Top 10 Polls

Original -


Good question. I feel like summer and fall coaches play a HUGE role with player development just like high school coaches do.

I think it would be tough to say a high school coach or summer team coach plays a bigger role than the other. I think this is all up to the individual player and coach relationship. Which coach did the player gel with more? Which coach was able to instruct/teach in a way the player most understood and enjoyed?

There are some terriffic high school coaches out there, and there are some terrffic summer/fall coaches out there.

For example, look in the Charlotte area. What wonders Mike Shildt (On Deck O's, summer/fall coach) has done for players. He's a great instructor of the game and a great person.

To expand more on the importance of high school coaching-

I was watching a game last night at Topsail HS with a college coach. We talked in great detail about how important a high school coach is to his team at the high school level. You need a guy who is going to make sure pitchers work between outings, make sure his middle guys know double-play feeds and footwork, etc, etc, etc.

Another thing, I hate watching a coach that doesn't want to be out there. I have seen it plenty this year. I hate to see a coach quit on his team. I've seen that this year too.

For me, I like to see a high school coach "coach" his butt off. I like to see him in every play. Great example is Greg Simmons at Charlotte Christian. People in the stands may think "this guy is too hard on his players." No he is not. He's teaching baseball in the way he knows how to teach it. I think it's working right?

Personally, I love that kind of demeanor in a coach. Simmons is coaching his rear off trying to make his kids learn the game and make them better baseball players. That's his job.

I would rather see Greg Simmons coach anyday than watch some lazy coach sit on a bucket and never say one word the whole game as he "gardens" the dirt below his feet... Players feed off the coach in my opinion.

We are not in the major leagues at the high school level. In my opinion, it is tough to be the "professional" style coach in high school and trust your players to do everything the right way.

I have talked to numerous college coaches and they all say the same thing. If you do not stay on your guys they are not going to work as hard as if you were in their face. Even at the professional level, rarely do guys "enjoy" working hard. This is where a coach comes into play. He's got to make sure his guys are busting their butt in practice and in the classroom at the high school/collegiate level.

Another thing: Don't be fooled when you hear somebody say "that kid is self-motivated." I know about 5 players that are. They may "think" they are working hard, but they are not. But to them, what they are doing is working hard.

Going out and picking up 10-20 groundballs, getting 20-30 cuts in th cage and playing long-toss for 15-20 minutes is not working hard in my opinion. Now, how many players reading this are going to say, wow - that is what I do everyday at practice...

Go out and seek the knowledge. Learn how you can get better!

Okay, wow. I am getting off the subject here...

Side note: great interview with UNC Pembroke Asst. Ray Hedrick is now posted on www.IMPACTBASEBALL.com for all viewers to see.

 

Thank you Impact.

 

Hey Impact -- just want you to know how much we appreciate you taking the time and effort to contribute your knowledge and insight on this board. Thanks a lot.

 

Unlike in football in the private schools (which always seems to be a team from Charlotte vs. Ravenscroft in the state finals) baseball is a lot more even. Providence Day has lossed LOTS of talent since Bondurant left and has not really been able to recover. It's reall a shame because Coach Cerbie is one of the best coaches I know and had the privelege to play under. Christian should win the states in private school very easy. I can't remember exactly but I know that in Private School you either have one or two less rounds to play. Latin, led by the sweet hitting of Jeff McGovern has been inconsistent at times but they can definitely make a run for a title like they did a couple years back. I'm glad to hear Cardinal Gibbons looked pretty solid. They are usually the team that gets the #2 or #1 team in the state in the first round (Christian), but barring a major upset Christian should win it all in private schools.

 

It's amusing in some ways .... back in January, I believe that we predicted that the SW4A would beat up on each other so badly that none of them would be ranked in the top 10 by the end of the season........ Hmmmmmm.

 

NCBBallFan -

The new Impact Baseball Team Polls came out today. Two SW4A teams are in the Top 10.

To add to your input, they do seem to beat up on each other, but on the up-side they get "4" playoff berths... so it really doesn't matter all that much.

A couple more notes of interest:

JUCO Baseball:
Region X Conference Tournament is scheduled to begin on Wednesday at Flemming Stadium in Wilson, NC.

Great interview with Brandon Hall (Charlotte 49ers pitching coach) is now posted on www.IMPACTBASEBALL.com