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32 replies

It is not too late

VectorVector1,000+ posts
I've been meaning to post this story for a while now, and am just getting around to it.

A friend of my son and a former JV teammate tried out for the varsity in his junior year. He had been the starting SS for the JV, and naturally thought he stood a good chance of getting playing time. However he didn't even make the varsity squad. Needless to say both he and his father were upset when he was cut.

Since he often confided with me, he asked my opinion as to what his son should do next. I recommended the typical things and his son worked hard in the off season and the next year in fall ball. The father worried that his son could not take another rejection when the varsity tryouts came around in his senior year. Unfortunately, even though his son was talented, he again was cut and did not make the varsity.
I was actually surprised because while this boy was not the best hitter on the team, he certainly was a solid infielder, and there was room on the roster. Considering that if even one of the infielders went down with injury or became academically ineligible, he would be the next best player from a defensive standpoint.

Anyway the father and son were very despondent, yet the son continued to love the game and rededicated himself to working even harder.
At a PG event that both of our sons were participating in(on different teams), the father asked what he could do since his son was not getting much interest, and that he desperately wanted to continue to play baseball. I suggested he contact a NAIA school that I was familiar with, and ask for a tryout. The dad was not even aware of what a NAIA school was, but decided to take his son for a look. Sure enough his son went for a tryout, and not only made the team, but was offered some money to boot.

So the moral of the story is that even if your son is not highly recruited, or does not even make the varsity, there may still be hope as long as he continues to love the game, works hard, and does not give up on himself.

If anyone has similar stories, post them to help other parents keep their chins up, and show their sons that persistence and hard work can pay off despite the odds.

--- It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt - April 23, 1910

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YoungGunDadYoungGunDadHSBaseballWeb member since 2005
There was a kid a couple years younger than my son who tried out each and every year after JV for the Varsity but was cut each year. Literally no baseball talent and I'm being very nice with this.

He went to a try-out at a local D2 college and made the team his freshman year as the bullpen catcher.

His dad was childhood friends with the HC, played ball with him in college, and made a $10,000 contribution to the program.

Wait. I don't think this is the kind of story you were hoping for here was it? LOL



(true story)
VectorVector1,000+ posts
I enjoy reading stories like that, especially about kids who go to a tryout just for the heck of it.

In the case of my friends son, he did not standout in any particular area(speed, footwork, arm strength, etc.) yet was a solid player. The fact he did not make the varsity two years running was in part because the team was so good. So kids that were cut from there could start at other schools, and some proved as much when they transfered.

I just hope that stories like these help those parents and their sons who get discouraged, to keep their chins up. It is certainly not a guarantee that they will play in college, but there are many options out there as long as they believe in themselves and work hard to achieve their goals.
R RedSoxFan21500+ posts
Not really of the late variation but certainly in the 'coulda gone the other way' category. My son's classmate has played ball with him since Babe Ruth started up. The kid was a decent player but lacked a certain amount of drive and was borderline out of shape on a regular basis. Father administered heavy doses of public get your acts together which only seem to lower the kids drive.

The kid tried out and made the HS Frosh team and played fairly well. As a soph he tried out and made the JV squad, got some good playing time, but was not one of the 'swing' players to Varsity.

Junior year he barely made the Varsity team, arriving and staying out of shape, and rode the bench nearly all year. He continued to play hard in Legion, shaped up, and the next summer he was an active contributor to a strong travel team. In fact, a number of observers at the start didn't think he deserved to be on that travel team yet he persevered and emerged as a good junk ball pitcher and helped the team to a strong winning record.

Segue to college recruiting and interest from schools seemed to be invisible until he made a call to an up and coming DIII program in a northeast's DIII conference. Lo and behold there was much turnover in the school's pitching staff and this kid's emergence as a junk baller enticed the school to take a look, and then to tell him that a spot on the team was his for the taking.

Bottom line, it really ain't over till its over. If you want to play ball in college, and you have the drive to find the right school and the drive to get and keep your self in good physical form while developing your skills, you can and will play.
Last edited by RedSoxFan21
Y YesReally100+ posts
Player at a local HS made JV team - contributed as a pitcher and hitter. Did not make varsity as junior - continued to work out and play with highlevel travel organization. Tried out for varsity as Senior. Made the team - but I am told he was warned that he would not likely see much playing time. He in fact saw virtually NO playing time - although he was committed to a non-D1 college for baseball by the end of the season. In a late (last?) regular season game against a local rival this player was given a start on the mound. He threw GREAT and his team won the game - prompting local observers to ask where he had been all year...

Great kid with a true passion for the game. Opportunity to play college ball even without much high school exposure. It happens.
Last edited by YesReally
ToosterTooster10+ posts
quote:
yes it does happen but in real life it happens very rarely


With all due respect, it may happen more then you would like to think, no one is talking pros here just college. There are many levels of college ball available for a former bench warmer/late bloomer/ or someone who just was overlooked (believe it or not all HS coaches get it right). If a player has the passion and the willingness to work hard there are opportunities out there that are not nessicarilly considered rare.
D DPElite9910+ posts
Vector-

Thanks for this post. I copied it and showed it to my son who did not make varsity last week for a 8A baseball team. He had Tommy John last february and the coach said he didn't throw "hard enough". He pitched 9 innings for this coach last fall and didnt give up a run.

needless to say now he is working harder than ever to prove everyone wrong.
T tradosaurus100+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by DPElite99:
Vector-

Thanks for this post. I copied it and showed it to my son who did not make varsity last week for a 8A baseball team. He had Tommy John last february and the coach said he didn't throw "hard enough". He pitched 9 innings for this coach last fall and didnt give up a run.

needless to say now he is working harder than ever to prove everyone wrong.


