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My son is a 2023 C/P and is very excited to start HS ball. They were supposed to have the first workout tonight but it was cancelled due to weather.

There are tons of crafty veteran parents on here. Are there any tips you'd throw out to a parent of an incoming freshman or to the player? Anything you learned the hard way? 

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Honestly, your first sentence grabbed my attention.  A C/P combination is something I would think long and hard about in terms of long term arm health.   This brings me to the first rule of high school baseball....if you can hit they will find a place for you.   Whether that is a Catcher or a Pitcher that will DH for himself.   My guess is once the Coach sees your son hit, he'll make a determination if he is a catcher or a pitcher.

My youngest son played for a tremendous high school coach.   My older kids didn't like playing against this coach because they knew he was that good.   Every year his teams were playing post season and going deep.  His secret (from my perspective)...he demanded a lot and held the kids accountable to each other.   He was very much like a college coach and made sure each kid knew there was competition for their playing time.  Again, it was the kids that hit well, and the kids that kept their minds in the game that he favored.   You did not want to be the player that missed a signal at a crucial time in the game...he always came out on top in those crucial moments.

In summary:  hit, hustle, listen, and be humble.   

Good luck!

1. Keep to whatever academic contract the family has settled on. Coaches typically collect report cards and being known as a smart kid us a good thing.

2. Most improvement comes in out of practice times. Whatever he was doing hitting wise anyway, keep that up. In our case it was several hundred off the tee in the backyard every single day. For pitchers, it's trickier. In a perfect world, there is great express/implied coordination between the HS coaches and the private coaches. Most worlds aren't perfect. But freshman pitchers usually dont get many innings or bull pens. So, you need to find the happy medium of advancing his pitching skills without any HS season disruption.

3. Your family begins to learn the college pathway. The learning includes him, but is driven by adults. So, meet with the guidance counselor to get the view of his HS curriculum; make sure S is taking the most rigorous he can handle. Buy a book which has colleges listed and has all the key info (in my day it was the Princeton book). Keep him in the loop - you'll keep in the loop with his teachers. Go together to a college game during his HS season.

4. Go to all the games you can, cheer, be positive, dont fall for the urban myths/wisdoms dutifully passed parent to parent, make sure he does his homework on game days (he'll lie and say its done).  ESPECIALLY during the season, know his class test/quiz schedule. It's all but impossible to study for a test after a game, so you're his safety net on scheduling (he'll learn eventually how to schedule but not as a freshman).

If coach needs volunteers to care for the field, whatever, try to volunteer.

5. Its all about baseball, academics, and fun. And it goes by really really fast.

(Though left-handed, my son was a P/C until ninth grade. He would have continued (small hs), but for the fact that catchers in HS are frequently dinged up. It's a real strain to do both.)

 

Last edited by Goosegg

Thanks everyone. I see the common theme and have been told this for a while. We know the coach well and he’s talked a lot about arm care. This summer the coach wouldn’t let him pitch/catch consecutive days. Also kept him under 50 pitches until the championship of the last summer tournament.

He likely won’t pitch his freshman year. Barring a last minute transfer in the next week, he’ll probably be the varsity catcher. And if he isn’t, he’ll try to get on the field any way he can  

As a few of you pointed out, how well he hits will determine whether he is a pitcher or catcher after his freshman year. His pitching coach said a few years ago in his very first lesson “what do you call a catcher that hits .150? A pitcher”. 

wildcat posted:

He will likely be swept up into the varsity group Snapchat and social life right away if he makes varsity. Kid do dumb things. Make sure he understands what is not cool, and how to avoid the temptation to try to fit in with the upperclassmen. 

 

Thanks Wildcat. This was something I definitely didn't think about. The team is in somewhat of a rebuilding phase. There were 8 or 9 kids the past 2 years playing college ball now, mostly D1. The team should be very young, so hopefully that helps. Either way, I'll keep a much closer eye on it.

Velo From The Stretch posted:

It is better to play every game on the Freshman or JV team than to sit the bench and get minimal innings on Varsity.

Keeping in mind for the parents watching a JV or freshman game will have you thinking of poking your eyes out. I called it Oedipus ball.

