Head Coach - What do you do?

We have two Middle School programs that feed our high school program. Over the last few years I have seen kids cut that were much better than kids that made the team. I have also seen kids sit the bench that were much more talented than kids that played all the time. I have had most of these kids in my camps since they were 5th and 6th graders and I have a very good idea about their abilities and attitiudes. I personally dont do anything. It is not my program and I do not have the right to question the coach about who he keeps and who he cuts. And I do not have the right to tell him who to play and who not to play. What I do is if I see the kids I tell them to hang in there and keep working at the game. I stress to them that what they do in Middle School has no bearing on what they can do in High School. I tell them that when they get to High School they will be evaluated on what they can do right now not what they could or could not do in Middle School. Sometimes kids get overlooked by a coach or there is just plain ole politics. Sometimes the guy coaching the team has no clue what he is even looking at and just picks the team on who he likes. Personally I stay out of it because it is not my program. When they get to HS I make sure that the best players make the team and the best players play. I can not controll what someone else does. I have actually had kids make JV as freshman that were cut in Middle School while the "stars of the middle school team" were cut and never played in hs. This has happened several times. It is unfortunate but it is just a fact that some guys coach because they either are told that they have to or because they never were good enough to play and now they want to be a part of something they were never good enough to play. It is hard to find people to coach at the middle school level. The time of day that they practice and play. Most of the better coaches at this age group are coaching the AAU and USSSA teams or the select ball. Ive seen members of very good AAU teams get cut from the middle school teams and players make the middle school team that were cut from the AAU teams. I know kids like to play for their school in Middle School. But with the lack of coaching and quality competition Im sure that it is big step backward for the competitive ball players. JMO

Coach May, I called the young man this morning and told him my opinion about him. Baseball Knight!

Coach thats great! Im sure that he really appreciated that and will remember that you cared enough to make the call to him.

quote:

Originally posted by CoachB25:
Coach May, I called the young man this morning and told him my opinion about him. Baseball Knight!

Quality move coach!

Coach May, one thing that alwasy scares me is the power we hold as coaches. My daughter says that we can't go anywhere where someone doesn't know me. Most of the time, we run into former players everywhere we go. With so many kids, our opinion on their abilities can make or break the "kid" in them. We are either revered or hated by these players trying out for the rest of their lives. Also, so many kids get their self esteem by what they do and not who they are. THAT IS REAL SCARY! I know both you and I do the best we can. That has to count for something!

Good move. I was thinking the same thing. He will remember that call later on. What kind of qualifications does this coach have? If I had that type of coaching experience around me I would always ask for their opinion. What is the reason for you having to stay out of it? The coach or school.

1st year here, I gave a quiz on baseball fundamentals knowledge. Typical stuff such as proper technique for a sac bunt. Describe your favorite way to defend a 1st and 3rd situation. On and on and on. Not that there was a right way but I was just looking to assess their knowledge. Simple as that. Well, the Middle School Coach Quit on the spot. I then went to help the replacement. Quit in 5 days. I'm not the easiest person to get along with and I want practice to be organized and intense. From there, I was asked to refrain from "helping." We've restructured our school system and I do now have a role in evaluating the middle school staff. I do believe that they do a very good job. They have had a serious lack of equipment. We just moved 2 pitching protectors, two hitting socks, 200 baseballs, 3 protective screens, some bases and home plates and 2 machines over there. They also have a new cage. Now, we will let them run with it although I'm giving them a "Playbook" on Monday on how I want stuff taught. Then, I'm to get my nose out of it again. Really, I'd hate to be a coach and have Coach Butler show up to help me in practice. I DON'T BLAME THEM FOR NOT WANTING ME TO BE THERE.

Oh, since I do so many camps, I know just about every boy in our community. Neither coach at the Middle School participates in our camps. Both have summer jobs. It would really help if they were able to do the camps.

Coach- I would say the 1st move on your part would be to sit down with the middle school coaches to find out WHY they don't want your input! Is it that they are afraid that you'll "take over" their team, they don't trust your knowledge and insights, they are insecure in their own understanding of talent evaluation,etc. I have offered to my middle school coaches to get involved and they have not been willing in the past...but this year both of them have acknowledged that we could help one another in the long term (me in using my background to give them another set of eyes and them in helping me to see things in young (9th/10th grade) players that THEY saw in middle school). We are developing a relationship...and that is key.
It is huge that the head coach creates a synergy within the program, and that starts at the middle school levels for school ball (should reach down much younger for summer ball). I look forward to helping evaluate our middle school talent next spring...and I've invited these middle school coaches to attend our tryouts for the high school teams. I don't expect them to attend (and between us they won't get much say), but I've extended the olive branch and I hope it will work.
As far as the player goes, this young man should not be punished because of incompetence on their part or ego on ANYONE's part. Calling him is a great idea - I call every incoming freshman player in the summer to let him know that I am looking forward to working with him over the winter....and I've had many parents tell me that the kid was THRILLED to have the head coach call him at home. Synergy......

CoachB25,
Well done.
CADad

Coach I hear what your saying. It is an awesome responsibility that I and Im sure you do not take lightly. Everything I say and do is watched so closely and scrutinized. I have talked to the Middle School coaches and tried to convey to them the idea of fostering a love of the game and to not give up on these young kids because they might be a little behind at 13 or 14. Sometimes those kids turn out to be really good players if they are not discouraged at a young age. Be honest with them but give them a game plan for success. The bottom line is some coaches see a kid one way and some see him another way. One coach might see a skinny slow 13 year old and say "That kid is just not a player". Another might say "Boy if that kid works at the game and keeps a good attitude he might really blossom as a HS player". I tend to always see the glass half full especially with younger players. I hope I always see it that way. What do we have to loose by not giving up on a young kid? I say nothing. But what if we give up on a kid? We have everything to loose and nothing to gain. JMHO

Coaches B25, Knight, and May. I learn so much from you guys. Thanks to you three mainly and all of the others, of course.

AKBaseball20- Thank you for the kind words.
Coach May-
I agree completely. We always look at "ceiling" when it comes to young kids...many change into totally different HUMANS in the next few years, and I like to think ahead of that change. I, for example, was only 5-3 and 125 pounds as a freshman...but was 6-1 and 205 four years later!
Too many young coaches are looking at winning as the only object...but middle school ball should be like rookie league ball in the pros: development, development, development. I wish you the best of luck. Coach Knight

CoachB25,
you have a PM.

Coach Labeots

Coach Labeots - Email sent!