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HS Coach says Travel participation is not allowed

P PESCAHOLIC10+ posts
I imagine this has been covered on these boards in the past...but I could sure use some experienced feedback on how best to approach the situation below.

Received this email from the coach:

"I would prefer that at this time anybody in the 6th period class should not participate with any other travel ball teams."

As a Freshman, my kid is obviously new to HS. He's no "impact player", but did well in summer ball (tryouts) moving to JV his second day and was placed in 6th period baseball for PE. It's great he was moved up for summer because what I saw in summer ball is, that the competition at the Freshman level is well below that of a decent 14U travel program. But the coach made it clear that having 6th period BB does not mean that a player will make the team and my kid has not been committed to a Freshman or JV team. I trust my kid is in the plans somewhere and also respect that the coach will not make final cuts until sometime in November/December and that he wants to keep his options open, but it seems unreasonable to ask any of the players not to participate elsewhere if the school is not yet committed to the player.

Until last weekend when I received the email from the coach, he has been playing 16U travel and competed with many 2012 players in the PG Nationals last weekend where he held his own. The competition and speed of the game at that level is a great teacher, but I don't see the HS program being quite at that level and would like to keep my kid participating at a higher level.

I believe the consistent game time playing travel and training with pitching/catching/hitting coaches for the past few years is what has helped him grow as a young player and I believe he needs to continue playing against the highest competition he can. Nevertheless, I also know the coach controls his destiny for the next four years and I don't want to be "that guy" that interferes with the coach. Perhaps the coach is simply trying to protect my son from too much ball, which I respect, but as a dad I feel I know my son well enough to know when there is too much going on.

I would like to have open dialogue with the coach and continue to participate in one or two tournaments a month (assuming they do not conflict with any HS activities), but I'm also afraid that even questioning the coach could negatively impact my son, which I certainly don't want to do.

Any ideas as to how best to address this matter?

Thanks in advance.
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bsbl247bsbl2471,000+ posts
Pescaholic,
Welcome aboard! You're right, this topic has been discussed on this board in the past. Your son must be a decent ball player to already be included in 6th period as a freshman. I'm assuming that he's a pitcher and/or a catcher based on your post? Is the program playing a Fall or a Winter schedule? If the answer is yes, I'd relax and allow him to compete with his HS teammates. However, if the answer is no, I'd have my son (not you) approach the coach about the possibility of getting some extra work in with his travel team. Perhaps as you stated earlier, the coach is looking to protect his arm? I wouldn't think that he'd have a problem with your son getting some extra AB's away from the HS team if their not playing currently? If he does have a problem, I hope your son's school is in my kid's conference! Wink

I'm sure you'll get additional responses from some experienced members on here, in the meantime, best of luck to your son.
S smalltownmom100+ posts
Our HS coach also insists on this. While we were originally frustrated, our son really enjoys it now. These are his teammates for the next few years, and good chemistry goes a long way. Our son played no travel ball from last August until June. (That was his freshman year: age 14) He had a super HS season, and went into the summer travel season in great shape, where he really performed well. I really don't think your son will miss out as a freshman, as long as he is practicing hard, conditioning, and staying involved with his HS team. I would just want to stay on the coaches' good side at this point, and not push my luck. Also, Nov isn;t that far from now. As he gets older and establishes himself in the program, the opportunity will come back to play travel. We did that, and it worked. Son still grew as a player, bonded with teammates, and benefitted from the experience. When summer travel ball arrived, he was still where he needed to be, and has had some tremendous opportunities. Now that he has established himself as committed to the program as well as an important part of the program, the coach is more objective to letting our son take advantage of some of the opportunities he has earned. Good luck with the decision making!
BOFBOF10,000+ posts
First all conversations regarding this should be between your son and the coach. Just another growing up opportunity for him. He should pull him aside and have a discussion on his reasoning. In California at least some coaches want their kids playing with the HS team during certain times of the year, particularly the fall/winter. He should talk about the coaches thinking on the subject so he understands where he is coming from, in most cases there is good logic to his thought process and an understanding can be made between the player and the coach. Many times this affects pitchers the most. In my son’s case he knows all of the upper class pitchers are out with their scout teams in the fall, and then they shut down from Nov-Jan during winterball season. He uses all of the underclass pitchers during this time, so he get’s to see all of the younger talent and the kids get a chance to show their stuff to the head coach and play up with the Varsity team. If they have been overused by their travel coaches then this can be a problem.

Your son should get a better appreciation of the coach, and if he ends up being one of the few irrational coaches then at least you will know about it sooner rather than later and most likely.

Good luck!
S Strike 3100+ posts
The coach said that he would "prefer" they not play travel ball. Didn't sound like a mandate. If my son was given a directive by his high school coach to not play travel ball, he would probably tell the coach he wasn't going to play high school ball then. The travel ball is far more valuable and the exposure is much greater than the 25-30 games you get in on Varsity, usually against sub par competition.

If the coach doesn't want them playing travel at 14, is he the same at 15, 16, 17 and so on?
Last edited by Strike 3
Dad04Dad045,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by SultanofSwat:
We just went through this. My kid did as the coach asked, and he played. A few that did not, did not play much.

It's up to you.

What would your kid miss by not playing travel at 14? He's not going to be drafted. It's not a showcase.


Agreed...there are times to fight that fight, after junior year is one of them.
P Prime91,000+ posts
Many of us have experienced this in recent years as H.S. Coaches are looking for a "longer window" to evaluate players and hoping to see a benefit during the Season of having additional games for the players to work together and bond. He didn't want them playing Travel ball at the same time (this is a Summer issue here) and jeopardizing pitching arms thru overuse.

