HS coach won't play son

baseballhs posted:

What about when the coach decides that your sophomore is a PO even though he doesn't want to be  and doesn't need to be?  I could maybe live with it if he still let him take reps but he won't even let him do that.  He is not a PO for summer but if he never gets reps during the year he won't be ready.  Trying to be respectful but its getting tough.

had the same thing happen except the HS coach was also his TB coach as well...moved TB team winter of Junior year...didn't see the field at all Junior year in high school (only 3 ABs)...on fire during summer and down at lakepoint and only pitched one inning all summer...committed to D3 as an OF...starting OF for HS this year. 

Do I think the HS coach didn't start him as a position player because he thought my son was a PO?...yes.  Does it matter?...hell no. 

Coach has changed tunes this year and has used him more than once in reference to him not losing sight of his goal and never giving up. 

57special posted:

Son is a  talented defensive player who can play any position but C. In his pre season meeting with the HC, he is asked his least favorite position. Son says, " I'll play anywhere, coach." Coach asks again. "Wherever you want me to play, coach." Coach demands to know where he really would prefer not to play. Son says LF.

First game of the season, guess where he is playing. 

 

When push came to shove, my kid said the bump. He makes Ricky Vaughn look like Maddux, so after 1/3, he was done.

Making excuses for your kid, blaming the players, coaches, etc. will not work.  As another poster mentioned, most all of our kids have gotten the shaft at some point, and I don't think most people would deny that.  However, it is a crossroads for your kid - they can either get in, or get out!  

When Ryno was younger, he definitely got hosed, and didn't make an All Star team.  Completely unfair, but do you know what I told him?  GET BETTER!  Use it as fuel!  Get so good that there is no way that they can keep you off the team.  He did, and I don't think he would have if I had given him a bunch of excuses to use.

I like the discussion guys. Again I have not talked to the coach. My son is discouraged at this point in time and has not been a bad team mate. The coach has not told my son this year that he has a problem. My son played good last year when given the chance and lead the team in offense, which is what he did most of the time DH in the 4 hole. My son is doing good this year in spite of the frustration he is feeling. Side note last year we had a CF that started and batted every game and he was at the top also. This year he hasn't started but is now out performing the others in hits and has fewer at bats. His mom has been very vocal from the stands. She works for the county and says the coach does not like her and is taking it out on her son. I don't know what the issue is with her and him, but she is not shy about her opinion of him. We have 4 10th graders on JV with the other 11 being freshmen. I don't think they have seen that many freshman taking this many spots on JV before. Which is a good problem but it seems unorganized on how they seem to pick who plays. Our 9th grade team has 14 8th graders and 1 freshman who played great last year but he was injured at first and they needed a catcher. Update my son played LF a little last game and he had a sliding catch and a game saving throw to home to keep the tieing run at 3rd. The throw was an error from the catcher that ended up in LF. The kid was fast and halfway home when my son threw a strike and the runner made it back to 3rd in a run down. It was a very exciting game.

baseballhs posted:

rynoattack posted:

Making excuses for your kid, blaming the players, coaches, etc. will not work.  As another poster mentioned, most all of our kids have gotten the shaft at some point, and I don't think most people would deny that.  However, it is a crossroads for your kid - they can either get in, or get out!  

When Ryno was younger, he definitely got hosed, and didn't make an All Star team.  Completely unfair, but do you know what I told him?  GET BETTER!  Use it as fuel!  Get so good that there is no way that they can keep you off the team.  He did, and I don't think he would have if I had given him a bunch of excuses to use.

 

How do you ever prove yourself if you can’t take reps even in practice?  I don’t make excuses but I don’t believe a coach should put a kid in a box with no way to get out.

Sadly this falls under the life isn't fair category.

If the coach has 5 other kids that CAN do the job and he is questioning if your kid can or can't...then he doesn't have to let him try.

BBDAD98, please check your PM's.  Upper right hand side, near your name, you will see a red circle.  Click your name, go to private messages.

Ya'll are being played.  This guys story has changed so many times.  He is just messing with ya'll.  How about let's close this down.   He does talk a good game and his story in different parts is realistic for so many kids I have been around.  Kids and parents think they can act up and a coach will just forgive and forget. 

