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loveit
26 Posts |
 Posted - 03/25/2012 : 10:02:26
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Need your thoughts on the best way to handle this situation. Here are the facts....
My 8th grade son made our highschool 9th grade team. He has not gotten to pitch at all in a game. This holds true for one other boy as well. Both boys have been travel ball players for many years at the AAA/Major level. Before you assume this is sour grapes, know this. The coach, despite knowing these boys pitch, has not ever once seen them pitch. There has been not one single day that the coach has asked the pitchers to throw bullpens so he could evaluate their skills. They hold practice every day and have been together almost two months now. The coach came in after the team had been selected by the varsity coach. There seems to be a strong hint that the other boys are known to our coach through rec ball. I can not, for the life of me, figure how any coach would not want to know all that he has to work with! It's not that he has seen either of these boys pitch and then didn't like what he saw. He has not once seen them pitch a single ball. Both boys have been professionally trained since they were very young and been very strong contributors to their travel ball teams. We have not said word one to the coach but, are very shocked and dumbfounded. Our travel ball coach has adivised that our son needs to handle this on his own and we don't disagree. It is so concerning to realize that he has worked all this years on pitching only to be shut down by a fellow who, for whatever reason, will not give him any opportunity! Players really are at the mercy of the public high school system. What would you do, if anything? |
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gasbag
281 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2012 : 13:55:45
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| The lad is in 8th grade .... that's old enough to to ween him from mom & dad handling his affairs. Who is flabbergasted...the parents or the boy ? If it truly is the boy ( not mom and dad talking about it in front of him at home and influencing his true thoughts and sentiments ? ), then I think he should approach the coach and let his feelings beknown. If he'd like the opportunity, HE needs to understand he can't be afraid to ask for the opportunity. He obviously has some other skills or Coach would not have selected him to pitch. Coach also may have decided he needs the lads help at other positions vs. at pitcher. Regardless, you won't know unless the lad talks to the Coach. |
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rippit
667 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2012 : 15:56:08
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| More from me later, but your son is an 8th grader playing up. Pretty sure his turn comes NEXT year. Freshman coaches are developing the freshman. No hidden agenda here. |
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ATLawman
32 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2012 : 16:21:59
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| Stopped trying to figure hs coaches out a long time ago. Have your boy continue to pitch and play summer ball with his travel team. Go to perfect game showcases. That's where your son will be seen and picked up by colleges. High School ball has become something fun for the boys to represent their schools, that's really all it is now. Hs has almost no bearing on whether a boy makes a college squad or not. |
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a1prog
164 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2012 : 19:47:01
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So here are a couple of things to consider-
1. has your son gone and asked the coach what he can do to get on the field? if not then that needs to happen.
2. is he getting any practice reps?
3. if they arent going to play him at all then why pick him? as an 8th grader he could be getting reps playing travel ball.
4. i could be wrong about this but i am not aware that its legal under ghsa rules for an 8th grader to play wit the high school team. he isnt in high school and he is at ghsa sanctioned events. something just doesnt feel right here.
5. as i and others have said before- many high school baseball coaches are so enamored with themselves and just arent good coaches let alone good mentors for kids. this is something you just have to learn to live with.
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rippit
667 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2012 : 21:51:41
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a1: many smaller city or private schools who run on the same school day/times for all grades allow this. The ones I'm familiar with allow those players to also play travel as long as it doesn't interfere with the freshman team commitment. Aldo know many 9th graders who are forbidden by their HS school from playing travel while the freshman season is still going.
If this coach isn't allowing the player in the 8th grade to venture out and also isn't playing him, then future 8th graders playing up should take notice. |
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Tribe
82 Posts |
Posted - 03/25/2012 : 22:06:45
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| Rippit is correct. Tell your son to keep a positive attitude and work hard...his time will come next year. |
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jongamefan
218 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 09:32:46
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A-1: its a city to city county to county rule about middle schoolers playing high school .
I dont think Gwinnett allows it but some city schools in-town do.
