Help! Long-haired pitcher son can't keep hat on

Get a smaller hat or roll a paper towel and stick it inside the band. I can’t imagine that coaches aren’t annoyed by that.  Once or twice, but every pitch? Got to fix that.

One day my son got in the car with three sweat bands on both arms. I asked him why and he said "swag dad." I told him that if I was a college coach, I would get the impression that he thought he was the sh!t. I said that there was no way I would recruit him and that he was putting a target on his back that said, "I'm something special." I told him that if he did perform well that day than maybe some coaches would look past it. Then I asked him if 1 coach that day thought the way I did, why would you want to put yourself in a negative situation. By the time we got to the field all sweat bands were off.

I know if it's annoying to me, it's got to annoy them.  I should also mention that he often gets a new hat at the event he's playing in, such as when he's guest-pitching or showcasing.  We don't get a lot of chances to test it out.  The same size that always fit him before apparently doesn't work with longer hair.  So I can always have him get a smaller size, if they have it, even if he complains that it's tight.

Paper towel may work.  Maybe I'll experiment with that.  I'd probably also need something to secure it in place (stapler, adhesive tape), so he doesn't end up with the equivalent of toilet paper on the shoe.

I don't think swag is the issue.  He doesn't look like Jacob DeGrom or anything.  It's just that he's shaggy enough that the cap doesn't stay like it did when he had a cleaner look.  He's a cool kid and a dugout leader, which is probably why coaches haven't complained so far about the hat.

He's not the only kid with the problem either.  Shaggy seems to be in.  I don't care if the other kids' hats are flying off, though.  I just don't want my kid to be the one who distracts.

My son had the same problem a few years ago.  Didn’t fall off every time, but he had to adjust it after every pitch.  Once I saw him on a recruiting video, I asked “what’s more important, baseball or your fkn hair?”  

He went to the barber shortly there after.

Tell him not to wash his hair on game days.  (Only half kidding. Clean hair is more slippery than dirty.)

My son had cool nailed with a perfect 10. As a goalie leading his soccer team on to the field he wore sunglasses. In baseball he looked impeccable when he arrived at the field. He did one thing through age fifteen in travel ball and in high school I didn’t care for but tolerated. I told him it wouldn’t fly in 17u recruiting when he turned sixteen. He wore gloves in his back pockets to wave “bye” as he rounded the bases a la Mel Hall.

In LL all stars he hit a walk off homer. As he approached the plate and his teammates he gave his best Harry Callas “That ball is outta here!” The coach in the opposing dugout went nuts yelling at my son. It was completely spontaneous. It was his first over the fence homer. Through all stars “That ball is outta here!” became a team battle cry. 

Personally, I love that "outta here" behavior.  It's not hot dogging, it's just having fun with the game.  That kind of fun competitiveness is what makes everybody better.  Best to do it at the end of the game like that, though, because otherwise it can inspire in-game greatness in your opponent.

Rubber cement on inside rim...

Aqua net hair spray...turns to "glue" in high humidity...

a Wahl...

Seriously?????   Is he a ballplayer or "cool dude"? 

My son went through this......one" too close for comfort" come backer cured it.

I think he's shooting for "cool dude ballplayer," along the lines of Clayton Kershaw or Bryce Harper.  Come to think of it, the person I really need to answer this question is Clayton Kershaw.  Dude's got a straight-up coiffure, and I don't think I've ever seen his hat come off.

Yeah, my wife brought up the possibility of the "back-at-ya."  Hopefully he won't need that to fix it. I told him he needs to figure out something that works before this weekend.  Anyway, I knew there had to be other parents out there who experienced this, just because I see too many kids doing the same thing.

Clayton's performance the last 13 yrs had/has nothing to do with "hair" or trying toact "cool". 

He's more than special!  Signed for $2.3M in 2006... https://bleacherreport.com/art...-dodger-10-years-ago

If your son wants to emulate, study Clayton's mechanics, learn to think like a pitcher, a leader...study Clayton's character & work ethic. 

Long hair is a part of modern baseball culture. If a coach had a problem with hair I think it's a problem with the coach not the kid....

2019OF posted:

Long hair is a part of modern baseball culture. If a coach had a problem with hair I think it's a problem with the coach not the kid....

But the coach pursues the player not the other way around. 

