Why Promote a Sophomore to Varsity to benchwarm??

Really, there's two things going on.

1. Your curiosity regarding the coaches decision. Personally, I would never promote a kid a level and not play him regularly. That being said, it is done in our HS on the basketball team.

2. You getting involved with the coaches by questioning them through email. I doubt you'll find much support here. Most, myself included, advise against parental/coach involvement, and I would counsel you to leave that between the player and coach. If the player thinks it's important enough, he'll go to the coach. If he doesn't, it must not be that important.

So my advice, go watch your son play and root for the team.

ducbollea;
the question is "is your boy learning the game"

Please open our web site <www.goodwillseries.org>
Notice the photo of Gary Wheelock, former #1 draft of the A's and now pitching coach for the Mariners minor league teams.

Gary has traveled to Australia with our teams for three years. He is a teacher and knowledge of the pitching game. From his computer in Perth he is teaching our young Devil Rays pitchers.

Why is your son is a pitcher/shortstop or shortstop/pitcher? Is this his choice or yours?

Bob Williams

I absolutely agree with your question...as it happened to my son his soph year when he role was to simply courtesy run for the catcher on a team that did not steal bases...I would have much rather him played on JV than sit on varsity.

On the other hand, probably NOT a good idea to email or call the coach.

From the initial threadpost:

"I feel like he is being blackballed for not playing on his town's legion team (coached by a parent) and playing on a local travel team that is being coached by a College coach."

You play HS baseball representing your school. You play summer baseball, at the best available level, to gain attention to play college ball, for your school, then the rest(career advancement) is the by-product.

Duc
My son played varsity as a sophomore also. He was stuck backing up a kid who turned out to be the best hitter in the league that year. My son only caught an inning here and there at "garbage time" and it was a very frustrating season, though he would never admit it. Purely a selfish move by the coach in our case, he knew my kid was a very serviceable catcher at the varsity level and needed him on the roster in case his #1 got hurt. My son actually got to experience a state championship that year so something fun came out of it. As a curious aside, my son is now enjoying playing regularly as a freshman catcher/DH in college while the kid he backed up is now a junior in college and playing only intramural rugby!
I'm guessing you probably know by now that getting involved in the coach's decision by sending email was a huge no-no. You just have to live with what's going on. I just hope your trying to interfere didn't hurt your boy's standing in the coach's eyes.

quote:

I'm guessing you probably know by now that getting involved in the coach's decision by sending email was a huge no-no. You just have to live with what's going on. I just hope your trying to interfere didn't hurt your boy's standing in the coach's eyes.

....and if he did, shame on the coach. Shame, shame, shame!

At my sons school if they bring up a sophmore they pretty much play him a lot,otherwise leave him down to play.But your son asked about going up,so maybe he has to earn his time on the varsity.

with every step up the ladder, in life as in baseball there is a different view. your son asked what he had to do to make varsity. the coach thought he deserved to be there, and put him there. now your not pleased ? enjoy the games ,he'll have his chance to shine.



most of all,be careful what you wish for.

My son got brought up last year, and sat for several games. But then he became the starter by the end of the year. Its a big jump in the talent level you face, so sitting and absorbing the difference from the bench isnt such a bad thing. Of course last year, while he was sitting on the bench, I was thinking the same thing as you.

Just to clarify. Your son, who is a sophmore, asked the coach what he can do to make varsity. The coach ultimately comes to the conclusion (after telling your son he's not making varsity) that your son does in fact deserve a spot on the varsity roster. Now the issue is playing time. I'm sorry but there's such a thing as paying your dues. I personally experienced this as a junior playing highschool football. As a player I felt I was better than the starting QB, and I was, but I started JV. Occasionally getting a few snaps here and there in varsity games. I knew my time would come, I just had to work hard to earn it. I went on to play in college and it turned out to be the best thing for me.
Maybe he's bringing your kid up to "get his feet wet". Unfortunately it sounds as if you made the situation worse by getting involved, with the playing time issue.

We are going through the same thing this year. My son is a sophomore LHP on varsity. He hasn't been in but three innings, but has been a valuable learning/maturing experience for him. He has pitched three games on JV, pitching his first full game last night and getting the win. The only downside is not much practice and he was kind of flat the first two JV games he pitched, although his team won. He came back to life last night, though. He has been a little frustrated having been used to starting a lot of games in 7th, 8th and 9th grades. I've encouraged him to just keep cheering for his team and he has the next two years to pitch on varsity. Our season will be over in a couple of weeks and he'll get back with his pitching coach and play summer ball somewhere.

