Freshman gettin the short end?

i know what your saying

as freshman we are supposed to be the team doormats

Only next year, as a sophomore, will you begin to reap the rewards of, and find a deep understanding of, "the system."

hey bulldogs..its part of the whole high school experience. everyone goes through it. i was on varsity as a sophomore. i had to clean the locker room all the time, and rake my position instead of all the other players. i was a starter that had to do all that. it goes with the territory. just believe me, it gets better.

Listen to Krakatoa...the wisdom fairly oozes from him...

The voice of experience has stated it well for you TPBulldogs35...atl bjs knows of which he speaks...way to go atl bjs.

TPBulldogs, when you are a senior, are you going to view your senior year as one where you are willing to give up cage time for freshmen when the end of your high school career is so near?

TPBulldogs:

I think the most difficult year of all from a baseball perspective is the Freshman year.

Players have grown up playing ball with kids their own age, consistantly one of the best players, and probably always near the front of the pecking order. Now all of a sudden, those same players are at the bottom of a very long ladder - playing with men for the first time.

Yes, being at the bottom of the ladder means you get less time in the cage, get less time on the good field if your school has more than one, get the oldest uniforms, the oldest catchers equipment, the cracked and worn out batting helmets, the oldest, most water logged baseballs, and the least experienced coaches,

All of this is just the way the real world works - it is no different than when you get your first job - and the only way out of it is to earn your way out.

Don't complain about any of the above - just out hustle, out work and out play those above you and your turn will come....

I know exactly what you are saying because Im a freshman as well.

On most days,I practice with varsity but its the same nevertheless.

All I can say is outwork everyone,hit the weights hard,be productive this year so you win a starting job next year.Its been working with me

I work out with the varsity as well. Everyone is the same, if you have to the same will to workout, and succeed.

quote:

All I can say is outwork everyone,hit the weights hard,be productive this year so you win a starting job next year.Its been working with me

Worth remembering and repeating.......

Also,attempt to convince the coach to let you practice with varsity.

Very good advise being offered!!
I'll add that you may want to stay after & hit. Ask one of the upperclassmen to join you. They &/or coach will make note of your willingness to "do whatever it takes" to be a contributer to the team. Stay humble & you will earn their respect quickly.

Or go to the facility on your own! Word will get back to coach.

My son went thru this...He was moved up to Varsity a few weeks into his Freshman season...Now, he is a Senior, & learned how to "pass it on" to the players coming in.
Your day will come, just remember to "give back' when the time comes! Mentoring is part of the system, too.
Good luck!

TPBulldog,
Sorry that is the way it is. When I was a freshman we weren’t even allowed to enter the front doors of the school. We had to enter the side doors or be forcibly removed by a big senior. They called them the senior doors. You are learning a valuable lesson. If you want this to change then you can do it! When you are a senior you will have the ability to stand up and change the system. You can be the one senior that complains that the freshman should have the same opportunity as the seniors. Let me ask you a question. As a freshman, how do feel about playing with 6th graders?
Fungo

NO FAIR

This just reinforces my opinion of how things have changed with kids over the years. If they dont get what "they " want !!! Stop whining!!!

Great post Fungo. Earn your stripes. I bet when you are a senior your whole attitude will change. Thats if your still playing? Those seniors have paid their dues. What have you invested in that program? Two whole days? When you have left your blood sweat and tears on that field and proven that you are going to be loyal and are going to fight for your teamates and program your attitude might change a bit. Like Will said quit whining and start paying your dues like all the guys that came in front of you.

My favorite pecking order story regarding HS baseball happened my son's freshman year. He has always been big and played up, so being around older players didn't intimidate him. First day of HS preseason workouts the team went on a run. Son was in good shape and took off at a comforatable pace, ahead of the pack, with a fast senior. When the run ended, a winded and huffing senior who wasn't in particularly good shape got in my son's face and told him that if he ever passed a senior again, he'd be smacked in the back of the head as he ran by.
My son is a senior this year and is enjoying his superior status. He earned the right to lead the pack and not clean the field after practice. Its someone else's turn to put the equipment away and rake the base paths. It all evens out in the end. Just pay your dues and be glad you're on the team. Its character building time!

quote:

When the run ended, a winded and huffing senior who wasn't in particularly good shape got in my son's face and told him that if he ever passed a senior again, he'd be smacked in the back of the head as he ran by.

As a coach I would tell the senior I would smack him un the head if he let a freshman beat him.

All the posts except 1 I respect. Will I'm not whining I was just wondering if it's like this at all schools. I do go to the cages on my own time and I even swing into pure nothing to get my mechanics down. It's not like I'm crying to the coaches saying no fair boohoo. I've been working out hard with the rest of the varsity guys and have gone to every baseball meeting. It's mostly about getting free time in the cages because as most people can relate it's hard getting the money to spend on the expensive indoor cages.

