Does this sound right to you?

JBB

quote:

Its ME! I'm just kind of tired of foolish people who are put in charge.

I feel like that everyday when I go to work. LOL
EH

quote:

Originally posted by Homerun04:
It is situations like this is where you say why put up with high school baseball vs just focusing on his travel team where he may challenged and develop more pitching against better competition.

Yep.

Sadly these situations take alot of the exitement out. You find yourself sorta twidling your thumbs, politely listening to the parents of seniors who "deserve to be playing", while waiting for Jr.'s next at bat, wondering if a college coach has left a message at home, and looking forward to watching a real game like....

Texan,

If son throws say a 80 mph fast ball with control and location, and then can throw a 72 mph change with control and location and then a 76 curve again with control and location, then none of the lower level kids could hit it. So if they can hit it, like I told my son, you still have things to work on.

justbaseball,

I know of a similar scenario when a kid I know was in 8th grade. After being told before tryouts that there was NO WAY he would make the team...he made the team...and started at SS...and hit 3rd...and led the team in hitting. Just play the game and the coaches will notice talent.

Is it stupid? Definitely.

Gotta chime in as my kid has a similar situation. It may just be that you have a set of bonehead coaches, not uncommon when high school teachers get the first crack at coaching jobs. Your choice will be to see if he dominates on JV or "c" and if he still can't get a fair shot by junior year, time to either bail on the school or as we are doing treat it as practice for summer and fall ball. My kid had the fun of playing legion with the so called better high school kids that HS coach has ahead of him and literally carrying his team with his arm to 2nd in state. The Legion coaches think the HS coach is an idiot but what can you do?

In my years I never had a freshman play varsity. I had a few sophomores who started. they were exceptional. Freshman playing varsity might show that the talent level is thin at the top. Just a thought

I've surely beaten this to death, but:


Coach May--that was, as usual for you, a great post and you should be cloned. But here's a question--if you were a parent (and you are, I know , and you had the situation as described by justbaseball for your son, what would you do as a parent? And what would you tell your son?

quote:

Originally posted by obrady:
Texan,

If son throws say a 80 mph fast ball with control and location, and then can throw a 72 mph change with control and location and then a 76 curve again with control and location, then none of the lower level kids could hit it. So if they can hit it, like I told my son, you still have things to work on.

When they can't catch up to that 80 mph fast ball, you better not throw that 72 mph c/u unless you want to get whiplash.

TR HIT

Sent you a p.m.

JBB, sorry for using the word "despise". But let me ask you, aside from just gathering our thoughts what would you have your friend do? Short of transferring about the only thing that can be done is to work hard on his game and become a better player and make it D*** hard for that coach to deny him.

My own LHP son last year sat on JV the entire year even though he was rated #30 in the state, completely dominated the competition, and went undefeated, 7-0 with a sub-1 ERA. Meanwhile, the varsity suffered through a losing season. (I was told the coach was loyal to his seniors.) Was I happy? No, but I shut up because what could I do about it anyway?

The way I see it, your friend has a choice to make. All the griping in the world won't change anything. Your friend can either yank the kid from the program, or rally behind the new coaches to help them build a better program. I hope he chooses the latter.

Bum - Thats a good question.

Here's what I think my friend is going to do. Nothing. He's an easy-going guy who just sees it as a life lesson. "Welcome to the real world" is pretty much his attitude.

I posted this topic because I don't think it is atypical (as you confirm) and it would be helpful for other HS parents to see they are not alone...and to discuss it a bit. I didn't expect anyone to jump to a conclusion that the kid was himself creating the "buzz" or that the parent was a problem. Neither is true.

What would I do? Well, 7 years ago in a very similar situation, I did nothing either. And it was pretty miserable because it was only a sign of far worse things to come which I won't get into here.

So having had that experience as a parent myself...today...I would get my kid to another school. Why? Because its my experience that these types of people don't change and in fact do worse things over time. All I can go on is my own experience and thats what it tells me. HS baseball for our older son, became largely something to get through, not something fun. If I could do it again, I would strive to find a place where it would be a good experience...an experience to relish and remember fondly. Those places do exist, just not always in your own backyard.

Bordeaux (Hope I spelled that right) thank you for the kind words. As far as your question I will be glad to answer that. When my oldest son was a sr he played 6 innings and had 12 ab's. A soph started in front of him. Why? Because he was better. How can I as a coach treat my son any differently than anyone else and still have the respect of my players? And the bottom line is it is your job as a coach to put the players on the field that give your team the best chance to win. Regardless of who you sit on the bench. The parents are not responsible for putting the best players on the field. They do not enter into the equation. I have had four freshman on varsity the last 10 years. Three made all state and all conference by their soph seasons. The fourth was all conference. If I put a freshman or soph on varisty it is because they are ready to help us win.

