High School Freshmen help!

Find someone who you can work with on hitting. It is the key to the door, if you are a position player. If you are anywhere near Winter Haven, look up Denny Doyle.

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Depending on how competitive the teams are at your school, you might have not only a varsity & JV, but also a freshman team. Try out for the one you are most likely to get playing time on. It will do you little good to be on the JV or Varsity if you will ride the bench. For some players, a Freshman team allows them an opportunity to improve and prepare for the higher levels.

That said, a lot of conditioning, age appropriate weight training, practice at your position, and hitting/pitching lessons are all possible avenues to getting better.

One last thing to consider. Never allow disappointment because you got cut to deter you. I know of a JV starter that went out for the varsity thinking he was going to start, and he was cut in both his junior year, and senior year. Instead of hanging up his cleats he continued to work hard, and is now playing college ball on a scholarship. So if you truly love baseball, never give up or stop believing in yourself.

Welcome, A few thoughts:
1.Make sure you're on the contact list for any winter workouts opportunities.
2. Show yourself to be a team player by helping with any fund raisers and field maintenance etc...
3. Have a realistic understanding of your abilities and know where you fit in. Seek honest evaluations from objective people. (Most often not your parents)
4. Let others promote you as you work your tail off. It's better to hear, "wow you're good enough to move up" rather than "you don't belong here".
5. Hit or throw (pitch) the ball better than anyone else.

Good comments.

Definately participate in any off season workouts the team offers. Getting yourself noticed doing positive things helps when you are trying for a roster spot.

If the coach is a teacher at the school, ask him what you should do to get a better spot on the team. My son was a good example. Last year he was a 'bubble' player as a freshman. He easily made the Freshman team but was considered for the JV squad. He ended up on the freshman team because the coach didn't think he was completely serious about playing. The coach hinted to my son that he should probably be doing a lot more weight training and instead my son changed to a regular PE class over the weight training class. The coach took this negatively and assumed my son wasn't serious about getting stronger to play.

I would like to know what kinds of teams are available. You may not have made the fall roster simply because there was more kids than spots available. Find out if there is a Freshman team. This may be a good spot for you. Although I would have been happy with my son playing JV right off the bat in the end he played almost every inning in Freshman ball and probably was better for it. Don't look on any opportunity as not worth your time.

Did you play on any team last Summer/Fall?
Find a good hitting instructor. Have them teach you drills to practice off a tee, and practice a lot , even if it's with a net in the garage. If you pitch at all find a pitching instructor or school coach and work on it.Teams are always looking for pitchers. You have two choices if you don't make team Freshman yr-quit for good, or work more and try again. The fact that u are here asking shows you care about getting better. Good luck, keep working and keep us posted.

WHY DO SO MANY SAY GET AN INSTRUCTOR?

How To Make The High School Team

Hit with Wood and/or BBCOR!!

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
WHY DO SO MANY SAY GET AN INSTRUCTOR?

TR, if a father never played baseball (like me) and doesn't have the knowledge to properly tell his son what he's doing right and what he's doing wrong, how else could the kid get better?

[quote]WHY DO SO MANY SAY GET AN INSTRUCTOR?[/quote

You ask like this is a strange and new concept.

Players have been going to instructors for years.

YES BUT WHY

AROUND HERE THE PLAYER GOES OUT FOR THE TEAM THE COaCHING STAFF DECIDES THE LEVEL YOU PLAY AT

AROUND HERE, PEOPLE DON'T USE CAPS

Around here you go out for the team and the coaching staff determines what level you play at too!

But isn't it on the Player to be the best he can be? Practicing poor hitting technique will not make you a better hitter. And the OP indicated that he did not make the Fall cut...why would he make the Spring cut? Something needs to change, and when I think about what can change and make a big impact on how a coach feels about a players skills, I always focus on hitting. I have always heard it said; "if you can hit, you will play". It has always proven to be true from what I have seen.

If a player does not know how to hit effectively (if he did, I contend he would have made the Fall cut), then an instructor may prove helpful, and may prove to be the most effective approach.

My son is at his Hitting Instructor right now in Lakeland, Second time this week. I speak from my own experience and reflect what I have seen to be beneficial for my son.

The program I am familiar with has the coaches pick the team. Then the parents that have influence decide who will play by badgering the coaches. I am NOT making this up and it has been going on for many years.

quote:

YES BUT WHY

To get better.To work on a weakness.
To work on specific aspects of the game one on one.

My son has had a hitting coach since before he was in HS.Still sees him today,hes there right now.Live pitching,work on aspects of your swing with feedback.Work on certain pitches.

There are a lot of reasons to see an instructor.

The pursuit to be the best player you can be.

quote:

Originally posted by fillsfan:

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
WHY DO SO MANY SAY GET AN INSTRUCTOR?

TR, if a father never played baseball (like me) and doesn't have the knowledge to properly tell his son what he's doing right and what he's doing wrong, how else could the kid get better?

