What if your son doesn't make the freshman team?

I’m sorry your son got cut and while it is a setback, it’s not the end of his career. There are thousands of stories about athletes that get cut and come back stronger. Your son will face many challenges in his life and this event of not making the freshman team will rank as insignificant when compared to other events. Help him put it in perspective and help him devise a plan. He can either work toward a goal of making the team next year or help him redirect his efforts toward another goal. Direction and results will depend on his desire and his efforts.
You may have read the story of Michael Jordan and his less than stellar start in basketball. I like this version because this is how Michael saw it, and tells it.

The day Michael Jordan cried

Fungo

Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.

Have your son speak to the coaches and see what he needs to work on for next year. If mom and dad get involved, you may just ahve to kiss it all goodbye as the coaches may see you as the meddling type. However, if your son approaches them, they may be impressed by his maturity and be willing to speak with him regarding his perceived shortcomngs and give him an honest evaluation and some things to work on over the summer.

My sons school had 72 kids tryout this year. Half were cut. It happens. Someone once told me that everybody gets cut sooner or later. As a freshman, I would hope that there were still options to play LL Seniors, travel teams etc. Just have him dedicate himself to play hard and to train hard. I would also suggest that he get on a weight program to get stronger. Keep training. If he has talent, it will show. Kids bodies change alot during this time. It will be hard, but it can be done. Lots of stories of kids being cut as a freshman as Fungo pointed out. Good luck.

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

Remember that Michael Jordan also was cut from his HS team. The difference in kids physically and mentally from each year can be incredible.Plus HS is not the only place to play ball,although I know it's important socially. Keep him working out.

Just encourage your son to work hard. That is all you can do. The support you give him will last forever. Baseball doesn't. I can assure you that playing high school ball is not as critical as you would think. There are plenty of stories where kids are over looked or simply not given an opportunity for one reason or another.

This type of situation builds character (while it hurts a little) and he will be a better person because of it. So will you.

Good luck and tell him to keep chasing his dream.

TXDad

Find a rec team in the area or maybe something more competitive if available. I know in our area several teams form up of kids that don't make grades or are cut for one reason or another. A kid in our area two years ago never made his high school team but played rec ball in the spring and on a select team in the summer and fall and actually got a Div II scholarship without ever making his high school team.

As an FYI I can definitely relate to your story, as my son is also a freshmen with tryouts starting a week from today. I hear 100 kids will be trying out for the freshmen and JV squads. I know my son is a good baseball player but I am terrified he will get lost in the crowd.

Kathwomyn
I have been on both ends of this. As a freshman I was cut from the team. Devastated. There are 2 ways to approach it. blame everybody else or work to prove that you can do it. Unfortunately in today's world many choose the former. I went home told my father thinking i would ge t some sympathy. He looked up from reading his paper and said well I had to work harder to change their mind. end of conversation, No letters no phone calls. That was 40 years ago. I started varsity next 3 seasons went on to play at college and coached high school for 25 years. Everyday I think about what my father said. During my coaching I agonized over making cuts as I know how I felt when on the receiving end. I tried to tell the kids I let go to work harder. there were a few who did and made the team. but i wish there were more. I had a kid I cut 3 years in a row. Came out again as a senior. I kept him. There was something about this kid. During the season a kid got hurt and I put him in. He got the game winning hit. I look back and see that moment as a highlight of my coaching experience. For what it is worth tell him he has a choice.

Sometimes as a parent we get caught up in the "disappointments" of our kids endevers. We need to sit down with them after it happens and discuss the issues. Does the kid want to improve to the level in order to make the team next year, and, how can I (the parent)help? We need to also ask if there is something else he wants to be involved with.

I personally do not like the idea of cutting any kid from any HS activity. On one hand school systems seem to stress this "get involved" mentality, and, on the other hand they refuse to let some participate. There is no reason a school cannot offer a practice team that does not play but is involved. This would identify to a coach a group that really wants to work to improve. As a coach I can see this not only a potential player pool, but, also an incentive for the bench players on the team to work harder because there is a group that wants to take their place.