Freshman yr of HS is often the first time a player has practice every day for that length of time.  Don't let that become an excuse for any letting up of study and home chore responsibility.  At the same time, understand that these are team practices and therefore the depth of instruction will be limited (only so much time and focus can be spent on one individual's mechanics, footwork, approach, etc. when there are twenty others present in the group every day).  So, any private instruction will need to continue but now it will be more challenging to coordinate proper timing.

As was touched on, he will likely find himself among much older boys/young men on a daily basis for the first time.  There are many threads on freshman playing varsity.  Worth the read regardless of whether he makes V as he may still be in the environment with some frequency.

Even if baseball is the thing he excels at, don't put him on a pedestal.  Demand that he is a good teammate, a good person, he works hard and has fun.  Keep baseball in the same perspective as you do every other aspect of your family's life.

Be a parent who is a fan/supporter of the program.  Be positive and supportive of the school, coaches and other players, even in difficult times.  You are about to be put in the spotlight of your son on how to properly behave in a program or community setting.  He will most likely follow your lead as he becomes an adult.  I'm not just talking about while at the games.  Most important is behind the scenes at home.  Don't be an enabler to any excuses and complaints your son comes home with.  Steer him down the path of figuring out how to tackle the inevitable challenges that come his way.  If the program is strong, encourage him to aspire to contribute.  If the program is weak, encourage him to aspire to make it better.

Don't be in a hurry to look to the next level.  Enjoy every minute.  Tomorrow, they will be headed off to college.

 

Last edited by cabbagedad

So much great advice here already! My addition comes as the parent of a catcher and is mostly around continued development at that position. As cabbagedad mentioned above, team practices will likely be longer and more frequent than your son may have experienced in the past. Most will include very little, if any, catching-specific work so your son will need to do a lot of this on his own and utilize bullpen sessions for this as well (if he continues to catch). If you're lucky, his team might have some coaches or upperclassmen that can pull aside the catchers for drills and avoid the dreaded ball shagging duty. However, your son will inevitably do some ball shagging receiving and, much like playing catch warming up, he can use that creatively as well e.g. pocket work, swipe tags, transfers, footwork, etc. Best of luck and enjoy the ride!

Great advice above...not much to add here except as a parent, GET INVOLVED! Volunteer during the field clean-ups, concession stand, take an active role in the booster club, take tickets and get sponsors/raise money for your program. Be present and help your kid's team. As CD said above, enjoy it....HS flew by (i got to announce the games etc for 2 seasons, man was that FUN!)and so did college for my son. I miss those days for sure.

Last edited by Shoveit4Ks

We're halfway through the high school journey (my son will be a Junior this Fall).  There are things I would have done differently & things I did right...

One thing I did right is absolutely insist on him getting the best grades he can.  A cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher can really make a difference in terms of academic scholarship money.  My son's current GPA is 3.7 --- he has some friends who are smart kids but really screwed around freshman year and are having to dig themselves out of a hole academically... If a kid wants to play in college, having great grades in high school can make a huge difference in terms of scholarship money

If he does make varsity as a freshman, you will have to lay down some rules.  Mine was asked to go some places with the seniors because they saw him as a peer.  I had to say you can go to the field with them and maybe one on one but not as a group.  Remind him he will hear things and see things he probably has never seen or heard.  But they normally will not force him to do things but it will be available.  He will have to figure out if he will try to fit in or be himself.

Well, you never, ever know. That senior baseball player with a full beard, tattoos, a hot girlfriend, and his own truck could be the guy steering your freshman son toward making good choices, while your son's long-time good friend, who you've known since 4th grade, the one with two physician parents and who always looks you in the eye and shakes your hand, he could be the kid bringing beer and mollies to the first HS dance and offering them to your son.  (And to be fair, that kid might well be a solid citizen again a few years down the road).

There are a whole lot of temptations in HS and the directions they come from may surprise you (if you ever find out). He needs to pick his friends wisely, and it won't always be easy.

My '22 went through a year where he was up and down with Varsity and JV. The baseball is the least of it - it's crucial that freshmen get three things right. First, the schoolwork - it's a jump up regardless of institution and it kicked my son in the backside before he got on top of it. Second, adapting to the team culture. Third, the social - figuring out the social orbits of the kids on the team/social group and seeking out healthy activities and relationships. 

