Charlotte Megastars

Great points made from all. I'm also from the school that doesn't like "pay for play"..that sounds like a dirty phrase. When my son was 10, we were approached for him to play on an AAU team. I said to myself, you've got to be kidding...pay to play for a so-callled elite team that's basically coached by the same type individual that coaches rec ball?..I don't think so.

But at some point, if your son displays talent, it becomes important that his competition increases. At another time, it becomes equally important that he gets quality coaching. The times for those levels (competition/coaching) of increased importance is different for each kid.

I wish AAU never was started and Rec ball was never affected. The competion in AAU and others are superior, but it's still daddy ball. But "showcasing" is a different story. When a player reaches an age that will make a college coach take notice, the player with the skill level for the next level must play at showcases. This will dramatically increase their options of being seen by a school that they prefer.

But I'm like "O" about this. I still don't like pay for play, especially the younger ages. I don't believe any kid should have to pay to play the game. I believe that is one of the reasons (of several) that many minority kids don't play baseball, but that is for another thread.

 

I feel baseball is taking a down turn in the state of North carolina sure there is more baseball to play high school, american legion, aau, usssa,and showcase. but there are less kids playing baseball, some high schools are having trouble even fielding j.v. teams. Parents are running kids away from the game instead of building the game up . Taking little league aged kids away from there leagues to play all of this travel ball is crazy. Let the kids learn the game in there local leagues. When they take kids away from there league it leaves the other kids with no one to play with or against . which causes kids to quit the game at an early age.

When some of these kids get to the high school level they already think they have it made they have never had to earn a position because they have already played for daddy all of these years or daddys buddy, When things don't work out then there is trouble because aau daddy thinks he knows everything he then starts shopping son around to other schools until someone will let him transfer. Then legion season comes he tells coach his son has played on state and national champions in aau , Does not make team gets made then want's to start new legion team to bring down all of the good players.. But forgets the same daddy and daddys friends wrecked the travel teams they participated with in previous years.

Sure i know there are some bad coaches out there but you have to let your kids earn there spot what is going to happen to these young men when they grow up and have to have a job is daddy going to be there for them to guarantee johnny a job.

maybe i just need to shut up i like to see good high school and american legion baseball in North Carolina and i feel like we are killing baseball because of jelous parents and this pay to play baseball.

 

all these teams are a joke

 

Why?

 

Why dont you explain yourself rather than just typing out one-liners. I would hope that you might have some valuable explanation for your thoughts, but to me, your thoughts are meaningless if you don't answer the question "why". Maybe that's the school teacher in me coming out.

 

Anyone who questions the state of baseball in the Carolinas should have attended the WWB World Championship this past weekend in Ft Myers, FL. The 4 teams from the Carolinas went 11-4-5, with Impact Baseball and the Diamond Devils winning their pools and advancing to bracket play. Two of the best 16 teams from an international field of 80 teams were from the Carolinas. Impact advanced to the final 8 teams. The success of the Carolinas' teams in the 2004 WWB World Championship follows the similar 2003 success of the Carolinas' teams in the same event in 2003. The Diamond Devils, with players from NC and SC, won the 2004 WWB National Championship in Atlanta in July. North Carolina is home to Cameron Maybin who may be the top high school player, if not the top player, taken in the 2005 MLB draft. To me, the recent success of our Carolinas' teams speaks for itself and clearly demonstrates the top talent level in the Carolinas.

 

I'm with hitman on this. Our own teams (Impact, Diamond Devils, Carolina Cubs, On Deck O's, Megastars, Express, etc.) playing at these select national events, plus area guys playing on Perfect Game teams and national or regional teams like the Knoxville Yard and Midland Redskins, have furthered opened the eyes of the college and pro scouts, to the benefit of all area players.

As just one example, I was watching a game in Ft. Myers and one of the new Wake Forest assistants, Chris Sinacori, came up and introduced himself. He asked about several of the O's players and APOLOGIZED that Wake has not been more actively recruiting in its own back yard. Chris is from New York and has been at Arizona State the last two years. Yet he was lamenting the fact that they have only one NC kid on their roster. He said the new staff's number one prority is to focus on recruiting in this area to get their share of NC and SC players. He wants to get the word out to area players that Wake Forest is very interested in area talent and wants to get a good number in their '06 class.

I hear and understand about "pay for play." But all these programs have and will find a way to provide scholarship moneys for players who are talented but can't afford to pay. It would be nice to have a program paid for by Roger Clemmons and Doug Drabek, like the Houston Heat (or Chet Lemon's Juice, or Bill Hood's Broncos or Dulin's Dodgers who have a name sponsor), that could build facilities and pay for travel and coaches as it pleases and not worry about fund-raising, but until we find an area sugar daddy to do that, the programs have to find a way to fund themselves. (How about Braves' Barnstormers, or Mudcat's Maulers, or Pop's Players?)

None of these guys in our area are getting rich off these endeavors, far from it. They are making at best a decent living staying in the game they love by sharing their knowledge, commitment, coaching and contacts with kids wanting to pursue the game as far as their talents will let them. I say good for them and thank you for giving something back.

You can complain about that if you want, but a good number of area players are benefitting directly from the exposure, and a whole lot more are benefitting from the vastly improved reputation of baseball in our area. And I think high school baseball is benefitting greatly as these players perform for their schools with more confidence and experience.

Oh, and one more thing that is off topic. I talked to several recruiters who were focused on grades just as much as talent. They had the SAT scores and GPAs of all the participants, and didn't bother to look at guys they knew couldn't get in at their schools.

 

get over it

Some people just have unresolved issues. Just ignore and hope they

GET OVER IT !:xyzthumbs

 

So...

the point is SOME folks are handed everything on a silver platter and the doors are wide open for them to go thru and take advantage! I applaud their parents for being in the situation to give their children everything they want. Yet, many of these youngsters once out and on their own, welllllll we know the rest of the story. All parents ultimately in the utopian world want to do the same! On the other hand there are fine hard working youngsters who are left out of the opportunities of others. Has nothing to do with unresolved issues it is a FACT! These kids nor parents are in effect subjected to the money and influence in which others have to get their way, period! In the old school way things were much simpler you signed up to play ball (at no cost) you were "placed" on a team I mean BE SERIOUS a "draft". You played and earned all, if you won you won, if NOT you went to McDonald's got a free burger, coke and fries by your sponsors END OF STORY! If you had talent you were then and only then selected to play beyond the end of the regular season, and you were eventually seeeeeeen by MS and HS coaches who followed th"their" kids! Today because of over zealous parents and the money they flaunt and wheel and deal with allows them to sway and influence SOME but NOT ALL!!!!!!! IMHO

 

Great point big o. Look at all of your great baseball programs across the state they have strong little league, high school and legion programs. These kids don't pay to play.