Advice dealing with HS coach

Gettin'there,

If your son has talked to the coach, there is not much else he can do. I would not worry so much about his high school stats,

Coaches do not recruit kids out of their HS much anymore. It is much more important to get on a good summer team that will be places where he will be seen, by the coaches who's schools he is interested in. College coaches are in season right now and will not have time to see him play for his HS. 

Has your son put a list of schools together? Have you been able to watch some local D3 teams play. That is the place to start.

Many on here know a lot more about this process than I do. I am sure they will chime in.

Good luck

Sounds like coach is trying to send a message that there is no need for your son to take grounders anymore since he won't be playing infield. Can't be 100% but maybe have your son tell your coach he would rather split infield drills and catching bullpen 50/50 at practices?

This is the kind of "guessing game" that makes people crazy.  Just let the kid know where he stands. 

gettinthere - When I first read the title of the thread, I thought, 'Oh no!  Here we go again!'  But your post and question seem reasonable and I think we can all relate to this experience one way or another.

 

I know the view is prevalent on this site - about HS not being that important - but through 2 sons playing at 2 very different HS's (one a big time HS program the other not at all) before playing in the Pac12, the HS coaches WERE important as was their experience and performance on the field.  College coaches DID come to watch them play in HS…many, many times.  Or in some cases, were there by proxy (i.e. someone they knew and trusted there to watch).

 

So it is worthwhile, IMO, to work on improving the situation.

 

Your son has taken the first step.  Its the right first step in my view.  Didn't get the answer you both hoped for - so now he's gotta go back and try again.  Perhaps with a different 'entry' or approach.  Your son WILL learn a LOT from this - good old fashioned life skills.  Both of my sons had multiple conversations of this type with both HS and college coaches.  And even pro coaches in the older son's case.

 

But this skill of going back with a different approach to either understand and/or change the outcome is so much more about how life can often be than about baseball.  But you likely already know that.  So sit down with your son.  Go over the first conversation from his vantage point. Advise your son on adjustments or enhancements or clarifications that may help him on a 2nd conversation with his coach.  Talk to him about respecting the coach's authority and position, but teach him how to speak with his "boss" respectfully over something thats important to him.  Its a good skill for him to develop.

 

Good luck and let us know how it goes. 

Agree on the stats issue.  HS stats are not reliable and it's generally too short of a window.

 

I'm not sure approaching the coach again is a good thing to do.  And unless it's concerning an injury, parents should (in general) stay out of it.

 

How about practicing fielding on his own time?  A good friend of my son (now at a D3) practiced hitting, fielding and catching quite a bit on his own time outside of team practice.  I know because my son was with him half the time.

 

Coach3,

OP stated son is starting 2b and already talked to the coach.

 

gettin'there,

I'm trying to piece things together... sounds like the team is perhaps behind due to weather and just now getting out onto the field.  Coach may be pressed to get the P's up to speed first, so his immediate needs are son catching bullpens.  I can't imagine one of the best teams in the area going too long without practicing with their starting 2b in position, so I think it may be just a short term thing.  Not saying he won't continue to catch pens but will likely see reps and situation work at 2b before too long. 

 

Meanwhile, he may need to suck it up and get reps elsewhere in spite of busy schedule.  Things are usually tougher when the players head off to college where practice time is longer and classes are harder so this may be a good tune-up.  If he doesn't feel up to the task, this may be telling about which direction to go regarding D3 vs D1 club where the commitment is not as significant.  Continued respectful communication by your son would be my advice.  Sounds like the coach is approachable.

 

Yes, he should be having fun, but keep in mind, much of the "fun" aspect in HS sports is derived from overcoming challenges as a team and competing and coming out the other end as one of the better teams in the area.  Sounds like he has that opportunity.  Catching is a tough gig but most kids who do it love it.  And he learns so much about the whole game from that position, even catching bullpens.  Knowing pitcher patterns and seeing so many pitches can be a huge +.

 

Don't worry about stats.  As others have mentioned, they don't really matter that much to college coaches.  Words of praise from his HS and summer coaches will likely carry more clout and mostly his own talent, skills ability and attitude matter.

 

This is definitely not something parents want to address with the coach unless coach initiates the conversation.

 

 Edit - was typing same time as justbaseball but apparently slower... proud of myself for thinking similarly regarding coach communication .   He is one you definitely want to listen to.

This was my thought too... Coach is trying to get pitchers adequate work as quickly as possible now that the team is outdoors.  Sounds like he has bullpens going throughout practice.  Can see where this would be tough on your son, and not exactly meeting his own need for reps at 2B... But a great opportunity for your son to show leadership and serve the team's needs ahead of his own.  Getting pitchers conditioned is a key item obviously.  Agree with getting additional reps at 2nd on his own... Could be weekends, could be asking HC, asst coach, or a teammate to hit him 20 mins of ground balls after practice... Or before... Whatever time allows.  Put the finger on one of those bullpen arms... Let him hit some grounders.  One hand washes the other.  

What I took from this is he's a 2015 and dad doesn't know what kid wants to do at next level. What position would he be playing at college? Where does he play on Summer team, and how much does he play? 

I would worry less about HS and have son decide on goals for future then go from there.

 

Cabbagedad- OP states son was starting 2b but has made some crucial errors. Now son does nothing but catch bullpen all practice long. Sounds like a message to me. I don't agree with the coaches approach, but none the less a definite message.

