Tufts University

Well, it is 3 and a half years later and my son was just cut this morning after a career of playing in 7 JV games (where he batted .600 with a 1.500 slugging %) and getting 1 at-bat for the big squad (flyout to deep center) and 2 innings in the outfield (no balls hit to him) last year.  My advice to anyone who will listen is to avoid Tufts like the plague.  PM me for the details, but you just can't make up how warped this program is. 

HV ... You might want to delete your post, calm down and turn your post into a valuable lessons learned about college ball post. For every negative point you can make about Tufts I can dig up a player who swears by the program and Coach Casey.

Coach Casey is a little rough around the edges. A Dorchester guy is an odd fit for a preppy school like Tufts. He played at Tufts. His successses speak for themselves.

i first witnessed what I called questionable behavior by coach Casey watching Tufts play the Trinity CT team that won it all. He had to apologize to Trinity for his behavior. Since then I've talked with Tufts players. A friend's son recently played for them. Almost all the players swear by Casey. The term the players and parents use is, "He has the player's backs." 

Several years ago I was watching the NESCAC tournament at Tufts. With a game running late I got a chance to chat with a couple of Tufts players against the fence while they were waiting to take the field. One was a kid was a senior. He started freshman year. He lost his job and sat the bench the next three years. He said he loved Casey and would go to war for him. Not many benched players have this kind of devotion to a coach. 

I realize Coach Casey isn't everyone's favorite flavor of coach. Most of the opposition detests him. But to rip on the program the way you have is absurd. The counter argument would be his very long successful track record..

I don't have a connection to Tufts. My son played elsewhere. I tended to watch BC/ACC games when I didn't travel to see my son play. If BC was out of town I sometimes watched Tufts play. It was a good bike ride from the beach.

Look on the bright side. Your son will walk away with a degree from Tufts. It puts him in a great position applying for jobs or grad school..

Sorry to hear that HV. Tough news to get on opening day, and with only 30 guys listed on the roster. I hope his academic experience is going better than the baseball side.

I'd say that HVBASEBALLDAD provided his (very) candid input about a long-term negative experience. And I'd say that folks interested in Tufts would want to see that thread as one perspective to consider (and perhaps discount or ignore) when evaluating Tufts. I know HSBW tries to be positive and give the benefit of the doubt, but it should not strive to be Pollyanna-land either. My two cents.

RJM,

You have no clue.

Very sorry to hear HV.  Best of luck to your son.  As others have mentioned, it's a great school and I hope his academic experience has been a good one.

I agree with Batty67 that a lot of what makes this a valuable forum is getting candid views of what experiences players/parents have had with coaches and schools.  A lot of these threads like HV's original post end and then nobody ever gets to see how the story played out.  We are just as interested in learning about those that end badly as those that end well.  Discovering if they would do anything differently that might help guide the rest of families going through this process.  Of course every kid and every situation is different, but let the readers decide if they want to take the risk.

Thanks HV for updating your original post and best wishes to you and your son in moving past the baseball phase into hopefully a successful career made better from his learning experience at Tufts.

One lesson I think players and parents can take from this story, as well as that of another member, SluggerDad, is that one should be very wary of any D3 school with a JV baseball program.  I'd rather see my kid sink or swim on V than get strung along on JV.

Anyway like the others say, at least he's getting a Tufts degree and I hope the academic part of his experience has been better.

HVBaseballDad,

I'm also very disappointed to hear about your son's Tufts experience.  Sometimes it is very difficult to explain to people outside a program what it is really like, and difficult for those outside the program to understand what really goes on.  Been there.  At least a thousand times (over 4 years) I've said to myself or my wife (when she doesn't have her earplugs in) ...."what the f*ck is Coach X thinking now" while watching a college baseball game.   I've heard many knowledgeable parents say it under their breath as well.  I've come to the conclusion the Peter principle is alive and well in college baseball and many of them can read a radar gun and a stopwatch, but many are not good at evaluating talent or providing the right or appropriate opportunities.   Those coaches that are experienced and are good at evaluating talent wind up at top baseball schools in top baseball conferences.

I feel your frustration, however there isn't much you can do except to warn people that it could be a future problem.  My hope is that your son gets a great education from a great school and parlays that into his professional career. 

