We always talk about "select" programs so I pose the question
What do you want out of "select" prgram and how did you choose the program your son plays in or played in?
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1. HONESTY about my son. Tell me the truth about where he fits. I know what to do with the truth, I will bungle with less than that.
2. Good coaches who are decent people. My son will be spending countless hours with them away from my wife and me. I want him around quality people who will teach him more about the game and support our ethics and views about life.
3. Quality people for teammates. I want him to learn about the real world...but I don't want to chase problems all over the place, wondering whats going on out of sight.
4. Quality schedule that will get him the best competition in the right places...not just places where they can win...places where he will be challenged.
5. I want the program director to do the "right" thing when it comes to individual events. If my son is selected for something special (Area Code games, USA Baseball, etc...), I want his team to be happy for him, not mad at him because it reduces their chance to win a tournament. The reverse is true too...I want my son to respect his teammates and be happy for them if they get opportunities.
6. Fun - Baseball is a game. I want it to remain fun...I don't want a bunch of yelling and screaming at the players if something goes wrong.
7. I want the families to be supportive...yes, program directors can do some filtering on this issue. Have had a son on a team where some of the parents were biting each others' heads off...NO FUN! MISERABLE! Won't put up with it again.
8. Respected - I want the program to carry itself with class and have the respect of the baseball people, the hotels they stay in, the restaurants they eat in.
I'll think of more...but thats a start. My son played for NorCal the past 2 years. I have nothing but the best to say about them. They did a great job. They are a model IMO.
2. Good coaches who are decent people. My son will be spending countless hours with them away from my wife and me. I want him around quality people who will teach him more about the game and support our ethics and views about life.
3. Quality people for teammates. I want him to learn about the real world...but I don't want to chase problems all over the place, wondering whats going on out of sight.
4. Quality schedule that will get him the best competition in the right places...not just places where they can win...places where he will be challenged.
5. I want the program director to do the "right" thing when it comes to individual events. If my son is selected for something special (Area Code games, USA Baseball, etc...), I want his team to be happy for him, not mad at him because it reduces their chance to win a tournament. The reverse is true too...I want my son to respect his teammates and be happy for them if they get opportunities.
6. Fun - Baseball is a game. I want it to remain fun...I don't want a bunch of yelling and screaming at the players if something goes wrong.
7. I want the families to be supportive...yes, program directors can do some filtering on this issue. Have had a son on a team where some of the parents were biting each others' heads off...NO FUN! MISERABLE! Won't put up with it again.
8. Respected - I want the program to carry itself with class and have the respect of the baseball people, the hotels they stay in, the restaurants they eat in.
I'll think of more...but thats a start. My son played for NorCal the past 2 years. I have nothing but the best to say about them. They did a great job. They are a model IMO.
Not necessarily in order of priority:
*Excellent Coaching
*Excellent competition (teammates and opposition)
*Exposure
*Discipline
*Organization (fly by the seat of your pants does NOT work well)
*Excellent Coaching
*Excellent competition (teammates and opposition)
*Exposure
*Discipline
*Organization (fly by the seat of your pants does NOT work well)
Tom,
I would want at a minimum:
1) Excellent Coaching (coaches that teach the mechanics of fielding, pitching, hitting)
2) The chance for a player to develop their skills (feeds off of #1)
3) An organization that is run with class
4) An organization that teaches the game and plays the game the way it was intended to be played
I would want at a minimum:
1) Excellent Coaching (coaches that teach the mechanics of fielding, pitching, hitting)
2) The chance for a player to develop their skills (feeds off of #1)
3) An organization that is run with class
4) An organization that teaches the game and plays the game the way it was intended to be played
What size roster did your teams have? And at what age did they start to specialize by position?
#1- A coach (coaches) that will push my son and never let him be satisfied
#2- A coach that will bust his butt when he does not do it right and will show him the right way to do it.
#3- A coach that will let him know when he has done a good job and encourage him to keep doing it right.
#4- A coach that loves the game and respects the game. And sees it as a priority to teach this to his players.
#5- A coach that demands excellence and understands that he will not always get it. But expects it anyway.
#6- A coach that takes players not on talent alone but looks at the type of kid they are as well.
#7- A coach that looks to play the best competition that he can find at all times.
#8- A coach that is a fierce competitor that will fight for his players.
#9- A coach that looks for fierce competitors that will fight for him.
#10- An old school coach that expects his players to play like men and act like men.
#11- A coach that says what he means and means what he says.
#12- A coach that will not tolerate lazy spoiled players or meddling parents.
#13- A coach that will bench my son if he walks off the field or does not run out a ground ball.
#14- A coach that will get in my sons face and tell him to step up.
#15- A coach that will pat him on the back when he does.
#16- A coach that he will cuss under his breath and then run through a brick wall for.
#17- A coach that he will want to go back and see 10 years from now.
#18- A coach he will want his son to play for.
#19- A coach he will respect not only for baseball reasons but because he is a good honest man.
#20- A coach that will teach him that at some point and time every kid is going to be talented. And the only thing that will separate them will be their work ethic.
I could go on all day. The bottom line is a coach with these qualities is going to have his baseball in order. It will be a baseball situation that will make him a better player and young man. Everything else will fall into place.
#2- A coach that will bust his butt when he does not do it right and will show him the right way to do it.
#3- A coach that will let him know when he has done a good job and encourage him to keep doing it right.
#4- A coach that loves the game and respects the game. And sees it as a priority to teach this to his players.
#5- A coach that demands excellence and understands that he will not always get it. But expects it anyway.
#6- A coach that takes players not on talent alone but looks at the type of kid they are as well.
#7- A coach that looks to play the best competition that he can find at all times.
#8- A coach that is a fierce competitor that will fight for his players.
#9- A coach that looks for fierce competitors that will fight for him.
#10- An old school coach that expects his players to play like men and act like men.
#11- A coach that says what he means and means what he says.
#12- A coach that will not tolerate lazy spoiled players or meddling parents.
#13- A coach that will bench my son if he walks off the field or does not run out a ground ball.
#14- A coach that will get in my sons face and tell him to step up.
#15- A coach that will pat him on the back when he does.
#16- A coach that he will cuss under his breath and then run through a brick wall for.
#17- A coach that he will want to go back and see 10 years from now.
#18- A coach he will want his son to play for.
#19- A coach he will respect not only for baseball reasons but because he is a good honest man.
#20- A coach that will teach him that at some point and time every kid is going to be talented. And the only thing that will separate them will be their work ethic.
I could go on all day. The bottom line is a coach with these qualities is going to have his baseball in order. It will be a baseball situation that will make him a better player and young man. Everything else will fall into place.
Coach May, I want my son on that team as well! Good post.