What to do?

Based on the info you provided, my advice is two-fold. First, it sounds as if you are going to disappoint one group, regardless of your choice. Decide who you want to let down the least. Second, trust your gut feeling. Go with that and don't look back.

When I was in KY I had several players each year qualify for Skills USA and I let them go everytime - no harm no foul because it's a school function and they are competing to be the best of something. I don't have a problem with that. That's why we have a bench so others can stand in if needed.

That being said you're not quite in this predicament. You have no idea if your coach will be as willing to let you miss for this like I would. It seems like he would since he's allowing you to go on a church mission. But this is part of the problem too - the church mission. Don't think I'm downing you for going on the mission because you're doing a noble thing but the timing of it is not good.

This is a problem I'm seeing is that kids are wanting to be part of everything and participate in everything equally. That's not possible. I'm all for doing as much as you can but there needs to be something that is a priority. This takes precedence over anything else. Look at your things - Skills USA will be a few days, church mission will be a week but baseball season is a few months long. You have to figure out which is most important to you and focus on it.

It's nice to participate in many things but it can't come at the expense of truly knowing what commitment is. You have a tough decision to make and nobody can make it except for you. cmcconnel has given you good advice.

Best of luck

Student athlete,1st I see that you MAY be starting not that you are, ask the Coach for a meeting ,Talk to your baseball coach about the pro's and con's go prepared with a list.
If he has to have you there and you love baseball be there, if not do the other thing.
So if you don't go to the SkillsUSA and ride the pine anyway how will you feel?
Talk to your coach.
You have a tough decision to make and nobody can make it except for you.

Congratulations on giving yourself such opportunities. You obviously understand the importance of commitment to team and there are not always clear rules for how to resolve conflicting considerations.

I like the advice you have been given. The only thing I'd add is that high school is a time when you should be experiencing many different things, so value that as one of the competing considerations. Also, some opportunities are harder to come by than others. Weigh them according to the way you value them, not according to how others may be asking you to weigh them.

LSAson went through this same decision last year. Got chosen to attend the Skills USA competition and had an important conference game the same week. He chose baseball.

But the circumstances may have been different. It was his senior year and he was the team's closer and knew they would need him. In fact, that game was a nailbiter and son's time on the mound ended up being key to them defeating the conference leader and clinching a spot in the playoffs. Do you even know if you'll play?

I realize you might be hesitant to ask the coach(that's normal). But this is a real conflict for a good reason. You aren't asking for time off to go on a vacation, it's an honor to the school that you were chosen and you need his help in making your decision. Something you'll learn is that speaking up for something like this and working with him may end up lifting you up in his eyes. Approaching a coach takes guts. You'll be showing him that you have the drive to help the team win AND are representing the school well.

The mission trip is different. It is something outside of you being a student athlete at the high school. It doesn't matter how noble the work is, you are asking for personal time off for a personal interest outside of your school. This might be one of those "pick two out of three" choices. Is baseball your third priority? OK if it is...you just have to realize that you might not be viewed as an important part of the team this year if you make it your third priority. Do you want to play in college? If not(and believe me, that is perfectly acceptable), you probably can put baseball 3rd since you have the rest of the season and next year.