All of this is just my opinion.  Best of luck!

A few thoughts:

1.  Is it OK to post highly critical comments ("warped") about a specific college program on this forum?

I don't know.

2.  I'd expect college coaches would conform to a bell curve:  a minority aren't very competent, another minority are remarkably good, and the majority falls somewhere in the middle.  (Call me Captain Obvious.)

3.  To some degree, all head coaches have a bulls-eye on their back  (I can't remember who said, "Keep the bench players who hate you away from the  bench players who are undecided.") 

HVbaseballDAD posted:

RJM,

You have no clue.

You son had a bad experience. It doesn't mean Tufts is a bad place to play. I know too many kids who would say otherwise. I realize Casey *** isn't everyone's cup of tea. But ripping on an incredibly successful coach doesn't sell. 

*** I thought he was a horse's behind the first game I saw him coach. It might have been his lowest moment. He had to apologize to the player, coach and college president of the other school. So I asked questions. I found out most players respect him. I had parents tell me they respect him. 

Backstop22 posted:

I agree with Batty67 that a lot of what makes this a valuable forum is getting candid views of what experiences players/parents have had with coaches and schools.  A lot of these threads like HV's original post end and then nobody ever gets to see how the story played out.  We are just as interested in learning about those that end badly as those that end well.  Discovering if they would do anything differently that might help guide the rest of families going through this process.  Of course every kid and every situation is different, but let the readers decide if they want to take the risk.

Thanks HV for updating your original post and best wishes to you and your son in moving past the baseball phase into hopefully a successful career made better from his learning experience at Tufts.

It would be valuable to detail his son's experience. Just ripping on the program without information is not valuable. I'll bet every program in the country has been ripped by some dad. All he's trying to do is get payback on the baseball program. It won't work. There are too many players who want to play there. Even if HV discourages a player Tufts will find another just like him. 

This could have been a valuable main thread leaving out the school's name and providing details. Then he could have done PM's with interested parties. Posting Tufts baseball sucks isn't valuable. I guarantee you there are plenty of readers rolling their eyes like I am. 

I'm not trying to be difficult with HV. It's a shame his son's baseball experience didn't work out. But the way HV has handled it sucks. He will probably realize it in a day or two. 

I also appreciate the candor and the "closure" of the story of what happened.  Many times people leave this forum once their kid makes it to college, pros or of course stops playing, and it is good to hear how things went for someone, or did not in this case.  

HV, I am sorry to hear about your son's experience. While I equally appreciate the support for this particular coach from others, it is second and third and further hand...whereas your experience is first hand (or your son's is at least).  

It might be useful to be a bit more constructive about some of the negative lessons or warning signs, or promises made to your son.  Four years ago they were aggressively recruiting him.  Clearly Tufts was an academic fit - so what happened?  Did they over recruit?  Did Coach Casey play favorites (despite their performance)? I mean, the overall record does not mean they could have not been even better had other guys played.  Our HS coach insists on playing certain kids, despite how they perform in games, and it can go under the radar screen if we win anyway.

Does the coaching staff use certain metrics that kept your son from getting playing time?  Was there something your son did that put him on the "negative" list (ie take an afternoon lab, not play over the summer, junior semester abroad, etc.)?  Clearly as an OF this was not about pitching velocity so I'm not even going to go there.  Was your son healthy all 4 years?  

I am sure this is painful for him, you and your family.  My son had some initial discussions with Tufts (including Casey's son who is now RC), and they told him "they are on a good position and can afford to be picky about who they recruit."  I have to add my son did not like the campus at all and scratched it from his list pretty early on as he felt it was in suburbia and he preferred to be in the city, despite the fact it is only a few T stops away! 

Twoboys,

I will gladly relay specifics to anyone in a Private Message.

RJM,

I hope you enjoy the view from your high horse because you have no clue what goes on down on the ground at Tufts. 

HVbaseballDAD posted:

Twoboys,

I will gladly relay specifics to anyone in a Private Message.

RJM,

I hope you enjoy the view from your high horse because you have no clue what goes on down on the ground at Tufts. 