Folks

It is great for kids to keep trying and we want to encourage them but there are also kids who after LL do not have the talent go further

Sure its great to encourage but there are various stops along the way and parents and kids have to realize this.

LL to frosh
Frosh to JV
JV to HS varsity
HS Varsity to College
College to Pro

Kids cease their baseball careers at any of these stops

rz1

With school budgets being what they are and diminishing all the time I cannot see a "practice" squad at the HS level. We have reached a point where in some school systems the varsity soft ball and baseball teams travel on one bus to save money.

TRhit

You have been given great advice. My opinion is simple, work hard, hustle your butt off, and tryout again next year. Teenagers bodies change so much over high school, that if he has the talent it will shine. Don't ever give up your dream, it is a very tough time and will only make you better over the long run. Not making your freshman team is not the end of your baseball career. I do have concerns about your comment, that "if you don't make the freshman cuts, you are pretty much out of luck for your entire high school career". That is sad, and shows a tremendous lack of understanding on the coaching staffs part. They should know that kids physical abilities and talents change a great deal while they are teenagers. Shoot, everyone I think has heard of the Michael Jordan who was cut on his Basketball team his freshman year, what would have become of him, if his coach didn't let him tryout again the following year when he grew 6 or 7 inches over the course of a summer. Sometimes coaches and their ideas really piss me off! Don't give up on your sons dream, and make sure he doesn't. HE AIN'T DONE YET.

Thank you all so much for your input! I feel much more encouraged for my son and have a better idea of how to talk to him about this situation.

I wish his high school did have a practice team, as rz1 mentioned. That would be so much better than this method of 80 kids trying out, 16 making the cut, and everyone else just left to wonder what to do next.

My husband and I do feel that Wes should go talk to his coaches, as PFBear suggested. We certainly understand that we shouldn't get involved, because that would only hurt him (he does NOT want us to do that, either!).

Thanks again for all your input!

PS to TRhit:

LL to Freshman may be the route in some parts of the country, but not usually in Southern California. Most kids who are trying out for HS teams here (my son included) have been playing "travel" ball and working hard with trainers, etc. Coaches are seeing kids who have superior skills, training, and desire and I'm sure the decisions about who to keep and who to cut are really difficult. The competition is fierce!

Michael Jordan was cut from his hs basketball team

andy, great advice, as usual

It happens, and I agree with TR and the other side.

It really is up to your son to work hard to make his dream come true.

It also, as you say, is related to your school district. I know a kid that is going to start for his Varsity this year in a small school district, that couldn't touch the field on a lot of larger Freshman teams.

As more kids specialize, the competition becomes better, IMO.

I suppose the question that comes to mind for me is how important is it to your son to play as a freshman? If it is only of average importance then I would just work harder and try again next year. If it is "all important" to play as a freshman, you might look into a private school with a need and where your son might fit in.

Not every high school player thinks he can be Jeter, Giambi, Bonds or Clemens. Maybe he just wants to play and have fun - now! I would measure the situation based on your son's and family's goals and do everything possible within reason to satisfy them.

Knowledge is Power! Thank you Mavens and HSBBWEB!

My wife is kathwomyn and my son is who this discussion is about. As I took him to school today I asked him if he still wnated to play baseball. His immediated, unequivical answer was YES. I told him the Michael Jorden story. He responded that it wasn't that he didn't make the HS team only that he didn't make the HS Freshmen team!

I told him that he should talk to the coach today and ask what he could do to improve and that it was now up to him to find a travel team to play on and it was up to him to put in the effort to improve enought to try out next year.

The schools policy is that if you make the Freshman team you are on the team for two years. You don't need to try out as a Sophomore. So we are concerned that there won't be many openings next year.

I guess we will see if he talks to the coach and if so, what the coach tells him.

quote:

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Originally posted by TRhit:
Folks

It is great for kids to keep trying and we want to encourage them but there are also kids who after LL do not have the talent go further

Sure its great to encourage but there are various stops along the way and parents and kids have to realize this.

