Whitney Young Standouts

Mark where have you been?

I believe Mark has been busy trying to become a best selling author.

I am in the gym. It gets very busy watching all of these WYHS basketball games, both Girls and Boys! There is a lot of b-ball talent there.

This takes me back to 2005 when I ran an AAU level Clubbers basketball team with primarily baseball players; Robert Kennedy, Mike Olp, Dai Bowden, Angelo Burrrage, Gowder and Ormond along with a few CPS basketball ringers to give us some help.

Best regards to all!

Tell us about your book mark . Hows it coming along ?

Nothing to report on that front at this time, but do stay tuned.

What I can tell you is that the WYHS boys won all of the three games (Frosh, Soph, Varsity), playing in front of a packed house (over 2,000 local fans) in Muskegon, MI last night and the Lady Dolphins won their third consecutive CPS Girls City of Chicago Championship over Marshall in an exciting game that was played at DePaul University. Congrats to Coach Corey Irvin and the Lady Dolphins.

The CPS boys basketball playoffs begin this week. Both the Varsity and Sophomores were the Red-Northwest Conference champs with each having big wins over Lincoln Park this past week as the visiting team on Lincoln Park's court. WYHS has one of the premier basketball programs in the state; the boys travel as a team on a charter bus, have a rigid dress code, a demanding practice schedule, a coach to player ratio of 1 coach for every 3 players, all of which gives them a real sense of what a college athletic program is all about.

The WYHS Sophs had many big wins this season in away games at Hales Franciscan, St. Joseph's, Glenbrook North, Rockford-IL, Akron-OH, Lincoln Park, and Muskegon-MI. Their only loss was to Marshall in the Mayor Daley City Holiday Tournament.

It all does pay off as Dwight McCombs (Class of 2007), is now headed to play for Division I, Miami-Ohio. The Boys basketball program is run by Head Coach - Tyrone Slaughter.

Three of the 34 boys in the WYHS basketball program also play baseball; They are Frank Gowder (Class of 2009), Julian Kenner (Class of 2008), and Jason Ormond (Class of 2009).

Both the Whitney Young Sophomores (30-1) and Varsity (16-8) qualified for the CPS Basketball semifinals this week. The Sophomores are the CPS City Number # 1 Seed and are cruising for the Championship Game to be played at the UIC Pavillion on Saturday after crushing Von Steuben last night.

Tonight at DePaul McGrath Arena it is the CPS Varsity Semifinals with Whitney Young vs Washington in the first semifinal game at 5:00 pm and Simeon vs Farragut in the second semifinal game at 6:30 pm. The Varsity CPS City Championship will be played on Saturday at the UIC Pavillion following the opener which will be the CPS Sophomore City Championship.

Mark, glad things are going so well for Jason and the boys. What is the status of the Clubbers for 2007?

I have not made a final decision on the Clubbers for 2007.

The financial commitment to run The Clubbers for the past five years has been enormous which most parents/players do not appreciate or realize. When parents are told of the need to support the economics of the team most just continue to play, but then flee when it is time to pay up. It cost thousands to pay coaches, pay umpires, run tournaments and rent top fields. I can tell you that many feel a sense of entitlement to play and when push comes to shove they will sheepishly look the other way and then tell me that they forgot to bring their wallet! I have heard every reason (or excuse) not to pay from, "my car was stolen" to "you are lucky to have my kid on your team!"

I have aggressively pursued all fundraising options for a City minority baseball team, however the two major league baseball teams in this city find it easier to look the other way when asked to support a city team comprised of the top minority players. So now the MLB is going to Africa as it feels that its best minority talent can now be found there? This is despite all kinds of attention to the declining number of African American players in the MLB. There is a dirth of urban city teams which have the ability to develop minority players. The Clubbers have been a minority team with 90% African American and/or Latin players for each of the last 4 years.

The urban minority player continues to be ignored as apparently the economics of finding the next major league signee is more economical and more easily found in Latin America or somewhere else in the world rather than in "the good old USA." Is it America's game? You tell me. It is with great interest that I now read that the latest push for the MLB is with Dusty Baker and others wanting to develop and fund the game of baseball in Africa. Why not take care of the folks at home instead of trying to locate and develop minority talent elsewhere in the world?