I'm not here to get in a pissing match with you. It's too bad baseball didn't work out for your kid. I disagree based on having known Tufts players and parents. I disagree with how you've handled the situation. But congratulations! You're the one millionth college parent to rip a coach because it didn't work out for their kid. Most don't go to a sports board to do it. You will strut around proud you discouraged a prospect from playing for Tufts. But the Tufts program and Casey will go on and on. 

Tufts is one of the sacred cows on this site...say something negative at your own risk!

old_school posted:

Tufts is one of the sacred cows on this site...say something negative at your own risk!

 

Yeah, go figure ...

Tufts University head coach John Casey, now in his 34th season, is one of the most respected leaders in collegiate baseball.

Coach Casey served as President of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) for 2016. A member of the ABCA's leadership team for several years, he ascended to the Presidency after serving as a Vice President for four years. He is a member of the ABCA Board of Directors.

On the field, Coach Casey's Jumbos earned one of their most successful seasons in 2016. Tufts advanced further than any New England team in the NCAA Regionals, reaching the championship round before falling to eventual national runner-up Keystone College. Tufts won the 2016 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship and their 35-8 final record was the most wins for a season in program history.

Since 2010, Tufts has earned four NCAA berths and won three NESCAC titles under Coach Casey. The Jumbos won back-to-back conference crowns and earned #1 seeds at the 2010 and 2011 NCAA New England Regional Tournaments. They returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2014. The program has received six national berths and won four conference titles during Coach Casey’s tenure overall. Tufts captured its eighth NESCAC East Division pennant last spring and hosted the conference championship.

The 2014 Jumbos presented Coach Casey with the 600th victory of his career, a 5-1 win at Bowdoin on April 27 of that season. He was the 43rd coach in NCAA Div. III Baseball history to reach the 600 wins milestone and the seventh among New England Division III mentors. A 1980 Tufts graduate, Casey has directed the Jumbos for 33 seasons at his alma mater and amassed a 669-385-4 record. He is 17th among active coaches and 36th all-time for Division III coaching victories.

Casey's teams have featured five players who signed professionally and several All-Americans. Randy Newsom, a 2004 Tufts graduate, signed with the Boston Red Sox. He was traded to Cleveland as part of a deal for Coco Crisp, and he advanced to the Indians’ Triple A affiliate in Buffalo. Pitcher Jeff Taglienti and outfielder Dan Callahan are also Jumbos coached by Casey who were drafted by Major League organizations. Last spring, pitcher Speros Varinos was honored as an All-American and Northeast Pitcher of the Year by D3baseball.com.

Tufts players have also been recognized for their academic achievement and commitment to community service during Casey’s tenure. Catcher Bryan Egan, a 2015 graduate, and shortstop Scott Staniewicz, a 2013 graduate, were named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Division III Baseball Teams. The team holds an annual 100 inning charity game supporting Homes for Our Troops among its many community service activities.

In November 1999, Coach Casey was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Boston Park League, the oldest amateur baseball league in the country. In 2000, the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) presented him the Jack Butterfield Award, its most prestigious honor. He received the Andy Baylock Distinguished Service Award from the NEIBA in 2005. Casey was promoted to Assistant Athletics Director at Tufts in 2001.

As an undergraduate, he helped pitch the Jumbos to consecutive ECAC Division II-III Tournament appearances. Also a tight end on 1979’s undefeated football team, he returned to Tufts a year later as a baseball and football assistant. He replaced Lee Sargent as head baseball coach in 1984. The program has recorded 25 winning seasons during his tenure.

Several former players and assistant coaches under Casey are now successful coaches at the college or high school level. Paul Svagdis, a 1993 graduate, guided Azusa Pacific University to two straight NAIA College World Series berths recently. Jamie Pinzino, a 1997 Tufts graduate, is the associated head coach at Virginia Tech. Former assistant coach Jason Tower is now the head coach at Roger Williams.

RJM posted:

old_school posted:

Tufts is one of the sacred cows on this site...say something negative at your own risk!

 

Yeah, go figure ...

Tufts University head coach John Casey, now in his 34th season, is one of the most respected leaders in collegiate baseball.

Coach Casey served as President of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) for 2016. A member of the ABCA's leadership team for several years, he ascended to the Presidency after serving as a Vice President for four years. He is a member of the ABCA Board of Directors.