LL to frosh
Frosh to JV
JV to HS varsity
HS Varsity to College
College to Pro

Kids cease their baseball careers at any of these stops

rz1

What you say may be true at some level but I don't believe that a 14 year-old kid who has the desire, physical ability, and motivation, still doesn't have the talent to play HS baseball. Just because a kid doesn't show talent at this age doesn't mean it won't develop with hard work. Yes, some kids are born with fast twich muscle that will allow them to ptich at 100 mph and some kids have a knack for hitting - especially if they are big for there age. But guys like David Eckstein who is 5'7" on his tip-toes prove that desire and hard work can be a talent in itself. Tom Hose, who pitched in the Majors for 9 years, told me his fastball was only in the 80's but he won many games because he was always the most prepared. And Paul LoDuca, the Dodgers catcher, tried out at least 8 times before he made it to the big show.

With school budgets being what they are and diminishing all the time I cannot see a "practice" squad at the HS level. We have reached a point where in some school systems the varsity soft ball and baseball teams travel on one bus to save money.

TRhit

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ISOMERS

You have lost me !!!!

TRhit

Eye,

I totally disagree with your #2 suggestion. If any one has a heart to heart with the coach it should be the player with out the parent.

High school is the time for the child to speak for himself. If you want to help him with the meeting make some suggestions as to what to ask and say but let the player go to the coach on his own.

Seadog

The choices we make dictate the lives we lead.

quote:

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Originally posted by eye:
With all due respect to your situation...and I can only imagine your son's disappointment and your concern and love for him, but at this point your son needs guidance.

You see the time to invest in your son has to be based upon his dream...if it is baseball then all the years that have gone by where he pretty much functioned at learning about baseball are over...you see the results of that method.

Your son needs you to do what every other person doees when they are trying to learn something with a degree of acumen that prepares them to compete at the highest level.

I don't know what your financial circumstances are but if you can afford it, my suggestions are as follows:

(1) Have a heart-to-heart talk with your son and find out if he really wants to compete at the next level, if the answer is yes, then you must find out if he is willing to do "whatever" is necessary to succeed...he is behind at this point.
(2) Have a heart-to-heart talk with his coach in his presence, let his coach know that your son is willing to do "whatever" is necessary to vie for a job next year...you may find out that he may not allow your son to compete any further for a position on his team...that's why you need to find out whether there is a course of action that includes the high school team.
(3) Start a search, using existing sources and the high school coach to locate a "pro" that will work with your son to do the following: evaluate his current level of talent, assess his tract to remedial parity with his peers, and develope a plan to work to a goal for each skill that needs remedial action.
(4) Set time aside for you to work with your son, even if it is just watching him practice once in a while, or to encourage him that you believe in him and are 100% behind his endeavor.
(5) Find, and sign your son up to play in as many, or whatever program that will take him that will allow him to "play"...and I mean play not bench-time.
(5) Remove all other distractions from his life, whenever he is not going to school, his other waking hours are to be completely devoted to his goal of playing at the next level

Just beause you want to treat your son as a man doesn't mean that you ignore his lack of experience in dealing with a competitive situation. He does the competing on the field, you need to provide the guidance on how to get prepared, develop the skills, and monitor the progress.

Do these things and I think your son might have a chance of playing next year as a sophomore.

__eye...said it__

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Thank, but a little background here. Wes was evaluated by a professional coach almost 18 months ago. This coach played for the Astros and now coaches a travel team and at a nearby HS plus he provides training for kids in the area. Wes worked out with his travel team for several weeks. He told Wes then that while he would probably make it on some HS teams, the HS he would be attending was very competitive and that based on his skills at that time, he would need to work very hard over the next 18 months if he had a chance to make that team. In other words - he had a long way to go.

He recommended one of the coaches that worked with him, and who had played pro ball for several years, as someone that could help Wes improve. Wes started weekly batting and pitching lessons with that coach. (Wes had never pitched in LL but wanted to learn.) We also got extra coaching through a summer camp with Tom House and another summer camp at Cal State - Fullerton. Wes also joined a travel team which he played on during the Fall. I have gone to all of Wes’s games and on weekends I would help him practice and bring him to batting cages.