PitchingFan posted:

Ya'll are being played.  This guys story has changed so many times.  He is just messing with ya'll.  How about let's close this down.   He does talk a good game and his story in different parts is realistic for so many kids I have been around.  Kids and parents think they can act up and a coach will just forgive and forget. 

You may be right, but if you are right and he's trolling,  he's the one wasting his precious time writing reams of this stuff, so the joke's on him.

Welcome back BBdad.  I'll try again as you may have missed my questions...

Is this your oldest kid?  Your only?  You said new town/school.  When was that and what brought about the change?

Only, no. Oldest yes. Moved for work. County has several schools this one has the best academics and happens to have the best baseball. Other schools excel at football, basketball, track and so forth. Academics and safety were our top priorities. We moved last year he has played for this school twice now.

Where is Ga do you live?

baseballhs posted:

CaCO3Girl posted:

baseballhs posted:

rynoattack posted:

Making excuses for your kid, blaming the players, coaches, etc. will not work.  As another poster mentioned, most all of our kids have gotten the shaft at some point, and I don't think most people would deny that.  However, it is a crossroads for your kid - they can either get in, or get out!  

When Ryno was younger, he definitely got hosed, and didn't make an All Star team.  Completely unfair, but do you know what I told him?  GET BETTER!  Use it as fuel!  Get so good that there is no way that they can keep you off the team.  He did, and I don't think he would have if I had given him a bunch of excuses to use.

 

How do you ever prove yourself if you can’t take reps even in practice?  I don’t make excuses but I don’t believe a coach should put a kid in a box with no way to get out.

Sadly this falls under the life isn't fair category.

If the coach has 5 other kids that CAN do the job and he is questioning if your kid can or can't...then he doesn't have to let him try.

He doesn't have 5.  He just made a decision.  My son was ranked 3 in the state  26 nationally on PG for the position he can't even take reps at.  It is definitely in the life isn't fair category.

His travel coach much love him, so at least he has that

Coaches have their reasons for holding back JV/Fr players and/or bringing up inferior players to V, but if your son flat out asked the coach, I feel the coach should've told him straight up what the deal was.  Players don't know what coaches expect from them until they're told what it is.  If you can't do what your coach tells you, then you can go have a seat on the bench.  

BBDAD98 posted:

Only, no. Oldest yes. Moved for work. County has several schools this one has the best academics and happens to have the best baseball. Other schools excel at football, basketball, track and so forth. Academics and safety were our top priorities. We moved last year he has played for this school twice now.

OK, thanks.  That gives added perspective.  

So, here's my last contribution...

One of your comments was that you came to vent and that is totally fine... in fact a good place to vent.  You've had pretty thick skin through some of the criticism here and seem to have taken heart to some of the points.   But if you REALLY want the situation to improve... (and I'm not just talking about on the baseball field)...

Based on some of your replies and the timing of them, IMO, you are missing a few of the most important points.  It is particularly difficult with our first kid when it comes to letting go of some things.  I suggest you go back and read through the thread again and really try to pick up on the consistent messages.   This is not an issue of how good your son is or isn't.  It is not an issue of how good his coaches are or aren't.  It's about perspective.

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.   That's the very short version in a cliche quote.  Protecting and defending our kids with every negative thing that happens to them can be a natural reaction.  It isn't doing them any good.  

"Coach not going to name names or single anybody out but there are some guys in the lineup that are really struggling. I'm not asking for a spot in the lineup, just some more opportunities. What do I need to do to get more opportunities?"

IMO - I'd skip this one and let the other questions suffice.  If coach then asks "who", are you going to name names?  Maybe tell him it rhymes with "Hobby" or "Silly" and avoid calling out your teammates.  I think the first three questions are more than adequate to get your position across and start the conversation.  Maybe just drop the struggling comment and go with the rest.

Weird thread.  I vote trolling on the OP.

Nicks mom posted:

Is there anything I can do as a parent?

Short answer - No. 

As others have indicated it's up to your son to prove or show his coach he would be invaluable to be in the line up and on the field.   Practice hard and play hard when he gets a chance that the coach has no choice but to put him in the lineup and on the field.  It's not just the performance in games, but what he does in practice as well.

