College Club Team vs Showcase Team Tourney

Sounded like a good weekend Coach.

Club baseball is alive and kicking all around the Country. At the Univ of WI there are over 100 players trying out for the team every year. The play is good but what impresses me more is the commitment by the players. They are in college for academic reasons only, they get no athletic privileges, but, their time off the field is spent working out and raising funds for the club. Many here have College players and say they play with passion for the game. I for one have had an "eye opener" for real passion after following the club team for the last few years.

If HSBBW members have a college club team in there town, or you're an alumni from a school that has a club team, go watch a game and contact them to make a donation. Baseball is game passed down through generations and more resources we throw at players with genuine passion the greater the future returns will be. Young kids that will not have the opportunity to play college baseball should still have the opportunity to enjoy the game after HS. Support your club team, your kids may be wearing that jersey some day.

Why does University of Wisconsin not have baseball as a school sport?

quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:
Why does University of Wisconsin not have baseball as a school sport?

Womens rowing

Title IX played a part. However, at the time there was an Athletic Dept deficit and many programs that were "high maintenance", high overhead, and traditionally conference bottom feeders, they were cut. The baseball field was located on shores of Lake Mendota and while beautiful in the Summer, the Spring was cold, windy, and usually wet. Factor the Title IX, the deficit, the facilities, and the obvious notion that the State of WI does not produce a high number of D1 baseball players, and the program cut choices were not hard to make. The baseball addict calls foul, the majority of people wanting "fiscal responsibility" nod their heads in approval. The AD at the time, Pat Richter, was an UW All-American baseball player so you know that the guy with the ax was a proponent in his heart.

I give the UW a lot of credit for going outside the box. The club sport is thriving with it's own fan base, has good club funding from the UW, and success on the club level. My son now feels it was in his best interest not to feel committed to attend his home town school.

Sometimes "our" passions do not agree with the goals of those who govern. UW-Madison looked like the bad guy, but, they did the right thing. The State of WI has D3 powerhouses at many of the small sister schools (UW-Whitewater, Oshkosh, Stevens Point) while the only D1 school in the State, UW-Milwaukee, is an average mid-major. The States premier players go out of State and have had much success at the nations elite schools. With the blinders removed, IMHO, the UW made a good choice cutting the program.

Thanks CM! I have learned alot about club baseball, and didn't even know it existed until a few years ago.
Sounds like another opportunity for those who may think their playing days may be over after HS!

Thanks for an interesting post.

We have a club team (Weber State) about 20 minutes away. They were 2003 National Champs. I just emailed the coach to ask for info so we can support their team.