The percentage of minority players from the United States in the MLB continues to decline and while token efforts are made to support urban baseball there is no meaningful effort taking place; even in a top tier city such as Chicago which is supporting two major league teams. Go figure? Last year fund raising requests were sent to the MLB, the White Sox and the Cubs who all told me that they were doing all they could to support minority baseball in Chicago. Where? I do not see it. The only major fundraising support we have been able to garner was from the Chicago Blackhawks in the amount of $25K. So it goes, MLB put your money where your mouths are being fed.

So that being the case, it is likely that Jason will spend his summer on an airplane doing his college visits as he will be a Junior next year and begin to get his looks at the colleges he is most interested in eventually attending. So after five years of trying to make this work it is my opinion that there is no real or sincere interest in supporting the development of top tier minority talent in this city.

Mark, you raise some excellent points regarding the development of local minority talent.

I wonder if you can clarify one thing. You mention that the inner city minority kids need financial support. I assume this is because the minority players have greater financial needs and it is difficult for them to pay for the private lessons, quality fields, and equipment. Who, then are the parents that are not coming up with the money you expect. Are these the same minority people who need their participation in a quality program like the Clubbers to be subsidized?

Me being a minority coach and former player from the city i know what Mark is talking about parents want there kids to play but dont wanna pay and not cause they dont want to SOMETIMES, but they cant afford it most parents make enough to pay rent, utilities, clothes, and food they dont put baseball atop their to do list. I have parents on my team that say next week or friday or some kind of excuse or even telling there kids you wanna play you are gonna have to get a job,some kids with real talent have to give up the game period to go work. I have had kids that there parents dont even care or even dont even have a steady place to go home after games and we let them play for free just cause they wanna play the game and we dont want them on the streets. Back when i was little i wanted to play ball but my parents had to save the money to pay 3 or 4 hundred dollars and sell candy which most of the time the we eat and thats another 2 hundred out of there pocket so they had to save up 5 hundred for me to play they wanted to pay but it was hard at the same time and then to get private lessons in the winter the private lessons is your father taking you to the park and borrowing a bat and one ball and hitting you grounders and if you wanna pitch learn on the mound while you pitch there is a saying in spanish "QUE SE ENSENE EL SOLO" which means let him teach himself so pretty much what i am trying to say is that i feel Marks pain in all this but at the same time bballdad its harder for parents in the city to pay for the things that other kids get cause family, food and and all the other thngs come before baseball in most cases

Cougar235, I get it. That is why I was wondering who Mark was expecting to get the money from.

Mark, I sent a pm.

The sport of baseball has always been a money sport. It is among the most expensive sports to play and pure economics rule when it comes to those who have been granted access. Look at the long history of baseball. The sames goes for other high dollar entry sports such as hockey, figure skating, golf and tennis where there has been no significant minority participation. Those with the most to gain from funding to improve this statistic is the MLB. So where do I think the money should come from?

Simple.....the MLB.

Someone has to pay to solve the dramatic drop in African American major leagers in the game. Since 1991 there has been a 50% drop in the percentage of black players. Today only 9% of the MLB is comprised of African Americans and every year the MLB claims it is looking to find a solution to this steadily declining participation rate. The dramatic increase in Latino players have not come from America, it is the outgrowth of the MLB shifting its efforts to Latin America to develop talent. Why? Economics, pure and simple. It costs pennies instead of dollars to develop the talent there that is needed to fuel the game.

Has America lost jobs to outsourcing? You bet it has. Is American baseball now following the same path? Time will tell, but what began as just a few players from Latin America in the game has now grown to where this is where the major source of talent is coming from and is now the largest growth in new players.

The latest economic strategy for the MLB is going to Ghanna, Africa to develop talent and make an eventual impact on solving this aspect of the game is curious at best. But that solution (if is is one) is years away. Read the February 11, 2007 Chicago Tribune for an extensive story on the latest strategy of how the MLB is funding baseball in Africa. Why Ghanna? Why not New York, Atlanta, Chicago or Los Angeles. Why no ground breaking efforts on American soil to improve African American or minority participation in the game?

Minority youth in major urban cities, such as Chicago need equipment, fields and coaching. The MLB has done very little to address this need and issue. The end game in baseball has always been about economics and today that is no different. It is just being played out differently.

