HS Summer League Coexisting with Travel

Mike F,
I am experiencing a situation like this. At a ESCC school, they scheduled a SUNDAY practice (today) that interfeared with our travel team's scrimmage (3 of our players play at this school). It is also my understanding that there will be a Saturday practice next week which will interfear with our travel team's first tournament. Before we came to this school we were told that monday- thursday the commitment was to the school, but friday- sunday the player would be free to travel. We were also told that pitching for the school was priority, we agreed to this. Although it is early in the summer season, there has already bin one situation contradicting this and another one on the horizon(next saturday). These players have also been told that travel ball isn't going to get them "seen" by scouts/college coaches as much as high school ball. I find it hard to believe that this school is a hot bed for college coaches, because they haven't had much success in having their former players continue their baseball careers after high school. The one that did get a D1 schollarship, played travelball. He recieved his offer because of his travel ball coach worked closely with this school and was a pretty good player. It seems as though they are trying to control the players and keep them all to themselves. I think coaches are missing the point. If their players are involved in high-level travel ball, it can only make them better. Travel Baseball gets their players and their programs more exposure come springtime. What do you guys think?

The high school players shouldn't be practicing with their travel teams if their season is going on anyways right now. That's illegal.

quote:

Originally posted by Thriller100:
The high school players shouldn't be practicing with their travel teams if their season is going on anyways right now. That's illegal.

I'm only referring to Summer League, not Spring season.

Mike F

Hence the topic: HS Summer League Coexisting with travel!

Agree with MR, Mike.

Likely a selfish coach who really doesn't know what it takes to get a kid "seen" for the next level.

When you don't know. You don't know. Just admit it and let someone help you.

Some schools are breaking in new coaches, so they might need to have a few practices under the new coach before the summer season gets rolling.

Last year at this time, someone commented (on here) that their coach excused them from summer league games in favor of travel, but they had to commit to the school team once playoffs started.

Most travel tournments are on the weekends so I have no idea why a coach would play HS Summer games on weekends. If the teams stay to weekday games kids can get a lot of innings for both HS and travel team. As far as a pitcher I would say if your one of the better pitchers you should pitch on a travel team to face better hitters, but that's just me.

Ratboy, where did you hear that Benet had a new coach? Did Bonebrake leave?

I've also heard that many high school coaches cut their players loose in the summer to play travel. A lot of times the only time a high school team is intact is during two weeks of the summer tournament.

masher....those would be the coaches that know what they are doing.

Benet has a new coach? Since when?

A word of advice I would have is to just work with your high school coach with the process, nothing good can come from fighting them on it. I've heard of high school coaches blacklisting some players towards scouts because they still hold a grudge against their travel schedule. Also for pitchers, don't let any coach over work you: especially seniors to be. The summer before your senior year is the biggest one you will have, and throwing too much will come back to haunt you. I found myself last summer throwing at a high school game in the week and a travel game on the weekend with the stevenson, area code, and silver & black showcases mixed in. It was good for the time with all of the exposure, but came back to haunt me. I ended up fighting tendonitis for about 4 months this past december in to april, and i know it was due to the busy busy summer. If you're sore to begin with, don't pitch and save your arms for the stevenson and area code showcases, this is just about all the exposure you could ask for.

Soxnole -- Agreed. It also seems like summer league coaches who know what they're doing won't mind their best players competing in travel ball. At least until the summer tournament.

The good coaches know the travel competition will prepare their players better than a midweek doubleheader against a split-squad H.S. team that's missing players to either football 7-on-7s or basketball shootouts.

Summer ball is great for player development -- especially for the pitchers. It's just not ideal for the best players.

Come summer tournament time, though, game on.

I may be confusing Benet and Lockport ... but I thought the coach at GBN resigned to join Benet's staff and was going to take over.

I must've deleted the ? from my post above!

I have since edited it.

Jersey10 - if you had dialed it back last summer, would you still be heading south to play college ball?

Assuming you're healed up now, it was probably a small price to pay.

Good advice to the young pitchers out there, jersey.

yes it was a small price to pay but i also consider myself very lucky to come back so quickly from the tired arm and to get that exposure. I'm just saying to be smart and pick your spots and you'll be fine.

jersey10, you have a PM

brew, back at ya.