Will it hurt me?

I think you should play HS ball.  If you don't, how do you answer the question about why not?

'Players didn't like the coach' just doesn't sound like a very good response.

Playing through an adverse situation is a much more positive message you'd be sending to college coaches (and yes, if that's what it is, they will figure that out).

lanky,

I'm 200% with justbaseball on this one and your choice.

If you love baseball and you love your school, why don't you make the difference for your HS team.  Someone needs to stand up and take a stand and be the difference.

Why not you? You don't have to love your coach to love baseball, playing your senior year in HS and making it the best experience possible.

If you want to play in college, you could certainly experience a  college coach who could  be far more demanding than anything which is being done by this HS coach.

It is easy to quit.  My view is there is not much gained from quitting, from what you have posted.

Lanky: Will it hurt? Not sure, but I do know it won't help. On most recruiting questionnaires, surveys of colleges travel and high school teams are noted. I would rather play (sounds like playing time is not an issue) for my high school than not. I would rather play to get game time reps than not. I would rather play than field the whys:

Did he get cut?  Does his HS not have a team? Did he get thrown off team because of some disciplinary issue or grades? If you are serious about playing at the next level than there will be coaches along the way that you may not like? Can you rise above it all and have a great season? I would think that your school would have enough to field the numbers for at least one (varsity team). If players are jumping ship, now is your chance to step in and be a leader. You like the GAME and want to PLAY I would not quit. I am not sure what year you are, but you'll have time to work on your game. Look at this as another tough class that you can learn from in school and a reward is summer AAU team.

If you asked my 2015 to rank all the coaches he's had from little league, babe ruth, high school, AAU and Legion, he would clearly rank his HS coach at the bottom for similar reasons as you noted above. He weathered through the 3+ years and in the end, he was playing to win for his teammates, school and himself.  Two years ago, son had 5 players on his HS team that would go on to play D1 ball in college. (Coach's previous10+ seasons he had none). Team had early exit in playoffs. Through it all son, stayed motivated, learned some lessons along the way about people and landed at a college whose philosophy, style of play and what they value in individuals resemble his AAU (Legion) team.

So you say that many "key players quit." I say, stay, and be a key player!

Yes, listen closely to what these experienced people are telling you.  

Sorry, but you need to get your head out of your rear end.

If I were still a college coach, just knowing you were thinking about quitting because of your coach would be enough for me to lose interest in you.  It just isn't important if you like your coaches,  what is important is if they like you!  If you don't understand that now, you'll figure it out some day.

If you plan on playing after HS, follow the path that nearly every college player or professional player takes.  If you go far enough you will run into other coaches you don't exactly like.  Don't allow them to stop you!

+1

Nothing to add to all these good responses.  Just want to throw one more +1 out there for all these comments.  As PG said you would be wise to listen.  And justbaseball nailed it right out of the gate.  This thread could have stopped cold dead right there.  Hopefully you will come back on and acknowledge you got these responses.

Excellent feedback here guys.

Also keep in mind- college coach's will often call your HS coach to inquire about your character.  Your HS has known you for 4 years - 9 months per year. 

This is an excellent opportunity to stand up, lead your classmates, and learn how to work with the new coach.

My son played three years of high school varsity for a coach he didn't like. That the coach was a jerk (zero people skills, many players didn't know where they stood) united the team. Rather than quit they won two conference championships after coming in second. 

Players who who love the game don't get run off by a coach they don't like. If they did I wouldn't have got past my first year of LL. You're not going to like everyone you work with when you get older. Their will be people above you on the organizational chart you won't like. Start learning how to deal with it now. 

Quitting is too easy. And it's so hard to stop once it starts. In fact every time it just gets easier to quit. Much easier than sticking it out. Players who have had to deal with adversity and learn how to battle do very well in the college environment. They take that same mentality on in life with them. Players who learn how to quit do that quite well also. I never let my kids quit anything they started. From cutting the grass, digging a stump, raking leaves, playing on a team, anything. If you start something you finish it. There is a lesson to be learned in every situation.

