Least successful....

programs in HS baseball teams in and throughout the state, and why?

North Iredell HS, Olin NC
Jones Senior HS, Trenton NC

and let's make a list?

 

Lexington High has to be on this list. It's a tiny inner city school surrounded by strong county high school baseball programs. No JV...Instead they struggle to field a varsity team.

True story: A few years ago, I watched one Lex game where a kid wore a helmet to the outfield for obvious reasons. There's plenty of good athletes in the district, but baseball's just not the cool game to play. Basketball & football earn that distinction (& they usually are strong).

 

least succesful

Two that comes to mind for me, are Garinger and West Charlotte. The reasons are obvious.

1.Garinger which used to be one of the best schools in all sports has a completely different demographic. It is predominately black, hispanic, and asian and the the rec league and middle school feeder system is practically non-exitant. The interest in baseball is not there.
2. West Charlotte which every year is a power house in football, basketball and track, has a feeder system in rec leagues and middle school that is worse than Garinger. The interest is just not there at those schools for baseball. I also believe that the administrative staff has not put forth an effort to improve the situation at the schools as far as baseball is concerned

 

Are you saying Black, Hispanic or Asian kids can't play ball or is the program unsuccessful because of poor feeder system?? Some of the biggest names in baseball are Black, Hispanic, or Asian so I am not sure what you mean by the first part of your comment. Please clarify

 

Yankees, i am a black man so why would i make a statement like that. I was only speaking the truth. The feeder system is awful as far as baseball is concern because their is no interest in that sport. Their is a decline of interest in baseball in the black community and as far as Garinger with the population that they have attending, sports in general is not as important as other things. Remember, that this is an opinion. As far as the history of baseball, be it black, white or hispanic my knowledge of this great game is excellant

 

Good comments. Wished that we could leave racial demographics out of all sports but, it is true that is some areas of high school sports programs seem one side. Refering to the pro's is not a just field of measuring problems at the high school level. Facts are facts. Problems are out there. Let's look at solutions.

 

Pirate,

You partialy imply that because, "It is predominately black, hispanic, and asian..." AND "the rec league and middle school feeder system is practically non-existant." THEREFORE "The interest in baseball is not there."

"I also believe that the administrative staff has not put forth an effort to improve the situation at the schools as far as baseball is concerned." This is the reason. I applaud this statement. The feeder systems and the administrative staff are the culprits here not demographics.

If demographics do play a role in this then I ask, "What can we do to improve interest?"

 

In the thread I brought up about inner city schools, this was the problem that the schools faced. I was hoping to bring up more solutions. It can be a very sensitive subject with no magic wand, But I feel we have intelligent posters to help address the concern these schools face.

 

One problem is as cities grow less field space. Therefore rec league sports like LL, Babe Ruth ect... loss to field space that can support multi-sports and green space. Look at NYC. Not many green space sports. As our cities grow green sport space is lost. Look at some LL in your areas. They get land locked and then the land gets more valuable and LL sells it to support leagues that has space. Kids that are near that league are place in larger districts that have fields further away, that makes getting there harder. Now, kid is looking for a sport bam basketball is played on a hard surfaces.

 

THE ANSWER IS......

OBVIOUS! It has already been said... Schools need leaders and administrators who care just as much for their athletics (ALL OF THEM) just as they do their academics!!!!! Hire people and baseball people WHO know what they are doing and are COMMITTED and ABLE to turn up and turn around the interest and the game at there schools, PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!