Like it or not, it is the coach's team to run, not the parents.

Cabbagedad, thanks for the sincere comments. I am a calm person. My son is also like me with an extra boost of hormones. He is what i think a typical first born and a rule follower as I was and my wife. I get that it is the coaches team, and I hope he finds employment else where. He is very immature and inexperience. He coached against my old high school budy one game. My buddy had no clue about him, i had not spoken to him in 10 years or more. My friend called me the next day and asked why was that coach such a jerk, and he said that kids these days will not respond to his style of coaching. My friend was a travel ball coach before a HS coach and that may have something to do with it. You need experience and this coach has none. Sorry. To make things worse after the bad year my son had last year this coach would not let it go. How do i know? We had a fund raiser game in which the JV and Varsity get picked by 2 coaches and they battle it out for bragging rights. My son had an excused absents from practice 2 days prior for an academic after school project. On game day he inform my son that he would not play for missing practice. My son said but it was excused, but the coach said no. We have a baseball code of conduct that the parents, players, and coaches must sign, and hold each other accountable. My son followed the rules perfectly. My wife email the Varsity coach and ask if we misunderstood the rules for excused academic absents. The Varsity coach said that my son did right and should have played. After they lost the fund raiser game the losers had to run poles. Which ment my son ran poles in a game that he was wrongfully not allow to play and help win. As far as all the advice about working so hard that the Coach can't keep you out of the lineup. In case you missed it thats why my son hits, you can't deny that he can hit. The coach most likely hates everytime he has to put him in. He holds him back just to see if someone will rise up so he doesn't have to play him at all. Same with the other kid i mention. The coach wants certain players to earn those spots so the others can't. I will let it go now. I'm done. You can think it is fake or whatever. I will not respond anymore. Thanks for the good advice.

Well, I guess your son has a choice to make.  Play baseball under this HS JV coach and make the best of it.  Or find another school to play for - I know - easier said than done.

baseballhs posted:

rynoattack posted:

Making excuses for your kid, blaming the players, coaches, etc. will not work.  As another poster mentioned, most all of our kids have gotten the shaft at some point, and I don't think most people would deny that.  However, it is a crossroads for your kid - they can either get in, or get out!  

When Ryno was younger, he definitely got hosed, and didn't make an All Star team.  Completely unfair, but do you know what I told him?  GET BETTER!  Use it as fuel!  Get so good that there is no way that they can keep you off the team.  He did, and I don't think he would have if I had given him a bunch of excuses to use.

 

How do you ever prove yourself if you can’t take reps even in practice?  I don’t make excuses but I don’t believe a coach should put a kid in a box with no way to get out.

Do ALL of the little things right.  Do ALL of the little things right.  Right now we have a player fighting for a spot his senior year.  On deck batter, man on third less than 2 outs, deep fly ball -- what are u doing?  You better know or you'll be sitting.   

baseballhs posted:

CaCO3Girl posted:

baseballhs posted:

rynoattack posted:

Making excuses for your kid, blaming the players, coaches, etc. will not work.  As another poster mentioned, most all of our kids have gotten the shaft at some point, and I don't think most people would deny that.  However, it is a crossroads for your kid - they can either get in, or get out!  

When Ryno was younger, he definitely got hosed, and didn't make an All Star team.  Completely unfair, but do you know what I told him?  GET BETTER!  Use it as fuel!  Get so good that there is no way that they can keep you off the team.  He did, and I don't think he would have if I had given him a bunch of excuses to use.

 

How do you ever prove yourself if you can’t take reps even in practice?  I don’t make excuses but I don’t believe a coach should put a kid in a box with no way to get out.

Sadly this falls under the life isn't fair category.

If the coach has 5 other kids that CAN do the job and he is questioning if your kid can or can't...then he doesn't have to let him try.

He doesn't have 5.  He just made a decision.  My son was ranked 3 in the state  26 nationally on PG for the position he can't even take reps at.  It is definitely in the life isn't fair category.

If your son is ranked 26th nationally at a position by PG, and the HS coach won't even let him take practice reps at the position, I'd seriously consider finding a new HS.    