And yea the high school coach dynamics of self enamored and politics is probably more likely than not across the board
Deal is , your trapped with it its not like a travel group you can switch to or choose to begin with
Summer is where its at for play and instructing
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loveit
26 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 10:20:58
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| Thank you all for your comments! We will just stick it out with our mouths shut and hope for a better situation next year. The season is almost over and he is and will continue to play with his travel ball team. We have never been the parents who" get in the coaches' faces." We believe respect is due and that coaching is very often a thankless job. We do appreciate all the time that all his coaches have spent in teaching him to be a better ball player. Just have never had a coach that didn't want to be aware of everything he had in his bullpen. Our son is getting very good fielding time so, that is a definite positive. As to rippit's comment... I would agree with you that he is young and has time in the future to be used. We understand "paying your dues" and being "low man on the totem pole". However, on this "C" team, of the 5-6 boys that he is pitching, 4 are 8th graders. Of the 14-15 boys on the team, 9 are 8th graders. I do understand your comments and where you are coming from and appreciate your taking time to share them. Again, thanks to you all! |
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ramman999
241 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 11:48:10
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Honestly, if your son is bothered by it, let him man up and ask the coach if he can throw a bullpen with him after practice one day- can't assume the coach knows the kid can throw...And whats the worst thing that happens - he saves his arm?
Take it to the next extreme - do you want your kid burning out his arm for a coach that doesn't know how to manage a bullpen? Count your blessings.. |
Edited by - ramman999 on 03/26/2012 12:49:35 |
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90mph
26 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 15:28:20
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quote:
Originally posted by loveit
Need your thoughts on the best way to handle this situation. Here are the facts....
My 8th grade son made our highschool 9th grade team. He has not gotten to pitch at all in a game. This holds true for one other boy as well. Both boys have been travel ball players for many years at the AAA/Major level. Before you assume this is sour grapes, know this. The coach, despite knowing these boys pitch, has not ever once seen them pitch. There has been not one single day that the coach has asked the pitchers to throw bullpens so he could evaluate their skills. They hold practice every day and have been together almost two months now. The coach came in after the team had been selected by the varsity coach. There seems to be a strong hint that the other boys are known to our coach through rec ball. I can not, for the life of me, figure how any coach would not want to know all that he has to work with! It's not that he has seen either of these boys pitch and then didn't like what he saw. He has not once seen them pitch a single ball. Both boys have been professionally trained since they were very young and been very strong contributors to their travel ball teams. We have not said word one to the coach but, are very shocked and dumbfounded. Our travel ball coach has adivised that our son needs to handle this on his own and we don't disagree. It is so concerning to realize that he has worked all this years on pitching only to be shut down by a fellow who, for whatever reason, will not give him any opportunity! Players really are at the mercy of the public high school system. What would you do, if anything?
At the risk of hearing "sour grapes", "thankless job" and every other quote from everyone that sits back and just lets things happen.
And I would think that as parents, of course we are teaching our players to "handle it" themselves. In a respectful way.
But....as we teach them to handle it themselves in a respectful way.....have them speak up!
There is no other part of raising our kids that we take whatever is thrown our way. As a coach, they can not and should not try to make everyone happy. BUT...they are in the education system that THEY signed up for. They should be willing to at least listen. And should be willing to understand that it is our kids that they are impacting on a daily basis. Or are they in it for themselves...and their pensions.
YOU...yes YOU....would not take this from the math teacher. Or maybe you would.
We are 26th in the world in education. (on a good day) I guess "it is what it is".
You get what you fight for. I tell my kids...you want more playing time....GET BETTER!!! No one will or should give you anything. But NEVER be afraid to stand up for what you believe in.
And how in the world can everyone keep saying "well there is politics everywhere" and NOT be livid. Really!!
You do realize that we are talking about YOUR kid here.
Almost funny.
My kids have had success and failures. And we have seen it all. We have had coaches swear there will be no "daddy ball" only to have their awful kid at the second base spot. And high school "teachers" that "knew" the kids that he plays. No matter how poorly they did.