Baseball? Just keep working, lifting, running and don't worry about the results in his first year of high school. 

My 2022 was in a similar situation last year.  He is a primary C, but also played IF and P prior to HS.  He was fortunate enough to get called up to varsity late in the season, but it wasn't for his catching (they had a 3 yr. senior starter).  Instead, he got the opportunity because he was able to play anywhere on the field and he can hit.  As I've told him since he was in tee ball and is often stated in this forum, if you can hit, they will find a place for you, and that is definitely the case in HS so make sure your son is putting in the time at the cages.

Also, as a freshman trying to play varsity, be ready for some mental games/hazing from some of the older players and coaches  (I don't mean physical hazing.)  They will sometimes say or do things to see how the freshman will react under pressure, and how your son reacts will go a long way in how they see him as a team member.  Tell him to be respectful to the older the players and coaches, but remain confident in is abilities and don't back down if challenged.  (Note:  My son was much better at dealing with this issue than I was as a parent.  Fortunately, CABBAGEDAD talked me off the ledge a few times during the season.) 

Finally, if he does play with the varsity and it is made of up mostly older boys, do what you can to help him be part of the team outside of practice/games.  For example, if they meet after games for dinner, drive him to the restaurant and let him hang with the guys (you can drop him or sit in another part of the restaurant).   It may be a hassle to do this until he can drive himself, but that off-field bonding time is very important for team chemistry.  (Note:  I'm not saying to let him go to junior/senior parties on his own as a freshman, but where its appropriate (gatherings with responsible parents present or in a public setting like a restaurant), letting him hang out with the older boys will help him feel like "one of the guys" when they are on the field and at school.)

Good luck to your son.

  

My son just graduated and will be playing at a D1 in California on scholarship.  He was a 4 year starter and all-league all four years.  He made some awesome plays in outfield and had lots of memorable at bats...HR's, Grand Slams, beating throws, delayed steals, even stealing home.  I'm writing this not to brag, but to illustrate a point.  You never know what's going to happen in a game.  If he's pitching, he could throw the dirtiest 3-2 curve ball and make the batter walk back to the dugout shaking his head.  Or, he could make a beautiful diving catch at short, and get the out. 

So, invest in a decent video camera, large memory card and extra batteries, stand/tripod(~$300).  Set it up in back of the back stop, turn it on and go enjoy the game, with confidence you'll be able to capture those memories to share with family...and maybe recruiters.  

During little league and travel ball, I watched so many parents race to the fence with their phone, when their son was hitting.  The video is jumpy, often they're zooming in and out, they follow the ball where it's hit then their son, then the ball.

I stopped counting the number of coffees, beers and lunches I've been given from parents on teams that I've given them video of their son doing something on the field I captured and they didn't.

I'd be kicking myself if I didn't have the 6 years of video I captured on my son playing travel ball and high school ball.  But, it's a cheap investment for a lifetime of memories.  For college, I'll be able to record home games, and those that we can travel to, but some of the away games, I'm hoping will be streamed and I can capture those.

 

 

Dad H posted:

My son just graduated and will be playing at a D1 in California on scholarship.  He was a 4 year starter and all-league all four years.  He made some awesome plays in outfield and had lots of memorable at bats...HR's, Grand Slams, beating throws, delayed steals, even stealing home.  I'm writing this not to brag, but to illustrate a point.  You never know what's going to happen in a game.  If he's pitching, he could throw the dirtiest 3-2 curve ball and make the batter walk back to the dugout shaking his head.  Or, he could make a beautiful diving catch at short, and get the out. 

So, invest in a decent video camera, large memory card and extra batteries, stand/tripod(~$300).  Set it up in back of the back stop, turn it on and go enjoy the game, with confidence you'll be able to capture those memories to share with family...and maybe recruiters.  

During little league and travel ball, I watched so many parents race to the fence with their phone, when their son was hitting.  The video is jumpy, often they're zooming in and out, they follow the ball where it's hit then their son, then the ball.

I stopped counting the number of coffees, beers and lunches I've been given from parents on teams that I've given them video of their son doing something on the field I captured and they didn't.