Handcontrol posted:

baseballhs posted:

CaCO3Girl posted:

baseballhs posted:

rynoattack posted:

Making excuses for your kid, blaming the players, coaches, etc. will not work.  As another poster mentioned, most all of our kids have gotten the shaft at some point, and I don't think most people would deny that.  However, it is a crossroads for your kid - they can either get in, or get out!  

If your son is ranked 26th nationally at a position by PG, and the HS coach won't even let him take practice reps at the position, I'd seriously consider finding a new HS.    

I was curious about that when he made the statement.  PG is pretty good at ranking kids...especially when they are that high.  I'm curious what position he is ranked #3 at?  We know a few things....1) he doesn't throw hard enough to be a pitcher  2) he has already admitted he can't throw guys out from catcher 3) he isn't nearly fast enough to be ranked in the top 26 nationally at an OF position....and there's been no mention of him being an IF....so what's left?  

Buckeye 2015 posted:

Handcontrol posted:

baseballhs posted:

CaCO3Girl posted:

baseballhs posted:

rynoattack posted:

Making excuses for your kid, blaming the players, coaches, etc. will not work.  As another poster mentioned, most all of our kids have gotten the shaft at some point, and I don't think most people would deny that.  However, it is a crossroads for your kid - they can either get in, or get out!  

If your son is ranked 26th nationally at a position by PG, and the HS coach won't even let him take practice reps at the position, I'd seriously consider finding a new HS.    

I was curious about that when he made the statement.  PG is pretty good at ranking kids...especially when they are that high.  I'm curious what position he is ranked #3 at?  We know a few things....1) he doesn't throw hard enough to be a pitcher  2) he has already admitted he can't throw guys out from catcher 3) he isn't nearly fast enough to be ranked in the top 26 nationally at an OF position....and there's been no mention of him being an IF....so what's left?  

The 26th PG ranking is BASEBALLHS, not BBDAD98.  That would really be a red flag lol.

Am I allowed to get retroactively ticked off? I forgot to do so ten years ago. My son was an all conference shortstop ten years ago as a soph. A less talented soph came up the following year. My son was moved to center. It’s not fair! It’s not fair! It’s not fair! As a parent I was sooooo humiliated.

It doesn’t matter that the team won the conference the next two years with my son playing center. The new shortstop made a bunch of errors. He didn’t go on to college ball like my son. My son was removed from “the stud position.” It’s not fair!

It's an oldie but a goodie:

There are only two positions on a baseball team: on the field, or off.

KC12, you may wake up a year from now to find out that your son's HS coach has done him a huge favor by giving him reps at OF.

A couple years ago I heard a few parents at a school in our league complain that a player was getting screwed because he was being moved from the IF, where he was all league, to OF for his senior year.  Turns out getting screwed prepared him for Juco, where they needed him to play both OF and MIF.  He's done great for 2 years at this Juco, which is one of the best in the state, and I'm sure he'll have a nice D1 or D2 home next year.

(Edit:  Looks like comment I was replying to was deleted.)

BBDAD98 posted:

Cabbagedad, thanks for the sincere comments. I am a calm person. My son is also like me with an extra boost of hormones. He is what i think a typical first born and a rule follower as I was and my wife. I get that it is the coaches team, and I hope he finds employment else where. He is very immature and inexperience. He coached against my old high school budy one game. My buddy had no clue about him, i had not spoken to him in 10 years or more. My friend called me the next day and asked why was that coach such a jerk, and he said that kids these days will not respond to his style of coaching. My friend was a travel ball coach before a HS coach and that may have something to do with it. You need experience and this coach has none. Sorry. To make things worse after the bad year my son had last year this coach would not let it go. How do i know? We had a fund raiser game in which the JV and Varsity get picked by 2 coaches and they battle it out for bragging rights. My son had an excused absents from practice 2 days prior for an academic after school project. On game day he inform my son that he would not play for missing practice. My son said but it was excused, but the coach said no. We have a baseball code of conduct that the parents, players, and coaches must sign, and hold each other accountable. My son followed the rules perfectly. My wife email the Varsity coach and ask if we misunderstood the rules for excused academic absents. The Varsity coach said that my son did right and should have played. After they lost the fund raiser game the losers had to run poles. Which ment my son ran poles in a game that he was wrongfully not allow to play and help win. As far as all the advice about working so hard that the Coach can't keep you out of the lineup. In case you missed it thats why my son hits, you can't deny that he can hit. The coach most likely hates everytime he has to put him in. He holds him back just to see if someone will rise up so he doesn't have to play him at all. Same with the other kid i mention. The coach wants certain players to earn those spots so the others can't. I will let it go now. I'm done. You can think it is fake or whatever. I will not respond anymore. Thanks for the good advice.

