State Games ?????

Nor do I think it's flawed. It's probably the best it can be. I think a kid has to be pretty good just to get to the tryout, regardless of where he plays. While this thread has gone back and forth, it served it's purpose. I learned a great deal and I'm probably not by myself. Same goes for this site. there's some good info here.

 

When you go to a tryout

you have to separate yourself from the group. If your a pitcher and you go to the pen and you throw what the group is throwing thats not going to do it. If you go to the pen and light up the gun thats what the scouts are going to want to see at the State Games. They are not coming to see the average HS player. They can do that at any HS game. You separate yourself from the group by #1 Showing arm strength above the group there #2 Showing speed above the group there #3 Showing the ability to hit above the group there #4 Showing power above the group there #5 Showing fielding ability above the group there.

If you blend in with everyone else then that does not mean you are not a good player it just means you are not going to stand out. The players that stand out are going to be the ones selected. If the coaches have had the opportunity to see you play that helps you if you have played well and hurts you if you have not. But if no one knows you when you show up and you "Show UP" they could careless if they knew you before the tryout or not. I bet if no one knows you but you throw 90 in the pen they will find out who you are. The only time the coaches knowing you matters is when they are trying to fill those last couple of spots and it comes down to a player that the coaches has actually seen play and a guy they have not. But I can tell you many phone calls are made about these guys getting as much information as possible.

You want to make the State Games Team? Then show them something that stands out from the crowd. "My boy was just as good as the rest of them". That just aint gonna cut it guys. He better be better than the rest of them. When he took bp did the ball jump off his bat? Did he make consistent hard contact? Did he show power? Did he have a hose from his posistion in the field? Did he throw upper 80's at least in the pen? If he ran a slow 60 time was he a mif? So many things come into play. The coaches know that they are supposed to put a team together that the college scouts want to see play and see at scout day. They are not going to pick the less talented players and look like clowns to their peers. They pick the guys with the most talent in their opinion based on the information they have and have seen. What else can they do?

Some times kids slip through the cracks of the system. It will always happen. The only way to ensure that it does not happen is to scrap the State Games period.

 

Great comments Coach. That's a good way to look at it. That same train of thought could be applied in other situations. Thanks.

 

The Region 3 Head Coach is from a private school, and I know of several kids from private schools who tried out for the region 3 team. I was under the assumption a couple of years ago that State Games were for public school kids only.

 

Back to the

beginng of this thread.
Their websites now has that baseball will be posted June 13th. Strange that Softball has posted 6 out of eight regions. Seeing that the games start the 13th. I guess we can go see for ourselves.
Info so far:

One Putt " Nathan Cash Ragsdale"

I guess it is like Tootsie Pops widely known by consumers trying to answer that age-old question: "Mr. Owl, how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?" To date, we have received many replys about the state games, each with a response unique to the author. The real answer may never be known!!

 

I heard last week that Nathan made it. He is very talented. He is very quick (former soccer player) and is blessed with a very good arm which he has made better. he was also one of our better hitters this year. I can't say anymore. We don't discuss our own players here. I do not know who he is playing for or what region. I am unfamiliar with all that.

 

Knowing that the players choosen will be good players. I think that a mention is fine. Just looking for info. I have seen him and you are correct. His is well deserving of a position.

 

TOOLS

Coach 27 you are exactly right. In short, it is about "TOOLS". Scouts are rarely impressed by batting avg.'s or ERA's, they want to see who has exceptional tools - (speed, power, quickness, velocity) - to play at the next level.

 

Both public and private are eligible... been that way every since I have been involved in it.

 

If there is anyone out there who thinks they can pick the 20 best players for a team out there that would be a joke. The shear number of quality players available prevents that. I think each player that gets nominated (and each parent of that player) should be honored enough just to get to that point. In every process there is second guessing. Players performance at this level are so close that most times they can't be seperated. On any given day one team can beat another, one player can outshine another. I would put more emphasis on being selected to all conf than being selected to the state team simply because you have been selected by people who have watched you play throughout the season. Every player I know thought it was an honor to be selected and althought the ones who didn't make the team were disappointed they weren't upset. Just the parents were the ones questioning the process