My perspective is different from many as I have been immersed in this issue for the past five years and have watched with interest how little anything has changed or how little has been done. Why are the demographics so different in the makeup of players in professional football and basketball? What is the explanation?

I am sorry if my view offends anyone, but the numbers are irrefutable and speak very loud and clear.

Mark enough is enough, I am offended. You say that your promotion of baseball in the inner city is an altruistic one. But, anyone who reads what you write can see what your real motivation is. The Clubbers were made up of people from all walks of life firemen , teachers, cops, business owners and even men who wear World Series rings and you managed to offend most of them through "daddy ball". So please stop polluting this sight with your garbage.

Stagedad, now don't go postal on me! The perspective I share bothers you?

What so annoys you about this perspective? Is it too controversial for your liking? You might be better served by having an intellectual discussion debating the facts instead of name calling and trying to read my mind. Apparently, I struck too sensitive a nerve for your liking. Until you have walked the path I have you cannot imagine my motivation. Literally thousands of kids have played in one of our top notch tournaments on fields that were completely out of the reach of ANY other team in this area, so get a clue about the positive impact the Clubbers program has had on thousands of kids in several different age groups.

As far as those "Dad's" you refer to, well I can tell you that most were never around. If the kid was lucky enough to have a Dad most rarely took the time to appear. This was despite an 80 plus game season, and countless many more practices. As a matter of fact most Dads were unwilling to even drive their little Johnny to the game or practice so many kids regularly missed the practices. If we did not arrange to pick the kid up and drive him he would not be able to be at the practice and we were always calling before games to make sure we had a sufficient number of players and that our key players were going to be arriving and would not arrive late. In fact more often than not we had many more Baseball Moms show up.

So understand something about city baseball Stagedad, many of these kids do not have fathers and those that did were often times too busy with their own personal lives to show up to watch their kid play. I know because I was at every practice and every game for six plus years. So you tell me about this illustrious group of hallmark people who you say you are acquainted with are fed up. By the way, what does that kind of participation level by a parent tell the kid?

Daddyball??? There were no Dad coaches as I eliminated them all. Coaches were hired. Try arguing the numbers, instead of what is rambling around in your hyper-sensitive imagination. The numbers in this area of baseball do not lie. They speak volumes. If Jackie Robinson were to express an opinion about the current state of affairs what might he say? Would he say that there has been a dramatic improvement in this area? I do not think a 9% African American participation level speaks well for baseball today in 2007. Did Jackie Robinson really break the color barrier in 1947? Now a half a century later the game can say that 9% of its players are African American. Impressive......The MLB can solve this issue if it chooses to by investing in the youth of America. So far the sport has not chosen to truly address the issue. I know as I have personally written countless letters and have had countless rejections for funding. Everyone politely dances around the issue and no one wants to address the real core problems.

16 years of statistics in this area are revealing in what they now really do reveal.

P.S. Whitney Young varsity lost the semi-final game to Washington on Wednesday night at Depaul's McGrath Arena.

Gentlemen,

It is clear that there is something else going on here between the lines. The last 2 posts would have been better handled by using the PM feature. Don't air your dirty laundry in public, please.

This is the essence of the message.......

quote:

The numbers in this area of baseball do not lie. They speak volumes. If Jackie Robinson were to express an opinion about the current state of affairs what might he say? Would he say that there has been a dramatic improvement in this area? I do not think a 9% African American participation level speaks well for baseball today in 2007. Did Jackie Robinson really break the color barrier in 1947? Now a half a century later the game can say that 9% of its players are African American. Impressive......The MLB can solve this issue if it chooses to by investing in the youth of America. So far the sport has not chosen to truly address the issue. I know as I have personally written countless letters and have had countless rejections for funding. Everyone politely dances around the issue and no one wants to address the real core problems.

This is very unusual. A white guy playing the race card because he isn't getting the money and respect he wants.

Mark, why did you start that organization? You sound like the Kevin Costner Character in "Field of Dreams" when James Earl Jones got to go with the Ghosts and he didn't, and asked what was in the whole thing for him.

You reap what you sow.

Mark,

Like dude, get over your self-promotion. Like others I am tired of it..

FYI, I HAVE TO DO MY WORK AND AT LUNCH NOW BUT OUT OF TIME. I'M GOING TO LOCK THIS THREAD UNTIL I CAN READ IT ALL. CERTAINLY I MISSED SOME IMPLICATIONS THAT OTHERS VIA PMS HAVE ASSERTED.

