advice

Practice hard, play hard, focus on the current with an eye on the next level to be prepared. Never look too far ahead. One step at a time. Enjoy each step of the journey.

ill keep that in mind thanks(: do you think though that depending on the position the likely hood of advancing to high levels is harder for some than others?

RJM offers sound advice, I would add Good grades will open up doors. Poor grades will shut a lot of options.

What position do you play now and what are your strong points?

What makes a good baseball player? Focus on those things. Spend your time working on getting better at the things that will make you a better player. Dont put your focus on the destination and where you want to go as much as putting it on the things that will help you get there.

The vast majority of kids will not play high school baseball. The vast majority of those that play high school baseball will not play in college.

So if your doing what the vast majority are doing you will be average. And if your average you will do what all the other average ball players are doing when its all said and done. You have to be willing to do what the majority are not willing to do. If your doing what everyone else is doing then you are average.

Work harder than everyone else. Do more than everyone else. If some follow your lead great. If none do then fine they dont want to go where you want to go.

Work on your basic baseball fundementals. Hitting , fielding , throwing. Work on being the best athlete you can possibly be. The faster you are , the quicker you are , the better shape you are in , the stronger you are - the better player you will be.

Work hard in the classroom. Be the best student you can be. Dont limit your opportunities not only in baseball but in life because you did not see importance of good grades and actually learning while you were in school.

Be the best person you can be. Not because coaches like good kids. Not because your parents want you to be a good kid. Be the best person you can be because you want to be a good person.

If your goal is to be the best player you can be. If your goal is to play past high school and as far as you can possibly go. Then you must be willing to actually dedicate yourself towards that goal. You must pay the price it takes to reach that goal. And then you must understand that will require you to do more , give more , sacrifice more than those around you.

Doing what everyone else is doing is not enough. It will make you average. Doing what no one else is willing to do and doing it with the understanding that this will only take you to where your ability and potential will take you is what is important. For some that may mean actually making the high school team. For others it will take them to the Major Leagues. But in the end you will know it took you as far as you could have possibly gone in the game. And you will never have to look back and say "I could have , I would have , I should have." You will know. And thats all that really matters in the end. Good luck

Classic post Coach May!

Outstanding post, Coach. At the risk of ruining it, I humbly add...understand that baseball is a game of frustration. You will go through hitting slumps, pitching slumps, and even fielding slumps. Do the things that Coach so eloquently described (in fact, print that post) but understand that you will have bumps in the road. That's the time to dust off and keep pushing. Don't let temporary set backs discourage you. Now, it's time for me to cut and paste Coach's advice to my son.

All the best.

Great post, Coach May! I forwarded it to my son and other friends.

I would add that you should educate yourself (and ask your mom or dad to join you) about your body and what conditioning is necessary and appropriate to make you stronger and keep you healthy as you grow and mature. Don't rely on your coaches to guide you in this -- while many have good intentions, they don't have the time and/or educational background to always do the right things. They are coaches, not personal trainers! Read or have your mom or dad read some of the posts on the ASMI forum (link below), not to scare you, but to make you aware of how to train smart and be careful. Also, don't get discouraged if your body gets unathletic for awhile while you grow -- it will come back. Mostly, as others have said, take one step at a time. Good luck!

http://asmiforum.proboards.com/index.cgi#injury

Coach May,

That post was outstanding. Thank you.

right now i can play everywhere but i normally start in center or short but im great third and im an ok pitcher but i wunna focus on 3b and center. umm i hit in the 3-5 slot. i had a slump thisyear but i normally hit around 400-600 i also lead my team in steals and outfield assists. (30 steals, caught only 5 times)

Bulldog2010, just the fact that you are asking about how to become a better player is a great first step. Love your initiative, that will take you places. Coach May has EXCELLENT advice, cling to that.

quote:

Originally posted by bulldog2010:
right now i can play everywhere but i normally start in center or short but im great third and im an ok pitcher but i wunna focus on 3b and center. umm i hit in the 3-5 slot. i had a slump thisyear but i normally hit around 400-600 i also lead my team in steals and outfield assists. (30 steals, caught only 5 times)

Don't worry about where you want to play. Focus on the positions that can get you on the field. In high school those positions will be those where the players will be graduated seniors the year before you're ready to step in. When my son was in 8th grade he approached the high school coach (he taught in the middle school). He had lunch with the coach and asked him what positions were the fastest way to starting on varsity. The coach told him since he could play infield and outfield just hit and he'll find him a position. He started at third as a soph. He started in center as a junior.

I've always had one philosophy on getting on the field. It doesn't matter what position you play. It doesn't matter where you bat in the order. As long as you're in the lineup you can prove yourself. My son went from batting 9th as a soph to 3rd as a junior.

thank you all for your help. if any more advice comes up please post. i enjoy hearing from all of you and it is truly helpful. im glad to see that other people are willing to help me. especially since we dont know each other. but thanks again and i will keep your advice in mind and use it to my advantage. im pretty close with the varsity coach for the HS im going to. he was my JH baseball coach and ive went to his work outs for pitching before. i believe that using your advice and sticking with the lessons learned from him and my parents i can get to where i want to be. to me, if i get only an inning a game to prove myself, thats where ill start. yet again, thank you and i hope to hear more from all of you

Bulldog,

I say this as seriously as I could possibly say it.

Print out Coach May's post and put it somewhere you will read it everyday.

If you are that serious about baseball - IMO - read that everyday.

Then do it.

Best of luck to you.

i am printing it when i get the chance and one copies going on my bedroom door, one in my computer desk and one copy in with my baseball stuff for when i get the tough days. im truly taking that advice to heart

Bulldog, not only is that post going on your bedroom door it's going on my baseball bulletin board at school and in our dugout.

Thanks Coach May; and good luck Bulldog

i never thought about that one trojan. i might have to do that too

quote:

Originally posted by ClevelandDad:
Classic post Coach May!

...in fact, I just had my son come down stairs to read Coach May's post. It should be required reading for All Players trying to make it to the next level, whatever level that may be? Thanks Coach!

quote:

Classic post Coach May!

Agreed. That one's going on the dorm room wall.

guys, im truly greatful for all your encouraging words of advice. im glad i can come somewhere for help without feeling stupid. baseballs important to me and its helpful having such amazing people as yourselves to encourage me in so many different ways. thank you all so very much

bulldog - one more thing. Start using proper English in your posts. This isn't a text forum. Getting used to doing your typing the correct way will help with your school work and make that part of your preparation. As has been said many times on this board - You never know who is watching.

Good luck with your pursuit.

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That's good advice LWN Dad. It really is.



Any way I slice it, the single digit I type with always keeps my English prim and proper...





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