Our coach tells all parents at our pre-season meeting that he'll talk to you about anything other than playing time. Most coaches probably do tell their parents that, or should, but some parents can't resist the temptation. It is difficult sometimes, but the coach is the coach and he makes the decisions on the field.

Hope everyone is having as much fun as I am and enjoying this season in their son's lives. It will be gone way too fast. Let your son have fun and learn how to communicate with the coach himself if necessary. It is a good learning experience.

I have seen this time and time again. Even though you may not agree to it but your son or daughter is actually learning while watching at the Varsity Level. My son is in a poistion to move up to Varsity this year, he is currently a sophomore and playing very well. I ask him all the time if he does move up will he enjoy playing part time or even backing a position up for someone. His response has always been, " as long as I can help the team". At the beginning of the year he was being moved alot and was originally batting 1st. They moved him down to 3rd in the lineup and his bat went cold, then back up to 1st again where he lit it up. Sometimes coaches are feeling out the kids and want to see which lineup makes sense.

I have seen kids get moved up to varsity and lose the love for the game, very quick. They can't handle the pressure and the speed at that level and sometimes get thrown to the wolves never to recover. It depends on the mental makeup of a kid to either fail and get depressed or fail and try to get better.

quote:

Originally posted by Consultant:
ducbollea;
the question is "is your boy learning the game"

Please open our web site <www.goodwillseries.org>
Notice the photo of Gary Wheelock, former #1 draft of the A's and now pitching coach for the Mariners minor league teams.

Gary has traveled to Australia with our teams for three years. He is a teacher and knowledge of the pitching game. From his computer in Perth he is teaching our young Devil Rays pitchers.

Why is your son is a pitcher/shortstop or shortstop/pitcher? Is this his choice or yours?

Bob Williams

Bob,

Just curious...what does your post do other than advertise for yourself? I don't see where it is even relevant to the questions asked.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Pat H:
Just to clarify. Your son, who is a sophmore, asked the coach what he can do to make varsity. The coach ultimately comes to the conclusion (after telling your son he's not making varsity) that your son does in fact deserve a spot on the varsity roster. Now the issue is playing time. "

The coach gave the player what he asked for, a roster spot on Varsity. He (player) should use this time to learn, observe, support the team.

It also sounds like the coach does not like parental involvement.

quote:

When I sent the coach an email asking why my son was promoted. The coach called my son in his office, showed him my email and gave my son an attitude.

He's not your little baby anymore. He's a young man. If your son was unhappy sitting the bench on varsity HE should have gone to the coach, not his AGENT.

My son would be doing cartwheels if he was on the varsity bench rather than starting on JV as a freshman. A player on the JV team can't get a shot and earn the right to play more. He's not on the varsity bench to get the call. There's plenty of time for development this summer.

I do not believe bringing underclassmen up to sit---I believe that frosh and soph players need to play to get better---I believe in reps

But there are kids who want to be on varsity and learn by practice with "big boys" and watching

I agree . If you are bringing them up play them. People always say playing up is good, its PLAYING up not sitting up. Reps and seeing a lot of pitches and getting the play time are so important.
Im confused about some of the posters whos kids go back and forth between JV and varsity. For us you can do that in preseason but once the League play starts if they play in one varsity inning they are up for the year.

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
I do not believe bringing underclassmen up to sit---I believe that frosh and soph players need to play to get better---I believe in reps

But there are kids who want to be on varsity and learn by practice with "big boys" and watching

I believe my son's 14U (last year) travel team would hammer his JV team. The games are in slow motion compared to last year's travel. What my son has got out of JV is to adjust to slow pitching. But I doubt it's helping him prepare for the pitching velocities in 16U travel this summer and a future on varsity. My son is fortunate he practices with the varsity.

I mentioned earlier that my son went thru the same thing last season, and although I wasnt thrilled at the time, I think it really turned out for the best. When my son got his chance last year, he did fine behind the plate, but did very poorly at bat. This season, he looks like a different kid at the plate. He's confident, looking for pitches, and hitting the ball. I'm sure a year of maturing helped, but I think knowing how much he had to improve his game by being exposed to varsity pitching as a freshman made him put in the work in the off season

ducbollea,

I see a couple of possible explanations for your son's situation.