I JUST DON'T WANT THIS TO GET CARRIED AWAY WHEN I CAN'T LOOK IN. I APOLOGIZE IF I'M OFFENDING ANYONE.

I haven't been able to read this thread but didn't want to be "too thin skinned." I'll let others moderate this.

I keep one eye on this forum because of some past issues that were rather volatile, and CoachB25 and Rosy also keep me updated.

A few points that I wanted to make:

Moderators (including me) are volunteers who have real jobs. Sometimes, as CoachB25 said above, they/we will need to lock a thread just to keep it from spiraling out of control while we are away doing real work, and come back later to investigate and deal with it. Other times they/we may need or choose to close a discussion because we've already been down that road and strongly suspect how much time it is going to take to keep things reasonably clean - sometimes that's just not worth it. And more often than members might like to think, we may have to put a halt to something because of past problems involving threats of lawsuits. I typically receive at least one such threat per month.

Being a moderator is mostly a thankless job, but I'll say it here again: Thank you so much to our moderators!

Julie

A most interesting assortment of reactions and comments.

I live in the heart of Chicago. Starting a team in an urban area (as I did) was what was most convenient for me. It also had the result of diversity. This was not a planeed occurrence, as it just happened. Our teams have been unlike any in the area. We recruited players from the area and it was nothing more than that. The perspective I have from running my team opened my eyes to many things I had previously been unaware of. So my views are much different from those who have not had this type of experience and are in the outlying suburbs.

America is changing. However, baseball has not sufficiently changed with the changing face of America. As far as I am concerned there is no legitimate explanation for the demographic imbalance in the sport of baseball. If there is one then someone please enlighten me.

Interestingly, but not suprisingly no one wants to comment on the subject matter of the story which reported on the latest MLB response to the declining numbers of African American players was by funding baseball in Ghana. This is apparently being done to seek more talented players. This was written as the lead story in the Sunday, Chicago Tribune Sports section just two weeks ago and the problem of the steadily declining numbers of African Americans in professional baseball was central to this story.

My Clubber baseball program has provided a legitimate blueprint and answer to the declining numbers of players of color in baseball. This is why the Chicago Blackhawks funded the Clubbers $25K for the 2004-2005 season. The MLB has chosen not to address this issue in any meaningful way; consequently only 9% of African American players are in the MLB today. This is down 50% from 1991. 60 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier that is a most telling statistic.

Last year the White Sox offerred the Clubbers autographed memorabilia to address the fund raising needs of our urban team. This was not something we could use and easily convert to a meaningful source of funding to the benefit of any of our players, so the offer of accepting any autographed memorabilia was graciously turned down.

Mark,

"Deal with it"...Where did that come from? You and I need to have a cup of coffee and a piece of pie, together.

In youth baseball, all you need is a couple of kids, a ball and a bat.

I grew up at 18th and Halsted years ago (back before the Dan Ryan being built.

Virtually no one in our neighborhood (18th and Desplaines) had any money. Moreover, I spoke broken English. Everyone called me the "dumb dp".

We found school buildings or empty buildings that had walls and we put a strikezone on the wall and with our little brown balls, we played fast pitching.

Cost of the ball was 29 cents to 49 cents. If you couldn't afford a bat (I bought a ball, glove and bat at Morrie Mages on 63rd and Halsted for a bit over $10.00), you used a broken broomstick (or as some did, had an "accident" with the broom that just happened to break the stick and make the broom useless).

Kids can learn the game and you don't need MLB money. All you need is a couple of kids and an empty lot or a street with little traffic (until after the workday ends).

Spent a ton of time in Little Leagues at Dvorak Park 19th and Cullerton where I was a little league teammate of Tony Delagado (who was a baseball and basketball star at Harrison High School (near Southwest side), who went on to play at Lewis University and then coached with Gordie Gillespie at Lewis and Uof St. Francis.

Never was on any travel team and didn't need it. When I made the little league all star team, one of the tournament rules was that we had to wear jockstraps. I didn't know what to do with it so I put it on the outside of our uniform!