Thank you.  With respect, you are clearly still missing the point.  Still, I wish you and your son the best.

I was wrong... I'm not done.  I have two seniors in my program that I want to mention to you.  I have been working with these two off and on (bouncing from JV to V) for three or four years.  These two both had questionable mental thought processes (even by teen standards) and we have battled through them for a long time.  I have reached the point of beyond frustrated with both of them on MANY occasions.  In many ways, they were the guys that you would argue coaches didn't want to like.  I certainly didn't like the decisions they made and the way they carried themselves.  We talked a lot.  They sat a lot.  They were sent to or kept at JV often.  They definitely matched your description of being the players on the wrong end of the stick when it came to the coaches wanting other players to earn those spots.  It took a tremendous effort on the part of both of these young men to work through their attitude/behavior/mental weakness issues to push through and earn favor in the eyes of the coaches.  They recognized the points that needed to be addressed and they pushed through (although always an ongoing process).  These two are the only two that i sent congratulations notes to this morning after stellar performances in starting roles for varsity last night.

You mentioned in a previous post that there is nothing a kid can do if a coach doesn't like him.  Bullsh$it.  

It certainly was not an overnight process, though.

A "slap in the face" to be a starter on Varsity?  And a player headed to D3.  Helping the team is what is important.  If a kid thinks it is a slap in the face to be a starting OF instead of SS, then he is for a huge eye opener when he steps on campus.

He might end up grateful for the OF experience when he gets to college.  Being versatile might be the only way he makes it out of fall cuts at the college level....

cabbagedad posted:

BBDAD98 posted:

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****

You mentioned in a previous post that there is nothing a kid can do if a coach doesn't like him.  Bullsh$it.  

Cabbagedad:  I think this post was great.  And I absolutely agree that sometimes kids (maybe boys especially) need "tough love" to help them understand that their attitudes and approaches have to change.

But I think we can concede that some coaches are just jerks.  Some will hold grudges, play favorites, be unreasonable.  Unfortunately, the same will be true of some HS baseball players' future bosses, colleagues, maybe even some "significant others."  Part of why we want our kids to participate in sports is so they can learn some key life lessons--such as dealing with jerks--before the stakes get higher, like in careers, etc. 

I say this only to acknowledge that maybe some of the posters here really do have sons who are in bad situations and are being treated unjustly.  It does happen.  But you won't talk a jerk out of being a jerk, nor will you persuade him with statistics or other coaches' evaluations of your kid's abilities.  Even if the facts are exactly as bad as you think (and let's face it, none of us is objective about our own children, no matter how hard we try), the advice given throughout this thread still applies. 

I don’t understand why this thread keeps going.  This is self aggrandizement at best and fake at worst. It’s not worthy of this site. Why are seasoned members continuing to indulge in this thread?

RJM posted:

Whenever I see comments like, “He had the best tryout I’ve ever seen” I become real skeptical about the parent’s objectivity and ability to judge the overall situation.

To be fair...I believe he said "He had the best tryout I've ever seen HIM have."

Midwest Mom posted:

I don’t understand why this thread keeps going.  This is self aggrandizement at best and fake at worst. It’s not worthy of this site. Why are seasoned members continuing to indulge in this thread?

I mean no disrespect at all when I say this, but if you aren't interested in the topic, then don't read the posts.  If you are getting email notifications and those bother you, then you can turn them off for this thread.  At any given time there are lots of conversations on this board I'm not interested in--and that's fine with me.  

The road to failure is paved with excuses. The road to success is void of such nonsense.

