Highschool Fall Teams

What grade are you in? Answer is different based on that as well as what your long term/short term baseball goal is. And what is your coaching situation at HS new/returning?

Keller has a unique situation in that the Head Coach WANTS his kids to play for a select team on the weekend and schedules the fall games on a weeknight to accomodate his players.

If you are a stud I would do what I feel is best for your further development this fall. However, if you are on the bubble relative to making the high school team next year or fighting for playing time I would do exactly what my coach ask of me. College Coaches cannot talk with you until the summer of your Jr. year so fall ball is exactly what it is.

High School Coaches have an agenda...to keep their job another year by taking the team as far as possible the next Spring, using the players that he deems will accomplish the task at hand.

Ask yourself how that fits with your agenda...
Is HS fall ball the best opportunity for your development? Will HS fallball put you in a better position to contribute to the team next Spring or will a select team? Are you interested in playing beyond HS? Are you actively preparing yourself for being recruited? Are other players at your school on select teams & what level? Does your select team offer exposure & development?

Food for thought...& good luck to you!

I really don't think a HS coach has a right to tell you not to play where you want...

quote:

Originally posted by baseballmom:
I really don't think a HS coach has a right to tell you not to play where you want...

He may not have the right, but he has the power! That's for sure.

Yep.

My HS coach wants our players to play on the fall team. Through tone, I can tell he doesn't think highly of my playing with my summer team in the fall. Even though the seriousness, competition, and effectiveness of playing with the Tigers is 100 times more effective. As you may be able to find, my opinion isn't in agreement. A kid should play on a team where he is challenged-fall or not. Some HS fall teams provide that, some don't.

quote:

Originally posted by KellerDad:
Keller has a unique situation in that the Head Coach WANTS his kids to play for a select team on the weekend and schedules the fall games on a weeknight to accomodate his players.

I do the same thing at Summit. In fact, we are in the same league.

Well said, DTiger!

I have to agree here...if you are accustomed to a higher level of competition & have the talent & aspirations of developing into college material, then play where you can achieve those goals. It will only benefit the HS team that much more come Spring.
More HS coaches are coming around to seeing this...at least up here in the " 'burbs"...select is still growing & its giving results to more HS programs.

I totally agree with Dtiger, having experienced Jesuit baseball in the fall I can tell you its not always amazing competiton. Like this weekend for instance i'll be playing against two of the top teams in the area, Dallas Tigers and DBAT.

Even if my coach doesnt think highly of the situation, it will better me to see great competition over average competion.

I try my best to make it to all the Jesuit fall games, but what it boils down to is that scouts come to the showcases, but not neccesarily to BBI Fall Games.

IMO

I think too much thought is put into the decision between high school fall ball and fall select ball. While I agree that fall select ball provides more competition, the benefit if any is minimal. Many of the top select players are not in attendence in the fall for their select teams, and if they are the games are typically so laid back that that the intensity level experienced in the summer is not there.

Fall is about recuperating from the heavy summer, eventually getting back in the gym to improve your strength and agility, and working on your game off the field.

JMO.

quote:

all is about recuperating from the heavy summer, eventually getting back in the gym to improve your strength and agility, and working on your game off the field.

Well said H & U; the summer following your junior year in high school is the most important in my opinion.

All good points, here is one I thats not been brought up to this point. The High School coach wants you to play in the Fall so that the 9 guys can become a TEAM and as everyone here knows the longer you play together the stronger you can become. Guess part of your decision will be how dedicated you want to be to your High School coach who will undoubtedly be talking to scouts and recruiters on your behalf. Don't bite to hard the hand that feeds you. I would suggest playing both if at all possible. JMO nothing more.

8B, that is probably the coach's thinking. But, IMHO, it isn't necessary to play together 12 months out of the year to be a team.

8B,
My 2 cents on the 9 guys becoming a TEAM in the fall for the High School is this. Many high schools carry more than one varsity or JV team etc. in the fall. Typically players are split between various teams depending on who is playing football, how many pitchers you have etc. There may be players playing on a varsity high school fall team that have no chance of playing varsity in the spring.

I think the main reason that most high school coaches want a kid to play fallball for the high school team is it allows them to see most of the players, allows them to further evaluate, allows them to possibly try out things and different positions, etc. and may give them a better idea of what they may want to do before spring rolls around.

I'd go with H&U on this one. So many kids play football and basketball, when you combine with the lack of importance, there isn't much team bonding. I also agree H&U about the help being minimal, but IF playing fall is mandatory, I'd rather play select. If you ain't getting better, your getting worse.