So Wes knew he had to work hard to come up to the level of competition required to make this team, and he did put in a lot of work. When Wes entered HS this year his private coach told him he felt Wes had the skills and ability to make the HS team. That coach had, in the 18 months he worked with Wes, become a HS coach himself. He told Wes that if Wes attended his HS Wes would make the team. Unfortunately that HS is too far away to even consider moving Wes.

Unfortunately he didn't make the cut.

In my opinion, Wes doesn’t have some of the natural skills that some kids his age have. But he does have a lot of heart and desire and his skills have improved greatly over the last 18 months. During the HS tryouts even the head coach told Wes, after one of the final try-out days, that he had done well that day

It’s hard for a parent to watch their son work so hard over 18 month to improve and still not make the team.

I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to talk to the coach with Wes. Wes is old enough to do that by him self and I encouraged him to do just that today. If he does, it will probably earn some respect from the coach.

I told him this morning that I would continue to support him in any way I can if he is willing to re-double his efforts. But I don’t want to push him. It has to be his desire, not mine, that motivates him.

Seadog:

It really is up to the player...I don't have any problem with what you say. However, my thinking is that whenever their are momentus decisions and selections that are being made in a sporting environment it is wise to have representation. Maybe not the Dad, but the Pro who has been working with him.

I can assure you that I have seen where a player is marginal, for you to think that low-key and subtle conversations are not going on behind the scenes is naive.

I have seen some fathers go directly into the A.D.'s office and plunk down hard cold cash in a donation to influence a decision. I don't agree with it, but it does go on...and I'm not advocating that. but the questions need to be answered...how was this decision reached.

If I was envolved I would want to hear that answer directly from the coaches lips.

eye...said it

_______________________________________________


""But I don’t want to push him. It has to be his desire, not mine, that motivates him.""

I'm sorry to see you say this, IMHO that is your job. The dream is his, yes, but he is not as knowing and experienced as you are...

I think you did a very good thing for him with the support of training and tutoring.

I would handle things at this point differently...but everyone to his own methods.

Good Luck

eye...said it

I think using Michael Jordan's story is a very poor analogy for this boy. First of all, no one with any sense is going to believe it. I haven't read the story, but if Michael was indeed cut early in high school, it sure wasn't because of natural athletic talent as is probably the case with this gentleman's son.
I can assure you that Michael Jordan was born with God-given natural athletic talent. To me, the story just says that his coach was an "IJIT" who can't see natural athleticism, which should be a top priority when evaluating 14-15 year basketball players.

Also, regardless of Wes' natural ability (or lack of), I doubt a paid professional is going to say anything negative in any way, as long as you are happily paying him for private instruction. Some might...most wont.

I'd recommend that Wes keep taking lessons (if it's financially viable) and get into a rec league to work on fundamental skills. If he keeps working hard, he could make the team eventually. If he doesn't have the talent to play in a few years, there's always the chance that his coach could use him on the team in some capacity....in a non-playing role - one who charts pitches, cheerleader role, etc. I don't mean that in a negative way. Coaches LOVE kids like that....and the good coaches always have kids like that around. Playing or not, their varsity letter is well-deserved. My son's high school coach always has one or two like that, and it's especially common in college.

If Wes really loves being around the game, he'll stick with it. There are rec leagues he can play throughout high school and into his adult years.

Lefty

You make a good point about the "pro" trying to present a positive spin on his analysis...but isn't that he point of his analysis.

After working with Wes wouldn't you agree that the "pro" might provide some perspective that Wes' HS school coach may have not considered, or even be aware of...

Consider this...what if Wes's HS coach made his decision based upon his impression of some skill that he perceives that Wes is weak in, all the while not knowing that it is exactly what the pro is working with Wes on and has a schedule for Wes to meet and exceed expectations. That is the reason the HS coach and the pro should be talking to each other about Wes.

In short, are all lines of communication open...does Wes's HS coach aware of everything regarding Wes? Very important question IMHO.