No offense meant at all.... And, I'm not responsible for your interpretation of tone...My 1st comment suggested rubber cement or Aqua net!

Just saying there are more important things than looks, especially for athletes...So...Since the hair is a distraction,  it's might be time to talk turkey with him...What does he want folks/college recruiters to notice about him?...His K's & ERA??? Working his way out of a jam??...knowing how to read a batter??...becoming the team "ace"???... or having to put a hat back on?  

I agree with 2019OF about long hair being a part of modern baseball culture.  (If he really is a 2019 OF, then he should know.)   And my experience is that how you play matters a 1000x more than your hairstyle.  My word, how else did all these Bohemians break into the MLB??

Again, my preference is for tidy, old-school hair.  I wish every team looked like the Yankees, and every locker room smelled like Burma-Shave before game time.  That's not today's reality, though.

I don't like my kid having a mop-head.  And I tell him.  But it's his thing.  I don't let my kid curse, or treat women with disrespect, or vape, or do drugs, or accept mediocre grades, or not help when it's time to clean the kitchen.  But his hair?  Who cares?  Let him be his own guy.  

I just don't want his hat falling off when he pitches.  I draw the line on that.

Did your sons cap stay on when he had short hair? 

Yes, it did!  That's what's so screwy.  The cap size that normally fit him comfortably comes off since the hair grew this summer.  He says a smaller size is "definitely" uncomfortable.

I wish I could help but I  do not have a solution. I would like to know if you find one!!!!!!!!

Fair enough, Baseballmom.  I deleted my reply.  If I misinterpreted, it wouldn't be my first time.  Benefit of the doubt . . . 

I may be on to something.  He said just a few minutes ago when I was asking about it, "I don't push my hat down all the way."

Eh??????

Have you guys noticed kids doing this like I have?  I see them wearing their hats way up high on the head, making me imagine them as brontosauruses.  I thought his hair was pushing it up.  

Now I'm going to have to experiment.  It's raining now, but sometime this week, I'm going to have him go in the backyard and throw a few with his hat mashed down.  I never thought that a kid whose hat flew off all the time wouldn't have the sense to try mashing it down.

Do any of you have lefties, or are you a lefty?  I never had a lefty in my family until my son.  I find they are in a strange, magical world apart from the rest of us.

bjer posted:

I may be on to something.  He said just a few minutes ago when I was asking about it, "I don't push my hat down all the way."

Eh??????

Have you guys noticed kids doing this like I have?  I see them wearing their hats way up high on the head, making me imagine them as brontosauruses.  I thought his hair was pushing it up.  

Now I'm going to have to experiment.  It's raining now, but sometime this week, I'm going to have him go in the backyard and throw a few with his hat mashed down.  I never thought that a kid whose hat flew off all the time wouldn't have the sense to try mashing it down.

Do any of you have lefties, or are you a lefty?  I never had a lefty in my family until my son.  I find they are in a strange, magical world apart from the rest of us.

Wearing the hat high on their head is supposed to represent “D1 talent” from what I’m told.  It started a few years ago.

That's news to me.  How funny!  I guess it's something that only makes sense in the minds of underclassmen.

I've read a lot of the comments here to him, and we have an agreement.  When he's on the mound, the hat's mashed down.

Thanks for the input, all.  Didn't realize it was something so simple.

Go buy the insulation with paper on the back and glue for putting around windows.  The thin kind.  It will fit inside the band and will make it smaller.  Can put it only in one section or all the way around.

Mine has grown his hair out each school year and then had to cut it for Royals Scout Team each summer who has no hair touching collar or ears rule.  Not playing this summer with them so he has let it grow.  I was hoping UT would make him cut it but no go.  They like the "flow".  My only rule has been no man bun or braids.  He jokingly said I'm out of the house dad.  My choice now.   I smiled and said good.  I can take my car back and turn off the phone and stop paying payments on the apple watch and take my money out of your checking account.  He said just joking dad.  Got it.

I told mine if his hair got in his eyes or he kept having to adjust it I would cut it for him.  He always does a good job of keeping it under cap.  I don't think it affects recruiting because it is a norm thing now.  Never heard the D1 thing.  I will agree with others that some of the stuff the kids wear like over the top chains and wrist bands make them a target.  Not a fan of it but I'm old.

+1 to everything you said, Pitchingfan.  

That's interesting that the travel team enforces it.  I like your manager already.