TPBulldog,

If you think it is tough for a freshman athlete - in high school - just wait until you work in the business world - and you are the "freshman" in the company.

LOL

Get used to it - and get it done.

TPBulldog,
I know this doesn’t change things for you but if it gives you any satisfaction, it happens just about everywhere at the high school level. I think that is one thing that my son appreciated about college. He said there isn't that much distinction between a freshman and an upperclassman once you get to college. It probably has a lot to do with the maturity level of the upperclassmen. Stick with it because it gets better. Just remember when you are senior how you felt as a freshman.
Thanks,
Fungo

Wait until you are a freshman in College----it is all part of the process

TBulldogs,

My son was the only freshman on his varsity team and he got the respect of the older players and coaches by working hard and improving everyday. By the time the season rolled around he was starting in the outfield and ended up having a great season. About the only thing he had to do as the rookie is carry the equipment onto the bus but he always did the same drills as others. Keep your chin up. It gets better.

I don't think this phenomena is limited to high school. Whether it is HS, college, professional, pickup games, beer leagues or even in the workplace, the new kid (freshman) always gets the short end and has to pay their dues.

quote:

Originally posted by Coach May:
Great post Fungo. Earn your stripes. I bet when you are a senior your whole attitude will change. Thats if your still playing? Those seniors have paid their dues. What have you invested in that program? Two whole days? When you have left your blood sweat and tears on that field and proven that you are going to be loyal and are going to fight for your teamates and program your attitude might change a bit. Like Will said quit whining and start paying your dues like all the guys that came in front of you.

IMHO, those criticizing TPB have taken things the wrong way.

Why on earth wouldn't a coach make cage time available to freshmen? STUPID not to do so. That cage can't be tied up every minute. Poor practice planning on the part of the coaches.

And why are some people on this thread criticizing a young man (alluding to social ills, even) who wants to work hard & improve his game. Far be it from me to EVER discourage someone wanting to work hard.

Quite frankly, I am disappointed at some of the responses to this young man's post.

TBP, keep working hard no matter what anyone says. Let the coach know how much you time in the cage. Let him know you are willing to stay after, come early, whatever it takes.

Hard work produces results. And sooner or later it is noticed.

Texan I am in no way implying that a coach should not make cage time available to a freshman or anyother kid wanting to work on his game. This was not the intent of my post. In fact they are probaly the kids that need it the most and need to be seen the most by the coaches. Your point is well taken. My point is to not complain but to find ways to get more time in the cage. Either by staying later or arriving earlier. And ask the coach for more time. Maybe my post was a knee jerk reaction. Good post.

Coach May, I should take my own advice. It appears I read too much into your post. My apologies.

Yes, Freshen need cage time. However, it is the hardest time to find. One poster mentioned that the cage can't be tied up all of the time. Outside, it is not and all levels get cage time. Inside, well that's another story. The 3 levels of baseball have to compete with the same levels of softball. All get cage time in our school. WE have one cage but do have 6-10 hitting stations. Factor in that the Pom Poms and Cheerleading both get the gym for their competitions and for tryouts at the end of the school year and the gyms are booked. In our school every sport is entitled to "gym time." So s-o-c-c-e-r, track, ... all get time. It can drive a coach wild finding a spare hour for them to get in that cage.

The freshman who wants to make that initial impression would be smart to take his bat and batting gloves to the local batting cage--spend a few bucks and get sharp--then any time he gets in the cage at school is a bonus

Those who go out on their own to get things done usually get it done

Iniative--Initiative---Initiative---it can take a young player a long way towards his goal

At my son's school, the 9th grade team gets to use the field for 15/20 minutes, and then is sent off to work out wherever they can find a place. The JV does get to practice with the varsity but are still second-class citizens. We have a coaching staff of5, one for the 9th, one for the JV, and three for the varsity. Last year the varsity coaches would stand around and watch the other two coaches work out their teams instead of jumping in and helping out. The poor 9th grade team barely had time to take infield once before they were kicked off the field.

A lot of guys use a small area carpet,hang it on a fense and do soft toss and hit off a T . This is a great way to get some swings in and work on your technigue. You can set up almost anywhere.
I strongly believe if a freshman works hard and is good he will earn playing time. If you have to wait you work harder and do what it takes. Most of our guys do not use the cage but do live batting practice. They have a large pro mobile backstop which really helps.

Great posts to an aspect of the game that I don't think will ever change. It certainly is the same as when I was a freshman...

