Where Has all the Hunger Gone?

I hate it when otherwise good threads get over run with spew and venom. Let it go and let the thread continue.

CNN just reported a Big Foot sighting!

It's rare but it can be found in every part of the country. Determination doesn't discriminate.

For those of you who have been around the block, what would be some characteristics of kids that are hungry for a future in baseball? I think a lot of parents on this board would say that their kid is hungry, but without comparisons or a measuring stick, we can't really know if what our kid is displaying is hunger or just a good work ethic (I would argue you can't have one without the other).

You wanna know what hungry is?   Battling back surgery after surgery and not giving up.

Getting on a bus after a 4 hour game and looking forward to a 14 hour bus ride.  This time its your time to sleep on the floor. Maybe your lucky the bus doesnt break down.  When you get home you go home to sleep on an air mattress.  Most kids have issues sharing bathrooms in a dorm.

Playing in the mid west somewhere or a foreign country for practically nothing.  Not seeing your family on holidays or missing special occassions or being off somewhere when someone you love is ill. A few years ago my sons roomates dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Some of the ML teams  guys paid for a ticket for him to go home for break to see dad.

Working in the off season in a ptime job to make some money while attending school for a few classes to finish a degree while working in the gym for off season training.

Kids still living at home are supposed to go to school and use their spare time wisely. Thats their job.  They have no clue what hungry is until they have to earn a living someday.

No matter what their job is.

As much as I would like I don't see my son as being "hungry" for the game.  I have to remind him to long toss and to hit off of the Swing a Way this past month.   I told him to measure himself against himself and not others because sheer talent can make you look pretty good in small town baseball. 

I'm trying to be careful not to push too hard because I don't want him to hate the game. 

I wish he went to a large high school so he would have to compete for a position.  

I think that is where travel ball comes into play.  If you are in a small pool it's easy to be a big fish.  For us it was the opposite, we live in a hotbed of talent area so in 7th grade we put our son on a team with a more intensive training schedule with a coach who didn't have a kid on the team, and he is not big on the compliments, but very big on the flawless technique. 

 

2020 has to compete for his spot with only 9/12 kids taking the field at any given time and we had to know if he was serious/hungry about baseball.  If he pouted or complained that the coach was being unfair that would be our cue to bring him back down to playing baseball for fun, rather than because he wants to be the best on the team, best in the school, best in the state...before the board erupts at 12 I know all he can be the best at is maybe tying his cleats up!  But he asked to be pushed, he asked to be on a team that he wasn't the best hitter/fielder/catcher/pitcher....etc...so that's what we gave him.  Is that hunger?

Define Hunger?  Compared... or as it relates to what?  Great topic, however it will mean something different to everybody, whether wealthy or poor. 

 

Playing the game professionally for a living at or near poverty can be considered by some as the ultimate in "hunger", while others will deem work ethic, or commitment to their workout routine as "hunger". 

 

I think the OP was for the most part relating this topic to the baseball players who show / or display enormous talent, however have an attitude of "can take it or leave it" towards the game itself.  Quite simply in that respect, it is certainly a product of entitlement that derives from privilege.  Players who grew up with privilege, yet do not have the entitlement, likely were "pounded" on early by their parents to understand the value of $, and not be entitled.

 

Apart from the "entitled syndrome",....for the rest of us - "Hunger" is gauged somewhere between the love of the game, sacrifices willing to be made, driven for perfection, and the work to put in when nobody is watching....and more importantly when your friends are out doing other things rather than working on their game.

 

 

I agree with Back Foot, "hunger" will mean different things to different people.  I know that for me, when I was young, it meant getting a ball in my hand and finding a place and someone to throw with.  I would have lived at a field in a tent if I could have.  Not because my parents pushed me, more of the lack of parenting, sports gave me something the home life couldn't.  I played with some "better off than me kids", some were good, some had the fire, some didn't.  I can recall every single one of them that I thought were more talented than I was, but just really didn't care, and it made/makes me mad.  I hate to see talent squandered  There was nothing that would have stopped me from making it to a game, from about 11 on up.

 

Fast forward to now, I am still upset with myself for opportunities squandered and always wonder..."what if?".  That is why I push my kids, not because I want them to do or play what I played, not because I living through them, rather, I will not let their talent, be it a sport or whatever passion they have, go by without them exploring it to their full potential.

 

How many of us still have the "hunger" today?  While it may not be for the physical part of actually playing, I would venture to say that all of us, or at least an overwhelming majority, still have that hunger for this game burning in our belly's, otherwise we wouldn't be her trying to help each other.  I know I still have a burning desire to be on the clay, softball or baseball, I need to be on or around a field.  If I go an extended amount of time away, I get anxious.  Thankfully I can still throw with my boys and Coach.  

 

So I think that the "hunger" is like true talent, it is spread out, it is a very desirable trait in a player.  Everyone wants it, but not everyone has it.  Some have it then lose it, then find it again to late.

