When did High School Coaches Get Like This?

I heard a story recently about a high school coach that had a good (not great) senior pitcher on his team that really helped his team win some games during the season. The kid wants to play college ball somewhere, but the high school coach was doing NOTHING to help him. Seems the high school coach is more interested in protecting his image as a "go to" source for college and pro scouts than helping one of his players find the right fit for his abilities. The coach was more worried that one of his recommendations might not work out than in helping one of his players. (If you think all recommendations in baseball work out, you have not watched the Reds draft picks the last several years...)

When I was coming out of high school, our coach made sure before the start of our senior year that he knew what each senior wanted to try to do at the next level (if anything). He told each player at which level he thought they should be considering (DI, DII, DIII or club ball at a big school). Once we came to agree on realistic goals (not always easy), he busted his butt along with his players until every player found a good fit. We would give anything on the field for this man because this showed us he really cared about each of us - not just the superstars. The seniors always told us when we were sophs and juniors how he was working to help them, so we were very loyal to him through good and bad. Won a championship my senior year by killing ourselves for him...

THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF A GREAT HIGH SCHOOL COACH - TRULY PUTTING HIS PLAYERS FIRST - NOT JUST MOUTHING THE WORDS.

Maybe I am all wet and the travel team coaches have taken over this role..?? Thought it would be good to hear some other opinions...

 

I agree mustangbball. I think a coach's job is to help his players, not just build up his own reputation.

 

Sounds like your coach had it figured out and everyone was rewarded.

 

Sounds like the players

had it figured out to me. They went out and played hard and worked hard. Here is the way I see it.

We tell everyone of our players "If you want us to help you find a place at the next level then you have to show us you have what it takes to play at the next level. You have to show us you have the ability to be dedicated , have a great work ethic , be a person of good character and a great team mate. And you have to show us you have the ability to play at the level you are interested in." "If you don't then do not expect us to lie for you. Do not expect us to ruin our ability to help those that deserve to be helped by helping those that do not."

A high school coach's ability to help players by calling college coach's is directly related to his reputation within the baseball community. If he has a reputation for being a homer and a reputation for not being truthful then his calls are worthless. In fact they are worse than worthless. They are almost a signal "Hey stay away from that kid you know who called us about him?" A hs coach that has a reputation for being truthful and only working for deserving players will get coaches out to see players.

Now if you have a hs coach that simply does not do his job by trying to do everything in his power to help the deserving players then you have other routes you can take. Showcase , summer teams , legion coaches , opposing coaches , camps etc etc etc.

But the fact is there are many players in hs that believe it is up to their coach to "put the word out for them" simply because they play on the team. NO its up to the player to show that they are deserving to have the "word put out for them."

"Coach I really want to play in college can you make some calls for me?" And this is the kid that is the last one to practice and the first one wanting to leave. Never stays after practice for extra work. Never comes up to the field on the weekends during the season for extra work. Never comes to work outs in the off season. Doesn't show up for summer games because he has other things to do. Etc etc etc. Now your going to call a college coach and say what when they ask you about his work ethic? Come on now lets be real about this. Alot of kids say they want to play in college. How many of them show you they do?

I will only call for the ones that have earned the right to have a call made. And I will work my a** off for those guys. The other ones will have to get someone else to do it for them. It will not be me.

 

Good point Coach. I would hope that your comments are expected. For a coach to endorse you I would think you have to earn it.

 

Fall Workouts

If a coach does not think a kid will even make it through the fall workouts he can't recommend them to college coaches either. Most high school coaches know just how tough the Fall workouts are. My son's college team started last Fall with 64 kids. We started the spring with only 32 of them. Most could not or would not do the workouts. Others did not make the grades. These 2 reasons are embarrassing and show laziness. So if a kid is lazy he won't get his coaches nod even if he thinks he can play at that level. If he can't make it thru the workouts he won't play at any level.

 

[Now if you have a hs coach that simply does not do his job by trying to do everything in his power to help the deserving players then you have other routes you can take. Showcase , summer teams , legion coaches , opposing coaches , camps etc etc etc.]

With this scenario how long before deserving players choose Showcase over high school programs.

Showcase Season: May thru Nov. (better schedule for college coaches)
Winter Camps: Dec. and Jan.
Strenght and Speed Training: Feb. thru April

I listened to a scout tell his showcase teams that this is already happening in Florida.

Is this the future of high school baseball?

 

That's a great point, plowboy. That's why I believe if the high school coaches don't step up and start promoting their players to colleges, the kids will do just what you said and not play high school ball anymore. It already happens with soccer, as big time recruits will play just for their club teams and skip the high school season altogether for fear of injury.

 

When do you gain strength?

With the summer showcase season lasting all summer and most of fall, when do you rest your arm and do the intensive strength building?

 

I hear ya, MegEl Ball. That's another good point.