Pay to play or Play and its paid.

Amen brother. I'm going to borrow this from Collin. "When all is said and done, what the players will look back on is not their trophies, but their teammates and the journey".

The one thing I wish all young players could keep in mind. One day, shortly, your baseball days will be over and all that you will have left are your memories....and your friendships. Those are lasting, but your playing days are not.

Forgive me, I'm in a Master teaching a grasshopper mood:

Baseball is a game that can help you prepare for life, but it will come to an end. Your life is a game that you have not finished playing....whew, I better stop. I'm sounding old.....but very true just the same

 

No one is getting left out or left behind.

Maybe this is off the subject but just some random thoughts. More than likely its been said already in one form or another.


I think a problem that many parents have is they over enthusiastically try to insure that their kid/kids do not get left out or left behind. It is, to me, a huge factor that drives many of these "additional" opportunities to seperate from the mainstream. Legion ball has been around for a long time. LL/MS/HS ball was the typical path & Legion sort of brought the cream to the top. Now there are numerous paths. All are watching closely to see which path leads, if it does, to the baseball grail of scholarship, college, pro, etc.

SO what am I saying. To much parental anxiety in the game today. Mom and Pop try to relax and just watch junior or juniorette play. Don't worry if "bobby boy jr" is playing on a travel team and your kid isn't. Don't worry if "little jenny superstar" isn't invited to the "Super East Regional NIT Elite 8 Mega tournament."

Enjoy it while you can because one day he/she will have played their last game.

 

Amen to this. As a parent I can't figure out why football brings no anxiety and is stress free and baseball can keep your stomach in knots.

I'll say this. I love watching my son play whatever, football, baseball, golf, whatever. I don't care if its showcase or Colt baseball. It's baseball and its fun for both os us. One day my son(s) and I won't have these days anymore. Baseball in particular has helped create a closeness with my son(s). The game can give no greater gift.

 

Actually Braves, some Legion Teams have been charging kids to play... I agree wholeheartedly with the second statement!!

 

True...............but usually not at a cost for a family to take out a loan. The thing that gets lost in cost is not a fee to play, but the expense for families to travel.

Trust me Putt, AAU basketball is much, much worse.

 

Very true Braves!!!

 

I think Ive got it.

[Amen to this. As a parent I can't figure out why football brings no anxiety and is stress free and baseball can keep your stomach in knots.]

Maybe because football doesnt have showcase. They make the team,practice, play the season. Simple. AND no daddy ball here.

Maybe thats how football players get all the girls.

 

Football Players?

What?

This is no place to raise up the exploits of Baseball players to attract Annies, but obviously you didn't play on the same (Baseball) teams I did that's for sure!

 

Hahahahaha...you're kidding, right? And no sport has more influence by parents and alumni on a coach's continued employment than football.

Since HS football and basketball players have a much higher degree of transferring than other sports, I think it would be safe to say "Daddy Ball" is live and well.

"Daddy Ball" is a concept. Daddy decides where the son is going to play. If he doesn't like it, he goes somewhere else. He doesn't have to coach him.

But this reminds me of something that made me laugh. I went to a PAL youth football game. The families of all the kids were standing on the sidelines (some were standing with the players). When their team would run down the sidelines for a big gain, I swear every father, mother, sibling, aunts and uncles were running on the field with them. It was the craziest thing I ever saw....until this other moment. A coach called timeout and went to the middle of the field and talked to his players. He sent one kid out and yelled for another to come in and to take his place. I watched as a very big woman walked out to the huddle where she predeeded to give the coach "The Hammer"...that's right. She cleaned the coach's clock (I found out later her son was the one taken out).

After watching a day full of youth football I decided that...Hmmm...perhaps soccer may be better. Wow!...was I mistaken.....soccer was worse.

 

Oh I agree Daddy ball involvement is everywhere. But what happens when Dad coaches HS showcase? You dont see that in football.