How to Torture a College Baseball Player

I don't see the value in a punishment workout at the college level. But there is nothing keeping them on that field except their own voluntary participation. Transfer to a DII. Go where they treat you like a student athlete and not a private in the Marines. Now if you expect to do an amphibious assault on a pacific island as a member of a machine gun squad.....I'd say that workout isn't near hard enough.

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I don't see the value in a punishment workout at the college level. But there is nothing keeping them on that field except their own voluntary participation.

It isnt as easy as you think when your an 18 year old kid.

I see absolutely nothing wrong with this whatsoever.

http://www.johnsoncitypress.co...rticle.php?id=100500

This is an idiotic disgruntled parent trying to stir the pot for no reason. Find me a college baseball program at any level that does not hold morning workouts, intense conditioning practice or punishment for breaking team rules.

And just for reference, those workouts didn't seem all that terribly difficult to me just from watching these videos. Fun? No, probably not. Abusive? You've got to be joking.

[quote]This is an idiotic disgruntled parent trying to stir the pot for no reason. Find me a college baseball program at any level that does not hold morning workouts, intense conditioning practice or punishment for breaking team .


I agree it happens.

If a coach wants to fire up a team I don't see the value of this kind of punishment. The way to make them pay is have the practice that never ends comprised totally of basic fundamentals. While it ticks the players off, at least they gain something from it.

A friend's son played at a regularly ranked program that has won CWS's. After a weekend sweep the coach made the players run sprints until every one of them puked. He told them not to mess up his field. He placed a plastic trash bag on the field. Every player had to stick their head in the same bag to puke.

As for the parent posting the video I figure his son is a senior or planning on transferring. It's a career limiting move for his son.

I don't think the coach is trying to fire his players up. He is probably trying to figure out who is willing to put out and who is not willing to. He is probably trying to figure out who really wants to be there and who doesn't. He is probably trying to see if anyone is going to quit. He might be trying to build some mental toughness? He might be telling them that losing is not going to happen without consequences. Maybe they were laughing it up after the loss? Maybe they were acting like they didn't care if they lost? Maybe he wants to see how they handle the work outs? Do they moan and cry or do they man up?

From watching those videos I have a hard time trying to figure out what is so tough? I put my HS team through works outs much tougher. This parents should walk down to the field and get his son and save everyone the trouble. Maybe the coach feels his team lacks toughness? Maybe he wants to find out who is mentally tough and who the P's are?

Abusive? That has to be a joke.

How to Torture a College Baseball Player? Have him play in a program that doesn't care and doesn't hold the team accountable for their actions or level of play.

I could have missed it but did the film maker identify himself as a father of a player? He might be a local fan. Either way I think he's a pretty funny commentator.

Read the findings of an investigation of this practice here:

ETSU Investigation

Findings

1.Neither Coach Skole, Coach Bunn, nor trainer Brian Johnston engaged in any misconduct or inappropriate activity in the disciplinary session conducted on May 14, 2012.

2.There were no violations of NCAA rules or guidelines regarding “day off” as a result of the event. The players scheduled practice for May 14 was canceled, and the team had its “day off” on Wednesday in Atlanta.

3.While there did appear to be at least some confusion as to whether the session was a result of poor play at the Saturday or Sunday games versus Stetson, or a breaking of curfew by a player or players on Saturday night, either of these reasons might very well be a basis for such a practice.

The May 14 event broke no rules and appropriate safeguards were in place to protect the participants at all times. The activities do not appear to constitute player abuse, but were rather disciplinary actives resulting from either a less than satisfactory on field performance and/or the breaking of a team rule regarding curfew.

Interesting quote from the Coach:


Coach Skole stated that he initiated the Monday morning practice as punishment as a result of a player or players breaking curfew on the weekend of May 12 prior to two weekend games against league opponent Stetson, where the team played very poorly. The purpose of the event was to punish the team for a rule violation. Coach Skole indicated that such punishments are occasionally necessary, but are not regular. He stated that he had not had another situation requiring this type of discipline in three years. This has been confirmed by a senior player. He indicated that the event took approximately thirty minutes, that water and medical supplies were available, and that the team trainer, Brian Johnston, was present at all times. He indicated that the players seemed healthy at the conclusion. Coach Skole stated that practice scheduled for Monday afternoon was cancelled. The players received their “day off” in Atlanta, where they attended a Braves game, on Wednesday May 16.

Obviously "Rusty" has never tried P90X.

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Either way I think he's a pretty funny commentator.

Is this commentator part of the Blue Collar Comedy tour? Is this guy serious? I love the part about stealing bases like frogs. "You have to walk before you can hop".