Fast forward: Spent virutally every summer day playing baseball on the streets or in the local parks. Went to St. Rita and we played at Lindblom Park and then McKinley Park. Rode my bike from 69th and Maplewood and spent virtually every summer day playing at McKinley Park...no umpires, no coaches, just kids. Played for the Catholic League Championships against Fenwick and Mt. Carmel in 1960-1962. Rita won in 1960 beating Fenwick at the old Comiskey Park. Then we played in 1961 and 1962, at McKinley Park, against Dennis McLain and Mount Carmel. We beat McLain in the middle of the three game series each of those years but they won the title each year with Len Kopacz pitching for them in 1961 (he won 2 games) and Jim Darrah in 1962, when he won 2 games.

Went on to play at a small college and got a chance to play pro ball when the Braves drafted me in 1966. I teamed and roomed with Earl Williams who was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1971.

You don't need lots money, showcases or travel ball to learn the game and to become pretty good at it and to continue playing ball in college and professional ball. YOU NEED DESIRE. Doesn't cost anything to learn to run, field and throw. You need a bat, however, for hitting skills. That is how the Latins do it in the islands or in Venezuela and that is how we did it. STOP COMPLAINING OR MAKING EXCUSES FOR KIDS. If they want it, they can make it happen themselves. I'm sure they have the latest rap cd's and the tilted hat look. Think of the money they spend for that?

I delivered the Sun-Times and the Chicago American and never asked my mom for a penny. Always had a few nickels in my pockets. Too, plenty of people around who need kids to run errands for them. Kids can do that, too.

Get away from "professional, paid" coaches and have one of the dads do it. If the kids are as good as you say they are, they need very little coaching...just a bit of discipline and learning that baseball is a team game.

I know you're a Chicago police officer and a nice guy. Tell the kids that they have to work or solicit businessmen for a few bucks and you guys will have another fine season!

It's a great game.

-----

p.s. $25,000 from the Hawks! Wow, that would have supported the 16 year old Upper Deck Cougars team that I helped coach in 2001 and 2002 for at least 5 years. That 2002 team had a 4th round draft choice and all of the kids are at D1 schools, except for one. He was the smartest of the group and is now a pre-med student at a Southern school.

I respectfully disagree with what it takes to be successful in baseball today. All of the chacteristics you point out are critical. But it starts with a foundation and good coaching is key, then you need equipment and a field to play on. All of which are in very short supply in the city.

Dads? Where are they? The typical urban kid and the kids we have had on our team largely come from single parent families. That is the reality of what urban America is dealing with.

As far as the success of our program, the long term benefits are yet to be known, but the short term indications are that we did a lot of things right and yes it does cost money, lots of it.

We are not living in the segregated America circa 1940. You will find large number of Blacks living in suburbs and rural America as well as cities throughout America today including large number of black middle class families. I do not agree with the theory that the declining numbers of black players have to do with "inner city" economics. The larger truth is that black youth by and large have chosen basketball and football over
baseball for a number of reasons.
It was tragic and a black mark on baseball when Jackie Robinson and others who wanted to play baseball were denied that option. Today's black youth have the opportunity to play baseball but by and large have made other choices. The freedom to choose is social progress at work.

quote:

then you need equipment and a field to play on. All of which are in very short supply in the city.

Mark,

YOU ARE TALKING WITH A GUY WHO HAS LIVED IN THE CITY FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS AND KNOWS THE ENTIRE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST SIDE INTIMATELY!

NOTHING IS IN SHORT SUPPLY. PLENTY OF PARK DISTRICT FIELDS AVAILABLE.

ALL YOU NEED IS FOR THE KIDS TO GO AND PLAY....NOW 95% OF THE FIELDS ARE EMPTY DURING THE DAY. EVEN IN SURBURBIA.

Seriously, give me a call and we'll get together for a cup of coffee and a sweetroll and I'll show you all of the empty fields during the spring and summer.

My father used to tell me stories about how he used to ride his bike to the park and play pick up games with neighborhood kids, regardless of economic background (he grew up in an economically diverse community.)

It seems like today, this would never happen, not just because of video games, but because of private lessons, expensive equipment, and expensive elite travel teams. Because of this, it seems like many of the better players come from financially stronger backgrounds (I realize this is a dangerous generalization to make and I am just talking in the big picture). I attend a wealthy all white school in the north suburbs, and it seems like many players take for granted going to pitching or hitting lessons once a week, something many kids in the city couldn't possibly even think of. I think this is one of the reasons basketball is so big in inner cities (all you need is a ball and some concrete) and baseball is losing its steam.

