Best thing you ever did for your player?

For older son, best thing was getting him on a great summer team (HS wasn't too experienced with higher level players).

For younger son, best thing was getting him to the best HS coach in Northern California...if not the nation (he coached AFLAC West team last year). Fabulous coach, even better person.

I've been away for a few days, but I've enjoyed catching up and reading this thread....good stuff. It's fun to read how everyone's perspective is different...yet the same.

Like many other parents on this site, I coached my son in a number of sports up until high school. Once he entered HS, I stepped back, took off my coaches hat, and have tried to be the best father I can. I still offer him advice (sometimes he accepts it...sometimes he doesn't). I still feed him soft toss in the garage. I still throw him BP. I still play catch with him and semi-long toss(but I no longer catch his bullpens). I still remind him of the importance of good grades. I try to be there for him as much as possible, and encourage him to work hard, on and off the field.

We always reminded them to thank their coach after every game.

Once I made our youngest write a report for me on what it means to put on a school uniform, after he goofed around when taking the mound during a freshman game. At the time he thought it was stupid, but he still talks about it.

Another time, I grounded our oldest after he threw a helmet into the dug out after a questionable call. Never did it again.

Respect makes a difference...in baseball and life.

As a response to what was the best thing we did for our player; I’d say starting him early in routine physical training and diet.
I believe there should to be a little more interest or focus on early physical development of our kids. Things like swimming for kids aged from, say 4 or 5 until they are 10 to 12. Not just out in the pool playing and jumping around, but competitive swimming where they learn four or five different strokes and hit it three or four times a week. Swimming brings such balance and control to many muscle groups. They run a lot naturally if they are active kids and not stuck to the gaming devices. I just see a need for some focused development early on.

I make sure he gets a good breakfast every single morning. And at least one hug every day.

I did make sure he got good instruction and got on a good travel team, and I've been playing catch with him since he could walk. That happens less now that he is driving and can meet his friends at the field. But it still happens every now and then.

But I think the bottom line for me is food and love.

As far as baseball is concerned, we taught our boys to always be a good teammate, no matter the circumstance of the game. And also to treat those who made "mistakes" the way they would want to be treated because someday it will be them in their shoes.

This advice is often given to players. I beleive it applies to the parents of young players ... Leave it at the park. Move on with the day.

Exchange with my ten year old son after winning a nine year old travel s0ccer championship....

ME: Great game! What did the coach say?

SON: He said great game too. What's for lunch?

ME: He must have said more than that?

SON: He said we played our positions well. Can I have a PlayStation for Christmas?

If kids can let go that quickly, parents should be able to as well.

I tell my boys all the time that "baseball is what you do, but it is not who you are"

Very nice post lowfog. When the only time a kid is praised is when he does good on the field and makes Dad feel good about himself. When the only true time spent with the kid is on the field or working on baseball. When the parents put so much importance on something starting at a very young age its very easy for kids to think thats who they are and not just something they do. Do you yell at them when they miss that Bass when they are fishing or miss that Deer when they are hunting? Do you yell at them when they dont get the highest score on the X-Box? How much emphasis do you put on it? Kids are smart they can see how important something is to you. And if your out of balance they will be out of balance. If we keep it all in perspective there is a good chance they will as well. Your giving your boys some good advice right there.

I'm with you coach. Some days it wasn't easy, but it was always worth every minute of it, to him, and to me. Never thought I'd still be doing it even after he went off to college.

Beyond that our number one rule was Baseball Is Not Your Future. If it works out, Great. But school comes first.

quote:

Originally posted by Coach_May:
Everytime he wanted to play catch no matter how tired I was or other things I needed to do I always grabbed my glove.

I have to say that this post IMHO is the best post I have ever read and the most important. It should go on the top of the list in the Golden Threads!!! Great posts friends!!! The best thing I ever did was to get my boys out on to a Club team to see the level they needed to be at and let their compititive spirits run!!! Oh and be there for them as all parents should try to do and adhere to all of the good advice given here in this post! The best thing you all can do is to give this site and particularly this post to all your baseball families you know, especially in the little leagues. Get it to them as young parents so they can benifit from all your wisdom. In turn you would be able to say you were a big influence in alot of peoples lives that through this site were able to develope a great relationship with their kids and give them a foundation that all families could be proud of. Life changing post!! Hats off to you all!!!!!

To laugh....not at anyone else but at himself. I think that opens the door to moving on.

Last game of the fall had him catching for the 17u squad (he's 15). Near the end, a runner tried to steal 3rd on him. He proceeded to play long toss with the left fielder, run scored, tie ball game. After the game as I walked up to him, he looked up at me smiling with that "did you see that dumb a$$ thing I did?" look . I just laughed with him and we left. Now he uses it at fodder. "Well at least I didn't throw one into left field".

Another example in same game. Super stud was pitching for the other team. Son struck out. When he came in to gear up, one of the older kids asked him how fast pitcher threw. His response..."I don't really know, I didn't see the first one".

Now I just need to get my other son to this point.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Corner Dad:

The only sharp criticism I ever gave him after a bad game was when he was 13 and pitching. The whole team stunk that night, including my son, and his body language on the mound was "droopy" (if that makes sense). I told him on the way home that players react to the body language of the pitcher, whether it is negative or positive.

This was probably our best advice as well. We used to have a cheer for him "Play your Part!". Sounded pretty simple to everyone else and probably like we were saying "Do your job", but our family knew it meant "be an actor". He learned pretty quickly how important it was for his infield to see positive body language coming off the pitcher. Now we can't wait to see him play his part this Spring!

quote:

Originally posted by piaa_ump:
"be there"..........

though the wins, losses, practices. games, in the highest highs and the lowest lows....

Sums it all up.... whether it be practicing with them or accepting their decision to stop playing. It all boils down to simpling being there.

When I think back on all that my wife and I have done to support our son’s choice of playing baseball and what role we as parents played all sorts of happy memories come into focus. Whether it was teaching him to throw (did I ever really do that…) or putting him near the outfield fence and throwing hard grounders to him encouraging him to dive, or playing with him by throwing two tennis balls to him as he dove into our pool catching one in each hand. It sure has been fun!

Being that I was not a trained athlete and never played organized sports it became clear to me that if my son was to develop to his full potential I would need to find him someone who could guide him along. We learned of a former Major Leaguer who had spent 10 years in the MLB and had been providing lessons for the past 10 years. We met him and he was mildly impressed with my son and indicated that he would in fact work with him, it was almost like my son had to prove that it was worth either of our time and money to have him work with our son.

After about the 4th “lesson” I let my son’s instructor know that Eric hoped to play professionally. I explained to him that I really had no idea how to make that a possibility, and I asked him if he would Mentor my son. This took him aback and he indicated that what I was asking would require a level of commitment from him that he was not sure he could provide. After another week or two he indicated that he would in fact provide the level of instruction and guidance that he felt was needed in order to provide my son with the best opportunity to achieve his goal.

This was more than developing an efficient repeatable swing, or how to field a ground ball properly, how to transfer and how to turn a DP. It involved Nutrition and the mental side of playing the game and preparing oneself for the highest level of play he was capable of. He continues to communicate with my son and work with him whenever both have time available.

If my son ever achieves his ultimate baseball goals, excluding his own abilities, it will be in large part to the guidance provided to my son by this gentleman, now a family friend.

If I had to name one thing, outside of our love and support, it would be connecting my son with a qualified instructor who understood what it would take, and agreed to mentor my son.