My two-cents

Thanks Braves

Please understand that my post was not directed at anyone in particular. And yes I do see your point. But that just is not the case at least in our program. I can not speak of others programs. We have four guys in our program that play showcase baseball. Three for Impact and one for the Copperheads. It has no conflict with our HS program whatsoever. They are really excited about the HS season. They work really hard in the off season and play on the weekends. We have two guys committed to ACC schools that are seniors this season. Both the boys were scouted at our HS games last season by coaches from the schools they will be attending. There were numerous college coaches from several schools at many of our HS games. I as a HS coach still believe that HS baseball is very important for college coaches and developing players. Showcase baseball has its place as well as I earlier stated. I do not see a conflict with showcase and our HS program they are two different things played at two different times of the year. How many kids from HS programs actually play showcase? I know many HS teams that have none playing showcase. Many play legion and scholastic league baseball in the summer. Prior to these four kids playing showcase we have had one kid play showcase ball in the 12 years coach Ferrell and I have been at our school. I believe that HS baseball is the single most important baseball a kid can play. It teaches so many things to a young man if the program is ran the right way. The problem is you know as well as I do from being a former coach there are HS programs that are throw out the balls and bats in Feb and collect them in June programs. 24 games and very little instruction. No off season work outs. Now your telling kids that they need to put all their focus on HS baseball. When they have come from a pre hs program that was competitive , practice hard , etc etc. Like I said earlier get your act together as a HS program and you dont have to worry about playing second fiddle to anyone or anything. For example Greenville Rose HS - Those kids live and die Rampants Baseball. Why? Because the way the program is ran and the way its always been run. I dont know the program personally but from the passion and pride I see on this site how about South Caldwell baseball? I dont think any of those kids think there HS baseball is less important than anything. There are many other programs just like these. But unfortunately there are HS players with bigger aspirations than some HS coaches. Maybe they see showcase as a way to offset the disappointment of playing in a program that goes through the motions? Just a thought.

 

I hear ya. And agree. You get out of people, what you put into them. Simple as that. I still think there are some coaches out there at the HS level that get slighted at times by some of thier players and parents due to the fact that that particular coach isn't "involved" or more "connected" to the "hip and glam" people in the baseball commmunity. Parents and kids can get lost in titles sometimes, and forget to look at the substance. i.e. "i take lessons from...." or "my personal trainer so and so......"

damn - i might have just opened another can of worms.

 

You are right

there are those that think they can buy it. I got this hitting instructor / pitching coach. I play for this showcase team and my coach is going to do this for me. The parents feed this stuff to the players and create monsters. But the sad fact is most of the guys like this are marginal players who think who they know and who they play for is going to get them a scholley. When its all said and done all they have is a bunch of bills to pay and no where to play. I know exactly what you are talking about. But I really dont think its the showcase teams doing it. At least not the top level ones that only pick up the top players. Its usually the kid that gets on a showcase team thinking that this is his ticket. He doesnt understand that his play will be the determining factor not his mom and dads pocketbook. Coach believe me I understand where you are coming from. I dont experience this kind of stuff because Im from a small town community and our kids think our HS field is like Wrigley field. They dont have this stuck up kind of mentality they are humble country folk. What we had to battle was the mediocre mentality and trying to get kids to believe they were good enough to play at the next level. Not this mentality of "were doing you a favor by letting our son play for you". Those kind of people are a big pain in the azz.

 

I have heard of so many different coaching /team scenarios. Heck, theres a few teams out there that the HS coaches are also a showcase coach to some of their HS players.

 

I thought it was 950.00 per season this past year to play on the team? I base that on initial communication. Did the fee end up dropping?

 

We can go back and forth all day but I know this. I know JTBaseball and anyone here would love for this man to coach your son or daughter. He's up around my area and the issues he brings up are exactly the issues in our community. Maybe it's not exactly the same everywhere else but he nails the situation in these geographic parts. I know. I live it.

I saw it in the youth leagues for the last 6 years and still see it. More and more kids prefer Classic/Challenge/ODP soccer to school soccer. I see the trend going that way in baseball, whether it be showcase or whatever (and I'm not down on showcase, my son just started and enjoys it). Our HS baseball coach has to beg kids to support his HS teams in the summer. Golf is all about the summer circuit as well as tennis. And basketball is all about the summer circuits and aau. Basketball may have made the biggest change of all the sports.

 

So what if it was $950 or $500. If you've ever org a team or been involved in one for HS age players you'd already know that either sum would be a bargain compared to the actual cost. Why would anyone care if the director of a showcase organization made $500,000 a year from it? If the org gets the results and you have done the homework going into it to understand the org then what would the problem be?

 

The only problem, if you want to call it that, that I potentially see, is when and where does the cost stop or flatten out? Braves mentioned that the trend is going towards "free" baseball.

Braves - if you read this please explain further. I think I am missing out on something.

To me, I don't see this trend happening. And I truely feel that parents concern, interest and hopes for thier kids, could be played upon to up the price as time goes along. We all want to give our kids opportunites and chances to be the best they can be and to achieve all they can achieve. I know several parents who have payed the above stated amounts with genuine reluctance, but the the thougth that "this cold be the best chance for my kid" wins out. And it probably/maybe should. However, to that point, as demand rises, so could the cost. I could also see this trickle down from the top as far as how much the teams are required to pay as entry fees an so on. I know there are other avenues to play and be seen that don't cost. I understand. But most argue that these don't offer enough "exposure". As a parent, it seems like you're screwed.

 

Because some of the best programs are free it is forcing the other top programs to go this route or reduce current fees drastically to compete for the best talent (this is already happening).

It is forcing competition to become more creative in getting sponsorships, something they have not had to do before. But in reality there have been showcase teams around the country for years; just not in NC.

Let me give you an example. Midland Redskins out of Cincinnatti have been around for years. Ken Griffey played for them. They recruit players nationwide and house them on their campus all summer. It's a great program and the players are exposed to great coaching and competition, as well as development.....and they are free.

There are many programs across the US just like them. It is now starting in NC and for the elite players it is a great venue.

So my point is the future for the elite players that showcase was designed for is getting cheaper or in some cases...free