Of course we aren't living in 1940s segregation and we have come a long way with Civil Rights. But for me, the images of Hurricane Katrina were a serious wake up call to the fact we still live in a society separated by de facto segregation. Almost all the people stuck in New Orleans were poor, African Americans.

I hope that Major League Baseball does do more to reach out to inner city programs and get more involvement in the game from people who come from poverty.

quote:

Originally posted by BeenthereIL:
I know you're a Chicago police officer and a nice guy.

Then he must be a detective.

quote:

Originally posted by BeenthereIL:
When I made the little league all star team, one of the tournament rules was that we had to wear jockstraps. I didn't know what to do with it so I put it on the outside of our uniform!

PRICELESS!

quote:

Originally posted by BeenthereIL: When I made the little league all star team, one of the tournament rules was that we had to wear jockstraps. I didn't know what to do with it so I put it on the outside of our uniform!

For the record, at that time Beenthere was a sox fan.

Actually, Fast, I was a HUGE Cubs fan at that time...would have been 1956-1957.

Now, 50 years later, the Cubbies still haven't won anything!

Go White Sox!

Fastball,

For a cub fan, I was was very impressed with your position regarding the locking of threads on your other post. Not a big fan of of the locking concept. It goes against the "American in me." Fastball, someday I might capitalize the c word based on you *****even though we are know or at least next year Arizona competitors.

I agree that Mark could support his position quite well. I met Mark during a Skyscraper league game last summer at UIC and Mark asked my college age son, who just pitched and won the game, to speak to his players about the importance of cworking hard at academic level and chosing the right fit as far as college. I was impressed and with Mark. I do very clearly understand his conflicts.

On the otherside of the coin, I have been involved and have directly ran travel various programs over the year and never came close to spending 25K plus more. Hamlin Park have fiquired out some of those pieces out. A very successful "National" program.

I may have never Managed some of the better travel program but some of the following players, Reigler UIC, Dubler ISU, Pilcher UI (football - could have been baseball), Gallan U of C., Bisnet Cincinnati, Wasilowski St. John NY, Binder, Northwestern and others. Never spent a lot of money. These boys are only Sophomores in college. It was not a long time ago. Inflation is low except for Nickel prices and that is o.k. Mark, Hard to feel bad bad about a 25K
plus budget.

Although I realize that the numbers do not lie, I also realize that when a young kid is developing and growing up they need role models. And for many kids growing they use the athletes that are available to them as their guy. I am not sure that this is any different in the city or in the burbs. So if this means they look up to Lebron, or even the HS All Stater in the area or next door. The fact that they are close to the role model and relate with the person, I think has a ton to do with what is happening. Amazing how role models change as we age!

A great example is where I live. I am in Aurora and it is a mini Chicago and we have our sections and Ethnic areas no different then Chicago, just downsized. Point being, West Aurora Hs until this year has been a top 10 team in Hoops for years. The school is split between all Ethnic backgrounds. Baseball team prodominatly white with a few Latinos and African American kids. On the flip side, the Hoops team is prodominatly black with a token white kid. This isnt because there arent fields, coaches or youth leagues here for them. It is all about how the kids are brought up and what they are around there whole lives. Period. If baseball is a topic in the house , most likley baseball will be the path, if hoops or football is the main sporting topic in the hood or in the house then that to me is most likely the path.

I think the very fact that Mark opens up in Baseball forum talking about a basketball program is very interesting. Don't get me wrong , I think its great you are proud of your boy and all the others you mentioned. The game in the city is hoops! So the five and six year old stragling around with his older bro's sees the man guy is the hooper and thus the five and six year old is bound to pick up the basketball before the baseball.

I remember when we were inside in the gym practiceing baseball and a basketball would dribble out and down went the ball gloves and everyone would be shooting the rock. I would be willing to bet that this happens all the time everywhere. There came a time for me that I realized I wasnt as fast and couldnt jump as high as the others. I knew the deal. I was a midsized slow white guy..

I think no matter the situation,or where it occurs, if there is a bloodline of the sport in the family the chance of the kid taking the same path as an older role model will inevitabally occur.