"eye...said it"

Eye...

In most cases, the high school coach could care less about what a private lesson coach thinks. Wes' HS coach would probably accept a call from the man out of decency, but in most cases, he won't care what he says. I STRONGLY recommend against having the instructor contact the HS coach. It could have major negative repercussions.

I stand firm that while most private instructors really care about the boys they instruct, they are primarily in it for the money, and won't discourage or necessarily say anything that would discourage the boy to keep taking lessons. It would be no different if this young man attended a showcase for 14-15 year olds. No showcase is going to be totally honest of his acessing his ability and discourage this young man when there's more money to be spent. I don't meant to sound negative here. I am an advocate of private instruction when the parents can comfortably afford it, and the kid is willing to work and improve. If not, you're wasting your hard-earned money. And it's a proven fact that some showcase attendees benefit from going most of the time.

There is also a chance that the coach simply made a mistake and overlooked Wes. He may be a good player but just got overlooked in a numbers game. It happens all the time! I'll stick to my original advice and recommend a rec league for now and lots of perserverance.

Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT have a private instructor call and recommend the coach give another look to a kid who's just been cut. Bad advice there.

K-woman & Is.
Also being from CA I can tell you there is a lot of talent out here. While this is the first time I have heard " if a player makes the team their on it for two years". Your area down there has some talented players to contend with. I know in our area there is usually 50 -70 kids going out for the Freshman team. They keep 18 players,so there are a lot of good players who get cut .There just isn't enough room for all. One set back does not mean it's time to hang it up.If everyone quit the first time one faces adversity or fails this world would be in the dark ages. Just a minor road block, there are rec leagues and travelball all over the place.If your son has the desire to play, sign him up somewhere and he can keep on working. I would not let one thing or person deter him from playing at 13-14 yo.
In addition I would not take anyone with him to talk to the coach. Give him advice on the manner to speak in and let him talk to the coach by himself, it's part of growing..... he'll be fine.

Lefty

I hear what you're saying, so you thnk it is useless in this situation and will hurt the coach's feelings (ego) of the HS coach having interaction with knowledgeable ex-professionals that might help his players?

The best high school coach I ever had, had relationships with college coaches, ex-professionals, and his previos players, all of whom he used to some degree to support his program, his players, and in turn give those sources exposure in the community with his team.

He was called the Dean Of Coaching, because his teams seldom ever lost. Just a different attitude about utilizing "tools" that are available to make sure you are getting the best.

To bad Wes will not get the benefit of that kind of thinking.

"eye...said it"

Rancho Santa Margarita... perhaps Santa Margarita HS... If so one of the top programs in So Cal... and Competition will be fierce. My son goes to a similar school, and several very good ball players get cut, that could very well play at other High Schools. (some do transfer....)

Right now, the coach doesn't want to hear anything, other than the boy asking the coach what do I have to work on between now and next season to have a chance to make the team. If its like a lot of So Cal teams... (and you've heard this in other posts...) the coach probably just cut about 50 players, and that's not an easy task and there are mistakes made... but the coach will not LOOK back right now. He made his decision and probably agonized over a few of them. He shouldn't have to re-do it again.

The GRIM reality though... is for 95% (maybe more like 98-99%) of those cut, its the end of their baseball careers. (I can't recall anyone overcoming this at our HS in the past few years although a couple transferred) To continue will take a big commitment and perseverance.

Does he have room to grow? or is he already past the big puberty spurt.... A lot of things change phyiscally around 14-15 years old. Will he grow to be the size of the current varsity players? If for instance the entire team are 6' or more and your son might only reach 5'8" that will make it all the more difficult.

Since he's been on a travel team will he be able to play on it this summer? What can he do between now and June.... (not many 15-18 year old teams play during the HS season.) Continue with lessons... working out... another sport... TRACK????? (work on speed)

Will the coach give him an opportunity to try out for the summer team?

You have to do an honest evaluation and weigh the effort required vs the chances of reward. Typically the JV is made up of both Juniors and sophomores but with the same number of positions available as the freshman team, so chances are 30-50% of the freshmen on the team this season will be cut NEXT season, and it keeps dwindling.

