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SportsDad
293 Posts |
 Posted - 08/13/2008 : 01:00:48
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| What ever happen to the big East Cobb Myth that teams were not picked before the try-outs :) |
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Top Gun
59 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2008 : 04:25:08
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| The tryout in roswell you are referring to was officially a roswell tryout where kids had to sign up through the city of roswell. The fact that it was a coordinated effort between the hornets and stallions to see players made it a mutually beneficial event. The ecb e-mail referred to not having tryouts at ecb facilities for insurance reasons. Especially if they are non-2008 ecb players not covered. As a parent wanting my kid to be see before the ecb "mass of humanity", really appreciated both coaches taking the time to do this. |
Edited by - Top Gun on 08/13/2008 09:03:10 |
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25LOVESTHEGAME
48 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2008 : 12:23:11
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| Chief, How many teams do you want? I think what they have is enough. Dont you? |
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CHIEFOFSMOKE
46 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2008 : 15:07:08
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TW,
No preference on the number of teams just would like to know the landscape before we show up on Saturday |
Edited by - CHIEFOFSMOKE on 08/13/2008 16:03:36 |
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25LOVESTHEGAME
48 Posts |
Posted - 08/13/2008 : 18:06:26
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| Aw Man Chief, how did you know it was me, i was just messin with you. luv u man |
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fortheboys
2 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2008 : 21:59:40
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| The 13U ECB Chargers have three of the four coaches returning for next year. They have 9 kids committed to their roster most of which are from last year or upgraded players from last years team. The goal of the team is to play competetive baseball and make sure the boys get better and both the parents and the boys enjoy the experience. The Chargers are not trying to be something they are not. They will play AAA tournaments early in the year and begin mixing in higher level competetition as the year progresses. It is somewhat amusing to me to have someone rate them as the bottom of the ECB hiearchy when teams supposedly above them have 2 or 3 kids on their roster before the "clinic". At this point the Chargers are looking for 2 more players and their roster is full. They did not run from player to player during the clinic trying to convince kids and parents to play for them just to satisfy some juvenile need to feel important while ignoring the need for parents and kids to get along and enjoy the experience. This is the dark side of travel baseball, coaches promising kids and parents the moon just to get them out to a private tryout the whole time ignoring the needs of the kids and their parents. The Chargers will be competetive and with the exception of the Astros and probably the Stallions based on last year's results will competetive with all of the East Cobb teams game in and game out; and without a doubt the kids will know the coaches care more about them and their individual situations than alot of the teams rated above them. By the way Jay I am sure any of the Chargers kids will appreciate the fact they are the lowest rated ECB team. And that is sure helpful in helping them attract talent for the coming year. |
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jay
177 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2008 : 11:54:55
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Below was actually my indirect reference to the strength of the Chargers in comparing them to the Shamrocks.
"They were very competent at AAA and I think they're going to stay AAA this next year. Because of the change in the Major landscape I'd expect them to be competitive against some majors as well."
I predicted that they'd stay AAA which I thought a post from them seemed to support and if anything is going to affect attracting talent it would be that; not my comments. Quite the contrary, I think that my comment predicting their competitiveness against other Majors is likely to mitigate their being classified as AAA.
Since my post was categorized Majors, new Majors and AAA's they were just addressed last. It certainly wasn't meant to disparage them in any way. If you missed the reference to the Shamrocks you likely didn't see where I predicted they'd do well against Majors; which I still think they will. |
Edited by - jay on 08/19/2008 13:01:21 |
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fortheboys
2 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2008 : 09:55:18
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When will the 13U Astros roster be posted?
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COBBSPORTSCOMPLEX
16 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2008 : 13:23:18
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| Baseball Bob...I am glad that you are so interested in what the future holds for East Cobb Combat. Thanks for all of the "plugs" for our team! Thanks, Coach Marty Henley (I will not hide behind screen name) |
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greglomax
1031 Posts |
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bigdog
231 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2008 : 14:42:37
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Funny. the 2009 13u Astros have 5 players from the 2008 12u Stallions and the 2009 13u Stallions have 5 players from the 2008 12u Astros.
I guess the grass is greener on the other side. |
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coachdan06
433 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2008 : 14:51:46
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quote:
Originally posted by GW
Wow, 15 players at age 13. Playing time is going to be really, really interesting. We only had 10 or 11 and playing time became an issue at times. We did have alot of guys who could at least pitch some, which helped. Going to be alot of pine time for guys who are use to playing. JMO.
13 , its far too young for that size of roster unless the coach plans to rotate in and out as a rule.