Tommy John surgery for a high schooler?
There is something wrong with this picture. Either the kid is overpitched or the kid has bad mechanics.
VectorVector1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by tradosaurus:
I'm treating high school like college from the perspective of shopping around for the best program.

I don't want my son stuck with a coach that doesn't understand the game of baseball and ends up making my son hate the game.


While I understand your concern, let me make a suggestion that ties into the original story. The HS that my son went to where his friend was cut two years running from the varsity, was one his father picked.
Many parents with baseball kids choose this school because of it's baseball prowess and winning tradition. As a result the top kids come and it means greater competition. Many of the reserve players could easily start at other schools, and in some cases the kids who are cut could as well. At bare minimum they would make other schools varsity teams.
So while you certainly want your son to play where he will develop and the coach will watch out for his health, make sure it is a place your son has a decent shot to make the team.
C calisportsfan100+ posts
Personal story. Son cut as a junior from varsity. We would not change summer teams to that of the new head coach and were told if he did not he would be cut. Many on this board thought that couldn't be true but a year later, my son fielded 3 D1 offers, settled on one without a day on Varsity. The coach by the way was a one year wonder and didn't make any new friends in the process. My son is now starting over kids who are returning starters....

Never give up. Use injustice to your favor and learn how to land on top. I will never forget or forgive that coach though and won't hesitate to repay his "favor" if ever given the chance!
C calisportsfan100+ posts
Thank you Twotex. I appreciate the kind thoughts.
At the time it seemed like the world was falling apart. In reality, my son came through that disappointment an incredibly strong young man. He buckled down and didn't let one man get the better of him.

We didn't complain to the school because it would just seem like sour grapes and who was to know who was right, the coach and he wasn't very good or his parent, my son is the best? He just set out to know where he was going to play before tryouts came up this year and now there is no question in anyone's mind who was right and who was wrong.

It's a great story and as a parent, I would have liked to have shielded him from the experience. Goodness knows my house would have been an easier place to live last spring. I would have been wrong though. I can send my son off to college knowing full well he can handle anything that comes his way. The confidence I have in him and his ability to overcome life's hardships is nothing but a gift.

So, it's not lip service when I say to others let the kids find their way. They are ready to handle things before we as parents are ready to let them. Nothing I could have done to "help" my son would have allowed him the personal growth and confidence he now has.

I definitely will be a person on this board saying don't give up or let anyone else define your kid, but it MUST come from within your kid, not you.
C calisportsfan100+ posts
I'd say so. We are sharing experiences...this happens to be a positive one for a kid who was treated unfairly. Lot's of kids are treated unfairly so if there is a way to share a good outcome, then yes it probably helps the parent going through something similar. Is that a bad thing?

Tbis would be an example of a thread where I can help others without knowing how to teach a swing!
R RedSoxFan21500+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by HVbaseballDAD:
I know of a kid who quit as a junior when asked to change positions, came back as a senior and was cut, and is now on the roster of a big east team as a freshman.


OK moving past the REALLY volleys ..... I'm not so sure how impressed I am with a HS player unwilling to change positions for the HS team. Travel/Legion is where he is most likely to be scouted for where he REALLY wants to play, but HS is all about team. Play where you are needed.

Just because this guy landed on a college team doesn't make a lack of team commitment right.
Last edited by RedSoxFan21
VectorVector1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by TRhit:
since it is mostly parents who post and read here ----is the inspiration for them ?


I am assuming you are trying to keep up appearances as the forum curmudgeon?

In all seriousness it can help to inspire parents and in turn they can pass that inspiration on to their kids. Also, there are kids who come here to post as well, so it might help them to keep their chins up.

As an FYI, the boy I mentioned in the OP has been doing very well as a college freshman who was twice cut by his HS varsity team.

avg- .450 ab-20 r-4 h-9 2b-1 3b-1 rbi-5 slg%- .600 fld%- .968
H highheat15100+ posts
Gotta side a little bit with TRHit here....I'm a player (DIII school in UAA) but I've always felt this website to be a little more tailored to parents and not as player-friendly. Maybe its the fear of somebody figuring out who we truly are and the repercussions from saying how we really feel or just not feeling comfortable talking about baseball stuff with all adults, but it's widely apparent that there's few player posters or just alot hiding as parents.

I'm not trying to hijack this thread and start a huge argument, but I do believe that TRHit is exposing a pretty big elephant in the room. I do have a decent "getting srewed over" story that I overcame, but it's not as good for inspiration as others.

-Heat
T twotex1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Vector:
Those are some great stories, and I hope forum members keep posting them to help inspire those who might be in a similar situation.


I agree. The "similiar situation" might relate to a baseball player, or someone who has been given a bad deal at work, or lost their job unfairly.

One of the things I like about baseball is that the lessons it can teach can apply to - and inspire - folks in situations outside of baseball.

And I suspect that more than one parent who reads this will share these stories with their sons or daughters so that they can get some inspiration. And who knows, maybe there are some players lurking on the boards who will read this thread, and us parents will never even know.
Last edited by twotex
Dad04Dad045,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by HVbaseballDAD:
I know of a kid who quit as a junior when asked to change positions, came back as a senior and was cut, and is now on the roster of a big east team as a freshman.


I know a kid who transferred after his HS sophomore year because he couldn't crack the varsity roster. He made varsity his junior year at the new school, but was kicked off his HS team for drunk driving before opening day senior year. 8 years later he's in the big leagues. Pitched in the 2011 All-Star game.
Last edited by Dad04

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