Good point, and even if a father played like I did, there is only so far you can take them. I was my sons personal pitching coach for many years along with instruction at a baseball academy he played year round at. However he reached a point that I could not take him further, so we found top guys to help get him to the next level.
So whether it is hitting or pitching, a good instructor can see things and make adjustments that the kid cannot do on his own. As FloridaFan astutely points out, if you practice poor technique, you will never improve. So getting a hitting or pitching instructor can certainly help iron out areas that need improvement.

`

Instructors help if your HS coach has no clue how to teach hitting. Some coaches are "managers" and not teachers. It's easy to look at a player and yell "keep your head in" or some other comment, but if you see a kid with problems and cannot give them specific drills or directions on how to change the problem what good are u? I know kids who take private music lessons even though they have music teacher at school. How is it any different for sports? Our son takes pitching instruction, because most coaches around here have no idea how to develop a pitcher. They yell "throw strikes" as if that's helping. To me it's like having a family dr., but you go to a specialist when needed. Some players are lucky in that they have the good knowlegeable coaches at HS, many do not. Here,sometimes it's the teacher who maybe played a little in his day, and is the only one who volunteered to take it on. While you appreciate their time, you still do what's best for your son.

Hitting and plenty of agility. Athletic kids can always be utilized by coaches. Find a local speed and agility program. There is plenty of time between now and March to work on this if you want to make the commitment. Regardless of where you are now, lots of work can get you better.

quote:

Originally posted by playball2011:
Instructors help if your HS coach has no clue how to teach hitting. Some coaches are "managers" and not teachers. It's easy to look at a player and yell "keep your head in" or some other comment, but if you see a kid with problems and cannot give them specific drills or directions on how to change the problem what good are u? I know kids who take private music lessons even though they have music teacher at school. How is it any different for sports? Our son takes pitching instruction, because most coaches around here have no idea how to develop a pitcher. They yell "throw strikes" as if that's helping. To me it's like having a family dr., but you go to a specialist when needed. Some players are lucky in that they have the good knowlegeable coaches at HS, many do not. Here,sometimes it's the teacher who maybe played a little in his day, and is the only one who volunteered to take it on. While you appreciate their time, you still do what's best for your son.

If you do not make the team, how much help will a HS Coach be to you?

Work like you've never worked before!

First, find a good baseball conditioning program...most will focus on core, agility work and arm care. It's important that the coaches see, or hear, that you busting your rear, so use the school's weight room, if possible, and work hard.

Second, find a local college that holds winter camps or an "academy". My son just signed up for one run by a local college coach which instructs on long toss, conditioning, base running, hitting, fielding, etc. which runs through February.

Folks have already listed some options for instruction, which is great! Make sure you are doing what you need to do between lessons...extra hitting, throwing etc. Your lessons will payoff if you do that!

My son was once in your shoes. Use the doubt of others to energize you!

Stay focused.

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
WHY DO SO MANY SAY GET AN INSTRUCTOR?

Darn good question. There are a lot of hacks out there taking money from families in these circumstances.

Then again there are a lot of hacks running HS programs.

It is a real headscratcher. So I see two options:

1) The all knowing coach already cut him and he IS the last word on these things. So our inquiring 14 year old should just man up, accept the decision that he's not good enough and quit. It's time he moves on to something he's suited for. Maybe the tackling dummy on the football team or something like that.

2) OR...He can get help, work at it, get better, make the team, play the game he loves.

Queue the Jeopardy music.....HMMMMMM what to do....after 30 seconds of careful consideration I vote for the second option.

After following a lot of the above you should also PLAY!! Get in a winter indoor league if you live in a cold area, play on a high level travel team next spring and play as many games as you can between practicing your fundamental game as possible. See as many pitches as you can, field as many grounders as you can, throw as many pitches as you can and REINFORCE your correct fundamentals.

Also, work on being positive, baseball being the sport of failure it is, one must be and stay positive no matter what happens. Strikeouts, errors, allowing hits, all need to be brushed off IMMEDIATELY and your sights set to succeed the next opportunity.

I personally didn't make my 7th&8th grade teams in Jr. High, then worked on my game to get back on the team my Freshman year. NEVER give up, keep working on CORRECT fundamentals, and if you don't know what those are seek professional guidance.

Good luck!!

Thanks a lot guys! Truth is, I actually got cut for summer/fall ball. I have been playing my whole life though! I was upset about it. I know being upset isn't going to improve your game. But during fall I played on my Football team and worked out alot of the fall. Now, I've been running every day of the week, swinging the bat a lot, and doing a bunch of push ups and sit ups because I don't have a weight training class (I'm 14). So, should I find the coach and ask him if I can do work outs with the team? I'm really confused on what I should actually be doing.. And I am desperate to play and willing to work hard!

Hey man,
at a small 2A school in the deep south, I didn't make it either. I was depressed, didnt want to think about baseball, and thought I was done. About two months ago I decided I really wanted to play this game. So for the past 2 months I've been lifting and running 3 days a week (each). And Long tossing twice a week. Best of Luck to you