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The McKinney Marshals (www.McKinneymarshals.com) have announced their tryout schedule for their Summer 2008 15U and 17U teams. Tryouts will be at PLANO EAST HIGH SCHOOL on November 3 and 4 and the COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL freshman baseball field (located behind the football stadium) on November 10 &11. In the case of inclement weather call 214-551-9546. Our 16U and 18U teams are FULL.

The tryout schedule is as follows:

November 3 and 4 Plano East High School
12 noon 15U
130pm 17U

November 10 and 11 Coppell High Freshman Field
12 noon 15U (located behind the football stadium)
130pm 17U

The cost to play for the Marshals is $1,700. This cost covers EVERYTHING except travel expenses. The Marshals will field 6 teams in 2008: 2-15u teams, 16u, 2-17u teams, and one 18U. Our teams play an estimated 40-50 games depending on weather and tournament finishes. We play in the Lone Star Baseball League and play in 6 showcase tournaments or invitationals.

Don't let the name McKinney fool you. We have kids play for us from as far as Mesquite, Midlothian, Keller, and even the far west town of Lewisville. We are a true metroplex select program with proven success.

For the fourth year in a row, our 15 year old team will be once again headed by Mark Ferrer (Former player at OCU) Devon Mize (Former player at AC) and Jake Self (Former player at AC). Their team was 25-8 last summer and finished in the semi’s at the AABC 15U State/Regional.

We will have a second 15U team for the Marshals this year for the first time. This group will be headed by local youth and HS summer league coach Keith Furnish, who has coached with the Nortex Red Hawks, Dallas Mustangs, Centerfield Sting and Dallas Braves. Keith has over 10 years of experience coaching youth/HS baseball. On Keith’s staff we will have Adam Yates (former player at SNU/OSU) and Kemp Lowery (former TCL Marshals coach).

Our 17 year old team will be headed again by "Evil" Dave Ostroff (Former player at Dartmouth) Brian "BT" Thomas (Former player TAMU) and Andrew Embry (Former player at UH).Their team went 30-7 last summer won the 16U LSBL league title for the second year in a row and finished first at the Premier World Series at TAMU.

Our second 17U team will be headed by first year Marshals coaches Dave Hadeler (Former Dragons 16u coach), Mike Ford (Former Patriots coach), and Ron Bohannon (Former Patriots coach). Coach Hadeler’s 16U Dragons team went 39-9 last summer, won an AABC state championship and made it to the AABC regional.

Please see our team's website at www.McKinneymarshals.com or If you have any questions, call 214 551 9546. There is no fee to tryout.
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Ags-

Our teams will be doing some national travel next summer. We have some teams taking 3 trips at the least that require air travel. We have never done this before. The travel costs incurred for 3 coaches is very steep for a 5-7 day event. We pay the coaches salary and we added a travel stipend so the coach would not lose money for the summer.

The national tournaments are expensive. Instead of paying $550-750 for a local tournament, we are now faced with $1000-1250 tournament fees. We also play in a league, so that eats away at the costs.

Our coaches are now paid a very competitive 2 month salary and have their travel covered. I think it is fair...With checking with other clubs, our coaches pay is now in line with the other clubs in town...

Each of our parents are offered a peek at their teams budget at our annual Feb meeting. In four years, I have never had a parent ask to see it. I feel that our parents and players are satisfied customers.

I hope this answers your question...
Last edited by catcher
catcher -- you're simply a class act.....all the way around. There are baseball choices to make each summer and fall. We all make mistakes along the way -- yes, I made one once Cool -- but it's nice to see several solid organizations with great baseball men running them. Parents, colleges from all over the country look to Texas for kids that know how to play the game the right way.......not just kids with tools, but PLAYERS. The top programs help players develop into PLAYERS.
The McKinney Marshals (www.McKinneymarshals.com) will have one final tryout scheduled for this Saturday only (December 1) for their 15U teams. The tryout will begin at 230pm.

Tryouts will be at Gabe Nesbit Field at The Ballfields at Craig Ranch (Alma and St Hwy 121).In the case of inclement weather call 903 436 0639.

