I'm going to somewhat echo Chico's last post. I’ll add my two cents after following this for a while, and having PM’d GaryMe right after the original post that I agreed with his take (and, more importantly, frustration at some level). I will note that I have not agreed with some that has been said since, and certainly not with any of the name calling etc., but I definitely understand the frustration involved and the pressure that is felt when a parent is not very experienced with the process and/or going through it for the first time. I also don’t feel PG is doing anything unethical or “shady” in any way.
I think one place where the struggle is real is for the parents of a “pretty good” player. I see a LOT of posts here from parents, coaches, players, and former players who are, or are involved with, the stud-caliber individual(s) who get the invites to the elite teams/events/tournaments, many of whom were identified early through either talent or connections or both, which has enabled these kids to gain some advantages – and not typically unfairly I might add. It’s just the way it is. I’m sure many of you have read the book “Outliers: The Story of Success” by Malcolm Gladwell which explores this idea in depth. I could go on but the bottom line is that I get that baseball recruiting is a big business these days, and that’s ok. However, I don’t know what the solution is for having this business develop a model that is more than a “one size fits all” (I might be on to something here!). I can guarantee that, as the parent of a player pursing the D3 path, had I had a better idea that this would be the goal a few years ago I would have made some considerably different decisions when it comes to where my money and time was spent. The thing is, for the most part it seems to me that everyone, including the reliable objective assessment sources, sort of starts at the top level as a goal and works their way down as time goes along. I guess this is a completely natural progression since one can’t predict what puberty, work ethic, injuries, etc. might produce but it’s a confusing and different process for every situation at best. Add to that some folks touting scholarship possibilities and accolades to the dad (unfamiliar with the process) of a 10 year-old and it’s like dangling a raw steak in front of a starving wolf!
I’ve mentioned in other posts that my 2019’s situation with his summer team has not been ideal. It’s one of the big-name organizations local installments and my “pretty good” player has always been on one of the B teams. I’ve felt from time to time that it is very likely that his team, and teams like it, are what fund the “elite” squad’s trips to the big tournaments, that my son will never get a taste of, but he chose that path because he likes his team and coaches. This was a decision he made and I don’t think it’s regrettable. The point being, there are many more players like my son than like the studs and I’m quite sure the travel organizations, recruiting services, showcase companies, etc. know it. It’s just part of the deal but it’s a difficult position at times. It would almost be better to know your kid isn’t ever going to play at X level but at 12-13-14-15 years old, it’s pretty difficult to ascertain for a “pretty good” player so parents just keep chasing it as long as the kid wants to play.
Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed this process immensely and wouldn’t give back any of the trips or moments that we’ve spent together. These are the things that have contributed to the man our son will become. I just wanted to chime in that I understand the original intent of the post, or at least the frustration involved.