quote:Originally posted by rain delay:
I am sure others have been through this with their sons and their teams and hopefully you have some suggestions on how you handled this situation.
My son is 14 years old, his positions are a pitcher, a first baseman, and an outfielder. Currently,he has the highest batting average and best ERA on his summer select/traveling team. He absolutely loves and appreciates the game. He sometimes loves the game so much that his competitive spirit gets together with his emotions and it shows. In other words, he gets pretty ticked off with his fellow teammates when they do not focus on the game like he thinks they should. He also is the loudest most complimentary cheerleader in the dugout, he encourages his fellow teammates to do better in hitting the ball, run the bases and play the game to the best of their capabilities.
I always thought my son would make a good coach someday if playing baseball never worked out for him.I know he wants the best out of his team he currently plays with and he is going to do the most he can do individually to make sure his team has a chance to win. Unfortunately, it looks as if others on his team don't have that same passion, love, and focus of the game.
I can't say I really disagree with him with his thoughts at times, there is nothing worse then to pitch an outstanding game and have your defense commit a total of 5 errors behind you and allow 6 unearned runs. There is nothing worse then to see half of your team act like they could careless in being there and look like they are trying out for the next episode of Dawn of the Dead. I have told him over and over you can only do what you can control and always look forward to the next at bat and the next game, that is the beauty of baseball. Don't get too high when things are going good and don't get too low and upset when things are going bad.
However,after seeing a variety of competitive baseball teams play this year of different age groups ranging from 14U to 16U, I have to say there are a lot of lazy out of focused players out there. Is this the age that some of these players are only playing baseball because their parents want them to or is this the representation of the lack of a work ethic society we are raising that is showing up on our baseball fields across the country?
Any more suggestions for my son from those who have experienced this? Do I need to find a team that will give him a better batch of more focused players surrounding him next season. Should I place him on a competitive 16U team when he is 15 years old?
I know the OP post is 2 yrs old but the reponsibility goes to the head coach for allowing poor attitude. Since this is a select team why doesn't the HC select players that want to play the game?
As a parent shelling out money for travel ball I don't want to see my investment squandered when players don't give it 100% and would look to go somewhere else if this occurred consistently.
I certainly wouldn't allow my kid to consistently give less than 100%.
On the other side baseball is a game of failure and it will happen that teammates will make mistakes. If their not consistent and make mistakes giving 100% then that is the game of baseball. Your son has and will commit error in baseball and needs to remember this to keep all things in perspective.