When your HS coach says your not making it

That your mechanics are all wrong and you have regressed...completely opposite of your summer coach. Never say never but odds are against you making the team as a senior next year. You wont be able to beat out varsity in the field next year so no sense in playing you in the field now on JV even though you know you are better then what they roll out.

This was told to us when we asked why he never plays anymore just pitches.

What do you suggest we do? Son doesn't know this was said and not going to be pleasant to tell him what his coach thinks of him. He will be a senior 2013 and plays on a respected travel team and was very successful last summer.

This coach has coached HS baseball 40+ years and says he knows what he is doing.

Its a real conflict setting up between HS ball and summer team coaches. Can you play college baseball without your HS coaches support?

This seems to be a hopeless situation...please advise

 

What would you do if your boss said the same type stuff in the job arena? You would either improve, or look for another job somewhere else. You might even have to find a new line of work.
The same could be said here.

As for the "conflict" with summer and HS coaches, I probably should leave that alone. However, HS coaches have to work with what rolls through the door. (OK, there may, at times, be "school choice" or recruiting to an extent.) Summer coaches - especially travel/showcase - get to pick and choose who plays for them. The two main things I notice there are that they either get absolute "all-stars" that even Hellen Keller would be able to know are players, or they get kids who play because they pay to do so. By the way, I don't mean that as a snide comment. I mean it as the team is travel, 12 kids are on the team, and everybody pays a dollar amount - not intending "play for pay" here. BUT, that team is going to play you. That coach is not going to sit you. You were picked or signed up, so you are on and will play. That is not the case with HS.

And by the way, to head off the comments that will come, there is NO WAY a HS coach is sitting around thinking "Johnny is really good! Boy he can play... but I just can't do it. I gotta play Jimmy cause I like him better - and his dad wrote a check for $1000." In fact, the accusations I have heard recently are that the coach will," play the better player even if the kid is a piece of trash. All he cares about is winning!" Although I take exception to those comments/attitudes, it does refute any claims to the first premise that the coach plays the favorite instead of the best.

Look, I can't speak to your one individual case - unless it's my player. Then I would be glad to explain it to that player. And he just may not accept it. It's not easy... but I can tell you the number of, and extent to which, people have increasingly been dissatisfied about playing or sitting has grown and intensified in the last 6-8 years. For me, it is a by-product of all the cropped up-popped up "travel teams". Anybody's daddy can field a team and play every weekend from June to November and be called a player. Ten years ago, there just weren't as many avenues/opportunities. It was more cut and dry as to who could and would play by age 13.

I am truly sorry for your frustration. I am sorry if your son is hurting, and I doubt that I even know him. It will mean nothing, but I remember the day I stopped by the new baseball coach at UNC-G's office after my freshman year. He had just been hired. I had just finished playing "club baseball" that spring. Heck, we were at best a JV type team, but we played established school's club teams and "developmental squads". Point is, I had always played baseball every spring since I was 8. I stopped by to introduce myself and talk about summer work and possible fall play. He was barely nice. He thanked me for my interest, but assured me that while I might have a shot at maybe making the team (one he was already forming) I would not play. No way. He was bringing in players, establishing his program (a little rocky nowadays, in 2012), and someone like me, a "club team guy" who had not had any college prospects out of HS 14 months earlier, well, I was through playing. I walked out stunned... he hurt my feelings... he was right... I wasn't good enough.

In a short couple of months God extended His hand of grace (didn't realize it at the time...) and He had me bump into my former HS coach. All he asked was did I think I could drive a bus. I told him yes, and a couple months later, I was the shiny new JV baseball coach: 20 years old, running over bushes and backing into signs as I drove that bus of 14 players around. About 8 of those JV kids went on to play collegiately. A couple were later drafted. All are now fairly well-adjusted men (depending on who you ask I guess), and many are dads with kids in little league who come to our baseball camp each June. Bottom line: that coach who told me I was done didn't end my life. He allowed for the one I was meant to live. (Unless, of course, you ask the parents of some that have sat the bench for me. They might think all this has been the devil's doings...)

All the above now looks like a lot of mumbo jumbo.
Sorry if it made things worse...

 

Well done!

 

Thanks Cat Coach for the candid comments.