I'd be kicking myself if I didn't have the 6 years of video I captured on my son playing travel ball and high school ball.  But, it's a cheap investment for a lifetime of memories.  For college, I'll be able to record home games, and those that we can travel to, but some of the away games, I'm hoping will be streamed and I can capture those.

 

 

Thanks Dad H. I've been looking into a camera setup. I wish I had one this summer. Lots of great memories we would have liked to have video of. Is there one you'd recommend? Also, is it worth it to spend that much on a tripod (I don't know anything about them)?

I'm no Spielberg, but here's my setup:

Sony Handycam HDR-CX440 - (This one might be out of production by now)  make sure you get something that records in HD, though.

San Disk ExtremePlus 64 Gig mini SD Card (big enough to store 4 hours)

Additional battery - Each battery lasts about 2 hours

Go Pro Gooseneck and Jaws Flex Clamp - I made an attachment so I can attach to just about anything, especially chain link fence.  There are other mounts, too.   Or a tripod at about $20.00.

For video editing, I use Microsoft Movie Maker.  It's part of Windows.  Easy to use, too.  Then I upload to Youtube.

Oh...as a side note, it's amazing how clear the audio happens to be on these cameras.  I recorded a game once, and I can hear 3 JUCO coaches sitting by the camera, talking about each player!!!!!

Last edited by Dad H
@Dad H posted:

I'm no Spielberg, but here's my setup:

Sony Handycam HDR-CX440 - (This one might be out of production by now)  make sure you get something that records in HD, though.

San Disk ExtremePlus 64 Gig mini SD Card (big enough to store 4 hours)

Additional battery - Each battery lasts about 2 hours

Go Pro Gooseneck and Jaws Flex Clamp - I made an attachment so I can attach to just about anything, especially chain link fence.  There are other mounts, too.   Or a tripod at about $20.00.

For video editing, I use Microsoft Movie Maker.  It's part of Windows.  Easy to use, too.  Then I upload to Youtube.

Oh...as a side note, it's amazing how clear the audio happens to be on these cameras.  I recorded a game once, and I can hear 3 JUCO coaches sitting by the camera, talking about each player!!!!!

How did the CX 440 work out for you? Did you get the quality you need?

Player:

Make a layup every single day. Do the things that take no talent 100 percent of the time to perfection.

Be early. Be ready. Be attentive. Be respectful. Be a good team mate.

Be coachable. Be grateful for any opportunity. Be ready to assume whatever role you can get.

Be the type of player every coach loves. Listen and be slow to talk but eager to listen and learn.

Parent:

Just be supportive of your player.

How much interaction should a parent have with the HS Coach? My son will be a Freshman next fall. Should i make an appointment to talk to the head coach? Let my son "drive the train"?

HS coaches don’t want to talk to parents. Some don’t want to interact with them in any way whatsoever. So, in a perfect world, there should be no need for much. However, there are some things that would dictate that there was discussion between a HS coach and parents. The nature of an injury would be one thing. Grades could be another. So would a family emergency.  To me the elephant in the room regarding HS baseball (that nobody wants to talk about) is politics. People that don’t understand the politics at their HS often end up on the wrong side of things - which can impact your kid in a negative way. I recommend that you figure out who has influence over the HC and the program as quick as you can. Talk to other parents (that you trust) in the program about how the program works. What they have to say may be very different than what you expect. Find a way to get involved and help the program. Work the snack bar, raise money, attend booster club meetings, etc. The more involved you are the more you will know what’s really going on - and that should help you make more informed decisions. You want your son to drive the train. But if his driving results in the train going off the tracks (for whatever reason) and you have to intervene it’s important that you are up to speed on what’s going on. Every HS program I have been around has a few parents that try to manipulate the process in a way that benefits their son. Figure out who they are and stay away from them.

How much interaction should a parent have with the HS Coach? My son will be a Freshman next fall. Should i make an appointment to talk to the head coach? Let my son "drive the train"?

When my son was a freshman, we knew nothing about high school sports.  I had not yet found this site.  We did make an appointment and met with the head coach in the fall, because we had some questions about travel teams.  We thought, "finally, someone who is not a dad-coach or a paid instructor."  We did not say anything about playing ability, ask which team our son would be on, or anything like that.  The coach was very nice about it, and gave us advice about travel teams, showcases, etc. I didn't realize until much later that it's generally advised not to have such a meeting, and it might have been seen as us trying to get our son an advantage.  I've been embarassed ever since.  But, the coach didn't hold it against our son! 

