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Background (trying to keep this short but it's difficult): Before high school, my son was not athletically inclined. Walking short distances and running caused him pain because of flat feet. In spite of that, he played baseball every fall and spring on a rec team his dad coached. He was never the best kid on the team but usually one of the 2 or 3 best (other than the running part). He played first base and occasionally pitched (good accuracy but medium velocity). He never worked out, never trained, and didn't play outside of the rec team schedule. He had surgery (actually three surgeries) his 8th-grade year that fixed the flat feet pain issue. After that, he gradually got more active and started to enjoy physical play more but still rarely worked out.

As a sophomore, he made the H.S. baseball team with a friend from his rec team. Basically, not many kids tried out and the brand new coach (there was some upheaval in the program) ended up keeping everyone who showed up to all the practices. Son wasn't even sure he wanted to be on the team because of the time commitment, but we talked him into giving it a try for a month. The coach separated the kids into groups and put Son and his friend into the lowest group--said this group didn't have the skills necessary for HS ball and might not see any playing time. Fair enough--we knew he needed development and many of the other kids had played travel ball. Even so, by the end of the month trial, Son was fully committed and loved going to practice and being on the team. He wanted to get better and earn some playing time.

During the regular season, he and the rest of his "needs more development" group sat on the bench, pretty much ignored by the coach. We wondered how he could get better when he never played, but we had hopes that summer ball would help because it was supposedly all about player development. By the end of the regular season, the others in his group had quit and only my son and his friend were left to play summer ball. Unfortunately, Son sat on the bench during the summer as well. It has become clear that the coach doesn't see/want Son on the team next year. I don't know whether it's personal (Son is the shy, quiet, nice, doesn't-ask-for-a-lot-of-attention type of kid--maybe just a personality mismatch) or whether he's considered that bad.

Meanwhile, we've gotten a pitching and hitting coach, Son practices a lot, and we see huge improvements. We think he's pretty good now. We could be wrong, but it's hard to know when he never plays. Son very, very much wants to make the team next year and show that he has earned a spot. He likes his teammates. A few kids have been jerks to him, but he doesn't let it bother him much (although his parents are a different story!). He seems to have a burning desire to prove himself.

Fall ball is coming up and it's coached by college coaches, although his high school coach will be there/watching. Any strategies you'd suggest during fall ball to get the high school coach to give him another look? He hasn't actually played for over a year now. Thanks, and sorry so long!

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Your son sounds like a great kid.  Relentless perseverance.  I love it!

His play this Fall will speak for itself.  Not sure what strategy could be employed.  If he's really improved to a decent ballplayer, it will show and the HS coach won't ignore it.  All coaches want to win - if someone can help them win, they will be on the team unless they have other issues (grades, behavior)

Most coaches love effort, even if from less talented or experienced players.  Most likely your HS coach does too.

Let your son play and it will take care of itself.  In the meantime, it sounds like he now enjoys baseball - thats the best thing going here!  That will hopefully last for a lifetime.  So why not get him on a rec team where he will play and enjoy it for sure!?

Best of  luck.

Welcome to the site.  Seems like a great kid that has found a healthy interest.  In regards to the HS team, all he can do is work harder than the others and see if he can make up enough ground.  It's great that you can support him with pitching and hitting coaches.  It is even more important that he works on his own regularly to ingrain what he has learned and become proficient.  A great deal of improvement can be accomplished with good instruction and practice.  However, your thought process is correct... he will need to find an avenue to play in games to face live pitching, live batters and become reasonably comfortable with game situations.  That avenue may very well not be with the HS program at this point, so dig hard for other options (rec, local travel, etc.).  The more he can train, practice AND play prior to fall ball, the more success he is likely to have.  Then, fall ball will be another opportunity to improve as well.   Meanwhile, have him connect with the teammates that he likes and ask to be included any time they go to the field to work out or the cages to hit.   

I don't know how good the HS program is but be aware that most successful HS players these days are playing a lot outside of the HS season and are also getting some outside instruction.  So, even with hard work, he is reaching for a carrot that will continue to be held higher and higher.  It can be very frustrating because he is not getting the playing time currently with the HS team and the better players are.  So, that burning desire he has will have to burn hotter than the others who also have it.  It can be done.  If he continues to outwork the others and finds alternative options to play in the mean time, this will all likely become apparent to the coach/s at some point.  He's lucky to have you on his side.  