I wonder what they would look like if we cut it for them.  Probably something like this . . .

Some kids definitely accessorize too much.  Once you add on the baseball sliding mitt (even though it's a smart thing), arm band, sunglasses, elbow pads, etc. etc., the chains and wrist bands are just over the top.  

One thing my son did that I liked, when I got him a custom glove, he didn't want his name or number on it.  No fancy colors or contrast stitching either.  Just a nice, subdued glove that looked like it was off the rack, other than a navy logo at the wrist and a higher quality leather.  Right on, kid.

things that make me throw up a little... 

No offense to OP, I have plenty of pics I could post of my kid playing early teens with a major mop.  Just personal preference.  Tatis - oversize color pop mirror glasses, big chain, dyed dreads, doo rag, oven mitt, open jersey, multi tone sleeves, and on and on...  can you imagine what the guys from 20 yrs ago, 40 yrs ago are thinking?  

Sorry, got off topic a bit.

All true.  Although I'm not sure the guys 20-40 years ago have room to talk on the hair.

Three suggestions: 

1.  Make sure he has the right sized hat.  Too large and it falls off.  Too small and it is never really on in the first place.  (So, getting a tighter hat won't work.)

2.  Show him how to put his hat on properly.  Too many kids just throw it on top of their head, leaving their bangs coming out in front.  That makes the hat slip off easily.  The proper way to put on a hat is to put the front of the inner band against your forehead, then pull it down over your head from front to rear.  The top mop then weighs against the front headband and actually holds the hat down.

3.  Ever video him with a slo-mo feature?  If frame-by-frame shows his head jerking downward or off to the side, part of his problem may be in his mechanics.  Head should remain upright, nose to the plate.  No head jerking.

It never dawned on me kids would have to be taught how to put on a baseball hat. But John Wooden started basketball practice with how to put on socks and tie shoes. Some coach in the southeast (Va Tech?) taught his players how to stand for the national anthem. 

MIDLO:  Good point on the head jerking.  Actually, that was his initial explanation for why it was coming off.  I think it's still a factor, but not the only one.  And thanks for the instruction on the hat.  I didn't grow up a baseball guy myself, so I wouldn't know, even though it's a simple thing.

RJM:  Interesting about John Wooden.  Any idea what his point was with that?  Was he making sure they pulled their socks all the way up for neatness?  Or is it more of a "make your bed first" sort of thing?

bjer posted:

MIDLO:  Good point on the head jerking.  Actually, that was his initial explanation for why it was coming off.  I think it's still a factor, but not the only one.  And thanks for the instruction on the hat.  I didn't grow up a baseball guy myself, so I wouldn't know, even though it's a simple thing.

RJM:  Interesting about John Wooden.  Any idea what his point was with that?  Was he making sure they pulled their socks all the way up for neatness?  Or is it more of a "make your bed first" sort of thing?

Both. But also to take care of their feet. 

Nothing of substance to add, except I HATE the flat bill look

bjer posted:

What does bother me, though, is that nearly every single pitch, no exaggeration, his hat flies off his head.  Then he picks it up off the ground, whips his Absalom locks back into place, and replaces his hat.  On to the next pitch.  Repeat.

 

Was he at the 15u NTIS Southeast Regional tryout on July 23/24? While I was waiting for the 16u's to begin, I saw one 15 y/o (with long hair) whose hat kept flying off with every pitch. I'm sure it's just an age thing, but I thought of your post when I saw it happening...

Tug Tide:  Ha ha!  Yeah, I can't go for that either!  First thing I do when I put my own hat on is bend down the bill.  Somehow that flat bill doesn't jibe with the shape of any human face.

Lanza:  No, he was not, but that's funny to hear about that.  I've seen a few kids out there with the same problem, though typically not as bad as it is with my kid.  The one you saw sounds just like him, though.  That poofy hair, along with the hat portion of what I now henceforth dub the "D1 Wannabe Habiliment," seems to be responsible for the problem.

I have a LHP in college and we were at a specific well known showcase and a certain Ivy coach said "If you play for me, you will have to cut your hair."  There are some old school coaches out there that do not like the flow, the swag, etc. -- they want a baseball player first and foremost and no other distractions.

Just saying.

And no my LHP does not play for that guy who said that, but for a different old school guy who would never say anything like that out loud I think, but wants his players to look like players, not models.

