kid's best interest to find another avenue. And though I feel I don't or can't know enough about this situation to say with confidence what might be the best avenue in this case, it sounds like it just might be. So, I'll just say this . . .
For 2018's, this baseball season is really important in terms of getting playing time and exposure to recruiters and scouts. If my son were in this situation, as been presented here, I'd probably have him wait to see what develops as the season begins. If he remains "in the dog house" (and my son had an occasion to be there for a short time Jr year, with a travel team coach), then I would have my son simply leave the HS program after giving the beginning of the season a fair effort and if there's no acceptable results, then concentrate on the travel team and development to get as much attention from recruiters and scouts as possible. I would emphasize to my son to not let the emotional aspect of the situation color the decision and try to treat it in a very business like manner. If the HS coach doesn't like him and can find a way to work together for son's objectives, then one must move on.