Many parents were concerned and we've seen a number of "modifications" to his original black and white policy. Most H.School Coaches in our area realize their players (especially Varsity) are better of competing with their East Cobb or other Travel teams thus don't field Summer Teams. Our Coach at first mandated that everyone participate. Then he said he would "exempt rising Seniors" as they needed the exposure during that critical Summer that travel affords (the concern of most parents). Finally, he realized all his Varsity players were better off playing Travel than H.S. Summer and began to just field a Summer JV team. That seemed to serve the needs of all.

Fall Ball here is all Recreation League or Travel but most H.S. athletes, in the South, are playing football. H.S. baseball athletes, not participating in a Fall sport, play Travel Fall ball with the support of their Coaches.

The responses of your fellow Californians is what I would pay the most attention to here!
EH Emanski's Heroes1,000+ posts
Just to help clarify where you're coming from, do the rules where you are allow basically year round participation in baseball with your high school? You mention summer ball through high school, plus spring ball, and I assume they have some sort of official or unofficial fall program along with "winter" conditioning/skills program (although you are in So Cal so not sure how much "winter" there is).

Anyway, my point is this...here in Virginia, the rules are very strict about being "coached" by your high school coaches outside of the spring season. There are ways around the rules, but for the most part there is spring ball, then everyone goes their separate ways for summer. Then, there is a fall program, but not many of the better players participate (instead they generally choose the stiffer competition of fall travel ball). Then there is generally a winter conditioning/hitting program. So, in Virginia it wouldn't even be realistic to say "no travel ball" because that would pretty much mean no summer ball for your kid, and fairly weak competition for your kid in the fall as well.

However, where you are, maybe the rules allow for a more comprehensive high school program. I still don't like the mandate from the coach. I just don't think it's his place to tell you what you can and can't do outside of the spring season in order to better your game. But I wanted to get an idea of how comprehensive your high school program may be.
C CoacherMember
High school coaches worth their salt have come to realize that travel ball is something that's not going away and it can help their program tremendously. I came to realize a few years back that if I can't provide the same level of exposure and competition that they get from playing with a select squad, then I'm harming that player by making him play only in my program. The experience that they gain and the improvement they make because they are facing top players is something valuable they can bring back to our program.
B bothsportsdad100+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Coacher:
High school coaches worth their salt have come to realize that travel ball is something that's not going away and it can help their program tremendously. I came to realize a few years back that if I can't provide the same level of exposure and competition that they get from playing with a select squad, then I'm harming that player by making him play only in my program. The experience that they gain and the improvement they make because they are facing top players is something valuable they can bring back to our program.



the problem is there are so many who arent worth their salt... public education is a beaurocracy that makes the worst tea party conspiracy theories pale in comparison. Coaches along with others especially administration are virtually untouchable.. it is their way or the highway.

I would move my kid to a different district even it meant as a friend of mine said who did the same "it hair lips the Pope". If for whatever reason that would be impossible I would just not allow him to play... if you and son have a dream of playing in college.
carolcarol100+ posts
My son's HS coach had always had the same policy until the summer after my son's sophomore year. He actually came to us and suggested that son try out for a select summer team instead of playing with most of his team in a few nearby games. To make a long story short, he played for 2 different teams after sophomore and junior years. The college he currently attends saw him at East Cobb after his sophomore year and began following him from a distance unbeknownst to any of us. The experience my son gained playing against top quality players only served to make him stronger when he returned to his HS team.

The exposure he received, I believe, made the difference in his recruiting process. The fact that he committed before sr year allowed him to focus on other things during his sr year. Travel ball worked for our son and we can truly say "Thank you Coach ____ for encouraging son to step outside the box!
D dswann100+ posts
The boy experienced something similiar as a hs freshman playing on the varsity. I asked the boy if he was O.K with this. He transferred to another school. IMHO if a coach was any good at all, players would be lining up to participate in his program. Without a mandate.

Because he opted out of knuckleheads program he played with a variety of teams who competed in Japan and Australia ( host families are still friends). Traveled around the country playing bb. Played a couple of years on a scout team ( friends with most of those kids) and had the opportunity to work with some really good coaches. Which I believe, helped him secure a D1 scholly at the school of his choice.

A price was paid though. Coaches talk and as a family, were maligned for the decison the rest of the boys HS career. "Not a team player" "Bigger than the program" and just about anything else you could imagine. Typical HS bull****.

FWIW the knucklehead coach was out of baseball two years later.
Last edited by dswann
CM Chin Music10+ posts
PESCAHOLIC:

A lot of players and parents have been down this road. If you choose to encourage him to meet with the coach; I'd recommend you go with him to support him but let him (only) have the conversation with the coach.

My son learned how to talk honestly and professionally with his coaches and better understand their point of view; it was a good life lesson for him.

When he started playing at the college level he asked the hitting coach if he was a top performer at bat would they put him in the line up. The coach told him absolutely. Coaches like agressive players with moxie especially if done with respect.

I believe my son learned to talk with coaches and better understand what they were looking for in him as a player from this hs experience.
PD PA Dino500+ posts
Have your kid resolve the issue himself. Let him decide what he feels is appropriate and support his decision. I had a list of non negotiables that my kids understood.
1. You commit.....you don't quit.
2. You don't disrepect anyone (coaches, players, opponents, umpires, parents).
3. You make a decision....you stick to it.
4. You tell somebody you'll do something....you do it.
5. You want advice, fine but I generally won't do anything for you that you can do for yourself. That includes field dressing a deer for you after you've shot the dang thing. Hunting like baseball has lots of wonderful life lessons.

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