College level coaches

quote:

Granted, some coaches are personality people and some aren't, and some might put a little more energy into building tighter bonds with their players simply because it's in their personality profile and it makes them enjoy their job more day-to-day ... but at the end of the day, their job is to win ball games.

I think most of the players of HSBBW are probably looking for an "intense" coach. Most are used to being on winning programs and are very passionate about their baseball.

As you say, any coach at any level, in any program has to win to keep his job.

However, I don't think that either of those two things mean that a coach has to be "emotionally detached" as was referenced in another thread. Being strict, having high expectations, motivating, etc., doesn't mean that a coach can't be fair and demonstrate concern about his players.

To have a sense of "family" amongst your players can only add to what a player is willing to give back IMO. You don't get that sense of family or a mutual respect without demonstrating some sort of interest in your players that is genuine.

(Quote)
Son (1st year playing D1 ball) commented to me that the coaches were very 'intense'. Knew that was a 'polite' term he was using. Not that it bothered him, but definitely got the impression that the players were 'ridden' pretty hard.


What doesn't kill you make's you stronger.

I got the same impression from my son.

Then I think about all are Soldier's and Recruit's,
Going thru Basic Training and being Deployed all over the World.
Then I think to Myself, Don't Complain.
You got it easy kid.
EH

Interesting this post came out today. Had a long conversation with my Freshman yesterday. The coach that recruited him had left unexpectantly this summer and there is a new coach in place. Feeling were mixed on this but hey what can you do. Son told me he had "been in trouble" the last three practies because the coach was definately on him right now. When listening to his story I kept my smiles to myself. At the end of the conversation he told me that some of the Freshman players asked him how he cold stand being yelled at by the coach all the time. He responed with "It's better for him to know my name than to not know who I am" I finally got a word in and I asked him what kind of trouble he was in and should we worry. He explained that he was the only Freshman that was playing in all of the scrimmages and getting alot of time behind the plate. His words not mine...these are not high school coaches anymore..they yell...you run...and you learn from the mistake

I will bet that by the start of the spring season yours and your sons opinions will have changed.

A) you're a freshman so expect to be treated like a grunt, or worse;
Maybe, but they treat most players the same but it only feels like you are singled out because Freshmen make the most mistakes

B) Unlike HS where most coaches are paid first to be teachers then coach baseball on the side because of their love of the game and guiding young men, for college coaches this is their one-and-only full time job. If they don't win, they get fired. So expect it to ALL be about winning, whatever it takes;
Most coaches have the academics first and foremost whether they admit it or not. Bottom line you don't have a team without the grades. Also, for as many coaches that there are, at the end of the year very few are fired because of their record

C) Playing ball at the college level is a job, and coaches expect players to approach it like a job ... and having a tightknit, positive relationship with coaches isn't really related to performing that job because if you don't get the job done, you're easy to replace
Not at all, it's family.

D) Welcome to the real world ... it's really not too different than being out in the commercial job world;
It's different from the "old" HS world but it is not the real world. I would love to be back in their "real" world

E) Again ... You're a freshman, so expect to be treated like a grunt, or worse, and don't let it bother you because it's not about you.
This is kind of funny because I had the same thoughts as you when my son was a Freshman and then we found out that impression was in our own mind and now we look back and see that it was nothing more than adapting to a new environment.

quote:

It's different from the "old" HS world but it is not the real world. I would love to be back in their "real" world

Rz

Like many things in life, they most likely won't appreciate the opportunity they're being given until many years down the road.

I agree with all of the above - even the parts that contradict the other parts! Because all college coaches approach their jobs and their teams differently.

My son is a college junior. Before he started his freshman year, I read many times on here how college baseball would be different from HS. I must be thick-headed or something, because I didn't really get it until now! My son's original head coach left unexpectedly at the start of his freshman season. His first two years ended up being confusing and sometimes frustrating - often because of his own performance. But now I look back and realize - he has loved every bit of it, and has grown and matured because of the bumpy road. He would not trade the experience for anything, and neither would we (his parents). But we would all be okay with seeing a few less bumps in the road during the next couple of years!

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He explained that he was the only Freshman that was playing in all of the scrimmages and getting alot of time behind the plate.

Excellent observations, Roadie

They are getting him ready to PLAY............

It steps up a level..........

They wouldn't bother pushing him, if they didn't expect him to perform.

Golden threads, here, MN-Mom.

quote:

Golden threads, here, MN-Mom.

Now I understand that poster's would like to nominate Golden Thread's.

But this is the HSBBW. A baseball related site.
And Golden Thread Status, Should not be Taken Lightly.

I believe it should be as hard to get Golden Thread Status,
As it is to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Now I'm not saying that this is not a Golden Thread,
But There should be a certain amount of Criteria met before making a certain Thread. GOLDEN THREAD status.
What do the rest of you think. EH

Plus before you can Hijack a Thread.
It must be one that will draw attention to itself.
Meaning before anybody know's it's been Hijack.
It's actually taking a life of it's own.

Am I making any since.
Does anybody understand the meaning of life.
Oh yea, OK.
I got it.
That's it.
KARMA

.
Hey!....Did I hear my favorite term...Karma....mentioned?

Me, the Woodman, JT, and BD (the karma thread starter) are always up for a Karmajack....

Just give us the word...

44
.

.
OK, since I can't stir up any Karmfusion...let's get back to the thread at hand...or at finger - in the Woodman's case..

Yes it's a new world but don't be so quick to judge it harshly...