We know a high school coach that has won a number of state titles and is in the NATIONAL High School Coaches HOF. He does not cut....at any level. And completly understands that this is about your kid, not him. Now when I say he does not cut...there is more to it than that. But he certainly gets it. (name and school if you are interested, email me)
More than my 2 cents.....but drives me crazy. I can feel the fustration out there...only to hear... "oh well what can I do"?
Really? You are paying them. |
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Triple
26 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 18:56:26
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| We also have a coach who is also a rec ball coach. Plays the kids he knows and they can do no wrong. Doesn't matter no one else is given a chance or same chance. Just the way it is. Don't dare say anything. Might end up on the bench. |
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90mph
26 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 22:48:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Triple
We also have a coach who is also a rec ball coach. Plays the kids he knows and they can do no wrong. Doesn't matter no one else is given a chance or same chance. Just the way it is. Don't dare say anything. Might end up on the bench.
Well, you probably right. But I will promise you that nothing will change until you do.
And I never thought I would hear grown people say...."just the way it is". Or as our H.S. "coach" says to the parents of their kids....."it is what it is".
If you went to the ice cream store...and they sold you spoiled ice cream...and they said "it is what it is" YOU would go crazy. Maybe even sue if you did not get satisfaction.
But that is okay service for your Son? Not everyone can start....or play. And no...we will be never be happy. (Their only response to everything) But quit feeding YOUR ego and figure it out. OR, get out of the way for someone who wants to.
Be a teacher. That is how your plates read.....educator. Right?
Signed....occupy the fields. |
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Triple
26 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2012 : 09:29:08
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| spoiled ice cream??? not the same as dealing with someone in control with no sense. Yeah. ask to play, but then let it go. |
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rippit
667 Posts |
Posted - 03/27/2012 : 10:56:40
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quote:
Originally posted by loveit
Thank you all for your comments! We will just stick it out with our mouths shut and hope for a better situation next year. The season is almost over and he is and will continue to play with his travel ball team. We have never been the parents who" get in the coaches' faces." We believe respect is due and that coaching is very often a thankless job. We do appreciate all the time that all his coaches have spent in teaching him to be a better ball player. Just have never had a coach that didn't want to be aware of everything he had in his bullpen. Our son is getting very good fielding time so, that is a definite positive. As to rippit's comment... I would agree with you that he is young and has time in the future to be used. We understand "paying your dues" and being "low man on the totem pole". However, on this "C" team, of the 5-6 boys that he is pitching, 4 are 8th graders. Of the 14-15 boys on the team, 9 are 8th graders. I do understand your comments and where you are coming from and appreciate your taking time to share them. Again, thanks to you all!
That's new information...
I too find it weird that a coach wouldn't want to know what he has, but it happens. Some coaches are lazy and/or just don't like change.
Is the team winning? If so, he may just be complacent. If not, then he's a lousy coach for continuing to do the same things while expecting different results.
In the grand scheme of things, how awful is this REALLY? We currently are familiar with the way newbies are treated/ignored, but in the end, you are maybe better off focusing on all the positives instead of rocking the boat?
Everybody has heard the stories about players who didn't even start pitching until college or whatever. If he's good, somebody will eventually notice. You said the varsity coach picked the team. Well, there you go. Perhaps he's the ticket.
I'd just continue to make sure he he's training outside of his regular practices and pitching with the travel team. He'll be ready when his opportunity comes. Good luck! |
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billbclk
164 Posts |
Posted - 03/28/2012 : 11:30:00
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Having an 8th grader "standup" to a high school coach is not they way I would approach it. I would however have him with me when I talked to the coach. Also, remember there are PLENTY of travel ball games left to be played outside of HS. Since he will not make the leap from 8th grade to College in one spring HS season relax and realize that while college scouts do come to HS games it's only after they have seen players at showcase events and summer/fall travel games. You have time.
Once he gets to be a junior then he should be able to converse with the scary coach and articulate his views. |
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HIghschool Hijinks - What to do?