JBB,
My sentiments exactly. If me I would move the kid. No parting shots, no big deal, just leave. Actions such as those taken by your example coaches are good predictors for future grief. Their careers, though probably brief, should not deter your son from what he loves to do. You have to reflect genuinely on past experiences and learn to trust your gut feelings sometimes.

JBB, Coach May states only the best Freshmen or Sophs make varsity on his squad. There you go. Colleges will still be interested when he's a Jr. or even Sr. Leaving I guess could be an option, if there is a better alternative.

My own kid, as I mentioned, played JV as a soph. He's now slated to be the #1 or #2 starter as a Junior this year, so in the end it worked out for the best. Plus, I can tell you, he has had plenty of college interest, including over 20 Division I schools. Tell your friend's kid there's no rush. He'll be okay. The scouts will know he's good. And the coaches, too.

Great post Coach May and great advice too.

Well, first, I have to say that JBB is the model of non-complaining, because we have been friends for years (and hopefully still are even though we have different views on this topic?) , and I have never heard a word of complaint from him. So I had no idea until he posted here that he had ever faced problems and that is a testament to the kind of very discreet and decent guy that he is. Not only that, but his family modeled exactly the kind of supportive behavior that I was advocating above.

But, on the subject of leaving: that's a pretty drastic attitude--is baseball the only thing that counts in the selection of a high school? . I was thinking about this and what would have happened if we had had this situation. And I think that what would have happened is that my son, not me, would have made the decision (he being smarter, wiser, and less impulsive than I). And what he probably would have done was this: he would have thought about the lifelong friends he had on the team. And he would have thought about the great teachers at his school. And he would have thought about how close it was to home and how comfortable it felt to be there. And he would have stayed, and made the best of the situation, because other things were more important to him even though it would have been a huge disappointment not to have a supportive baseball coach.

If my baseball aint right , nuthin is right!

1. The head coach may not know that his bonehead assisstants are popping off.
2. The young kid has dominated, but that was against his age group.
3. When the coaches see all the players side-by- side for several days in a row the decision will be able to be made by the right person... the Head Coach...
4. Everyone else can just back off...
5. And in Coach May's words (and i promise to use this phrase at least once this year) I don't give a Rat's A** about everyone else's opinion... It's my job to put a product on the field and I'm going to do it to the best of my ability.

Okay, I PROMISE this is my last post here. But trojan skipper and Coach May--how about you come on out to sunny (ha ha ha, it's pouring here) California and show them how it's done?

Unfortunately, there are many incompetent people in every profession...and baseball coaching is no different. If this is real, these people are a joke - and make those of us that really work hard and treat kids with respect look bad.

quote:

and make those of us that really work hard and treat kids with respect look bad.

Dear Coach Knight,..with all due respect I intensely disagree.

IMHO, it makes those of you who work really hard and treat kids with respect look phenominal!!!
I sincerely thank those coaches who make a difference using the highest level of integrity.



Justbaseball,...

quote:

posted this topic because I don't think it is atypical (as you confirm) and it would be helpful for other HS parents to see they are not alone...and to discuss it a bit.

Thank you!!! Its been a good discussion!!!

We've moved around alot,...seen all kinds of coaches and programs from all different regions of the good ol' US of A.

REALLY makes us appreciate the good ones!

Random thoughts:

Never been a big fan of negativity or " thumping of the chest " as a form of intimidation to gain respect.
Doesnt take long to figure out who's talkin' and thumpin' and faking it,..and who's the real deal.
IMO, respect is earned.
Hard work and a true knowledge of the game are a win win combination.

Open minds,....open chances.

I also believe in let the best man/woman play. No freebies just because you are an upper classman.
( & just for the record,..I am the parent of an upperclassman! )

Dont tell me how good you are or what you've done in the past,....show me.

Because we can not always pick and choose where we play in HS, I say play 110%, 100% of the time,...and ride through the hard times.
It's not always easy or fun,... ( can be down right depressing at times ) but it can be done!
While it may be a very long & weary climb,..adversity can bring greatness!

Good coaches or bad coaches,....continue to stick to the core values,..and deliver the goods.


Dont ever let the bad ones beat ya!!!