Logjam of college... Coaches Too !

😕

Sorry to hear that scenario play out.  Hope Kid Cabbage keeps after it + secures something better!

CabbageDad;

Add the 900 pro scouts to the "mix". Australia and New Zealand Baseball Pro and Club programs are interesting. The Country requires a 2 week quarantine. Their summer are October to March. Work visa required.

Bob

My son is studying for his coaching qualification in Iowa. Once he finishes it he'll be able to help out with our high school team and get some idea of whether coaching is something he may someday think about pursuing. In the meantime, the class is keeping him busy.

Fully understand.  Son finished 3rd year at his school with very good success but there are no openings for HC's even at the lower levels or jucos.  He like many will stay where they are which for him is a good situation but every driven person wants to move up. 

Also minor league coaches of the 40 cut minor league teams could lose jobs and get into college coaching.

Between less milb teams, less draft rounds und discontinued baseball programs this isn't an easy time for coaches. Third paid coach also is off the agenda due to corona so not the best time to get into coaching albeit the really good ones still will be in demand.

@cabbagedad posted:

For all of the discussions we have been having about players, much of the same applies to those in the college coaching ranks, maybe even more so.

*With the early suspension of this past season, there will be much less firings/hirings based  on last year's failures and successes, thus less open positions and advancement. 

*With the sudden magnitude of MiLB players released, we will likely see quite a few decide to jump into the college coaching arena. 

*With those same players available now to fill lower minors ops and development positions, there will be less advancement of college coaches into those roles, thus fewer new college spots open. 

*With the much lower numbers of drafted players, some of those seniors not drafted will likely jump into the college coaching arena.  

*With graduating players staring at a difficult to non-existent job market, many may choose to look at college coaching in the interim.

*With ex-pro and ex-college players who find themselves out of their regular job due to covid, many may look to college coaching for the time being.

*As colleges close and/or cut programs, coaches who would have otherwise stayed at those programs now must look for one of the more and more elusive spots elsewhere. 

Son, like many others, is dealing with some of this now.  He has made really good progress  the last 3-4 years sort of fast tracking through the typical ladder-climbing steps and now everything is turned upside down.  Last year, he was patient and able to let things play out before landing in a good progression spot.  This time around, there is real concern about a major glut of new candidates flooding an already overcrowded supply.

To add to all that, the HC's are adjusting to the new norm too.  Son got out early trying to secure his next spot and interviewed with several.  He was assured he would be offered the position at one school once they completed the interview process so he respectfully declined on a handful of other offers.  Then, come the day he was going to accept the offer, the HC came back and told him they found someone else who, previously, they didn't think they had a chance to get based on (over)qualifications.  So HC backtracked on son and left him high and dry.  Ouch.  Now it becomes much tougher to wait things out as the market floods.

Good luck to all you young coaches out there too!

 

The coach made a mistake. Overqualified people aren’t committed and don’t hang around. They’re gone as soon as the right position becomes available.

Cabbage,

Great observations and analysis of the coaching challenges.  Sorry to hear your son got screwed, but I trust if he perseveres he'll break through.  I've found that when tough times hit an industry, young people usually come out ok.  It's the mid-career and late-career people that have rested on their laurels or are highly paid who are most vulnerable.

@RJM posted:

The coach made a mistake. Overqualified people aren’t committed and don’t hang around. They’re gone as soon as the right position becomes available.

This is pretty much spot on, however in the college coaching ranks it seems that most young guys bounce year to year. It is just the nature of the industry. 

@Smitty28 posted:

Cabbage,

  I've found that when tough times hit an industry, young people usually come out ok.  It's the mid-career and late-career people that have rested on their laurels or are highly paid who are most vulnerable.

in corporate America you are spot on. 

@old_school posted:

This is pretty much spot on, however in the college coaching ranks it seems that most young guys bounce year to year. It is just the nature of the industry. 

Yes, definitely the nature of the industry ..  I know most in the conversation here know this but for others...

One of the reasons for this is the necessity to get through a lengthy progression of ladder steps before you get to a paid position.  A typical route is student asst./ grad asst., director of ops/player development, volunteer asst., paid asst./RC, HC.  There may also be a step back in position in order to move up a level of play (D3 to D1, etc.) which is also a common move to improve long term resume.  Most of these positions are paid primarily via camp money and now that income pipeline is a big question mark with the covid issues ending most camps for the time.  Sometimes a voly asst. at a P5 or otherwise high profile D1 can make decent money but most still make very little.  Someone with pro ball experience can often skip a few steps but even many high profile ex-pro players come in as volunteer assistants.

When son made the move to director of ops at a D1 last year ( a move back from a paid asst. at a lower level school), the HC was very open at the interview that the objective would be to get him in and out after one year so that he can progress quickly to his next ladder step of volunteer asst. at a D1.  Thus, the reason for another quick turn-around move now.  The HC has been very good about following through on his word and has been supportive of his efforts all along the way.

Some good points are made by others about yet more reasons for a real logjam here.  And thanks for the support... agree, he is young, driven and hungry and will make his way.  Just a particularly tough time now as it is with players.