Recently learned the story of a player who lost his confidence during his junior year and ended up struggling and losing his OF spot on a team which was very good.
The coaching staff had placed him in one of the better Summer leagues, which was a 2 day drive from his home (signed the league contract for a full season). Kid arrives and within 10 days the Summer league coach sends him packing with the message...not good enough to play.
College coaches are really upset both because of the signed contract and the fact the kid drove about 2,000 miles one way to get there only to be sent home with the long drive back.
Skip forward to this Spring and the same player starts as the 4th OF. His team ends up playing an early season series against a good team who's assistant coach was the Summer coach who sent him packing. He doesn't touch the field in the first 2 games. In game 3, with his team down one and the bases loaded and a starting OF heading to the plate, the HC pulls him back and pinch hits with...yup the kid who got the 4,000 mile round trip drive. He ends up working the count and putting a beautiful swing on a pitch, lining it right back up the middle scoring 2.
Next AB...3 run HR.
This weekend he mashes the ball and ends up conference offensive player of the week.
For me, a very nice story about losing your confidence and position, not quitting, a HC who never stops believing in his player, and putting 4,000 miles of bad road in the rear view mirror.
One intangible which is just so challenging to identify, measure and/or quantify in the recruiting process is the college HC who will go to the mat for our sons and who truly show it, not when things are great, but when things aren't great... and then give all the credit to the player who never gave up and worked harder than ever despite the confidence issues which got in the way.