Chico Escuela posted:

Midwest Mom posted:

I don’t understand why this thread keeps going.  This is self aggrandizement at best and fake at worst. It’s not worthy of this site. Why are seasoned members continuing to indulge in this thread?

I mean no disrespect at all when I say this, but if you aren't interested in the topic, then don't read the posts.  If you are getting email notifications and those bother you, then you can turn them off for this thread.  At any given time there are lots of conversations on this board I'm not interested in--and that's fine with me.  

Fair enough Chico. Usually when people question posts as people have here, they don’t give respect to the poster by continuing the discussion. That said you’re right and I’m out of this one. 

This has brought up a statement that I think is wrong.  Many on here have said that all coaches play their best nine.  My sons have been blessed with good coaches who held to this BUT.  I know coaches who have not played their best.

They have played:  the booster club's presidents kid or the biggest giver, the hottest mom's son, their best friend's son, their son, and on and on.  Some do not give younger guys a chance even if they are better.  My sons have played for some guys in other sports who believed that junior and seniors have earned their right to start and should start over younger guys even if they are better.  All coaches are not in it to win.  There are some coaches, especially JV and under that are not kept on for their win/loss record but because they knew the right person or were the right person or the school had no one else apply. 

So for posters to consistently say that all coaches play the best is false.  I know lots of guys who do not play the best.  I think we have to be honest in this and say there are some bad coaches out there.  The guy I followed in Missouri was a great guy but a terrible coach.  He knew nothing about baseball.  Had never even played slow pitch softball but he was the only one who wanted the job.  So we have to admit some coaches are just bad.

I don't see it necessarily as the "best 9" (which as you say is a big "lie" in many cases).  Reality is it should be the best 11, maybe 12.  You have 8 regular fielders.  Then an extra outfielder and utility infielder.  You're up to 10.  Add a few bats, pitcher only's etc. and you have a regular group you can rotate thru during the season.  One thing I see is guys who pitch and play the field need some opportunities to rest.  Doing both is a lot of wear and tear for a long season.  You need them fresh come play off time.  

PitchingFan posted:

This has brought up a statement that I think is wrong.  Many on here have said that all coaches play their best nine.  My sons have been blessed with good coaches who held to this BUT.  I know coaches who have not played their best.

They have played:  the booster club's presidents kid or the biggest giver, the hottest mom's son, their best friend's son, their son, and on and on.  Some do not give younger guys a chance even if they are better.  My sons have played for some guys in other sports who believed that junior and seniors have earned their right to start and should start over younger guys even if they are better.  All coaches are not in it to win.  There are some coaches, especially JV and under that are not kept on for their win/loss record but because they knew the right person or were the right person or the school had no one else apply. 

So for posters to consistently say that all coaches play the best is false.  I know lots of guys who do not play the best.  I think we have to be honest in this and say there are some bad coaches out there.  The guy I followed in Missouri was a great guy but a terrible coach.  He knew nothing about baseball.  Had never even played slow pitch softball but he was the only one who wanted the job.  So we have to admit some coaches are just bad.

Of course there will be some bad actors in any group of people, so yes, you can't say "all coaches" do any one thing.  But from what I have seen I do think the vast majority of coaches on all high school VARSITY teams play they players THEY THINK will help them win. I have definitely seen the sons of hot moms, snack bar supervisors, and booster club presidents get benched or cut.

THEY THINK is capped because it's subjective and in some cases they may be wrong.

VARSITY is capped because from my (thankfully) limited exposure to Freshman and  JV teams, the focus of these teams is development, not just winning, so they don't belong in a discussion of whether or not coaches always put the best players on the field.

JCG posted:

PitchingFan posted:

This has brought up a statement that I think is wrong.  Many on here have said that all coaches play their best nine.  My sons have been blessed with good coaches who held to this BUT.  I know coaches who have not played their best.

They have played:  the booster club's presidents kid or the biggest giver, the hottest mom's son, their best friend's son, their son, and on and on.  Some do not give younger guys a chance even if they are better.  My sons have played for some guys in other sports who believed that junior and seniors have earned their right to start and should start over younger guys even if they are better.  All coaches are not in it to win.  There are some coaches, especially JV and under that are not kept on for their win/loss record but because they knew the right person or were the right person or the school had no one else apply. 