Quite frankly, my baseball career (what there was of it ended as a freshman also) but that did not prevent me from playing other sports and on a college team that won an NCAA championship.

tr,
The practice squad thing was maybe a poor example for a school with big tryout numbers, but there are many situations that have a small number of cuts. There are other opportunities that can be looked at associated with the team. We had a kid that was going to do the pa because of his interest in broadcasting and his knowledge in ham radio, there are stat opportunities, web site updates, and manager & equipment duties. My point was that if a freshman gets cut the summer oportunities may also dimminished, and it's tough to work out alone. But I guess you could be the king of the Play Station. It is just a shame that there are those who have a passion for the game, or are not quiet ready physically that are left out in the cold

I spoke to my son's HS coach and asked him what he thought about Wes's situation.

I asked him what he thought Wes should do...

His response is that Wes should go in and speak to the coach, either by himself or with his Dad it doesn't matter. But the approach should be positive. The coach doesn't want to hear whining, but he is willing to counsel both the player and the parent as to the reasons and remedies, if any, and prospects for the future if he sees one for the player.

The criteria for the meeting is to determine the exact reason(s) for the cut and possible areas that need work. Nothing would change his decision for this season, but it is better that the player know what at issue and what's at stake than be operating in the dark.

The coach also said he often wonders why more players don't come and find out the issues, most just give up. He also said that coaches look for strong committed parents that they are viewed by the coaches as their supporters and disciplinarians when the player is away from the team.

And he was very nice about it.

As a sophomore, my son had to make a cut once...

The boys who were cut were counseled at the time they were cut, and told what the issues were and why they didn't make the team.

The boys who made it at the end of the preseason were also called in to the coaches office and counseled why they did make it and what the coaches felt they needed to work on to make varsity.

That was nerve-racking to watch the numbers of players dwindle knowing full well that each cut meant that a player may be coming to end of his career.

"eye...said it"

My son attended a prestigious prep school his freshman year with scholarship money. He's a great student with straight A's. Loves baseball with a passion. Tried out for the freshman team along with 62 others. Made it to the final cut and was let go. He was devastated. I told him to go back and ask the coach why and what he needed to work on. The politically correct coach told him that he was too weak and small to play the sport. My son asked to transfer to another school even though he loved this school and had made many friends. But he loved baseball more. We obliged. He worked hard. Played on a top summer travel team. Batted top 2-3. Grew a little (all of 5'6) and tried out for his new school. Made the varsity as a sophomore. The team won the state championship. He batted over .400 on last years summer team. Went to the PG National Underclassman Showcase and batted .500, stole 2 bases and turned a lot of heads.

You tell your son to never quit, work hard, surround himself with good training and summer comp. and he'll make you as proud as my wife and I are of mine.

quote:

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Originally posted by kathwomyn:
My son is in a high school where, apparently, if you don't make the freshman cuts, you are pretty much out of luck for your entire high school career. Since there are a huge number of kids trying out, the odds are really poor for making the team and, unfortunately, my son made the first cut but not the second.

He's handling the disappointment much better than his father and I (he doesn't know this!), but we are very concerned about him. He's a very athletic kid, LOVES baseball, has worked very hard for the last few years to achieve a good level of skill, and none of us can imagine him not playing the game. But we don't know what to do next or how to help him through this really, really rough time (he just found out on Friday that he didn't make the second cut).

The drive to play the game has come from my son, not his parents. We have supported him, paid for lessons and equipment, and have been there for him. But we really don't know what to do to get through this particular problem.

Can anyone offer any ideas, suggestions, etc.? Thanks!

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Two myths...

1) Michael Jordan was cut from his basketball team..NO..In his school district, only juniors and seniors were permitted to play. He was a sophomore.

