Don't Ya Just Love IT

TR, you're 100% absolutely correct.

I see it in our youth league all the time, gotta win, gotta win. Every year without fail I'll see 3 or 4 coaches who will let an 11 or 12 year old stud throw over 100 pitches. The one that took the cake this year was a 12 year old who threw 105 pitches, 45 of which were sliders.

What makes coaches like that? One thing that comes to mind is ego. Like it's really going to matter 5 years from now how many games you win in a youth league. I suspect that some of these guys are football people, where you truly do need to be able to tough it out and play through bruises and aches and pains, and there's not as many issues with over-use type injuries. I know one of our local high school coaches, he's told me more than once to worry more about developing kid's skills than winning.

What can be done about the coaches like the one you've mentioned here? Would it do any good if some knowledgeable people started sending emails and letters to school administrators and athletic departments? Maybe start a "Hall of Shame" thread with coach's names and school adresses - possibly a few dozen emails and letters from the folks here would open some eyes.

You are right on TR. But high school coaches get the press in some areas. Still totally unjustified. Some travel programs get no press and they can be brutal.
I talked to a kid recently pitching on a tournament team from Ga. He said his arm was sore. I said, well I saw you pitch a little and you looked great.
He then tells me that was a 150 pitch performance in 6 innings. He's 16.
I asked what his coach thought, and he shrugged his shoulders and said, I'm the best we got and we needed the win.
I then seeked out the parents and had a nice conversation. I was also able to bring over a tigers minor league coach and we gave a good explanation of pitch counts and age and the long term effects. They kind of agreed to look out for him, but they don't travel to loose.
I thought about that kid for a week now and I'm sick about this situation.

TR...where did you read this, Mars? I won't even refer to the person who made that remark as a coach.

Larry

In a post game interview with the coach-- and it is not the first time I have heard or seen a coach say it

THis is one reason why i might just become a coach in the future, because I've seen enought dumb moves and enough dumb 'unmoves' (meaning that some pitchers shouldnt go as long as they have, and get heir arms ruined cause they weren;t substituted before)

Why cant some coaches realise that baseball at the youth level isnt about winning the championshipm but rather about developing the playerws on their team to help them improve to the nest level?

It really bugged me when at the age of 12 I was still being taught to "Raise your back elbow" which I realized at that age that a good 3/4 of major leaguers didn't do and ended up hitting much like the 'glorofied' kid who always hit with a lowered bacj elbow.

Most coaches really cant tell when to give someone some coaching and when to leave them be and not fix anything that ain't broke.

Oh, Mr. 3000, now you've gone and done it!

Sit back and watch while this thread gets taken over by the siteworms who will debate high or low elbow position for several pages!

Hahaha.

My point is that some coaches are more focused on winning the chapionsip for this year, rather than developing the potential player, I can tell you that from both the baseball and the basketball pov. Our HIS basketball team had a lot of potential on the bench well above my potential, yet i still played 2 or 3 minutes off the bench during a game just as much as the other better potential player who should been substituting more than me, and yet i'd play just ast much as the worser substitute baseball player who had less potnetial than me.

I'm being honest here, some coaches are just selfish and want to win themsevles, and other coaches are just ignorant and simply can't tell and judge themselves who will be/who is a prospect.

I think that most coaching comes down to their personal judgement of what they knowa bout the game. Heck when i was playing elite ball, we had a good smart coach for that spring and fall, he'd play us based on athleticism that would fit each position the best. Then came our local summer league coach, and all he'd do is make up our batting order...usualy based on stata....aarg, most of the time i disagreed on who would hit lead off if it was me or the other contact hitter, and other times i'd feel awkward at who was hitting cleanup simplyh because he couln't drive in runs or couldnt hit for any power.

But when it comes to a pitching staff i see the same mentality. The coach goes by who has the best 'luvk' ot 'stats'. I've never seen a coach from around here who goes by the level of tools or talent, or evne 'heart.' That lack of talent/tool/heart is what i think has ruined the level of compeition and even ruined the amount of players at that age group who are willing to play. At least around here that's whta I've noticed. Arms getting ruine som[ply because the coach knows that that arm doestn want to play professionally, so why not let that arm drag and ruin itself out by pitching into a tough decent batting order into the final innings?

Pitching is about development. 4years. Freshman JV Varsity. Patience Patienc Patience.

Oh yea, Shep is loving it more and more every day ! It's nice getting vindication from members here at HSBBW who see me at games actually scouting these pitchers of interest!!
How Sweet IT IS ! , peace.

scouting for what team?

Enjoyed talking with you brother! God's Speed brother! Peace, Shep

No offense guys but I think that coach was joking in the first post. Surely nobody is that stupid.

Secondly I think everyone makes great points. Teach fundamentals first and then teach winning. Most of these youth coaches think they have to teach winning when they are 9 years old. Teach them how to catch and throw first.

In a perfect society the little leagues and babe ruth leagues (or equivelent) teach fundamentals in a stairstep method. Build each year on skills and then in high school / college teach fundmentals AND winning

Oh well that is my two cents