Our 16U, 17U and 18U teams are FULL.
Last edited by catcher
The cost of select baseball continues to rise to exorbitant levels. Does anyone really think these "coaches" can really help your kid in 6 or 7 weeks? If so, why aren't their own high school programs better when they have the kids year round? And whatqualifies someone as fit to be around and mold young men-playing juco ball? Schlepping around low class minor league ball for a couple of years? It is lunacy! How much practice do they do? Subsidizing the incomes of people who weren't good enough to make it on their own is ludicrous. Now Rusty Greer has some credentials but these other guys? It is crazy and the lunacy only increase each season. SHow me someone who isn't making money off of kids and then you will see someone who is doing what they do for the love of the game.
Sounds like most of them are AVERAGE high school coaches. I have been down this road with an older one who is playing college ball and another one who will follow in his footsteps and my experience tells me it is a rip off. We have played with the most prominent area teams and guest played with others out of the area and I still cannot figure out what you are getting for your money. Minimal, if any, practices and these teams seem to only want to recruit better players each year. Not develop or train what has been loyal to them but cut and recruit. Cut and recruit. If they are such masterful teachers why can they not teach what they have? Take a kid's money for 2 or 3 years and then drop him when you see something that is more talented. Some even have the audacity to charge you to try out! That should send a red flag out to people right away about what that group is concerned about. That is what happens and we all know it. You basically end up paying these guys to fill out a line up card and coach the games. That is the easy part. The practices is where the work is. But since they are nobody's dad on the team that makes them know more baseball and makes them unbiased. Show me more Jim Perry types or Thom Bloodworth types or from a few years ago the guy who ran the Texas Colts. They all know baseball and did not have to charge money to teach it. It has become money ball-baseball for rich boys.
20 grumpy old man-

Most of these boys have practiced daily since January by the time they hit the select team field in May...what is it you want to practice? Virtually every one of these kids works out on his own or gets hitting/pitching lessons. Are you going to work on hitting the cut-off man on a ball hit off the wall or work on turning two?

Most of these coaches do their teaching in the dugout. Much of what a 15U-18U kid needs is in the mental aspect and finer points of the game. There are things that occur in almost every game that a coach can show the players where to improve. Most of these teams play upwards of 50 games in the summer, many in front of scouts and at colleges. That costs money. When are you going to practice?

So I tell you what...you start a new team that practices all summer and plays a 25 game schedule and I bet you can attract average to below average players and coach them into superstars.

By the way, where is the metroples?
Last edited by tychco
I'm not saying I agree with him but I think he makes a few good points. The summer coaches for PS3 are HS coaches. They are not necessarily better than my son's HS coaches, but they have better talent to mold. They are however better than most baseball dads, I think. Like any job, their salaries are based on what the market will bear. And, in our experience, they do have great love for the game. This discussion should not be here in a Marshals thread -- it applies to most select situations in today's world. Let's move it or shut down this line of talk.

Bump for catcher. Cool
Last edited by Panther Dad
Those parents sure don't seem to mind not forking out several grand for a summer of baseball to play for Bloodworth. My point in lumping the two names together is they do not choose to make money by gouging parents. Why would you possibly need 3 coaches for 6 or 7 weeks of baseball especially if you ARE NOT practicing?
In response to what should they practice-"balls hit off the wall or turning two" I say yes to both. Practice the heck outta them. I watched Garrido's last national championship team at UT work out in Omaha during the week of the finals. Gee, they practiced relays, cutoffs, bunt coverages, and amazingly enough - turning two! But you are right, 15 and 16 year olds don't need to do that. Just show up and play and bank on what you yourself have called "average high school coaches" having taught you everything you need to know. You can't argue that one both ways! It is just my opinion, select baseball has gotten exorbitantly expensive. The return rate is small : how much are you wanting to invest to perhaps get a 25% scholarship? Sock that money away and you will come out ahead. The sad part is, if your kid wants to play at a high level, you now have no choice. That still doesn't make it right.
This is not my first rodeo in baseball and although I've posted on occassion (and lurk often) I gotta get my two cents worth in on this subject.

I will say that with respect to the Marshal's coaches that we have been extremely pleased with the entire bunch of them including those that coached the 17u team last year that seem to have sparked Grumpy Old Guys comments. I like having 3. One to specifically handle the pithers; and my son isn't even a pitcher. The coaches were supportive, instructive and pushed when they needed pushing. Could you practice more? Maybe. But this is true for any high school age summer select team. Tycho is right (as always) that they've been playing since January and coupled with lessons, playoffs, etc and the last thing they want to do is practice in 100 degree heat. At some point just let them go play.

My thoughts on Mr Perry are no secret. But there are many fine men who spend countless hours giving back to the game by helping boys become young men and good baseball players become better baseball players. I don't always agree with the line-up, the starting pitcher, when to pull-or not pull a pitcher, pitch selection, etc. But hey, I'm a lot smarter now that I'm on the side of the fence that has bleachers instead of a bucket. Thank you for what you do.
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