If I am sincire about reaching out for help, I am not sure I am going to attack MLB over it. In fact I know for sure that MLB is getting more involved in our area very soon.

Where there is a will there is a way.

Last season I had 4-5 inner city kids in our program. This year we will have the same.
They are playing with us because they made the choice to committ their Summers and Falls and focus on the Sport they love. If it meant taking a bus , or getting a ride from coach, thats is what it takes.. Thus the reason they will all be in College next year. If you asked the kids I have and I love each one of them, if they were slighted , not given oppurtunity, they would laugh..
You get out of this world what you put into it and nobody said anything is easy.


Just a few of my thoughts.

quote:

Originally posted by lsc59:
Fastball,

For a cub fan, I was was very impressed with your position regarding the locking of threads on your other post. Not a big fan of of the locking concept. It goes against the "American in me."

lsc59, the implication then is that I'm un-American. Interesting. It is so much easier to simply be a member of this site. MN-Mom, Itsrosy, and other caring Moderators aren't afforded that luxury. Julie graciously points this out in a post in Fastballdad's thread. Instead, we have to worry about ...


This is a very interesting thread.

CoachB,

I hope that no one thinks you are un-American. The mdoerator job is certiainly a thankless one and you and Rosy (along with Julie) have taken your share of grief for trying to do the right thing, I'm sure.

Unfortunately there have been a few circumstances where posters have crossed the line and thus we have gray areas.

I appreciate what you do and I hope you don't take offense to well-meaning comment.

Coach,

Never implied or had thoughts about anything or anyone but myself. Plus it is the title of a song by one of my favorite musical artist...Little Stevie "Orbit" Forbit.

Coach,

But if I ever have a specific view point or position I will address the topic specificly
as I have always done in the past. Shy is not a word that describes me well.

Basketball and football at the high school level is far advanced beyond where baseball is. That is especially the case in our geographic area. At most schools baseball is an after thought to the three other major sports, basketball, football and s****r.

The basketball program at Whitney Young replicates a college experience and is sponsored by NIKE. The same is the case for the basketball program at Simeon as well as at a few other select CPS schools. These programs are highly disciplined and have a high coach to player ratio. At Whitney Young the coach to player ratio is 1 coach for every 3 players. They have coaches who specialize in every aspect of the game and are on the bench during game situations and providing the players with direction and strategy. That is a huge teaching advantage for any program to have and is a key missing ingredient for most high school baseball programs.

Consequently, it is no accident that the Simeon and Whitney Young basketball programs consistently rank among the best in thea area. I have watched with great interest as my son has been one of the players in this program for the last two years. I believe that there is a lesson in all of this for high school baseball to improve.

The Whitney Young Sophomores last night advanced to the City Championship Game which will be played at the UIC Pavillion on Saturday at 5:00 pm. The opponent is another NIKE sponsored team, Simeon. It was Whitney Young and Simeon last year for the city championship at both the Freshman and Sophomore levels. It is no accident that these teams are at the final dance. For the Sophomore team at Whitney Young, the team today will have a team practice immediately following school, then check into a downtown hotel, this will be followed by a team dinner at Tuscany on Taylor hosted by the school principal Dr. Joyce Kenner; tomorrow morning the team will have a team breakfast, review tapes take in a movie and then change into dress shirts and orange ties and take a charter bus to the UIC Pavillion.

This week the Whitney Young boys varsity got to the final four and played in a televised game at DePaul McGrath Arena. They lost to Washington, but the entire program was in attendance wearing their NIKE apparel as they supported the Varsity team. Last night the Lady Dolphins of Whitney Young won their State Sectional Game played at St. Ignatius and will advance now to the Super Sectional to be played at Loyola University. Girls basketball Varsity Coach Corey Irvin is among the best coaches in the area. Once again this kind of success starts with a solid program and excellent coaching and good raw material; i.e. players who want to work hard and excel at the game.

Perhaps MLB and the league teams in major markets need to look at sponsoring high school baseball teams just as NIKE is doing. The MLB could select programs that are focused on improving diversity. That is perhaps the best way to advance American athletes into the upper echelons of the game. It all takes money and sponsoring select high school baseball programs can provide a good return on investment and that is what it is about. The CPS schools would be an excellent proving ground for this type of a strategy. So CPS are you with me on this?

Every business (and baseball is a business) wants a good ROI on its investment dollars.