Last edited by cabbagedad

Thanks for the supportive replies! We have looked for other teams for playing time but I haven't found any rec teams around here for him in the fall. I'm really clueless about the travel ball world. What's involved with finding a team? I think the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with regard to being shy and quiet--I have a difficult time networking with other parents on the team and my husband has some hurt pride on behalf of our son and really doesn't want to ask (we assume everyone is thinking, why doesn't he quit already?). I have looked online but don't see much for 16u, and he might even be 17u as his birthday was in January. We're neighbors and friends with the parents of the coach's favorite player, who's on a travel team, but we never talk about our son and baseball. It's a little awkward, frankly. Their son plays every inning of every game (soph/frosh, JV, and varsity) because he's a talented freshman, or sophomore this coming year, and our son plays not at all. We run the risk of further humiliation for our son.

You're right, he may not (probably won't) make the team next year but if so, he will definitely enjoy playing on a rec team with a more advanced skill set. It's really been a great growth experience for him and taught him a lot about being dedicated and working toward a goal.

So are there any avenues for finding another team that I don't know about (google hasn't been helpful)?

Brenlee posted:

Thanks for the supportive replies! We have looked for other teams for playing time but I haven't found any rec teams around here for him in the fall. I'm really clueless about the travel ball world. What's involved with finding a team? I think the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with regard to being shy and quiet--I have a difficult time networking with other parents on the team and my husband has some hurt pride on behalf of our son and really doesn't want to ask (we assume everyone is thinking, why doesn't he quit already?). I have looked online but don't see much for 16u, and he might even be 17u as his birthday was in January. We're neighbors and friends with the parents of the coach's favorite player, who's on a travel team, but we never talk about our son and baseball. It's a little awkward, frankly. Their son plays every inning of every game (soph/frosh, JV, and varsity) because he's a talented freshman, or sophomore this coming year, and our son plays not at all. We run the risk of further humiliation for our son.

You're right, he may not (probably won't) make the team next year but if so, he will definitely enjoy playing on a rec team with a more advanced skill set. It's really been a great growth experience for him and taught him a lot about being dedicated and working toward a goal.

So are there any avenues for finding another team that I don't know about (google hasn't been helpful)?

First, there is nothing to be humiliated about.  Everyone has things they are good at and things they aren't.  Sometimes, we decide to make something we aren't good at something we're better at.  That's not humiliation, that's great!

Finding fall play opportunities can be a challenge and is different for each area.  So, networking with local players, coaches and instructors is best.  Did he ask his P and hitting coaches?  Teammates?  Also, my suggestion was to try to find places to play prior to the HS Fall program, not instead of it.  I agree with RJM about playing where the HS coach gets feedback.  I don't know the timing of that nor if there is enough time between to find other options as well.

Last edited by cabbagedad
cabbagedad posted:

First, there is nothing to be humiliated about.  Everyone has things they are good at and things they aren't.  Sometimes, we decide to make something we aren't good at something we're better at.  That's not humiliation, that's great!

Finding fall play opportunities can be a challenge and is different for each area.  So, networking with local players, coaches and instructors is best.  Did he ask his P and hitting coaches?  Teammates?  Also, my suggestion was to try to find places to play prior to the HS Fall program, not instead of it.  I agree with RJM about playing where the HS coach gets feedback.  I don't know the timing of that nor if there is enough time between to find other options as well.

Thanks for that. I think it has been a little bit of a sore spot, thinking he is feeling humiliated, and that helped. You're right, there is absolutely nothing to be humiliated about, and we are very proud of him for his attitude.

I think maybe his personal coaches are the best option. I'm sure they probably know what's out there. Thanks again!

 

If not your husband, you may be able to find an assistant coach who is looking for experience. My son played on one such fall baseball team. The teams was made up of random players on the list the first year, One of the kids parents on the list approached a young assistant coach at a HS. He wanted experience. He ended coaching them the next 3 Fall seasons. 

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