On the field, Coach Casey's Jumbos earned one of their most successful seasons in 2016. Tufts advanced further than any New England team in the NCAA Regionals, reaching the championship round before falling to eventual national runner-up Keystone College. Tufts won the 2016 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship and their 35-8 final record was the most wins for a season in program history.

Since 2010, Tufts has earned four NCAA berths and won three NESCAC titles under Coach Casey. The Jumbos won back-to-back conference crowns and earned #1 seeds at the 2010 and 2011 NCAA New England Regional Tournaments. They returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2014. The program has received six national berths and won four conference titles during Coach Casey’s tenure overall. Tufts captured its eighth NESCAC East Division pennant last spring and hosted the conference championship.

The 2014 Jumbos presented Coach Casey with the 600th victory of his career, a 5-1 win at Bowdoin on April 27 of that season. He was the 43rd coach in NCAA Div. III Baseball history to reach the 600 wins milestone and the seventh among New England Division III mentors. A 1980 Tufts graduate, Casey has directed the Jumbos for 33 seasons at his alma mater and amassed a 669-385-4 record. He is 17th among active coaches and 36th all-time for Division III coaching victories.

Casey's teams have featured five players who signed professionally and several All-Americans. Randy Newsom, a 2004 Tufts graduate, signed with the Boston Red Sox. He was traded to Cleveland as part of a deal for Coco Crisp, and he advanced to the Indians’ Triple A affiliate in Buffalo. Pitcher Jeff Taglienti and outfielder Dan Callahan are also Jumbos coached by Casey who were drafted by Major League organizations. Last spring, pitcher Speros Varinos was honored as an All-American and Northeast Pitcher of the Year by D3baseball.com.

Tufts players have also been recognized for their academic achievement and commitment to community service during Casey’s tenure. Catcher Bryan Egan, a 2015 graduate, and shortstop Scott Staniewicz, a 2013 graduate, were named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Division III Baseball Teams. The team holds an annual 100 inning charity game supporting Homes for Our Troops among its many community service activities.

In November 1999, Coach Casey was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Boston Park League, the oldest amateur baseball league in the country. In 2000, the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) presented him the Jack Butterfield Award, its most prestigious honor. He received the Andy Baylock Distinguished Service Award from the NEIBA in 2005. Casey was promoted to Assistant Athletics Director at Tufts in 2001.

As an undergraduate, he helped pitch the Jumbos to consecutive ECAC Division II-III Tournament appearances. Also a tight end on 1979’s undefeated football team, he returned to Tufts a year later as a baseball and football assistant. He replaced Lee Sargent as head baseball coach in 1984. The program has recorded 25 winning seasons during his tenure.

Several former players and assistant coaches under Casey are now successful coaches at the college or high school level. Paul Svagdis, a 1993 graduate, guided Azusa Pacific University to two straight NAIA College World Series berths recently. Jamie Pinzino, a 1997 Tufts graduate, is the associated head coach at Virginia Tech. Former assistant coach Jason Tower is now the head coach at Roger Williams.

congrats you cut and pate well!!

 I didn't say a negative thing about tufts, I said they were sacred...thanks for immediately lending accuracy to my thoughts and comment.

RJM posted:

HVbaseballDAD posted:

Twoboys,

I will gladly relay specifics to anyone in a Private Message.

RJM,

I hope you enjoy the view from your high horse because you have no clue what goes on down on the ground at Tufts. 

I'm not here to get in a pissing match with you. It's too bad baseball didn't work out for your kid. I disagree based on having known Tufts players and parents. I disagree with how you've handled the situation. But congratulations! You're the one millionth college parent to rip a coach because it didn't work out for their kid. Most don't go to a sports board to do it. You will strut around proud you discouraged a prospect from playing for Tufts. But the Tufts program and Casey will go on and on. 

I am not seeking any urine-soaked outcomes either RJM, and I most definitely do NOT have a horse in this race, but its pretty disingenuous to say you are not looking to escalate this disagreement and then...you do. A lot. 

Batty67 posted:

RJM posted:

HVbaseballDAD posted:

Twoboys,

I will gladly relay specifics to anyone in a Private Message.