I'd assume that an experienced coach has probably seen it all:  from ignorant parents like us, to hyper-enthusiastic parents, to parents who are trying to push their son forward.  What adbono says about getting advice from other parents about what the coach is like is good (we didn't do that either, didn't know any families with older baseball players).    

Yes, your kid should be his own advocate by the time he is in HS. If he lacks the skill (no judgements here) use the summer to prepare the young whippersnapper (engage him on how they will handle different situations and provide the most effective constructive criticism that will get through to the knucklehead). This goes well beyond sports, it's a life lesson and is on the good parenting checklist.

HS Tryouts timeline and evaluations differ from school to school, your kid should know all the details, this to me is an indicator if they are serious (or not) about playing in HS or the next level. If parents want to be involved, ask the kid how they plan to prepare and then offer to help. I admit, I am in the hard-ass class of parenting, I refuse to wake kids up, if it is that important to them, they can set the alarm clock which I was very happy to purchase. I tell them dad uber leaves at X hour, no exception. This has been a very contentious issue with the senior partner in the family corporation and secured my future in a retirement home, alone. We have an accord on support: she will provide the doting love/hugs, I will be the constant checkpoint to see if they really want this.   

For my kid's HS school tryout, it was in the late winter (they do not have fall ball and very serious about separation of sport seasons). He knew part of the evaluation was hitting of a pitching machine and he typically struggles with the timing on the first round. He did not want to squander any opportunities so spent the last month before the tryouts hitting daily with a machine to work on his timing to make sure he was a cage warrior.      

@2022NYC posted:

Yes, your kid should be his own advocate by the time he is in HS. If he lacks the skill (no judgements here) use the summer to prepare the young whippersnapper (engage him on how they will handle different situations and provide the most effective constructive criticism that will get through to the knucklehead). This goes well beyond sports, it's a life lesson and is on the good parenting checklist.

HS Tryouts timeline and evaluations differ from school to school, your kid should know all the details, this to me is an indicator if they are serious (or not) about playing in HS or the next level. If parents want to be involved, ask the kid how they plan to prepare and then offer to help. I admit, I am in the hard-ass class of parenting, I refuse to wake kids up, if it is that important to them, they can set the alarm clock which I was very happy to purchase. I tell them dad uber leaves at X hour, no exception. This has been a very contentious issue with the senior partner in the family corporation and secured my future in a retirement home, alone. We have an accord on support: she will provide the doting love/hugs, I will be the constant checkpoint to see if they really want this.   

For my kid's HS school tryout, it was in the late winter (they do not have fall ball and very serious about separation of sport seasons). He knew part of the evaluation was hitting of a pitching machine and he typically struggles with the timing on the first round. He did not want to squander any opportunities so spent the last month before the tryouts hitting daily with a machine to work on his timing to make sure he was a cage warrior.      

My kid can't wake up to an alarm. It is really weird. My wife and I are actually concerned about it when he leaves for college at some point. He doesn't really wake up late and doesn't do any drugs. We have to physically shake him if we need him up by a certain time. That or let the dog lick his face. When he needs to wake up early he will usually text me the night before to come get him when I hear his alarm.

My kid can't wake up to an alarm. It is really weird. My wife and I are actually concerned about it when he leaves for college at some point. He doesn't really wake up late and doesn't do any drugs. We have to physically shake him if we need him up by a certain time. That or let the dog lick his face. When he needs to wake up early he will usually text me the night before to come get him when I hear his alarm.

Thankfully, this isn't any of my kids, but I had some College friends who this entailed (one would have an alarm clock that would nearly wake up their whole floor while he slept through it, lol).  What I personally can't stand are people who snooze WHEN THEY HAVE ROOMMATES WHO DO NOT HAVE TO GET UP!!!  I got to the point that I would unplug their alarm if they snoozed more than once.  Maybe try one of these before he leaves the nest?

https://www.health.com/conditi...s-for-heavy-sleepers

@PitchingFan posted:

TerribleBPThrower.  I have a son who is deaf in one ear so he bought a loud alarm which has different tones.  He found one that would work even when he was lying on his good ear which is most nights.   You might could try different tones on his phone now so that when he gets to college you have it dealt with.