I am not sure you can understand the step up to college ball (DI top 40) until you have expereienced it. Take the HS freshman experience and intensify it tenfold. In HS, it's Boys against yound men. In College it's young men against full grown men, and on the SAME team.

Don't be too quick to judge the lack of relationship building. It exists it is just on a different plane than before. And those bonds can actually be stronger because they are forged in much hotter fires.

Could be very naive on this but IMO...At some level the college coaches understand that college baseball is one of the most team driven sports there is, in part because with the raiding done by MLB, players must be developed, kids must and are expected to step up. Jobs depend upon this. It has been my experience so far that coaches really want their own recruits to shine and to be developed in their system. If they did not belive in you, you would not be here.

Part of that is to push freshman to levels that they have never been and could never have acheived previously in a HS setting. In the end, likely, you will thank them for taking your son to a new level of fitness, play and emotional stregnth. The problem is that players are used to be at the top of the heap, and in this environment every player is good, comitted, expects to start, and mediocraty is not tolerated.

Our experience is that you get out of it what you put into it and you have a great deal more to give than you think, and you will be expected to give more than you thought you could or wanted to.

A word to the wise. I have watched many touted HS players, NLI in hand spend more time talking about their future starting positions and resting on their laurels, than they spend in the weight room, and running and working on their skills. Make no mistake it is a bigger step than you think, but one that some college coach believes that you can take or you would not be there. Prove them right...Get to work NOW..there is only 10 months left, time is short...show up ready to go, better than they expect and you will amazed at how fast you will have a relationship...

College baseball is a huge priviledge.

44
.

OK ob44, Now your getting close to GT status.
One more push, and maybe just maybe.
We could get this Karmajacking over the top. EH

I was always told if you cant stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

quote:

Part of that is to push freshman to levels that they have never been and could never have acheived previously in a HS setting. In the end, likely, you will thank them for taking your son to a new level of fitness, play and emotional stregnth. The problem is that players are used to be at the top of the heap, and in this environment every player is good, comitted, expects to start, and mediocraty is not tolerated.

Our experience is that you get out of it what you put into it and you have a great deal more to give than you think, and you will be expected to give more than you thought you could or wanted to.

A word to the wise. I have watched many touted HS players, NLI in hand spend more time talking about their future starting positions and resting on their laurels, than they spend in the weight room, and running and working on their skills. Make no mistake it is a bigger step than you think, but one that some college coach believes that you can take or you would not be there. Prove them right...Get to work NOW..there is only 10 months left, time is short...show up ready to go, better than they expect and you will amazed at how fast you will have a relationship...

College baseball is a huge priviledge.

ob44's posts should be required reading. Excellent stuff. I don't believe what he is saying should scare people off either. Of course there is naivete involved. It is only natural to expect success in high school to translate in college. For a handful, it does right away. For the majority, it is learning how to develop your game over a period of time with consistency so the coach can have confidence in you. When you see someone starting at the college level, what you don't see is how many times previously that player showed up in practice and delivered for the coaches. In order to deliver, there is one tried and true formula - work to get better.

One idea that shows up a lot on these forums is picking a college where a player can start right away as a freshman. There are virtues to that philosophy of course. On the other hand, one may never fully develop their talents without the motivation provided from intense or in some cases elite competition.

If a player is going to choose a college based on the chance to play as a freshman, he should consider his goals for college ball.

If he regards it as a much-loved activity, then playing straightaway is important. If, however, he is looking to improve his skills, there is more to consider.

If he is already the best possible choice at that position as an incoming freshman, how good is that coaching staff at developing talent? How challenging will that play be (does he really want four more years of the same general level ball he experienced at hs?)

Working to improve shouldn't only be considered as the hope of playing professional ball, it's all part of the rehersal for that 'real life' that is the college experience. Overcoming the opposition, earning rights, learning to compete appropriately and all the other myriad of life lessons that baseball teaches are admirable goals as well.

The stories I hear about treatment of Freshmen are mostly a two-way street. Some freshman ballplayers seem blissfully unaware that every college ballplayer was a hs star. The college team, to their minds, was waiting - breath held -- for their arrival. Any indication of that kind of attitude will, indeed, encourage the older players to put said Freshman in their place; and that place can take a while to climb out of.

(My son's a senior catcher; don't get me started on Freshman pitchers! )

If you have decided on D1, the best thing a Freshman/Sophmore college player could do is keep working hard and take advantage of the time you do get to play in the game.
Work on your education, That's why your there.
Work out to get yourself bigger and stronger.
And come out like a Mad Dog your Junior year and get noticed
as a hard working player.
What more could a Coach/Player want out of a program.
The more you produce, The more playing time you will receive.

EH

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(My son's a senior catcher; don't get me started on Freshman pitchers! )

Only a catcher's parent would know that.

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For the majority, it is learning how to develop your game over a period of time with consistency so the coach can have confidence in you.

Hasn't TPM always said, college ball IS NOT high school ball?

Raise your hand if you didn't beleive me!

Great posts!

One of the best things about our son graduating from college is the fact we have had opportunties to become friends with his college coaches and many of their friends, who are also coaches.
One of the very important and very common threads amongst this group is how hard they work to help your son in ways you never see. Getting them placed during the summer, contacting and responding to contacts from professional scouts, filling out evaluation forms, making more calls and taking more calls from scouts, reviewing academic reports and doing everything within their authority to ensure your son is matriculating and eligible. They do it because they love baseball, love competition, love winning, and more than anything, want your/our son to succeed. There are some darn fine folks out there coaching college baseball. Many of them care as much about how your son does when he is off the field as they do/demand when he is playing. Maybe more!