RJM,

I hope you enjoy the view from your high horse because you have no clue what goes on down on the ground at Tufts. 

I'm not here to get in a pissing match with you. It's too bad baseball didn't work out for your kid. I disagree based on having known Tufts players and parents. I disagree with how you've handled the situation. But congratulations! You're the one millionth college parent to rip a coach because it didn't work out for their kid. Most don't go to a sports board to do it. You will strut around proud you discouraged a prospect from playing for Tufts. But the Tufts program and Casey will go on and on. 

I am not seeking any urine-soaked outcomes either RJM, and I most definitely do NOT have a horse in this race, but its pretty disingenuous to say you are not looking to escalate this disagreement and then...you do. A lot. 

the same who early week thought is was silly for D3 signings or commitment to be celebrated because they aren't getting anything...maybe it is ok for Tufts kids and the NESCAC in general but not other lowly D3 kids.

Batty67 posted:

RJM posted:

HVbaseballDAD posted:

Twoboys,

I will gladly relay specifics to anyone in a Private Message.

RJM,

I hope you enjoy the view from your high horse because you have no clue what goes on down on the ground at Tufts. 

I'm not here to get in a pissing match with you. It's too bad baseball didn't work out for your kid. I disagree based on having known Tufts players and parents. I disagree with how you've handled the situation. But congratulations! You're the one millionth college parent to rip a coach because it didn't work out for their kid. Most don't go to a sports board to do it. You will strut around proud you discouraged a prospect from playing for Tufts. But the Tufts program and Casey will go on and on. 

I am not seeking any urine-soaked outcomes either RJM, and I most definitely do NOT have a horse in this race, but its pretty disingenuous to say you are not looking to escalate this disagreement and then...you do. A lot. 

I'm hoping he calms down. I wish it had been a better experience for his kid But I believe the way he went about it is really wrong. As you can see there is another poster trying real hard to escalate a confrontation. 

I'm not attempting to defend Tufts due to a connection. Neither my kids or I played there. I respect the program for its success. I've known a few players dads. I bike to a couple of doubleheaders a year when there isn't an ACC game to watch. 

There has always been an unspoken (sometimes spoken) rule that this site is not the place to bash specific schools (any school), players, etc.  And the reasons are honorable and very valid.  There has also been discussion in various threads about how it could be beneficial for those going thru the recruiting process to know specific red flags about a particular school.  It is a bit of a catch 22.

Maybe we can come up with an appropriate way to address/provide this type of information.  Some crazy ideas come to mind but I know they would be frowned upon, at least until refined.  But, so many reputable sites these days allow for honest customer feedback, positive and negative, and then the business (or school, in this case) has the opportunity to respond and defend any negative remarks.   This is actually pretty much the reality of business these days, so ...

HVbaseballDAD posted:

Twoboys,

I will gladly relay specifics to anyone in a Private Message.

RJM,

I hope you enjoy the view from your high horse because you have no clue what goes on down on the ground at Tufts. 

I don't think he was being on a high horse, because he said he didn't like the guy at first.  A lot of baseball coaches are an "acquired taste" so to speak.  What he was suggesting is that your thoughts about how your son was treated could be valid, but the way you've chosen to lash out is probably not the best idea.

I thought his suggestion to put it in a different post without naming names would have been quite beneficial to all.

rynoattack posted:

...A lot of baseball coaches are an "acquired taste" so to speak.  

 

Hahaha... quote of the day.  Even as a coach, that there was funny.

RJM posted:

old_school posted:

Tufts is one of the sacred cows on this site...say something negative at your own risk!

 

Yeah, go figure ...

Tufts University head coach John Casey, now in his 34th season, is one of the most respected leaders in collegiate baseball.

Coach Casey served as President of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) for 2016. A member of the ABCA's leadership team for several years, he ascended to the Presidency after serving as a Vice President for four years. He is a member of the ABCA Board of Directors.

On the field, Coach Casey's Jumbos earned one of their most successful seasons in 2016. Tufts advanced further than any New England team in the NCAA Regionals, reaching the championship round before falling to eventual national runner-up Keystone College. Tufts won the 2016 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship and their 35-8 final record was the most wins for a season in program history.