Then , with that do the math and you'll conclude that practically the entire team sits one half a game.
Now , there are many parents who embrace the glitz of their son playing on a team of this name and I would wager that the coaching will be good.
And , there are many other parents who wouldnt expose their son to a team such as this for seeing that its too many bodies for only so much playing time despite their individual talent .
Its not great for skills development.IMHO
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Edited by - coachdan06 on 08/27/2008 15:10:37 |
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greglomax
1031 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2008 : 15:05:14
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| It's definately not a format for everyone or every team. It does work, though, given the right circumstance. All the boys know going in that there will be time on the bench and that playing time will be earned. |
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GW
56 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2008 : 15:45:57
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| Of course, everybody is OK with it in August, because they don't think their son will be the one sitting. You will have to wait until the season starts to see how it plays out. Time commitment, team fees, hotels, gas, eating out, etc., is hard enough when your kid is playing alot. Not very easy to put that much into it and watch your son sit alot. After just watching the age 13 group this year,IMO, you are asking for big problems at this age. But, then again, no one asked me. |
Edited by - GW on 08/27/2008 17:13:25 |
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triple7
20 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2008 : 21:08:50
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lomax..
I wish some other coaches use that key word you said PLAYING TIME WILL BE EARNED.. Thanks for saying it |
Edited by - triple7 on 08/27/2008 22:08:55 |
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lifeguard
74 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2008 : 23:15:50
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| I agree that playing time should be earned, its just hard to do when you're sitting on the bench and find it difficult to "earn". |
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WaltDem
51 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2008 : 23:31:49
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Young teens are beginning just now to develop at every skill level so the sacrifice of play time could be great . |
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SportsDad
293 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2008 : 00:55:52
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| PLAYING TIME WILL BE EARNED.. at 13 or even younger the "playing time will be earned" is more often misused under the guise of "winning is more important than developing all the players"...because if coaches truley believed in the playing time is earned mantra...the your starters would play 95% of the time "they earned it" and the subs would go whole tournaments sometimes and never play.kinda like MLB ball..So it's the coach who decides actually what earns it means..C.J Stewert (the baseball teacher out of Marietta) once told me something that I thought was true.He said, "When I was a kid he didn't care how good my team was, as long as 9 of them showed up I knew I was going to play." You'll never convince me that playing 20% of the time on a great team with great coaches is as benificial to a kids development as playing 80% on even a lousy team with mediocre coaches. Every parent at that age must decide whats best for their kid..there are a lot of drawbacks with any team at 13 with 15 players on it...Ask your son honestly, if they would rather get a trophy while sitting on the bench or lose but play...and they will tell you the latter..Every kid would rather be a starter on a good team than a sub on a great team..every kid would rather be a starter on a mediorce team than a sub on a good team...Every coach on a team knows, before the first practice, probably who his starters will be, or at least has a pretty good idea..If your going to lock a kid into your team...have the decency to let them know up front what you currently envision his role to be..I can't see how 15 kids can "earn it"...because at sometime it becomes...I don't care how hard you try to "earn" it unless so and so does something to "lose" it, you can never "earn" it... Playing time will be earned....lol..that's almost as funny as "every position is open" |
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bball2008
100 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2008 : 08:50:34
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| There is no concrete answer to this age-old dilemma. It is obviously best remedied by carrying smaller rosters. Also, I challenge anyone to find a travel team that does not have major descension among parents and players if they are losing 80% of the time even if everyone on the roster is playing a majority of the time. |
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CinReds
88 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2008 : 08:52:33
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| You got it Sportsdad!! Winning is more important than anything else to 90% of travel ball coaches in this area but few of them have the kahunas to admit it. They're not interested in developing players - they're interested in wins so they can massage their own egos and look good for the next year's recruiting season. Find the nine best players, do what it takes to win then hopefully you draw the attention of a few other players/parents for next season so you can improve YOUR record and the cycle continues. Look at this board under "looking for players." One team recruits only pitchers - all they have to do is meet them at tournaments and pitch! They don't even have to attend practices! Two other 14U "major" teams are "combining forces" for next season - I'm sure that's for the good of the players, has nothing to do with the coaches trying to win a major championship somewhere, somehow. The real problem is the parents that buy into this hoping that someday their boy will be able to buy them that dreamhouse and sports cars. If they would look after their schooling with as much energy and enthusiasm the payback would be much more rewarding and successful. Competition and winning are great but it's really hard to keep it in perspective for a lot of people. 'Nuff said. |
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25LOVESTHEGAME
48 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2008 : 09:30:12
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| This is not a shot at any particular team, but the "coaches" that are evaluating the 15 players that are supposed to be "earning" time need to be fair and impartial. An equal opportunity shot to "earn" playing time. |
Edited by - 25LOVESTHEGAME on 08/28/2008 11:50:29 |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2008 : 10:17:30
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I think if families got their kids on a team commensurate with their abilities, there would not be this problem. Being involved with travel ball for the last 5 years or so, it is usually the kids whose abilities are not quite at the level of the rest of the team that get the sitting time. When you play at a high level, of course you want to win. Not just the coaches, but the players and parents as well. Do you think the parents of the number 12, 13, 14 or 15 guy on the team wants to see their kid make the error or have the strike out that loses the game time after time? I don't think so. I have even heard parents complain that their son was put in to pitch in a critical situation when they thought there was someone better to go in. We had a kid on the team a year or two ago that was a marginal player overall. He was miserable on the team mostly due to play time. He left the team after that year and went and played rec ball and had the time of his life. Totally brought back his love for the game.