First, it's possible his varsity coach wanted to show him exactly why he wasn't on varsity in the first place: "no room at the inn." So, perhaps he was trying to make a point. If so, then by e-mailing him, you made his point again; he goes to your son and says, "I can't win with you people. First you're mad when you're on JV, now you're mad you're on varsity. What the heck DO you want?"

A second possibility is that after your son left the first meeting, the varsity coach conferred with his assistant and with the JV and he was persuaded that maybe coming up was in both your son's and the team's best interests. He's a pitcher, and some coaches adhere to the notion that "you can never have enough pitching." And it could well be that the coach learned that your son had nothing more to prove at the JV level and that continuing to dominate there would prove nothing.

Your son may well learn more playing sparingly at varsity than he could being the stud on JV. For one thing, he'll learn that he still has a lot to learn (whereas dominating at JV can lead you to have an exaggerated sense of your capabilities). For another, if he only pitches in intrasquad scrimmages, he'll learn what he has to do to get better hitters out.

Your son is young, though, so he may have to wait for his opportunity in game action, which may not come until maybe late in a blowout game. (It's fun to think of your son coming in in a tight game to win it all, but if that ends in disaster you'll rue the day. Be patient. Someone is probably thinking of your son's best long term interests.)

I do think that this particular subject was within the field where parent contact with the coach was a no-no. Since you've already crossed that line, I would suggest you try sending an e-mail apology that says that you now realize you should not have interjected yourself and you promise not to do so in the future. Thank him for promoting your son and leave it at that.

But keep it short and to the point, then observe radio silence from there on out.

Midlo gives some very sound advise.

Radio silence from here on out is pertinent.

If the coach isn't giving him any time on the mound to throw bullpens during practice, it is vitally important that you find a place for him to get in some pitching.

What could happen is they need him to come in during a game, perhaps a big game, and because he hasn't had any bullpen time he begins throwing bad pitches, getting behind, loses confidence, etc. Keeping him sharp each week will help him keep his focus and mechanics down pat.

quote:

Originally posted by fanofgame:

Im confused about some of the posters whos kids go back and forth between JV and varsity. For us you can do that in preseason but once the League play starts if they play in one varsity inning they are up for the year.

Maybe different states have different rules. In our system, underclassmen varsity players can go down and play jv and jvs can play up. This typically happens between top jvs who the coaches want to see at the varsity level and the varsity reserves who see little to no playing time need reps so they go down and get some work on jv. Underclassmen varsity starters or players who get significant playing time typically don't play down.

In NC you can play in 24 regular season games. We have had JV guys that have played in the JV game and then the Varsity game in the same day. We move guys up and down all the time. If we need a younger player on Varsity but he is not getting alot of ab's we send him down to play and get ab's etc.

If I had a younger son what would I want him to do? It would depend on the quality of the coaching in the program and the quality of the competition he was facing. Would I want him to be on JV playing every game and getting the JV coaching everyday? Or would I want him to play some , sit alot but get the coaching at the Varsity level? Each program is different and the situation is different.

If we bring a guy up it is because we believe he makes us better by being up. We have a role for him. If he can get it done he stays up. If he can not we send him down. JV baseball is not as competitive in most cases as a good young player is used to playing against before getting to hs. Heck some varsity teams couldnt beat a quality 15u AAU team.

The hs season is very short. There are 8 other months to develop your game and get playing time. Learn as much as you can. Work as hard as you can. Do what it takes to help your team win. And then put yourself in the best situation you can in the summer and fall. Other than that why worry about this stuff? Worry about what you can control. What you can not control , let it go.

Two players from my son's Freshman team were promoted to Varsity. They both get at least one AB when playing Varsity games. They still play with the Freshman team as well so they can get their playing time in.

In the "dark ages" when I played HS ball the Varsity and JV did not play on the same days---As a sophomore I made varsity was going to sit behind a varsity senior stud---I played junior varsity on the days that they played and coached third base for the varsity when they played and I was on the bench, which was most games as the stud as truly a "stud"---I got great experience from this and untold confidence regarding my baseball acumen.

quote:

Why would a coach promote a sophomore (who should be playing on JV and developing as a player) to varsity and not play him??

Maybe it's for the good of the TEAM.

If you want a sport that is all about the individual, there's always golf and tennis. Baseball is a TEAM sport.

Bulldog

Very well said !!!!

