Playing time and chances for college...

Paz22 ...

First off, welcome to the HSBBW. I know you will learn a lot from all the information you find here (if you haven't already).

Your point is well understood by many of us, I am sure. This may be one of those cases where the tournaments, showcases, and travel teams will benefit the good players who are not able to get into many games because of the overload of talent on the team.

I am sure many of our experienced parents and friends of the HSBBW will chime in and give you some specific advice on how this situation can be handled. But I believe it is situations like this that prove the value of the non-high school teams that our sons participate (or have participated) in away from the high school fields.

While HS ball can provide exposure I will say that a really good summer team can provide even better exposure.

Many college teams do their recruiting in the summer not during HS season since they have limited time to see HS games during their own season.

Dont despair with limited HS playing time. Find that summer team that has top notch talent and does some travelling.

We went through the same thing. The school that my son went to has a long history of having kids drafted (over its history the school has more than 60 players sign professional contracts).

Also, the school has a history of being a "senior program." Most juniors sit, unless they are heads above any senior that is in front of them.

We just worked the process, knowing that college coaches are looking for committed student athletes that have the skill, heart, work ethic and desire to play college baseball.

The fact that your son is not playing his junior year should not get in the way of the process. He should be playing the highest level summer ball. Travel to the tournaments that will let him compete and at the same time expose him to college coaches and recruiters.

Market your son, if he plays summer ball and then again in his senior year, you can find a place to play in college. Use the showcases that matter. If your son has the skills he can always get an "invitiation."

Don't worry about the stats. College coaches recruite players that they believe will help their programs win. Your job is to help them understand how your son will fit their needs.

I would like to echo the comments of ILVBB. My son had a very similar experience...a pitcher who only pitched 2 innings his junior year. Went to some showcases, went to some camps, put together a bio and video (from summer ball) for schools that showed some (even just a little) interest. He is now a freshman pitcher at a midwest D1 program. As ILVBB said, follow the process, market your son and if there is talent, coaches will see it. good luck.

There in lies the answer to the importance or lack of stats

HS coaches have the responsability of expose their seniors to college coaches and recruters. And one of the ways it is to play more often senior players, even if they are not starters. A good HS coach is also measured by the % of their players that get to the next level.

quote:

HS coaches have the responsability of expose their Seniors

Is this true or is it way too late by then - seems to me you need to be getting exposure for Juniors. Either way we all know its about summer ball not the HS season.

I wonder why we are sending out so many HS schedules to college coaches since the HS season is not important? I wonder why there were several ml scouts at our last scrimmage since the HS season is not important? Exposure? Everytime you step on the field be it practice or games you are getting exposure. A coaches job first and foremost is to put the players on the field that give his team the best chance to win that day. If you have players that can play at the next level its not very hard to pick up the phone or send out an email. Most of the time they have already called and asked you if you have any they need to see. Quality summer programs are outstanding for players. But the HS season is very important as well.

Great post, Coach May. Our team played a game the other day in front of as many as 20 scouts and other pro representatives. The value of high school competition is sometimes greatly understated here. Mostly it depends on the quality of high school talent on the field. And I have seen plenty of college coaches at high school regular season games here in Phoenix, along with an amazing number of pro scouts regularly.

Coach May
That is the problem, the responsability of a HS coach it is not "To win Games". The responsability of a HS coach goes a lot farer than to win games. Exposure doesn't mean only to be in the field, exposure in part is to help the seniors to get a place where to go after HS, according with the player ability and grades.

Ok guys we are not here to win games. I dont care how many games we win this year. And neither should you. We are here to get you to the next level. So I will sit all the Jr's and Soph's this year and only the sr's will play. Are you serious? The coaches job first and foremost is to get exposure for his kids and not win games? Your first job is to coach them and develop them as players and young men in order to win games and championships. If you do this you will have players that are capable of playing at the next level. We have never had a kid that had the desire and ability to play at the next level that did not do so. Were going to disagree on this one. No big deal.

quote:

Originally posted by Coach May:
Your first job is to coach them and develop them as players and young men in order to win games and championships. If you do this you will have players that are capable of playing at the next level.

I have to agree completely with Coach May on this. I will admit that it is great when you have a HS coach that is willing to promote and assist your player in getting recognition, but that isn’t their job. My son was fortunate in that his HS coach is always willing to talk to coaches and scouts and do what he can for his players, but he will tell you his job is to develop players and win games. There are other HS coaches in our area that do little to help promote their players – it varies by coach. These guys have a lot on their plate and can’t do everything for everybody, so just be glad when you have a coach that is willing to help in the recruiting process. If you don’t have that type of coach, just be glad you know about this site and play travel ball.

The OP's target was college ball.

Therefore, my comments were related strictly to college.

MLB scouts definitely see HS games but getting a college coach to see you play in HS is harder.

Coach May, you just are exaggerating my point of view. To win is important, but as a coach you have other important things to do. I think that success in HS coaching have lot to do with your ability to place players to the next level. There are a lot of HS teams that don't need a coach to win games, because they don't have no competition in their dictric(just one example). At HS scheadule there are lot of games that doesn't mean nothing in the standing and are aproppiated to include non regular players in the line-up. I know that you understand what I mean and I know that you agree with me also.