And many HS coaches know & get reports from select coaches on their players performance, and/or send someone to watch & evaluate for them.
Baseball community is tight...

I think its very important for incoming freshman to play for the HS team. Remember you will be trying out for them in a couple of months. It sure doesn't hurt for the HS coach to see you and get to know you during fall.

Does anyone's high school coach "not" get involved to some degree in fall ball? our high school (5A) could not even field a fall ball team. i am confused.

Sure. Some do not get involved at all.

Watched Keller's first full fall game of the year....they'll have to tighten things up for sure come spring or it's going to be a long year. Lots of kids with no Varsity experience and it shows.

My son has played Martin probably a total of 8 or 9 times in the fall and spring scrimmages...and I think he is 0 fer against them

I know a player from my summer team goes to a high school where the coach told them to go find a select team for the fall and summer.I think he even set up the league they play in to only play on school nights so the kids can have a select team. He is a poster on this site matter of fact. More and more coaches are noticing the overall benefits of playing select ball. One thing I think that gets unnoticed or doesn't get mentioned with select ball is the "standard." On my team, there is a certain level of expectation on how I (and each player) perform that comes with each game. Learning how to deal with that pressure and thriving under it only makes for better baseball players. A player with tons of potential may never read that highest level of individual talent if he is not putting himself through the hardest test possible.

KD I was at the game last night also.

We have two fall teams - there is one parent manager who collects money and pays the fees. The head high school coach selects a paid coach (usually a college level player or a retired college coach). That's the extent of his active involvement. Sometimes he is at the games to watch (outside the fence) - otherwise the coach reports to him on individual players - particularly pitchers.

ok, do coaches at successful high school programs not get involved in fall ball.

Yes and no.

As I recall, HS coaches are not permitted to be directly involved in his own hs fall ball team, due to UIL rules...but gives direction to a parent "coach" or other...

thanks for the insight texan.

you are right baseballmom

Our HS Coach has two ex professional baseball players as his coaches, he sits in his truck in the outfield parking lot and observes the games.

quote:

Originally posted by screwball:
thanks for the insight texan.

you are right baseballmom

Well, you asked. Don't blame me if you don't like the answer.

Some successful programs have coaches who encourage playing with the school fall or summer team. Other successful programs have coaches who encourage their players to do select in the summer and fall.

Thus the answer to your question was "yes and no."

i guess the common element in successful programs is coaches who encourage players either one way or the other, school fall ball team or select fall ball team. our coach has not mentioned playing anywhere this fall. we are playing with his select team but i guess i was just hoping the "program" at the high school would at least try to do something. i know everyone else's high school on our select team has at least one, some two, fall teams.

it just depends on the player alot of nice and good coaches on both ends work with the palyers to make both shcedules work to one get player exposer and high level comp and to help build on team unity and his program but ultimate answer is will 1 affect high school play and 2 where are the college and proscouts both help programs and the palyer.

Went and watched one of my kids play today at a showcase. He threw very well, 2 scoreless. Went down and talked to him afterward, told him he threw better than I have ever seen him.

He is worried about "throwing hard," so he can get a "scholarship." I want him to work on his command. Kid is 6'4, left-handed, with great stuff...not overpowering, but great stuff. Last year, he was 0-9 with a 6.55 ERA!

I have told him that now that he has a new coach, he is going to be asked to do some things differently. I told him, "son, I will have a hard time trying to sell you to a college coach that has never seen you with your 0-9 record." Kid has to learn "how to pitch." Between his select team, our fall team, and our off-season program, he will get ample opportunity.

Bottom line, no matter where or who you play for in the fall, you will get out of it exactly what you put into it.

funneldrill- I think you may have a PM, if not, let me know please.

FD, I'm surprised at you.

Everyone knows that any 6'4" lefty that can throw hard is automatically a prospect. It doesn't matter if he throws it over the backstop half the time.

Well, yesterday he was 78-81. He and dad say he is mid 80's and has touched 90. Now, everytime I have seen him throw, he is low 80's at best.

I don't say that to disparage the remarks of the dad or the kid, but people these days throw around the 90mph number like "everybody throws it."

Give me a pitcher that throws 80 over a thrower that throws 88 any day.

quote:

Originally posted by Dtiger:
funneldrill- I think you may have a PM, if not, let me know please.

No PM, try again!

There ya go FD, I think it worked this time.

Well apparently some coaches arent to keen on select baseball. I have said before I didnt think my coach much cared for it, but It was fully realized today when he told me if I went to Patriots instead of Jesuit games i wouldnt make the spring team.

Bet you know which games im going to