When you are on that visit you will put on your best face. The coach and coaches will as well. Once you sign on the dotted line its kind of like buying a car. When your walking up everyone is greeting you. Hello Sir! How are you doing! Would you like some coffee? Donut? Can we get you anything? Go back the next day after you have signed on the dotted line. What's up? Oh I don't know. I will see if I can find someone to help you.

if everything has been just peachy how do you learn to deal with the tough times? If you have never learned how to deal with tough times when do you start? When your away from home for the first time in your life? You can choose to look at this as a perfect opportunity to learn and grow. Or you can choose to look at this as an opportunity to follow the crowd. There is funny thing about following the crowd. That's usually the quickest way to average. Isn't that where most people end up? Isn't that why they call it average?

Walls aren't put up between you and your goals to keep you from achieving them.  They're put there to determine how much you want them and how far you're willing to go the get them.

So, you have a wall there.  How bad do you want it?

"It is only October and people are concerned if we will even have enough players to field a competitive team. I have contemplated not playing this spring..."

My advice is be a leader and encourage players to continue to come out. Set an example and you can take pride in what you have done. 

Best wishes on your decision.

When my son was in the 7th grade he and his best friend were the two best players in our little community. The Middle school program was pathetic. The school was only in its 5th year open but it had not won more than one or two games in a season. The coach was a guy that had never played baseball. He was a good guy that was told he had to coach a sport. My son and his best friend came to me and told me they wanted to just come to the HS and practice with the team. They went on and on about the fact they didn't want to waste their time with this "Bo Bo Baseball."

I sat both of them down and went off of them. "So your better than those other kids." "Your so good you shouldn't have to play with scrubs?" "What happens when your a scrub?" "What happens when other players look at you and say "We shouldn't have to catch that kid." "We shouldn't have to pitch to that kid." I challenged them. "Why don't you make a difference?" "Why don't you teach those kids what it takes?" "Why don't you help that coach out?" "Why don't you win a championship?" "You do realize these are the same kids that you are going to be playing HS baseball with right?" "Oh your too good to play with me now but now you want me to listen to you in High School?" How are you going to lead like that?

They would go on to have two of the most enjoyable years of their baseball careers. They built great friendships. They helped the coach out. They would hit fungo's. They would give advice on drills. They would lead. They would go on to win all but one game in 2 years and win the Conference championship both years. One would pitch the other would catch and they would rotate. These boys would go on to have great success in High School with these same boys they played with in Middle School.

I would dare anyone to call them scrubs today. They would fight you over it. They grew so much from that experience. Man be a leader. Quit being a follower. If everyone is going to the left take a look at the right. Maybe they are all just followers and quitters. Maybe if you want to be special sometimes you have to be willing to go where no one else is willing to go. Do what no one else is willing to do. Maybe if you lead others will follow.

We got enough followers in this world right now. In fact its over flowing with them. Stand up and be a leader. Man up and stand out for the right reasons. Just my opinion.

I agree with all the other comments. You won't learn anything if you quit, but people will definitely learn something about you. I know several kids who aren't playing a sport they love because of the coach. Unfortunately, it makes them look like spoiled little kids. In the future, you will work with and for people you don't like. You will not get anywhere by quitting because you don't like someone. It's called adulthood. Welcome to it. Good luck. I really hope you decide to play and become the leader your team so desperately needs.

Great post!

Try to control only that which you can control.  Those things you can't control is what makes baseball hard.

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard everyone would do it.  It's the hard that makes it great."  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndL7y0MIRE4

lankyrighty,

That is good news.  Let us know how things go, but don't complain, just do your thing. Make that coach like you!

This is where you start to hear old cliché statements like, a bad day on the field is better than a good day off the field.  One day you will miss that field.  Good choice!

One of the kids at our HS who just graduated is playing at a well-known JUCO in our state. The head coach is notoriously hard on players....our ex-player is not having any trouble at all adjusting to his new program, new coach, etc, because of the nightmare he had to deal with for the previous 4 years. There is alot to be said for working through a tough situation and learning to make the best of the hand you're dealt. Glad to hear you're going to make it work. Good luck!