We live far away. Our 6A HS is ranked #1 in the state and We have 2 Sr. Pitchers both going D1 full ride one in the SEC. 2 other soph throw high 80's and a Jr lefty that is mid 80's stuff. Mine at this point is close to LHP skills but is RHP. He isn't good enough to P varsity except for maybe an inning here or there.

My only beef is the theory as a Jr he doesn't need to play or hit because ...well " he is never going to beat out so and so next year so what is the point?"

I think he would surprise him. Whats concerning is he told us he is worried he wont make it. His confidence is down from not playing and the constant pressure to throw the way the coach wants. He has tried and it has back fired and I agree he has regressed.

Why put a kid on a team as a position player and never play him? Tell him at tryouts he is a PO. This is a short season but My son has tried to do everything he has asked, always is on time and to this day continues to take BP and fielding as well as PFP.

The cost to play showcase team is minimal and the coaches are unpaid except for a small amount of travel expenses. we are a well known club. The HS coach may well be right and I suspect this will be it for my son as far as HS ball.

I see the politics and they way some are propped up and others are run down. I am well aware that the P coach that takes $50 a half hour to build my sons mechanics is just as bias as an old HS coach that plays a kid because he parents sponsor the team.

I admit I want him to prove him wrong. No one is confronting a coach we just asked if something was wrong. My son refuses to change schools and is determined to turn this around.

He doesn't know the comments made about him by the coach.

 

Nothing - absolutely NOTHING - wrong with you wanting to prove him wrong. Right mindset as a competitor.


I truly hope he makes it tough on the coach to leave him off the field. If he does, then it can end up working out good for the coach as well.

I respect your son's determination as well. If - no, when he faces "real world" adversity in a few years (maybe with a wife and kids in his charge) he will be ready for the challenge.

 

Thanks Cat Coach! It is an important life lesson he is learning now. Agree. He has a start P today so its another chance to impress-change minds. The summer play will determine what he does IMO. Its time to step it up.

 

My son faced a similar decision but his coach was up front. Said he had a spot - probably - but as a pitcher only. My son is not impressive in bullpens with gas but changes speeds, hits spots, and is effective on the field. As Soph JV, was 3-1 (only loss was a 1-0 pitchers' duel), ERA of 2.00, but as the No 2 pitcher so you don't know what that means, especially up as varsity. He evaluated his time last fall. 4-hr varsity practices are common, and as PO, what will he do after he throws a 30-min bullpen? Couldn't stand the thought of spending 3 1/2 hrs x 5 days/wk without grabbing a bat or fielding a ground ball. So he made the hard decision not to play, and considers himself "retired." A bit melancholy, but in retrospect the right call.

 

Exactly Gopack. Coaches need to be upfront at least yours was.

I don't understand PO but there are tons of guys that only pitch. How they stay focused P one day a week. I think bull pen would be better. Many of your good HS pitchers also hit and play somewhere. Its a reward IMO.

I think he will be OK and we still have one summer left to travel together playing baseball. He still has an opportunity there and it is what he makes of it. I really have enjoyed spending these past 10 years practicing and playing ball with my son.

Thanks for sharing your story Gopack

 

Totally agree that the coach needs to be up front with the player and communicate it. That is the important part. It is the hard part, but don't leave the kid wondering why. Just tell him.

My son is, at this point, pretty much a PO. He is a very good RF who got beat out by someone who is flat out hitting better. Does he want to be out in RF, heck yea. He doesn't want to be on the bench as a competitor. He is a kid who will be a PO at the next level and he is using this to learn and mature into how to understand the role, to stay in the game, stay focused and be prepared to pitch on that one day a week. Many do get to hit and play and do so very well (I could name a few really good ones), but some who do that at the HS level sometimes struggle (mentally) at the next level when they take the bat away.

Just opinions, but I believe that you can use what appears to be negative news as a motivator and a chance to channel focus.

 

I agree my son knows if he plays at the next level it will be to pitch only. Perhaps in a backwards way this help him later.

Side note the coach pulled him aside and told him he understands he didn't get much opportunity to show what he can do this season but he didn't ask any pitchers to join varsity for regionals and state just 2 pinch runners and one power hitter.

Then the assistant caoch asked him if he would play some summerball with him. My son told him maybe he could some if it doesn't conflict with the college showcases. This is a small opportunity to show what he can do with PT.

I think it is a small positive on both counts. Besides if this is his last year he should play every inning and every AB he can get...if he wants it. This is the only chance he has to show what he can do.