Thanks PF. We've tried a bunch of different tones and tried locating it in different spots in his room. I swear sometimes I feel like I need to check for a pulse. We are going to look into a device that shakes the bed and I've also seen things that can change the temperature of the bed. 

How much interaction should a parent have with the HS Coach? My son will be a Freshman next fall. Should i make an appointment to talk to the head coach? Let my son "drive the train"?

My son pitched varsity as a freshman. My first conversation with the HS coach came when we ran into him at a bar. I told him thank you for dealing with my son and if he ever felt the need to kick him in the butt he should feel free, and if he ever needed anything from us to let us know. He responded with "he's a good kid, I like coaching him."

Done.



Next time I encountered him, son was a sophomore or junior and we were shooting pitching video. Coach gave us access to the field and speed gun and both he and assistant hung out and watched what we did and offered advice about which shots to keep, etc., but it was because they had learned to respect my son and wanted to help him. It was his relationship. I was along for the ride.

My kid can't wake up to an alarm. It is really weird. My wife and I are actually concerned about it when he leaves for college at some point. He doesn't really wake up late and doesn't do any drugs. We have to physically shake him if we need him up by a certain time. That or let the dog lick his face. When he needs to wake up early he will usually text me the night before to come get him when I hear his alarm.

My husband has horrible sleep habits. His alarm upstairs in our bedroom will literally wake everyone in the house, except him AND EXCEPT ON THOSE OCCASIONS HE REALLY CARES ABOUT THE THING HE'S GETTING UP FOR.

He sets a standard alarm at 7:15 a.m. Usually gets up around noon (he goes to bed around 4). But if he has an appointment at 8 that he really cares about, the alarm works fine.

I tell my kids the most important lesson I want to teach them is good sleep habits. So far, it's working.

@Iowamom23 posted:

My husband has horrible sleep habits. His alarm upstairs in our bedroom will literally wake everyone in the house, except him AND EXCEPT ON THOSE OCCASIONS HE REALLY CARES ABOUT THE THING HE'S GETTING UP FOR.

He sets a standard alarm at 7:15 a.m. Usually gets up around noon (he goes to bed around 4). But if he has an appointment at 8 that he really cares about, the alarm works fine.

I tell my kids the most important lesson I want to teach them is good sleep habits. So far, it's working.

We are big on sleep habits as well. We've looked at diet and a number of other factors. There are no issues with his work ethic, staying up late, or laziness. Alarms just don't wake him up. Doesn't matter how loud you make it. When he needs to be up earlier than normal he sets his alarm and also texts me a reminder.

My advice, if you have any say (which is doubtful). is to ask the coach to play on the team where you will see the field.  Our coach pulled my son up several times freshman year, to varsity, where he sat.  Sophomore year, he was one of 2 sophomores on varsity and sat 75% of the time.  He asked coach to let him play JV if he wasn't going to pitch, and he did.  Son said it was the most fun he had that season.  Junior year he started.  Senior year we had Covid.  He really didn't get much of a HS career.  He is definitely the kid who doesn't care if he can say he is on varsity, he just wanted to play, and had a. very stacked team in his position.  As this year has taught us, you never know what you will get. Play, work hard and enjoy it.

@Viking0 posted:

Thankfully, this isn't any of my kids, but I had some College friends who this entailed (one would have an alarm clock that would nearly wake up their whole floor while he slept through it, lol).  What I personally can't stand are people who snooze WHEN THEY HAVE ROOMMATES WHO DO NOT HAVE TO GET UP!!!  I got to the point that I would unplug their alarm if they snoozed more than once.  Maybe try one of these before he leaves the nest?

https://www.health.com/conditi...s-for-heavy-sleepers

You were too nice. I had a roommate who placed the alarm on his desk so he would have to get on his feet to turn it off. Except he would bury his head under a pillow when it went off. This clock sounded like a fire alarm. That is, until I turned it off by throwing it against the wall over his bed.

I wake up one minute before the alarm goes off. There must be a click one minute to going off. It’s become such habit I still wake up one minute before using an Echo Dot as an alarm. Unconsciously I must know what time it is.

Last edited by RJM

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