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"How to Torture a College Baseball Player? Have him play in a program that doesn't care and doesn't hold the team accountable for their actions or level of play."

Absolutely on the mark. I've seen just a program... a very sad situation.



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I must be missing something.

I am confused as to the exact reason for this type of monday morning "workout". I think others are as well.

The coach states it was for breaking team rules, but the players stated they thought that it was for their performance on the field. If the coach had this workout for retaliation, would that be in violation of NCAA rules and probably the schools policy as well? So no way is he going to admit that was the purpose of the "workout". As far as an endless practice, there are NCAA rules that prohibit excessive practice time. If he is doing that to make them quit, just let the ones go who shouldn't be there.

If a few players broke the rules avoiding curfew, then punish those players, not the entire team. But it is pretty apparent that is not the real reason.

I feel the investigation went in favor of the coaches and probably was biased in it's conclusion for a reason to help the program save face. I don't know about anyone else, but if my son was being recruited by those coaches, I think he would think twice about whether those coaches would be who you would want to spend the next 3-4 years with after watching that video. Damage in a sense has already done.

Maybe the parent was disgruntled but being a parent with a son in that program, he probably knows more about what goes/went on at that program than we or anyone else will ever know. We all know about things that go on and we often don't speak up about it as to not make the program or coach look bad that we sent our players to. I am tired of it always being about the disgruntled parent (yes the guy was funny). How did he know to be there at 6am?

The assistant coach has worked with some well respected D1 head coaches, who I doubt would ever use this "workout" to punish for what 1 or 2 did, or for lack of performance. You have to hold yourself accountable for as well as your players for lack of success.

I am pretty much in favor of a coach that gives tough love and disciplines his team. I am not naive, but again I doubt that you would find any really truly good coaching staff that would use the excuse that the coach did for the workout.

While the players play the game, the ultimate responsibility for any team and results rests on management or the coaching staff.

The losing record is a reflection on the coach, JMO.

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Originally posted by TPM:
I am pretty much in favor of a coach that gives tough love and disciplines his team. I am not naive, but I doubt that you would find any really truly good coaching staff that would punish an entire team for what 1 or 2 did, and there are other ways to "punish".

I've had coaches that told the guy who was late to practice, or whatever, to get a cold drink, take a knee and watch everyone else run around the goalposts. Then, the offender gets to be front and center for every blocking and tackling drill known to man. That's usually the last time they're late.

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Originally posted by AntzDad:

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Originally posted by TPM:
I am pretty much in favor of a coach that gives tough love and disciplines his team. I am not naive, but I doubt that you would find any really truly good coaching staff that would punish an entire team for what 1 or 2 did, and there are other ways to "punish".

I've had coaches that told the guy who was late to practice, or whatever, to get a cold drink, take a knee and watch everyone else run around the goalposts. Then, the offender gets to be front and center for every blocking and tackling drill known to man. That's usually the last time they're late.

And there are coaches who will bench that player for the next game or two for being late. While those that were on time played.

The problem I have here is maybe the real reason not being given by the coach in the investigations, he said for 1 or 2 breaking curfew, the players said for poor performance. Which is it? Surely they must have been given a reason for showing up at 6 am on a monday morning (NCAA off day) and that apparently is the one they gave.

And we all know how programs work in favor of protecting their coaches.

BTW, has anyone ever been to Stetson? I just can't imagine where any player would be after curfew in that town!

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Originally posted by TPM:
[And there are coaches who will bench that player for the next game or two for being late. While those that were on time played.

The problem I have here is maybe the real reason not being given by the coach in the investigations, he said for 1 or 2 breaking curfew, the players said for poor performance. Which is it? Surely they must have been given a reason for showing up at 6 am on a monday morning (NCAA off day) and that apparently is the one they gave.

And we all know how programs work in favor of protecting their coaches.

It could have been a situation where a coach just went on a rant after the game and said "cya at 6 A.M." I've had coaches who do that. And they will say, if asked by the player, I am the coach of this team. I don't owe you guys an explanation.


By the way, thanks for the Johnson City Press investigation read. I hadn't seen it.

Too many people in this world with not enough to do. What was he doing and why did he post this?

If you've ever, in your life, been a part of a unit, or a team working together for the survival, or good of the group, then you should understand how and why this stuff is sometimes necessary.

That little "get your attention" session was anything but abusive. Obviously, Dad whomever he was never served .... in anything and likely never played on a winning team AND certainly he's never Coached.

You don't need to dish out physical penalties for "non-performance" but sometimes there is a need to get their attention.

Kids sure are getting soft these days.

Back in HS football we would have called that "warming up".