Get them around "Players"

Saturday was a great time for all. But I couldnt help but look at 2013 grad Logan Koch and say to myself "Man what a great opportunity for this young man". Here is a 2013 on the field with 08's 09's 10's 11's and 12's and measuring himself. Here is a kid taking bp with a current minor league player , former D-1 players and guys that have and will sign with top tier ACC programs. Getting tips from these guys and learning by being on the field with them for 7 hours.

If your son aspires to play in HS and wants to play past HS what better way to spend a day than with guys that understand what it takes to get there. Logan is going to be a very good player. The guys loved being around him. Kudos to his dad to make the effort to get him out there and not being afraid to let him take on the challenge. I dont think this young man will ever be intimidated by a showcase environment when he is out there with kids his age when that day comes. Heck he already got in the box after the likes of Pratt Maynard , Brian Goodwin and Chris Luck.

I look forward to following this young mans progress over the next few years. I have no doubt that he will continue to develop into quite a player. He got the opportunity to see what it was all about and he more than help his own. Great job Logan!

 

Couldn't agree more, Coach27!

A "wrinkle" on that theme is to expose young players to older players from baseball rich areas like Florida and/or the Southwestern states. A convenient way to do so is to attend a college camp for high school-aged players in one of those states.

My son attended his first camp in Florida just before his 13th birthday. It gave him an opportunity to be around older players who played year-round down there and helped open his eyes to the fact that great players were coming up from an area much larger than the one he'd known up until that time. Held at a North Florida university, it also gave him his first taste of what it might be like to be in a college environment.

P.S. I've had a great time reading about the Boot Camp!" It really causes me to want to get out there this Spring and see some of these terrific young players that I've not had a chance to see coming up until now. Perhaps my buddy, Braves, will let me tag along with him some. Kudo's to you and the rest of the Boot Camp's organizers for making an event of that type available!

 

I think you'll have to drive while he eats.

 

Merry Christmas to you and yours Coach27!

Had to chime in on this topic with my son's experience "growing up" in baseball.
When he was around 7-8 yr.s old he would tag along with a friend of ours son, who was a high school player and the first kid I can recall from this area to play for a "showcase" type team. The young man's name is David Hughes. My son, Grier, would be allowed to attend college winter camps on David's coattails such as Campbell and Mt. Olive. Often the minnimum age for these camps was 12, but because of David, and his dad, Billy, he was allowed to attend. I'll always be greatfull to them. David went on to play at Lenior Comm. and then at Catawba. He now has a son of his own who I will help in any way possible when his time comes.
About the time David moved on, Grier started spending a lot of time with some of the older baseball players from around here. They were the ones that were "serious" about the game like Grier was. Two of the guys he spent the most time with were Woods Fines, who is now in the Tampa Rays organization and Benji Johnson, who played on UNC's two CWS teams and is now with the Braves. These guys, to this day, still talk with each other and for Grier they are a valuable source of information.
Another blessing is Grier's friendship with Jason Roach. "Roachie" played his college ball at UNC-W and was drafted by the Mets. He has played with a couple of other organizations (Rays, Pirates) and has had a few "cups of coffee" in the majors. Grier met Jason at a UNC-W baseball camp when he was about 12. Jason started giving Grier hitting lessons during the off season and their friendship really grew over the years. During Grier's last couple of years in high school the lessons that Jason gave Grier had a lot more to do with life in baseball than the mechanics of hitting or pitching. The value of those lessons can't be replaced!
I have always preached to Grier that for everything he has gotten from baseball he is required to give something back. He worked his first "little league" camp this past summer at the high school and he had a blast. When it was over I asked him "if he saw anyone familier among the players at the camp". He asked "what do you mean?" I said, "did you see YOU out there?" He laughed and said "maybe so, maybe so".

 

That goes unsaid

 

So true...

This is so true. It also has something to do with good programs getting better. Kids coming up and through the program have someone to look up to and see how it is supposed to be done. They see these guys working hard all year long and it becomes the norm rather than the exception. They see guys that are fundamentally sound and have success in high school and after high school. They come back home and give back to their programs and the program gets better. There’s nothing like surrounding yourself with good people.

 

Amen brother...the formula in building a successful program

 

I'm counting on it. Instead of you schooling me about all the players, I finally get the chance to introduce you to Braves' Buddies.....second thought, let's just go and enjoy the games.