Pay to play or Play and its paid.

There are some awesome players and teams in HS baseball. If you are fortunate enough to be able to play showcase, even better. What about kids that dont or cant afford it? Do they still get looked at as much? Also, What are the advantages/disadvantages of being on a team that pays all of your expenses? Better tournaments? Do they have more resources?

 

the game of life

just as in all aspects of life......the playing field is not the same for all of us and unfortunately or fortunately and fair or unfair......the ones with the most money usually have it easier or have more fun than the rest of us BUT we can ALL still find happiness if we look in the right places. EVERYONE that plays will get looked at sooner or later and IF they can really PLAY then they will get paid to play someday.

 

Just remember

That is what this board was set out to do. It is about high school players. I am sure if you know of some unknown talent. We have a lot of people here that can get the word out about them. Drop the name. I am sure some team can work out something if they have the right stuff.

 

Rich or poor, if a player is talented enough, there is a showcase team out there for them. People can be misled at times about the expense of playing showcase baseball. The financial burden is not on the player. Travel, accomodations, food is provided by the team (in many cases).

The expenses lay with the families touring with their son. And that's the controversial part that causes people to cast stones. But doesn't AAU and Travel Ball incur these same expenses?

 

Very good Plate Dad

 

Freddy Suggs does not charge kids to play.

 

How much is too much parental support?

I'm very guilty. Baseball is a way of life in my house and always has been. It was the same way in the house I grew up in. My son has more equipment than some teams do.

One of the boys on the team lives in a $500k house but his Dad won't buy him a new ballglove even though the one he uses died 3 years ago. The boy has to buy his own equipment. He's 13!

I know there are a multitude of philosophies out there. What's the right level of support?

For example, I may take away video games, sweets, or whatever but I've never punished by withholding baseball!

 

Give full support

Support your kids in whatever they like even if it is the sport you don't like and they will be better for it as will your relationship with them.

I have won championships when the parents punished their kids in other ways besides taking away baseball games and I have lost championships when my entire TEAM was not with me due to a parent punishing the TEAM by stopping their kid from playing with the TEAM.

Punish the kid YES but punish the team NO....

 

Legion baseball is the way to go

 

This reminds me of a Dad who called me one night when I was coaching a team. He said his son got in trouble in school and his punishment was not allowing him to play that weekend for the team. His kid was not very good, but I wanted to make a point with him.

"But don't you think by punishing him this way, you are also punishing the team? Aren't there other options that you can still hold him accountable? I can run him to death."

"As his father, I made this decision. He needs to learn that acting up in school will not be tolerated"

"Well, you are his father and I respect that"

Epilogue: The boy did not play that weekend with his teammates. His father decided this was the fitting punishment.....he allowed his son to go to Carowinds instead!

As years went by I kept up with this young man. I'm sad to say that he died tragically from drinking and driving