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coach0512
123 Posts |
 Posted - 07/30/2010 : 12:54:08
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I can see both sides of this discussion so I wanted to see what others thought.
How do you feel about coaches instructing candidates during tryouts?
On one hand I can see where coaches want to make their tryouts more of a clinic and teach the kids a thing or two while going through tryouts. I have been a coach for 17 years and it is very hard to watch a bad swing or bad pitching mechanics and to NOT say something or want to fix the problem. A coach just wants to help the kid.
Also, you can gauge a kids "coachability".
But on the other hand I think a coach should see what the kid has just as he is and the coach should be able to see if the kid has a strong enough foundation to work with and the problem can be fixed later.
An example from a recent tryout- My son has pitched for over a year now and took lessons from Russ Dickerson, who is now over at ECB running their pitching program, and from another instructor who pitched in the Majors with Detroit. He had a very successful year in travel ball and was the teams leader in ERA, strikeouts, fewest walks, and only 1 hit batter.
At the tryout, during pitching warm ups, the coach wanted him to change his footwork and something with his arm movement as it went backwards in the windup. He tried a few times, made some horrible pitches, got flustered that he was doing poorly and tried to fight back but then had to get off the mound for the next kid to pitch.
Now, I can't blame the coach if he thinks my son is a bad pitcher because his tryout was bad. But it was bad because the coach messed with his mechanics instead of just letting him pitch like he always has.
I think it would have been better to leave him alone, see what you have to work with, and make the corrections you want during practices when you have the kid for weeks and months and he has a shot at incorporating your changes over a period of time instead of immediately.
What do you think? |
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WPBulls Coach
99 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2010 : 14:53:04
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Good points. I like to stand back and jdge talent first and then invite 20+ players back for a scrimmage which will give you time to "coach." As a parent, I like this because it gives me an opportunity to see the coaches in action.
Secondly, I would not even consider playing for that team if in a matter of minutes the coach negatively impacted your son's pitching mechanics. Just think what he could do to him in an entire season. |
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bkball
173 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2010 : 10:04:14
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| I was in a similar situation/tryout, coach is trying to change my sons swing during BP instead of letting him just hit. We were offered a spot on that team and declined for this very reason. I was glad it happened because I got to see the coach had no clue about hitting. |
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loveforthegame25
448 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2010 : 18:19:52
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| My opinion a tryout is a tryout, not a practice. Let the kids do what they know and evaluate them. If they get on your team then coachem up |
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Instructing during Tryouts
