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Rollercoaster of Emotion...

PH Pat H100+ posts
Yesterday was the final day of cuts for my son's middle school baseball team. The coach only takes 7th and 8th graders..mainly 8th. He is in 7th grade. Throughout the week I was wondering how the coach was going to pick these kids. I have coached most of the kids who were tyring out throughout their LL years. And I can tell you that the 7th graders are just as good if not better than most of the 8th graders. Well after nerves running wild and rounds of cuts my son is a Mustang. But the success was bitter sweet. A kid that I look at like a son, a kid I have coached since he was 8..my son's best friend got cut on the final day. This kid has dedicated his life to baseball. He is a tall lefty who can flat out pitch, and play a good first base. Knowing 99% of the kids on the team personally, I can't fathom how this kid was not chosen. When I see this kid tonight I am going to explain that sometimes life can't be understood and you have to move on and let it drive you more...and as I type this I realize I have to follow the same advise.

Thanks to all of you who have posted your experiences and advise in dealing with this baseball "stuff". With a heavy heart..Go Mustangs.
"Go show your father that baseball." - Sandy Koufax (this is what Sandy Koufax said to me after he signed my baseball and found out I didn't know who he was. I was 12 yrs old.)
Last edited {1}
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FungoFungoHighly Regarded and Beloved Old Timer
What a GREAT opportunity for all the adults involved in this young man's life to make a positive impression on him. The question is not who is to blame or who is at fault or how the young man is going to handle the situation but rather how are the adults going to handle it? What will they do?
Fungo
PH Pat H100+ posts
Fungo,
Couldn't agree more. For me, I plan on letting him know that we all have to learn, and grow, from this. Does this kid have a lot of baseball ahead of him? Of course. But right now, to him, this is big. I also can't dwell on this, as my son did make the team. So not only do I have an opportunity to help a kid out dealing with failure, I also have the opportunity to show my son that now he has to work harder. That this is not the end but just another beginning.
coach2709coach270910,000+ posts
That's a good thing you are going to tell the boy but add this to it - is he going to let this one set back motivate him or destroy him? It doesn't matter why he got cut - he got cut. Now is he going to work his butt off to make himself better to the point he can't be cut next year or will he sit around and do nothing.

I'm with Fungo on this - the adults can do a lot of good here to help this kid become successful competitor in life. He doesn't know any better so it's up to responsible adults to make sure he takes the right approach to this.

Nothing wrong with feeling upset / mad over this but the more important thing is what's he going to do now?
piaa_umppiaa_ump5,000+ posts
congrats to your son.....and as to your "other son"........we have come to that bend in the baseball road where decisions will be made and a test will be taken on perseverence and character....

Many take this test (most of us have)..some pass and some fail...the first time a young person meets adversity, it can be a daunting time....if he he allows the negative influence to override his optimisim, it will be the event that makes or breaks his baseball career...

Like Fungo says, this is a great opportunity for the adults in this young mans life to show him the path....

One of my baseball coaches said that:

"It wasnt enough for a man to show a boy the stars....."

" You have to be willing to let him stand on your shoulders to get there..."

Good luck to both...
Coach_MayCoach_May10,000+ posts
Its not how or where you start the race its how you finish it. This young man is going to be hurting. His pride is going to be hurting. His confidence may be shaken. Those that really care about him will encourage him and assist him in dealing with this. This may indeed be the motivation needed to take him to a level in the game he might otherwise never reached. I tend to look at situations like this as an opportunity. An opportunity to have a come back. An opportunity to prove everyone wrong. An opportunity to find out what your really made of.

You can't have a great comeback if your never down. You will never understand what it takes to overcome if your never in a situation where you have to overcome. This is an opportunity for this young man. Embrace this challenge and overcome it.
RJMRJMHSBaseballWeb member since 2007
Tell the cut kids it's just a matter of numbers. If a kid believes in himself getting cut in 7th grade on a team full of 8th graders is just a speed bump on the way to success if he sees it that way.

What the cut kids need to see is there are a handful of 7th graders they need to get better than over the next few years if they want to play high school varsity someday. For some it will happen naturally just by growing.

If you coached these kids before continue coaching them. Put together a 13U travel team and play in AAU and USSSA leagues and tournaments. They can improve far more in thirty, forty games over the summer than twelve to fourteen school games.

If you need help in organizing a 13U travel team there are plenty of people on this board who have done it. I'm willing to help. I can probably hook you up with people coaching travel in MA and RI who know your area from the inside if I can track them down on other boards.
Last edited by RJM

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