A team should be put together for the level of competition they are capable of playing. If your core of kids are AA, then play in AA tournaments. If the level of your kids are major or elite, play at that level. If you're a AA team playing in major tournaments, you are going to be unhappy. If you are a AA player playing on a major team, you're not going to get the play time and you'll be unhappy. This is not always the coaches fault. Sometimes they see a kid with some skills, but they don't wind up panning out during the season. I don't know of any coaches who won't play a kid just for the sake of not playing them. I think if you are playing at a AA or lower AAA level, there is more room to work kids into games. If you are playing at a major or elite level, the goal of the team is to win as well as develop the players who are capable.
I just think to say a team is not out there to win is kidding themselves. Travel is about winning (of course not at the expense of the health of the players). If you just want to develop and not worry about winning, play rec. If you want to get better and win and play against the best competition, play travel. Just make sure you are at the right level for your abilities. |
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greglomax
1031 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2008 : 11:14:16
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Sportsdad,
I have to disagree with your ALL references. I know for a fact that those statements with ALL in it are incorrect because I know of enough kids that it does not apply to. I asked my son a long time ago, and continue to ask, if he would rather play half the time on a great team or all the time on an average team. He does not hesitate that he would rather play half the time on a great team.
Keep in mind, playing on a team that goes 3 and out in a tournament playing all the time is still less innings than playing on a team that plays 7 games in a tournament playing half the time.
Another thing that not everyone has visibility to is the off season training program and the development plan for ALL players.
If it's not for you, then don't play on that kind of team. Just don't say it is the wrong approach for ALL players.
The teams, the players, and the coaches are not cookie cutter and cannot be assessed the same. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2008 : 13:06:54
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| I agree Greg. ALL is not right. I know for the teams we have been on, every practice is an evaluation just as much as a game is. We have had many kids that have earned play time in practice, then not performed in a game and we have begun to question whether they will hurt us in a game situation. They get the chance, will they keep the opportunity. That is often the question. I will reiterate what I said above. Travel (especially for major division) is about developing players, but it is also about winning. If you don't care about winning, you shouldn't be playing at a high level. |
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SportsDad
293 Posts |
Posted - 08/28/2008 : 13:25:21
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I asked my son a long time ago, and continue to ask, if he would rather play half the time on a great team or all the time on an average team. He does not hesitate that he would rather play half the time on a great team.
Has your son ever been in that position? If a team goes three and out I'd say you have a coaching problem and you're putting them in situations where the can't compete..How can be you playing 1/2 the time on an team with 15 players...That goes against the "you earn it" mantra...
I didn't say it was wrong for all...I'm just saying "let the kids know up front what you plan on doing...Don't peddle the story that " playing time is earned and/or all positions are open"...because I will say with the ALL word...I've never seen that!!! It also goes to the math...how can you have a great team with everybody playing 50% of the time and also saying playing time is earned..it just doesn't work...because how do you tell the kid than...well even though you've "earn the playing time" we're sitting you to let other kids get the 50% playing time in...Don't have any problems with having kids play 50% of the time,,,it's the "my guys plays 100% of the time and these kids play 20% of the time"...when that happens, and it does and you've seen it...I wonder if the coach has the kid on the team, because he wants to develop and improve him. or does he have the kid on the team because his parents "bought in to the story" and wrote a check...
Another pearl of wisdom I heard from a great (and very succesful youth coach) "If the kid is good enough to be on my team...he's good enough to play..." and in my eyes no one kid is better than another...I win by developing all the players to win at the end...not collect trophies in Febuary March April and May... Oh and he did win a World Series with "not the best talant out of the gate"... |
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13U ECB Teams