Hunger by definition is a strong wish or urgent desire to acquire something.  Kids aren't programmed to play this game as a unit anymore.  Summer ball with several teams, fall ball, high school season, then at the end of your high school career 'showcase' tournaments.  Kids have no reason to finish one season with passion because the other is right around the corner.  I hear, 'I can't wait for summer ball, fall ball, high school' while kids are in the middle of another season.  There is no since of urgency because they have so many opportunities to play.  This isn't a bad thing but just the facts.  There is always next season or next weekend in the kid's eyes.  I had a parent tell me one time, 'We like select ball because you get to start over every weekend!'  The idea of 'team' has very little meaning anymore.  Hunger used to mean getting all of your teammates together to accomplish one goal.  I have to work hard to help our team be successful is a lost idea.  It's about one dad making sure his son gets noticed to get the scholarship or the scout's eye.  This used to take care of itself during the course of a game or season.  Now most college scouts get to see kids play in tournaments 7 days in a row and decide on the kid's ability.  They don't get to see the kids in slumps or when things don't go their way.  That's why we have so much college turnover these days.  Coaches see kids for a short time and don't get to see their dark side.  I'm not complaining just stating my opinion.  College teams play on tuesdays and weekend series here in Texas.  High schools do the same.  Not much recruiting takes place during the season.  Why go to a small country town to watch one recruit when you can go to Cobb and see 150 teams of recruits!  The window of opportunity now is greater than in years past.  The hunger part has turned into 'I have another chance to work, play, impress, next weekend, season, etc'

When I was young I wanted to play all day every day.  Always wanted to play hard and learn as much as I could.  Would ride my bike or walk miles to play baseball every day.  When not playing most of my thoughts were about baseball.

 

You know, I don't think it was because of "hunger".  It was because I "loved" the game.  Nothing else I would rather do.  It was pure enjoyment.  Didn't have parents pushing me or even interested in baseball.  Never even thought of doing baseball in order to improve.  If I couldn't find someone to play, I would get out the rubber baseball and find a wall to throw and field for hours.  Could not get enough, it was all fun, never thought of it as work, effort or hunger.

No, this has nothing to do with being hungry, but rather being very competitive, totally in my opinion. separate things. 

 

I agree with PG, at a young age, it is about love for the game.  

Wonderful post, I definitely see a number of kids in my area without that drive that work ethic and it makes me sad because they expect everything now. I've seen a few kids about 25 minutes from us and live in a poor area and they have such great work ethic if they see somebody outside at 4:30 a.m. running they will get up at 3:30 a.m. and run. My theory is very talented kids are more interested in Girls, Drugs, Alcohol, and their phones and don't care enough to get up and work for their so said "dream" Once again wonderful post. Never thought of that until know.  

Okay, what is the difference between being hungry and being competitive, as it relates to baseball?

I agree this is an interesting thread. The definition of hunger differs for each person and I think it's different from what it was when we were younger. Today, there aren't a lot of parents that will let their kids go to the local park to play all day. Kids are pretty limited, at least compared to what I was allowed to do as a child. The game has also changed. It does a kid no good to spend hours training if they are creating bad habits and developing bad form. The sport has changed over the years. The culture and the expectations of the sport have also changed. Kids are being asked to be better, quicker and stronger at a younger age.

 

I think my kid is pretty darn motivated, but I'm not sure if he meets the definition of hunger as defined in this thread. He doesn't eat, sleep and dream baseball for 365 days. He plays three sports, so he is dedicated to each sport during their season. Baseball is his top priority and he spends the majority of his time training for that, but it's hard to be 100% baseball hungry if you are trying to be a well rounded person and athlete according to today's standards.

 

My 2018 has been attending early morning HS weight lifting and baseball hitting since 8th grade. By early morning, I mean 5:30 am. He hasn't missed a single workout. He spends extra time working with the coaches whenever they are available. He spends extra time working with my husband (former HS coach) when he's not at work. We have the extra training tools in our house for him to take advantage. He spent four days over winter break at a college camp. He had to get up at 6:30 am to get there on time. He went to every optional field preparation day in the fall to help make their field better. In football, he was the only Freshman to attend every practice and game (that would have been unheard of in our day). Maybe he doesn't fit the definition of hungry that many people have, but I am darn proud that he is developing a good work ethic and is working for what he wants. We (as his parents) are not counting on a college scholarship. We are hoping he can continue to play after high school, at whatever level he fits. He (as the player) has big dreams and goals. I hope he meets them and I will support him in whatever path he decides to take.

For the record, my love for baseball was during the baseball season. During football and basketball season my love was for those sports.  But baseball was always the #1 greatest love.

When I was a little guy, I would put my uniform on and ride my bike just to make sure everyone knew I was on a baseball team. Nobody in our area took it serious back then, you played a league and maybe a tournament at the end of the season. I would of loved all of today's opportunity's that kid's have to pick from. I would of mowed the whole neighborhood for free to be on a good Travel Team.

Hungry really doesnt apply in this situation though I know the OP used it meaning, motivation.

I dont think that a 12 year old really can comprehend what the two words may have in common.

I define hungry as being without. Once you are without something one can become very motivated, would you agree?

What is your son without?

Thats the best explanation that I can give.

 

The young cashier in the grocery store asked me how I was today, I said I think I was tired.

She proceeded to tell me that she was a bit too, she had been up since 6:30 to catch the bus to the local juco college, with 3 classes spread out during the day, doing schoolwork in between, arrived at work at 4pm and will work until 12am.  And she had two jobs to help cover what her grants did not for school.

 

Does anyone consider this hungry?