I would think something like that would slow down his rhythm. Son is a LHP. Already graduated in college but still playing in Men's leagues.  He has always like to work fast. Used to bother opposing hitters and coaches to no end in Travel ball. In college when he was on a roll, opposing coaches learned to have their batters step out of the box. Ask for time, anything to break his rhythm. 

He grew his hair out at one point, For one summer. Never had the problem you describe though. Never did it again though. One of the younger fans of the team asked why a girl was playing first base. 

I have no problem with old school coaches.  I don't mind if they make him trim his hair, and I would actually prefer that.

On the other hand, it's not hard to look around and see that scruffy players are everywhere, MLB and Ivy League included.   Perhaps if you're a borderline player and you're hoping for admission to Ultraconservative U., it's a good idea to stay trim just in case.  When it comes down to it for the vast majority of pro and college coaches, though, a hairstyle isn't a big enough distraction to reject a top recruit.  Otherwise, let's start telling guys like Tom Brady, David Beckham, and Henrik Lundqvist they should've learned to stop posing for the ladies and start playing ball.  Actually, I guess Henrik Lundqvist doesn't need to play ball.

As I've suggested previously, my kid's hair doesn't make him look like he's bohemian or transgender.  He's just scruffy.  He doesn't look that much different from most kids out there.  He likes it that way.  Whatever. 

Bishop:  Definitely a good point about the rhythm, and that's another point I'll pass on to him, too.

bjer posted:

... it's not hard to look around and see that scruffy players are everywhere, MLB and Ivy League included.   Perhaps if you're a borderline player and you're hoping for admission to Ultraconservative U., it's a good idea to stay trim just in case.  When it comes down to it for the vast majority of pro and college coaches, though, a hairstyle isn't a big enough distraction to reject a top recruit.  ...

I get what you are saying but I think you are underestimating the presence of old school HC's still running programs across the college ranks today who either look for, or require once they get there, kids who are reasonably clean cut and/or short cut.  Could make for an interesting topic.  There are obviously plenty of programs who have a lot of leeway in that regard but I definitely would question "vast majority".   

BishopLeftiesDad posted:

I would think something like that would slow down his rhythm. Son is a LHP. Already graduated in college but still playing in Men's leagues.  He has always like to work fast. Used to bother opposing hitters and coaches to no end in Travel ball. In college when he was on a roll, opposing coaches learned to have their batters step out of the box. Ask for time, anything to break his rhythm. 

He grew his hair out at one point, For one summer. Never had the problem you describe though. Never did it again though. One of the younger fans of the team asked why a girl was playing first base. 

I got reprimanded one time by AD and principal because the other Varsity HS team, rival, had a guy who had hair down below his shoulders.  My best player yelled out to another batter "Don't hit it to the girl at second."  I just turned around and gave him the cut it out sign and he said my bad.  Didn't think anything about it.  Until the next day when I got the call to come meet with AD and principal.  Found out the 2B's mom was on school board for the other school.  When they heard the whole story and saw a picture of the guy on social media, they laughed and said just don't do it again to the player.  He apologized to them and we moved on.  I was thinking he needs to play college ball if that offended him or his mommy.  I laughingly told the AD and principal who were both football coaches I better not hear of one of their players making fun of a kid on the other teams they play or I would call them into my office.  They laughed. 

cabbagedad posted:

bjer posted:

... it's not hard to look around and see that scruffy players are everywhere, MLB and Ivy League included.   Perhaps if you're a borderline player and you're hoping for admission to Ultraconservative U., it's a good idea to stay trim just in case.  When it comes down to it for the vast majority of pro and college coaches, though, a hairstyle isn't a big enough distraction to reject a top recruit.  ...

I get what you are saying but I think you are underestimating the presence of old school HC's still running programs across the college ranks today who either look for, or require once they get there, kids who are reasonably clean cut and/or short cut.  Could make for an interesting topic.  There are obviously plenty of programs who have a lot of leeway in that regard but I definitely would question "vast majority".   

Sure, maybe you're right.  And I agree it would make an interesting topic.  

As I continue to say, I like old school hair, old school everything.  It's a good subject for debate, though, as I think this thread has shown there are surprisingly strong opinions on the subject.   I think I've already figured out the solution to the problem for which I started this thread, so everyone's welcome to jump in on general baseball hair opinions, including its effect on recruitment!!