Last time I checked, in both high school and college golf and tennis were team sports.

balk

I think you missed the point---they may termed "team sports" but the fact is there is noblody there to defend or help a player as in baseball

Swimming is also termed a team sport as is wrestling but everyting done is individually--you add up the point total when it is over---

This is a subject that gets covered over and over again. Our family has been through this exact scenario in the past as well. We have been on both sides of the fence, and I am not sure which is more difficult to deal with as a parent.

Our oldest son was a very good baseball player at a young age. He did not play Varsity Baseball as a freshman, but he did excell on the JV team. As a sophomore, he was on the Varsity roster, and received limited playing time as he was a sophomore catcher behind a senior catcher. Literally everyone including opposing coaches commented that our oldest son was much more talented than the senior he was backing up. Pretty tough as a parent to watch. Oldest son became the varsity starter as a Junior and performed as expected. He enjoyed a very successful High School and College Career. When it was time to turn pro, offers came but a severe shouder injury ended his baseball career. We experienced the entire spectrum of emotions with our oldest son.

Our youngest son is now a sophomore in High School. Young son is probably more mature and talented as a sophomore than his older brother was. This is mostly due in part to counseling and training from Oldest son. As adults we always say "Boy if only I knew then what I know now", well youngest son knows. He is the starting varsity catcher for his school, and is performing as or better than expected. Yesterday he hit a 3 run 375 foot bomb to tie the game in the bottom of the 7th with two outs and two strikes. What a pressure situation! No one was more proud than Oldest son. Brought a tear to dad's eye watching Oldest son high five everyone in the crowd and then congratulate his younger brother.

The difficult part of the situation is that youngest son is catching in front of a Senior catcher that had been the starter for two previous years. Head coach makes no bones about it...explaining that youngest son is so much better than other options. What is nice to see is when senior catcher gets in game to DH or catch while youngest son is set to pitch, he gives it his all.
I do not know how many players or PARENTS would handle the situation as well as senior catcher has.

I hope for the best for senior catcher as he appears to be a fine young man. Be careful what you wish for, as even while your son excells as a sophomore, someone else is sitting down. Baseball is a team sport, and in my opinion, senior catcher has shown the ultimate form of respect for the team and the sport.

We can only hope our sons can learn and display this type of respect in the future.

First of all your son should be commended for his pitching prowess, on JV. He has time. If practice with a varsity team is what is important to him so be it. Most teams play games 3-4 days a week, not practice. Why would a 15-16 year old kid ask a coach what it takes on a varsity team without prodding from someone, Dad. Not saying you are wrong but pointing out a coach may be wrong about a player is not doing your son any good. As a former coach as well as a father don't rock the boat unless you have both oars in the water.

They don't get better riding the bench.
But they also need to take advantege of every opportunity that present's itself.
And your player as a pitcher, may come in a most important game of the year for mhis team.
All the hard work and time spent working on his game, Will come out at this most opportune time. Take advantage of it.

And let me add this for what it's worth.

Your player need's to solve his own problem's with his team.
Not you as a parent.
You should never get involved, Unless there is danger to life and limb.
EH

quote:

Originally posted by theEH:
They don't get better riding the bench.
EH

But EH, they also don't get better playing "the same weak competition" as you all like to point out constantly.

I would think playing any level of competition would be better than riding the bench and not playing at all.

I'm know expert, just a parent.
But you will find that the farther along you go in this sport.
You will have thing's that happen, thats not to your liking.
It's how you handle that situation that determine's how far you will go in this sport??
EH

I do not agree with many of you who say you shouldn't approach a coach with questions. A coach isn't a good coach if he is not approachable by parents. It is all in how you approach the coach. That is the key. DUC stated that all he asked is why the promotion. I see nothing wrong with that ? and no need of attitude from the coach.

What is it that a parent need's to ask.
That the Player can't ask for himself??

Please tell me.

Do you are do you not want your player to be the best player that he can become?
That player need's to be able to stand on his own 2 Feet.
And he's not going to be able to do that with a parent that needs to know everything that goes on behind closed door's.
EH

Lamar

You are soooooooooo wrong !!!

We talk with a lot of college coaches adn when you can tell them that the player talks with the coaches and we are not dealing with parents the kids stock goes up

Kids need to stand on their own two feet without mommy and daddy hiolding them up---the Mommy Daddy syndrome is now getting into the college scene as well---kids need to develop a backbone and stand up for themselves

try having your son play on varsity since 7th grade and played every game as a pitcher and then all the sudden his senior year he's not on the mound much at all, and the kicker is a college is interested in him