Skip to main content

Reply to "HS coach won't play son"

Originally Posted by Golfman25:
Originally Posted by RJM:

Most coaches aren't stupid. Typically they can judge talent. They see a lot more than the parent sees. And they don't see it with bias. If it appears the coach has a favorite player it's typically one that works the hardest or is the most talented.

While somewhat true, I would caution about how much a HS coach actually sees.  If you just do the math, coaches have very little time before games begin to evaluate players.  Therefore, you could be looking only at 20-30 hrs. of practice time.  With maybe 20 kids on a team, that is at best about an hour of actual skills time.  And in many cases, the penciled in starters will get more time than the backups. 

 

So not to put pressure on the kid, but realize that there is a very small window of opportunity to impress a coach and bump a "starter."  He may only have a handful of pitches to show he can hit, or a few balls to show he can field.  So he has to be ready to perform.  That is where the arriving early, staying late, and busting a$$ can play a part.   

20-30 hours before the season begins?   That's at least an hour per player per coach for observation and evaluation before games start, in your scenario.  That's plenty.

 

My son's team plays 2 games per week now in season.  Parents of players who are 2 and third options off the bench don't see the hundreds of reps each player is getting on the other 4 days of the week, so they really have no sense of the total of what the coach is considering when he makes out his lineup card each week.

 

To the OP I don't have much to add to what's been said already, except:  Advise your son be the first kid to practice and the last to leave.  Be the first out of the dugout to get a foul ball.  Put the last rake in the shed.  Take charge of what you can control -- your own attitude, effort, and preparation.  Make sure you find a home on a summer team that will give you meaningful playing time.

Last edited by JCG
×
×
×
×