Since 2010, Tufts has earned four NCAA berths and won three NESCAC titles under Coach Casey. The Jumbos won back-to-back conference crowns and earned #1 seeds at the 2010 and 2011 NCAA New England Regional Tournaments. They returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2014. The program has received six national berths and won four conference titles during Coach Casey’s tenure overall. Tufts captured its eighth NESCAC East Division pennant last spring and hosted the conference championship.

The 2014 Jumbos presented Coach Casey with the 600th victory of his career, a 5-1 win at Bowdoin on April 27 of that season. He was the 43rd coach in NCAA Div. III Baseball history to reach the 600 wins milestone and the seventh among New England Division III mentors. A 1980 Tufts graduate, Casey has directed the Jumbos for 33 seasons at his alma mater and amassed a 669-385-4 record. He is 17th among active coaches and 36th all-time for Division III coaching victories.

Casey's teams have featured five players who signed professionally and several All-Americans. Randy Newsom, a 2004 Tufts graduate, signed with the Boston Red Sox. He was traded to Cleveland as part of a deal for Coco Crisp, and he advanced to the Indians’ Triple A affiliate in Buffalo. Pitcher Jeff Taglienti and outfielder Dan Callahan are also Jumbos coached by Casey who were drafted by Major League organizations. Last spring, pitcher Speros Varinos was honored as an All-American and Northeast Pitcher of the Year by D3baseball.com.

Tufts players have also been recognized for their academic achievement and commitment to community service during Casey’s tenure. Catcher Bryan Egan, a 2015 graduate, and shortstop Scott Staniewicz, a 2013 graduate, were named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Division III Baseball Teams. The team holds an annual 100 inning charity game supporting Homes for Our Troops among its many community service activities.

In November 1999, Coach Casey was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Boston Park League, the oldest amateur baseball league in the country. In 2000, the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) presented him the Jack Butterfield Award, its most prestigious honor. He received the Andy Baylock Distinguished Service Award from the NEIBA in 2005. Casey was promoted to Assistant Athletics Director at Tufts in 2001.

As an undergraduate, he helped pitch the Jumbos to consecutive ECAC Division II-III Tournament appearances. Also a tight end on 1979’s undefeated football team, he returned to Tufts a year later as a baseball and football assistant. He replaced Lee Sargent as head baseball coach in 1984. The program has recorded 25 winning seasons during his tenure.

Several former players and assistant coaches under Casey are now successful coaches at the college or high school level. Paul Svagdis, a 1993 graduate, guided Azusa Pacific University to two straight NAIA College World Series berths recently. Jamie Pinzino, a 1997 Tufts graduate, is the associated head coach at Virginia Tech. Former assistant coach Jason Tower is now the head coach at Roger Williams.

Ok.  But to the ends justify the means? 

cabbagedad posted:

There has always been an unspoken (sometimes spoken) rule that this site is not the place to bash specific schools (any school), players, etc.  And the reasons are honorable and very valid.  There has also been discussion in various threads about how it could be beneficial for those going thru the recruiting process to know specific red flags about a particular school.  It is a bit of a catch 22.

Maybe we can come up with an appropriate way to address/provide this type of information.  Some crazy ideas come to mind but I know they would be frowned upon, at least until refined.  But, so many reputable sites these days allow for honest customer feedback, positive and negative, and then the business (or school, in this case) has the opportunity to respond and defend any negative remarks.   This is actually pretty much the reality of business these days, so ...

 

Yelp for baseball coaches - sad we even need to contemplate that!

Families like mine come to high school baseball web to hear the good, the bad and the ugly. I appreciate any player or parent who comes back to the site and posts the outcome of their college baseball journey. Let the readers decide what they want to believe or ignore. If people are subject to criticism they are not going to bother to post which is a shame for younger parents and players trying to navigate these waters in the future!

SanDiegoRealist posted:

cabbagedad posted:

There has always been an unspoken (sometimes spoken) rule that this site is not the place to bash specific schools (any school), players, etc.  And the reasons are honorable and very valid.  There has also been discussion in various threads about how it could be beneficial for those going thru the recruiting process to know specific red flags about a particular school.  It is a bit of a catch 22.