2) Michael Jordan was recruited by Mississippi State to play baseball...NO...Straight from someone who should know, Ron Polk. "Never heard of him"

Whoa. This is tough. I want to trot out my story about the kid who got cut three straight years from the local high school team, but kept playing in senior league and finally made it as a senior and ended up a starting pitcher. I want to, but...
The 800 pound gorilla in this thread, that nobody really wants to expressly acknowledge, is this: What comes through from KW and Iso's posts, pretty clearly, is that Wes probably really isn't as good a player as the ones who weren't cut, despite all the training and highly qualified private coaching. And chances are, that won't change over the next three years. (Or after that, for that matter.) Desire, training, and preparation can only go so far. If the basic talent level isn't there, it isn't there. There are always schools where the talent level is lower, where a kid who's cut from another school's team would make the squad. Sometimes its just bad luck to be at a "baseball school."
Or maybe it's not bad luck. Because, as has been stated by a number of people on this board, the baseball career of every player comes to an end sooner or later - and for the vast majority, it's sooner.
There are other sports, for which Wes may have an undiscovered talent. There's also music, math, literature and history. Maybe the best thing would be to widen the viewpoint and try to find where the natural talent is, instead of trying to force it into a direction it doesn't seem to flow naturally.

For every door that closes, another one opens.

D'oh!

P-Dog...

Great post. On our son's freshman team last year, there were several kids who didn't get cut who really should have. Even with puberty, private lessons and hard work, they just don't have the ability to take it to the next (high school) level. I honestly thought that the freshman coach would have done them a favor by cutting them so that they could pursue other things. They sat the bench the majority of the season. While one or two were cheerleaders, the rest of them were goof offs who didn't pay attention to the game, distracted the other players etc. Unfortunately, our school very rarely cuts kids who have made the teams the previous years, so they come back for 4 years and do not make a contribution. There are some exceptions of course. But when they are seniors....are they taking a varsity spot from someone in a lower grade who is clearly more talented? We are relatively new to the program, but that's the word we are hearing. The coach is loyal to his seniors, and that is certainly his perogative, it's his team, but keeping those players can weaken a program. Let those who CLEARLY don't have any baseball tools explore other options.

Ohbaseball24,

Our coach is also loyal to his seniors in that he will never cut one. However, he lets them know where they stand and they decide whether or not to stay with the team. Last year we had 2 stay and they actually go more playing time then anyone would have expected.

What he does is expand the roster to accomodate those players so instead of carrying say 15 (number randomly picked for this example) he might carry 18, the extra 3 being seniors who simply want to be part of the team.

So those kids are not taking a roster spot from a younger player because it wouldn't exist if it weren't filled by an uncut senior.

It is possible you coach does the same thing.

Play every game as if it were your last

your son should ask the coaches if he can be a manager for the team. That way the coaches will remember him next year and this will give him a chance to show his work ethic. Being around the team will improve him.

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Originally posted by BigWI:
Ohbaseball24,

Our coach is also loyal to his seniors in that he will never cut one. However, he lets them know where they stand and they decide whether or not to stay with the team. Last year we had 2 stay and they actually go more playing time then anyone would have expected.

What he does is expand the roster to accomodate those players so instead of carrying say 15 (number randomly picked for this example) he might carry 18, the extra 3 being seniors who simply want to be part of the team.

So those kids are not taking a roster spot from a younger player because it wouldn't exist if it weren't filled by an uncut senior.

It is _possible_ you coach does the same thing.

_Play every game as if it were your last_

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Big Wi...

You may be correct. Our son is a sophomore and we are not quite sure if he will be on JV or Varsity. His primary position is LHP, but he hits pretty well and plays a good first base. He said the coach told the kids in baseball PE that seniors will start. What we have been told from others who have been in the program is that seniors do start over underclassmen. However, in the past, the program has not had the abundance of kids that it does right now in several grades. There are some very good juniors who potentially will sit the bench while lesser seniors play. It remains to be seen what will really happen. In any case, if my son goes up to varsity, it will be my job to cheer on the team and keep my mouth shut. My husband and I can discuss it to death in the privacy of our own home...LOL...Of course..we will also take our son to showcases, clinics and private lessons to help further his ability and chances for playing baseball after high school.