| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| El Prez |
Posted - 03/05/2013 : 16:37:22
From the office of the Commissioner and President of 10U Baseball,
First, I want to introduce myself. I am the Commissioner and the President of 10U travel ball. Be it known that I know it all and have complete understanding. I have been elected and appointed to give the State of the Union Address concerning 10U baseball in the state of Georgia. This office has been assigned to me based on my experience as player, coach and father in said age group. These will be periodic updates for those interested in the facts, presuppositions and speculations about elite 10U travel ball in the Peach State. For those who want to question my authority, please take it up with the regional office.
Week one saw several Georgia teams head to Lake City for a Super NIT where the lads from Florida demonstrated that 60 degree weather year round pays huge dividends. Yes, those teams have all played several tournaments, yes they have had more practice time on the field, but let it be said, there is some good ball being played in Florida. If you blame the losses to bad weather in Georgia, you are only partly right. But that makes you partly wrong as well. Both Strike Force Gold and Avalanche, among several others are good ball teams. And some of the better teams from the Miami area did not make the trip. So there will be some challenges to the Georgia teams from the bikini state to be sure. Don’t blame the losses on practice time, it’s bad form and just an excuse.
Week two saw some of the better teams sign up for a Triple Crown tournament in Cobb County. The Acworth Warriors, Homeplate Chillidogs, ECB Astros, the Halos and the Angels were among the 20 teams to play. There were some interesting pool games and scores, with seemingly average to poor teams playing the top guys close. Give those guys credit, but the weather was a huge equalizer. And it became very apparent as the bracket play began, the close games were an anomaly. The Halos beat the Astros in the Finals in a cold windy championship game that demonstrated that the Halos are putting a stake in the ground as the best team in Georgia. At least in week two.
So it is early in the year and the State of the Union of 10U travel ball has limited fodder, so I will make several observations as we move toward the Super NIT in Atlanta.
Coaches first. I am calling out those coaches who speak out about players, or speak to players on the opposing team. This is classless and bush league and should not be tolerated. Grow up, be a man, and simply use your skills to improve your team, encourage your players, but leave the other team alone. These guys are 10 years old, hear that, 10 YEARS OLD! If you need to intimidate a 10 year old to win, then it might be time to find something else to do. “We can hit this pitcher!”, “He won’t swing the bat”, and “They can’t hit you” are not acceptable. I would even go as far to say that “Leave it down there” is questionable. Come on man! Let’s encourage our kids, build them up, not try to scare or get into the heads of little boys. It is reprehensible. No names are necessary, you know who you are, and you are on the Watch List at the regional office.
Parents, your turn. It is aways great to hear the parents cheering from the sidelines. That is awesome and warms the heart. That is what baseball is all about. Keep it up. But there are some out there that cross the line. First, to the parents that coach from the stands: STOP IT! It is irritating and obnoxious. If you want to coach, then be a coach. Otherwise keep it buttoned up. The time you spend with your son during the week, in the off season, and at home is your time to coach. When the kid gets on the field, let the coaches coach. Shut your pie hole and let the kid play. The coaches are working with them, be it fielding, batting or throwing. Leave them alone and let them play. If I hear too much more, I will send the anti-coaching police to the stands and have your parenting privileges revoked.
Now, to the parents who put so much pressure on the kids that they cannot swing, throw or field a ball without looking up to you to see if you are mad, then you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Give them encouragement, build them up, I promise there will be a time for a learning experience later. Don’t use a game situation, a booted ball, or a strikeout to get mad at your son. Those guys are more worried about disappointing you or making you angry than playing the game. This does not make me mad, it makes me sad. As El Prez, I would ask that you look at how you treat your kid. Try positive reinforcement, it might work!
Ok, next item on the Commissioners agenda is the umpires. Where in the world do these guys come from? I understand a missed call every now and then, but we need to evaluate what skill set other than breathing these guys have. Spend an extra $10 a game to get some experience. And Mr Umpire, the strike zone for a 10 year old is bigger than a pie plate. I understand that this job is very difficult, not their primary jobs, and is thankless to most. We appreciate your effort, but pick it up please. We expect a little more out of you.
Ok, as I wind down the State of the Union of 10U travel ball, I want to address the standings. This is official and cannot be debated. Remember, I am all knowing.
1. Halos – they proved they are the team to beat early on. They beat a solid Astros squad with great pitching. They might have the best pitching staff in the state which spells trouble for those who cross them. I think they are the Georgia front runner for the Super NIT. Some really talented kids on that team.
2. Astros- looks to be strong this year with deeper pitching with the addition of some Bulldogs. Pitching will be the key to all these teams and the Astros seem to have plenty of it. Should be deep and play late each Sunday.
3. Homeplate Chillidogs – Kearns has these guys moving in the right direction and seem to play everybody they face in a tough game. Their pitching has improved with some additions from the Gamers and it will pay dividends. I expect HPCDK to be close on Sunday, and win a few tourneys this year.
4. Angels – Although the “Split” left the Angels in a tough spot, I think that these kids will be coached up. They have great leadership, some very talented players and some good pitching as well. I think Kerry will hold up some trophies on Sunday as well.
5. Black Knights – These guys proved last year they can compete. An amazing run at a couple of tournaments last summer turned some heads. They are scrappy, and just seem to find a way to win on certain Sundays. Look for them to emerge and spike when you least expect it. History repeats itself.
6. Acworth Warriors – The boys from north Cobb can beat anybody. They play ball hard in Acworth. They picked up a few new players and can score plenty of runs. I don’t think you can shut them down, but you will need to simply outscore them. Might win one or two for some Sunday hardware themselves.
Who are the other contenders? The ECB Titans might be there, and it is possible to see the Gamers, and some others run at the elite teams. But I think the top 5 or 6 will carry the day most tourneys. Anything can happen in 10U, so we might see some surprises.
As I close the first installment of the State of the Union 10U travel ball, I want remind those who have differing opinions to send them to the regional office. I will have the front office go through them and I will address as needed.
Thank you for your participation in 10U ball and see you at the park.
Frozen ropes and seeds,
El Prez
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