What percentage of players in High School and/or College baseball show up to games stoned? (Hint: If you say zero, you're not paying attention.)
I don't think it's a lot. But, I know it's not zero, at least on the stories I have heard.
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Dave’s not here!
I thought I was tuned in when I was coaching and a high school parent. Of all the things I heard pot never came up in baseball/softball discussion. Steroids did. One of my son’s high school teammates and a travel teammate did steroids. Some of the stuff that came up in 18u softball discussions I would have preferred not to overhear.
I would think pot would have the opposite effect of the mental state you are trying to accomplish to compete. I do know there are a ton of MLB players who use after night games to calm themselves down so they can sleep. No idea about high school and college though.
Freshman year of HS. Son is a freshman playing on varsity. There's a kid on the team who had a tendency to make some questionable throws on defense. I asked my son one day "Is XXXX a bit of a space cadet?" His answer was "XXXX and YYYY go behind the outfield fence before every practice and sit there smoking pot. He's always high."
Collegiate Summer League team. Watching the team from a far. One kid rarely plays but he always seems like he's happy. I mentioned to my son that he seems like an upbeat kid and it's too bad he doesn't get much of an opportunity. My son's reply was "You don't know. I have never seen him when wasn't high. He's always stoned."
College fall scrimmage game. There's a transfer on the team that we know and he's a great hitter. He didn't play, which was surprising. After the game, I asked my son if he was injured. He says: "He told the coach not to play him today and then he told us in the dugout that he was so high on mushrooms that he didn't even remember driving there."
It appears your son has made some serious bad baseball decisions. He’s around players making bad decisions. Everyone my kids played with (baseball and softball) were serious about getting on the field, playing and improving. My kids have always been open with me. I never heard of any impairment beyond a hangover or lack of sleep about any players. These stories were rare.
HS game last spring. Was a good back and forth game till about 5th inning, other team's play started going down hill and kept going down till the end of the game. Son talked to one of the players from the other team, that he played summer ball with after the game. Player told son that about half the players were "taking hits off a THC vape" during the game (in the dugout). Know wonder their play went down hill.
We have always played with guys that were really serious about baseball. If you weren't playing well, you wouldn't be playing, so I haven't seen much of this.
It goes on. In HS baseball. In college baseball. In MiLB. In MLB. Not a lot of use during game play I would surmise. And there should be no tolerance of it during a game as it subjects all participants to a greater risk of injury. A lot of use off the field among baseball players - regardless of level of talent and regardless of age. And within reason I have no problem with it as I believe it’s less harmful than alcohol for most people.
@RJM posted:It appears your son has made some serious bad baseball decisions. He’s around players making bad decisions. Everyone my kids played with (baseball and softball) were serious about getting on the field, playing and improving. My kids have always been open with me. I never heard of any impairment beyond a hangover or lack of sleep about any players. These stories were rare.
You can't pick your teammates.
That said, my son has cut loose friends off the field because of their drinking and drug use. He doesn't do it and doesn't want to be around it.
I agree with Adbono. Having had 2 sons who play/played D1 baseball and one coaches college softball and friends who are coaches. It is very prevalent in college sports. It may not be before games but I know that it happens on a regular basis. It is amazing how many times my son has had to take the drug test because I'm sure they know he is clean even though they say it is random. I think he averages 3-4 times a year for 4 years now and other son was about the same.
I agree that it is very prevalent in college sports. NCAA requires testing after championship games, unless things have changed, most programs will test regularly, sending a warning message. I don't think that they are looking for who smokes weed as it's not a performance enhancing drug, but rather recreational.
What I don't understand is why Francis7's son would share that information.
JMO
What I don't understand is the repetitive Francis7 bashing. Exactly what bad decisions did his son make? And what is the big deal about his son telling his father about stuff like this? Not exactly like he went to the coach and ratted out the players.
@Dadbelly2023 posted:What I don't understand is the repetitive Francis7 bashing. Exactly what bad decisions did his son make? And what is the big deal about his son telling his father about stuff like this? Not exactly like he went to the coach and ratted out the players.
What was the purpose of this topic?
You want stories of what goes on in HS, college, professional ball? I can supply.
But what my son has shared with us on his journey is no one's business and I respect that. If your son is playing on a team and these things happen it's the coaches who aren't paying attention.
I think most parents out there are not as clueless as he indicated.
JMO
College baseball reflects society. This is America, and you have choices with just about anything. Nobody here should be surprised at these stories. Have my kids come to me (in confidence) to share some of the stuff that happened on their high school, Legion, travel and college teams...absolutely. They came to me because they had questions about it, and I appreciated and respected that.
I'm not going to judge other people's kids if they drink or smoke some weed. It s not the end of the world if they are sitting in their dorm rooms. But I think there is a time and a place for it if you choose to do it. Before and during a team athletic event is not the time or place and especially if their is a governing body that tests for it. Your team needs your mind and body 100% focused on the sport and you are selling your teammates short if you aren't in that mindset.
JMO.
@Dadbelly2023 posted:What I don't understand is the repetitive Francis7 bashing. Exactly what bad decisions did his son make? And what is the big deal about his son telling his father about stuff like this? Not exactly like he went to the coach and ratted out the players.
It's because everyone is better and smarter than me. Did you miss the memo? <wink>
@TPM posted:That's wonderful! Let me rephrase that. Why would you share what your son told you. I don't get that Francis, what was the purpose of the post. Seriously.
JMO
To have a conversation here with others about it. To educate and inform others who are not aware that such a situation exists.
Francis
the player’s lack of talent will equal his “shortcuts” to his perceived goals.
The network of pro scouts, youth Coaches and College Coaches is amazing .
Do not underestimate. Ask questions of policy.
Bob “Area Code Founder”