So for posters to consistently say that all coaches play the best is false.  I know lots of guys who do not play the best.  I think we have to be honest in this and say there are some bad coaches out there.  The guy I followed in Missouri was a great guy but a terrible coach.  He knew nothing about baseball.  Had never even played slow pitch softball but he was the only one who wanted the job.  So we have to admit some coaches are just bad.

Of course there will be some bad actors in any group of people, so yes, you can't say "all coaches" do any one thing.  But from what I have seen I do think the vast majority of coaches on all high school VARSITY teams play they players THEY THINK will help them win. I have definitely seen the sons of hot moms, snack bar supervisors, and booster club presidents get benched or cut.

THEY THINK is capped because it's subjective and in some cases they may be wrong.

VARSITY is capped because from my (thankfully) limited exposure to Freshman and  JV teams, the focus of these teams is development, not just winning, so they don't belong in a discussion of whether or not coaches always put the best players on the field.

THEY THINK is a huge modifier.   Some guys out think themselves. 

I do not think it is as high as JCG makes it out to be.  I think the more competitive teams do but again that is minority.  There are lots of coaches out there that have their own agendas rather than the best players in mind.  They care more about keeping certain people or the right people happy rather than winning.  They are concerned about keeping their job through politics rather than winning because we also know that not everyone is worried about the team winning if Little Johnny and his friends don't get to play.  I have seen way too many high schools who do not care about winning, especially in this new world mindset of everyone getting a trophy. 

Maybe I'm delusional, but I thought participation trophies, where they exist, end when players are in the first or second grade.  Maybe it happens, but I have never seen a HS program give them out.  I've also never seen a HS team not care about winning, or not think that losing really really sucks. I have seen HS teams that have gotten used to losing, but that is a different discussion.

PitchingFan posted:

This has brought up a statement that I think is wrong.  Many on here have said that all coaches play their best nine.  My sons have been blessed with good coaches who held to this BUT.  I know coaches who have not played their best.

They have played:  the booster club's presidents kid or the biggest giver, the hottest mom's son, their best friend's son, their son, and on and on.  Some do not give younger guys a chance even if they are better.  My sons have played for some guys in other sports who believed that junior and seniors have earned their right to start and should start over younger guys even if they are better.  All coaches are not in it to win.  There are some coaches, especially JV and under that are not kept on for their win/loss record but because they knew the right person or were the right person or the school had no one else apply. 

So for posters to consistently say that all coaches play the best is false.  I know lots of guys who do not play the best.  I think we have to be honest in this and say there are some bad coaches out there.  The guy I followed in Missouri was a great guy but a terrible coach.  He knew nothing about baseball.  Had never even played slow pitch softball but he was the only one who wanted the job.  So we have to admit some coaches are just bad.

As I originally posted I’ll bet between everyone on this board we can come up with 100 cases of coaches not playing the best players. But in the big picture most coaches do play the best players. More often than not when I’ve heard the accusation it was a very inaccurate observation from an excuse making parent. Then before you know it the excuse is traveling the league as fact with the other excuse making parents.

We had a couple of parents on our high school team who would whine to anyone who would listen. It got to the point where parents would scramble when they saw them coming. So these parents would make their way to the other side and complain to the opposing team parents. It’s the best way to make news travel fast.

There are also legitimate reasons kids don’t play that are outside talent. We had a kid who was always busting up equipment. The display pissed off the coach. The parent asked why the coach cared if the kid was breaking his own equipment. What goes on in school from a citizenship and academic standpoint can affect playing time.

Start with parents believe their kids are better than they are. Parents also tend to have a higher opinion of their kid’s travel teammates since they see them play more often. Parents often don’t have the baseball acumen to see something in a player the high school coach sees. The high school coach may be thinking long term and not about today.

If you get into smaller high schools where they must hire from the school there may not be anyone qualified to coach. Don’t blame the coach willing to take the job. Thank him. Otherwise there might not be a team. Blame yourself for choosing to live in that school zone if it matters that much to you.