I'm trying to figure out the math of all of this.  A 3 hour practice and bullpens with a catcher and bull pen catcher catching.  Of course I am guessing that there isn't one bull pen catcher catching and no one else.  How many pitchers are throwing?  How long are they throwing?  Why would a coach do infield/outfield without his starting 2B?  This does not make any sense?  How would he work on 1st and 3rd defense?  How would he work on bunt defense?  How would he work on pickoffs, cutoffs, double play/2b pivots, ...?

But one of the things you actually can do indoors is bullpen work.  So why would the pitcher's be behind?  This doesn't make a lot of sense.  But all the kid can do is deal with it. 

That was my read on the OP... Reading between the lines and I could be off on this entirely.  It's weird though...  guys can throw bullpens indoors and get a lot of good work in, but still not the same as throwing off of a mound outside somehow.  Don't know if it's the difference in backgrounds/depth, throwing off of dirt, the immediacy of games on the horizon, just my imagination, or all of the above.  First couple of weeks of outdoor practice for son's HS team there is a flurry of guys throwing, even though they've been working indoors for a month or two by that point.  There's a progression of mound work in the bullpens, to facing live hitters in practice, to slotting guys for the first week of games.  It all happens in the course of about a week and a half of practices.  Here in Texas that starts up in early Feb,

Now I got ya... I took OP literally and didn't consider this possibility.

Thanks, All!  It's good to know that hs stats aren't top priority for many college coaches.

 

Son used to be a primary catcher but has become more of a utility player based on his size and has been focusing on 2B.  The hs team has a senior starting catcher and chances are son will start as catcher on the hs team next year.  We've heard mixed opinions about whether he should focus on C or 2B when looking to play in college.

 

It is very early in the hs season due to weather with many canceled games and indoor practices.  I'll remind son that the pitchers need tuning up!  

 

Son says  he and another back up catcher are working with the pitchers while the starting catcher is helping with the infield practice.

 

Hopefully this isn't a message about son's place on the team as the coach is usually up front about who is playing where and when.  We'll see since there are a couple games this week and the weather is finally looking better.

 

We will definitely have son speak with coach again if the situation continues!

 

Thanks again!  It really helps to have another perspective!!

The parent should be doing nothing unless it's a medical issue, poor schoolwork jeopardizing athletic eligibility or booster club fundraising stuff.  The player talked to the coach already and it's between player and coach to deal with. Right or wrong, the head coach has his reasons. coach calls the shots and if there's an issue, the player and coach has to deal with it. If the player is a starter, then what's there to complain about. Just play the game and the rest will take care of itself.

Son #2 was on Varsity 2nd of 3 years, starting RF + Bullpen/Backup catcher.  First time HC said a word to me was that year & called me the wrong name.  At the time I was concerned/shocked, several years later I know better now.  Let it ride!!

There will always be decisions made by HC and Asst. HC's that we can't understand or are just plain wrong.

Case in point: it's complicated...
Son had been taking lessons for a few years from a former MLB Pitcher. About this time, son started taking his private lessons from this Vol. Asst. Coach. He loved son, and also asked him to come to lessons of younger players, as a mentor of sorts.

But, at his HS, this same Vol. Asst. HC, every year, hand picked his select chosen 8+ players that he worked with in the off-season, 5-6 days a week for 2 hrs. Son was selected. It was known unofficially to be a mandatory thing.

Just before these new off-season workouts began, our recently retired legend HC, whom had this same Vol. Asst. HC coaching with him for years, he called us, and informed us, that if our son, was his, given a 100 mile radius, he'd have him working with our paid HS Pitching Coach...and not the Vol. Asst. Coach.

Another one of the paid Asst. HC's had taken over as HC. This Vol. Asst. Coach retired at same time as former legend HC, but coached our travel teams and gave lessons, and continued working with his select group in the off season.

Well, we took the former legend HC's advice, and son started taking lessons from suggested Pitching Coach.

What we didn't know, was that a grudge match had been created. Our son was used to pitch to everyone, most of the time at those off-season workouts, even when son would explain that he'd just came from a Pitching Lesson. He ragged him and gave him a hard time. We parents knew nothing about it. Son was trying to handle things on his own. He finally spoke with his private Pitching Instructor/  paid HS Asst. Coach. Whom eventually went to the HC about the abuse. Someone spoke to this guy. Nothing changed. Till things came to their private heated exchange.

Too late..
Shoulder instability and overuse issues. That led to TJ injury at the beginning of his Sr. Season. TJ surgery following graduation.
Rehabbing and reshirting now.

We try and teach our son's to be men, and handle things on their own. Sometimes that isn't enough. Sometimes an adult has to step in.

Have similar situation with 2015. Son was always an infielder. Has played all positions infield from 12U on up to current 2nd year Varsity. Last year there was an opening at 1st base. He started most games at 1st. This year with different coach, coach tells me 2015 can easily start at any infield position but his speed is needed in OF. He has been moved to SS a couple of times late in game for defensive change. Moved usually from RF to SS late in game. He already made one costly error. After that, 2015 asked to take ground balls during practice and coach told him to just stay with OF practice. After that, he was moved for defensive strategy to SS again. Come summertime when son will be in Showcases and tournaments at his regular position (SS/3rd), he won't look like much as an infielder if he doesn't practice on his own.