Fall Practice

If you do, tell a certain P coach I said hello.

OS8,

I know I would if I could, unfortunately 1200 miles is just a tad too far to sneak out from work early to catch a practice.

Guilty, as charged. Intra-squad on Saturday so I will make it a day out there...along with several other parents.

The reason I haven't snuck a peek yet is to allow my kid to do his thing, but I would like to watch all of it

When #1 son was a freshman and fall ball started, we thought it was a natural to load the chairs in the trunk and head out to the field. They played intra-squad and scrimmage games, but hey - it was baseball, it was college and it was our boy!

#1 almost died of embarrassment. We were the only parents there - the first week. Week two - two more parents, and by week three, we were a full fledged crowd... OK, maybe there were 12 of us, but we were having a good time! Coach was thrilled to see us from the first week and even included the parents in the end of fall season cook out - it was great fun. He said he had never in 26 years had parents come to fall games, but he was definitely happy to see us there... and so were his teammates, when Mom showed up with homemade cookies!

The fact that #1 went to school just under two hours from home made that possible. We also knew that, with two younger boys still playing during the "real" baseball season at home, it would be tough to make it to his regular season games, so going during the fall was our way of letting him know we were thrilled he was still playing the game he loved.

#2 son is almost five hours from home, so needless to say, we won't be there for any fall ball. But we do miss it! Luckily #3 is playing fall ball at home, so we still get our weekly baseball fix. The time goes so fast - I say enjoy it while you can!

We live about 15 minutes from campus. I rarely, almost never, attend a Fall (or any other) practice. A very few times over 3 years my son invited me...that is it seemed important to him...and then I went and sat if the upper corner away from it all.

Fall World Series is a semi- big deal with the kids picking and managing each side. Winners get steak dinners. Losers get beans. Some of the games are well attended. I think we have been once or twice.

My son is starting his 4th year of college ball at a DIII, 90 minutes from home. The first 3 years, we have not dropped by any practices or scrimmages, but each year they have had a parents' day one Saturday near the end of Fall season, where they played 2 games/scrimmages so we all got to check out the team and enjoy some baseball. After the games, there was a barbeque for the families and players.

I remember freshman year it was so hard to wait for that family day near the end of the season ... I was very curious to see the team in action. But we did wait until invited, wanting to give our son some space.

.

quote:

#2 son is almost five hours from home, so needless to say, we won't be there for any fall ball.

Having grown up in the "western 'burbs" I sympathize with how far that is.... a five hour drive would put you somewhere in southern Ohio...

But having lived "out West" (west of the Rockies) for almost 30 years... well, a five hour drive is not all that much work. Some would drive that far for a good bowl of pasta.

Billings to Missoula
Denver to Albuquerque
Stockton to LA (as long as the CHP ain't lookin')
Salt Lake to Vegas

Air Force plays Navy in two weeks on the same weekend that the football teams play. Guess they figure if you're loading up a C17 full of football players, why not throw 30 or so baseballers in with the gear. One game Friday night and a second game on Saturday morning. Priceless.

cadMOM and I wouldn't miss it... nice to know all the kids on both teams.

Blue skies & calm seas!

cadDAD

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Clemson has a group of "old timers" that attend most practices and I know a few parents who have come but it is not the norm. I think that practice time is time for coaches and players to do their own thing without an audience and a lot goes on in practice that you don't see game time. JMO.


My son would DIE of embarrassment if we showed up without asking him. My husband is now bugging him about watching fall pro practice, but he has been given strict warning not to show up! When in town for games or on the road, we always came to the field early to watch practice but that was because we so seldom got to do that and he expected it.

I think it depends on your player and how he feels, but I did learn once mine went off to college it was his thing, not ours.

We have gone up every year for fall scrimmage that lasts for 2-3 days and officially ends fall practice. Purple and Orange games usually attended by about 2-300. It was a chance to see the team play and show off and act like kids (coaches too) before the real games began.

I guess I am the odd ball (there's the "duh" statement of the week)...but JT, Jr is almost indignant when I don't show up. After this week, I'll hold off for the Saturday all day scrimmages and then the end of fall "Series."

I am going to fall ball in AZ whether I am invited or not.

quote:

Originally posted by FormerObserver:
I am going to fall ball in AZ whether I am invited or not.

I like your attitude

FO-AttaBoy!-

The first fall practice I attended the head coach waived me over to the dugout. I sat there with him while the players practiced. I was the only parent there. I talked to the coaches and a couple of injured players that were in my son's class. I finally left the dugout and the head coach told me that I was welcome any time to attend practice and sit in the dubout if I chose. The other practices I have attended I chose to set outside the dugouts.

My son is quite hapy that I attend and we often go out to eat together when practic is over.

TW344

Same as MN-Mom and TPM here. We're three hours away from son's school and my funky firefighter work schedule would allow me time to make plenty of trips out there, but I believe that that is really not a place for parents. Don't get me wrong, I'm DYING to see the practices and inter squad scrimmages but I don't think it would be beneficial to anyone but me. The coach and player(s) don't need distractions like that, in spite of what a coach trying to be polite might tell you. The last scrimmage of the fall is the only one against another school on Sept. 29, and all the parents are invited. I think that's fair enough.

I am sure it is/was difficult for most parents to make the transition of not attending.

I will wait for the annual exhibition and parents day, but I don't have to like missing most of it.

OS8 - I say you wear some cammo clothes and head over to the field. There are plenty of trees to hide behind and still see plenty!

quote:

but I don't have to like missing most of it.

I'll stop by & watch one afternoon & report back to ya, and of course pass Beezer greetings to BBK

We are very lucky that we have a JUCO fall season, but it has been very hard to get to many of the games since they are played much earlier in the day than high school games and none on the weekend so far. Although he only pitches 2 innings a game, it has been worth the trip just to see him at the next level. I don't think anyone attends practice, but we do have good parent/fan attendance at the fall games. He still thinks that we are going to attend every game and I truly hate disappointing him, but that's part of the transition too.

quote:

Originally posted by Beezer:
OS8 - I say you wear some cammo clothes and head over to the field. There are plenty of trees to hide behind and still see plenty!

Even though the coaches say it is OK to hang, I refrain from doing so. My fix for baseball is coaching Fallball 10u with my younger boy.

They(Flashes) have an exhibition with Ontario this week, so most of the parents may show to get a glimpse.

I don't think there is anything wrong with attending practice, if one finds out how their son feels about it.
I envy those who have been close to their son's at college, but I think even if he had been closer we would have asked his opinion on the matter. Only because in my situation I feel it is aobut him now, not us.
I look at it this way, going to college is about going to school first, I wouldn't sit in on one of his classes, baseball practice would be no different.
I just found out son will have games everyday and he said he will let us know about the schedule, we didn't ask, he told us, that's fine, whatever he feels comfortable with is ok by us.
0S, call your son and discuss it with him. JMO.

quote:

Originally posted by Tiger Paw Mom:
I don't think there is anything wrong with attending practice, if one finds out how their son feels about it.
I envy those who have been close to their son's at college, but I think even if he had been closer we would have asked his opinion on the matter. Only because in my situation I feel it is aobut him now, not us.
I look at it this way, going to college is about going to school first, I wouldn't sit in on one of his classes, baseball practice would be no different.
I just found out son will have games everyday and he said he will let us know about the schedule, we didn't ask, he told us, that's fine, whatever he feels comfortable with is ok by us.
0S, call your son and discuss it with him. JMO.

TPM, I agree with your post, all the reasons why I will only attend exhibitions, the Fall WS inter-squads and the parents day activities.