Maybe we can come up with an appropriate way to address/provide this type of information.  Some crazy ideas come to mind but I know they would be frowned upon, at least until refined.  But, so many reputable sites these days allow for honest customer feedback, positive and negative, and then the business (or school, in this case) has the opportunity to respond and defend any negative remarks.   This is actually pretty much the reality of business these days, so ...

 

Yelp for baseball coaches - sad we even need to contemplate that!

Instead of 'ratemyteacher', ratemycoach?

It could be it's own page!

LOL

We can take 99% of the college coaches and programs at every level, place their name in this thread for Tufts and coach Casey and find a player or parent who ends up extremely critical and full of  resentment 

Yelp for baseball coaches - sad we even need to contemplate that!

Interesting that you mention Yelp, as they are hated by many business owners for aggressive marketing efforts that (allegedly) include threatening bad reviews for those who don't advertize. That's the opposite of the situation here, as clearly this site isn't a moneymaker for the owner. But it is still a useful comparison, as those who use Yelp, Tripadvisor, RateMyTeacher, College Confidential, Google, etc. etc. must learn that any individual review of any business on any site needs to be taken with a grain of salt.  Trends are more reliable, but in some cases even large sample sizes are not enough to establish good intel on a business for a variety of reasons.  So anybody who comes onto this site and makes a decision not to pursue a certain school due to the complaints of one disgruntled parent is simply not being smart. But that doesn't mean that a family shouldn't be able consider that experience along with all of the other info they gather, and it might help them realize  that they  need to be honest with  themselves about the kid's place in the talent pool at that school, as well as how much the kid is focused on academics vs. athletics.

Edit to say thanks to Louise for saying what I wanted to say but better, while using a third as many words.

There is a site already:

http://www.ratemycoaches.com/

infielddad posted:

We can take 99% of the college coaches and programs at every level, place their name in this thread for Tufts and coach Casey and find a player or parent who ends up extremely critical and full of  resentment 

That's true all the way down to Little League. Hell, especially LL. I have a neighbor who 6 years later will barely speak to me because his son didn't start on one of my teams.

Golfman25 posted:

RJM posted:

old_school posted:

Tufts is one of the sacred cows on this site...say something negative at your own risk!

 

Yeah, go figure ...

Tufts University head coach John Casey, now in his 34th season, is one of the most respected leaders in collegiate baseball.

Coach Casey served as President of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) for 2016. A member of the ABCA's leadership team for several years, he ascended to the Presidency after serving as a Vice President for four years. He is a member of the ABCA Board of Directors.

On the field, Coach Casey's Jumbos earned one of their most successful seasons in 2016. Tufts advanced further than any New England team in the NCAA Regionals, reaching the championship round before falling to eventual national runner-up Keystone College. Tufts won the 2016 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship and their 35-8 final record was the most wins for a season in program history.

Since 2010, Tufts has earned four NCAA berths and won three NESCAC titles under Coach Casey. The Jumbos won back-to-back conference crowns and earned #1 seeds at the 2010 and 2011 NCAA New England Regional Tournaments. They returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2014. The program has received six national berths and won four conference titles during Coach Casey’s tenure overall. Tufts captured its eighth NESCAC East Division pennant last spring and hosted the conference championship.

The 2014 Jumbos presented Coach Casey with the 600th victory of his career, a 5-1 win at Bowdoin on April 27 of that season. He was the 43rd coach in NCAA Div. III Baseball history to reach the 600 wins milestone and the seventh among New England Division III mentors. A 1980 Tufts graduate, Casey has directed the Jumbos for 33 seasons at his alma mater and amassed a 669-385-4 record. He is 17th among active coaches and 36th all-time for Division III coaching victories.

Casey's teams have featured five players who signed professionally and several All-Americans. Randy Newsom, a 2004 Tufts graduate, signed with the Boston Red Sox. He was traded to Cleveland as part of a deal for Coco Crisp, and he advanced to the Indians’ Triple A affiliate in Buffalo. Pitcher Jeff Taglienti and outfielder Dan Callahan are also Jumbos coached by Casey who were drafted by Major League organizations. Last spring, pitcher Speros Varinos was honored as an All-American and Northeast Pitcher of the Year by D3baseball.com.