Another fun part of the freshman year is looking for the bucket of "curveballs," keys to the batters box, left handed bats etc. and having faculty in on the deal so you get sent all over creation.

It's all part of the game which has its rights of passage. My son experienced the same ritual in his freshman year, like others have said, its a life lesson. That's what makes this game great, all the lessons learned along the way. It's never glamorous starting out at the bottom of the ladder, but what a feeling when you get to the top!

And if you are a junior or senior - it wouldnt hurt to help a younger player out once in awhile.

quote:

Originally posted by TPBulldogs35:
I don't know if this is the case at the other highschools but it kinda seems to me the freshman incoming players get the short end. We don't get to go to the cages or use the school cages while the sophomores and up get to go to a facility to hit. NO FAIR! Just because I'm a frehsman doesn't mean I don't wanna work as hard as a senior.

**********************************************

This is the wrong approach, son.

Look, go see your BB coach and ask him to give you a key to the cage, or see if one of the varsity players has a key and will let you use his.

Be there at the cage at 6AM or the crack of daylight every morning, rain or shine, to make sure you are there first to get your hacks. But be respectful to seniors who have put there time in and if they show up at the early morning hours give them some slack.

But for gods-sake, stop whining, find a way to work outside of what is team time. Beleive me there is never enough individual time for the number of reps you will need to get better if you are leaving it up to just practicing with your HS team...that is a losing proposition.

When my son was a junior he and another player started helping a freshman.....a friend of the family. My son and his buddy always stayed after practice to hit and field some more. They invited the freshman to join them....I had also requested that they give him some time/assistance......well all was going well....until the freshman started getting upset because he felt he wasn't being treated right.....he didn't like having to carry the extra equipment.....when the 3 of them were done working out......

In son's high school this is how it's done......son did it when he was a freshman.....it's understood and expected.......so......they soon quit asking the freshman to join them for extra practice.....called him a whiner....he got cut his sophomore year....

Lessons to be learned here freshmen.....other posters have said it well.....have a good attitude, work hard.....take advantage of the opportunities to improve....even if you have to stay later....after the upper classmen leave.....just work hard....and your turn will come......

This is true at many schools, kid - sorry to say that, but truth is truth. In our program, we have limited availability for our indoor facilities, but the sub-varsity players get equal time. Varsity gets more, but that is to be expected I think.
I treat our sub-varsity guys with respect; as I tell our varsity players "these guys are the 'little brothers' of the program, and they are no less important than anyone else". Sorry that this isn't the case for you - be patient, your time will come.

I'll try to be calm about this and try to understand everyone here is older than me. What's upsetting me here is that everybody is telling me to stop whining when that was NOT my intention. I completely understand that I have to earn my time there. I personally liked Texans first post because he understood what I meant. But all I heard was for god sakes stop whining and pretty much that I'm a stupid little baby whos crying about what he wants. All I wanted to do was ask other freshman if they got chances to go do things with the team. I also pointed out that I do things outside of the school for baseball as it is..pretty much as much as I can as money and space provides me to do. It almost makes me aggravated that people don't know anything about me and assume that I'm a huge whiner that does nothing else to try to improve his game. Another thing, if you guys got nothing good for me to hear then don't tell me it because I'd rather not hear it. I'm just a freshman lookin to make a point that us younger guys are willing to spill our guts to be the best too....THATS IT!

Sorry not EVERYBODY here is telling me this but certain posters. I appreciate the good advice that has came..I just don't get why people are making me seem like a whiner.

I agree with you TPbull

We do get the short end but I have no problem with why.Those Juniors,Seniors and some sophomores have busted their rears for some time and deserve to be there.As I mentioned earlier, outwork everyone, & be productive this year so you win the starting job next year.

Living by this has gotten me on this team and will continue to push me

Dont get upset. And dont take it personal because Im sure that it was not meant to be personal. The advice and the comments are made to help and to inform. Everyone has their own way of getting their points across. You seem to be a kid that only wants an opportunity to work hard and be the best he can be. I for one love that in a player. I see the posts as an attempt to get you to understand that you need to find solutions to the problem and not excuses as to why you can not get cage time. As many have said talk to the coach about cage time. Come early leave late. You will find a way to get more time and you will fine. Good luck this year and keep us informed about your season and how it goes.

Keep your head up tpbull.
There isn't one poster here that wouldn't change places with you right now for a chance to play ball at your age.
They all remember, and wish they had a chance to do it again.
With all the knowledge that they know now, So take there advice, and work hard. It will all work out.
Most high schools in are area, will only let juniors and seniors play varsity. because they put there time in at your age.

Make sure you hustle on and off the field.
never throw your bat are helmet, because your mad.
play the game with a smile, and
Always play hard
You never know who's watching.