Tufts players have also been recognized for their academic achievement and commitment to community service during Casey’s tenure. Catcher Bryan Egan, a 2015 graduate, and shortstop Scott Staniewicz, a 2013 graduate, were named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Division III Baseball Teams. The team holds an annual 100 inning charity game supporting Homes for Our Troops among its many community service activities.

In November 1999, Coach Casey was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Boston Park League, the oldest amateur baseball league in the country. In 2000, the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) presented him the Jack Butterfield Award, its most prestigious honor. He received the Andy Baylock Distinguished Service Award from the NEIBA in 2005. Casey was promoted to Assistant Athletics Director at Tufts in 2001.

As an undergraduate, he helped pitch the Jumbos to consecutive ECAC Division II-III Tournament appearances. Also a tight end on 1979’s undefeated football team, he returned to Tufts a year later as a baseball and football assistant. He replaced Lee Sargent as head baseball coach in 1984. The program has recorded 25 winning seasons during his tenure.

Several former players and assistant coaches under Casey are now successful coaches at the college or high school level. Paul Svagdis, a 1993 graduate, guided Azusa Pacific University to two straight NAIA College World Series berths recently. Jamie Pinzino, a 1997 Tufts graduate, is the associated head coach at Virginia Tech. Former assistant coach Jason Tower is now the head coach at Roger Williams.

Ok.  But to the ends justify the means? 

Ends justify the means? Is there a college coach in any sport at any level who hasn't cut a kid? Nothing is guaranteed. The only thing guarantee is getting on the field in fall ball freshman year. Yes, some players get more opportunity than others. But if a player doesn't recognize the situation when he's being recruited he's not being true to himself.

If a kid doesn't feel he got a chance it's because he wasn't high on the recruiting list. It's just the way it is. It was up to him and his parents to recognize this during the process. With the exception of the top shelf, jaw dropping studs who could have signed out of high school every player is taking a leap of faith. 

This is just me. But if I were a D3 player sent to JV for a second season I would have given up college baseball (still play in the summer) or transferred. At a NESCAC I probably would have stayed at the school.

This is just me. But if I were a D3 player sent to JV for a second season I would have given up college baseball (still play in the summer) or transferred. At a NESCAC I probably would have stayed at the school.

I agree with this.  My son will be heading to a high academic D3 next fall, and if he doesn't win enough playing time after a couple years and wants to quit, good for him, as long as he stays in school. That's the meat and potatoes; the baseball is the gravy. Sports have always been a part his life so he'd probably play club ultimate or rugby or try to walk onto the football or basketball team.

HVbaseballDAD posted:

Well, it is 3 and a half years later and my son was just cut this morning after a career of playing in 7 JV games (where he batted .600 with a 1.500 slugging %) and getting 1 at-bat for the big squad (flyout to deep center) and 2 innings in the outfield (no balls hit to him) last year.  My advice to anyone who will listen is to avoid Tufts like the plague.  PM me for the details, but you just can't make up how warped this program is. 

I always believe that in these situations that there are 2 sides to every story.  Obviously this really wasn't a great baseball fit from the beginning.

I know nothing of your player, other than you feel that he got screwed. If baseball was more important than his degree, why did he stay for 3 and a half years?  

I have been here for a very long time, and I don't approve of anyone saying anything negative about a player or coach. That's not what we do here. 

I spoke to a former player last weekend who began his baseball career at a very prominent, well known D1. He didn't like the HC. Pretty surprising because I know players who would give an arm or a leg to play in this program.  Some just don't realize that for most of the more successful coaches, you do need to acquire a taste.  

I am sorry things didn't work out for your son, but for anyone reading, JV programs serve a purpose, $$$$$ for the school. Very rarely will a player perfectly move up to the VA team.

I am sorry that things didn't work out for your son as far as baseball goes. Your son will walk away with a  Tufts degree, and that IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT.

I am sorry things didn't work out for your son, but for anyone reading, JV programs serve a purpose, $$$$$ for the school. Very rarely will a player perfectly move up to the VA team.

That's an important point when looking at many schools, but not a school like Tufts.  With a 14% acceptance rate., they don't need JV baseball to put paying customers in the classroom.