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Big Daddy
132 Posts |
 Posted - 01/02/2019 : 15:04:32
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Wow, after 9 years of reading and contributing to this forum, I thought I'd share some perspective with the new guy out there, who is just like me from 9 years ago.
As a little background, I started on this forum as the proud dad of a 8U son on a decent travel baseball team. I was posting TOP 10 lists and arguing them ad nauseam, complaining about illegal bats and what the hell is BPF, how certain teams always got the sweet schedule and venue draw, discussing the hottest bat, and of course.....why USSSA stinks, lol.. Today, I am the proud dad of a 17U son that starts on competitive HS and travel baseball teams and I also have (2) stepsons that play D1 baseball. Over these last 10 years or so, I have learned a lot and compiled these thoughts in no particular order:
1. I have made life long friends at the ball park. I am very happy about that.
2. Sorry but the quality of baseball team that your son plays for under the age of 13U really doesn't matter that much. What does matter is that he is learning good fundamentals and having fun. If your kid can play, he can play on the top teams when he gets older. Driving 1 hour to and from practice 4 times a week at 9U so you can say your kid plays for (insert team name here) is a waste of time and effort at this point.
2A. Most teams at academies under the ages of 13U fund the older teams. The top talent on the 16-18U teams usually don't pay a penny to play to build the brand.
3. After about 13, push them to a team that matches their potential. You will want them to be middle of the road so they can be pushed. Even the least competitive kid will want to grow in front of his peers.
4. Fall baseball is mostly a waste of time and your kid needs a break. And to all the teams that think they are "all that" by winning a one day tournament in the fall, you will be proven wrong at your first tournament of the spring. Believe me.
5. Go to paid coaching as soon as possible....yes even 8 or 9. Daddy ball is the #1 most destructive force in youth baseball. Most teams can handle losing....but when you are losing because the coaches kid is an immovable object on the field or lineup, watch out.
6. Oh, and daddy ball exists at the HS level. It absolutely does.
7. Good players early are generally good as they get older.
8. Getting a college scholarship isn't near as hard as I thought it was. I had this grand illusion that the top 1% of the top 1% gets this opportunity. I was WRONG. If your kid is playing major level baseball at say 14U, he has a great chance to be a college baseball player IF HE WANTS. I'm not saying he will play D1, but certainly he can play after HS.
9. I am shocked at how lazy college coaches are with regard to recruitment. Think path of least resistance.
10. Perfect Game stats MATTER! Make sure the teenager plopping balls and strikes on his iPad at Lakepoint is accurate. I've seen kids pitch quality innings with lots of K's which were credited to a teammate. Perfect Game stats serve as a resume and absolutely is used by coaches. Yes, it's just a part of the equation but you better make sure it's correct! They will correct it if you ask! Should you do it if your son is 10U? NO! If he's 16U, absolutely.
11. In that same vein, some college coaches are going to be VERY disappointed with some of the players they "thought" they were getting. VERY DISAPPOINTED!
12. Starting in 9th grade, GRADES MATTER! Make sure your kid gets good grades or doors will close.
13. Your kid is going to sit when he gets older. The top teams with (30) kids on the roster have a lot of backs to scratch, so prepare to ride the pine. It's especially difficult if you take a day off to watch baseball while it's your kids turn to sit.
14. If your kid gets to play in college, every new year is like starting all over again. That's because the new JUCO transfer STUD wants your job and they hit 56 HR's and batted .800 last year at Chipola. Happens every year so don't think since your kid made it, it will last without hard work, commitment and focus.
15. My son driving himself to practice and to games 1 hour early might have been the most impactful thing that happened to me in his baseball career. Nothing quite like showing up at game time....
Anyway, that's all that came to mind on this rainy, crappy day at the office. Peace!
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SuperStar
257 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2019 : 19:37:52
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That's excellent information and insight Big Daddy. My son plays 16U and I have seen many of the things that you mentioned come true. Thanks for sharing.
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Edited by - SuperStar on 01/02/2019 20:37:37 |
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2019 : 07:12:02
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| great list! |
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bama21
278 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2019 : 09:20:16
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I would disagree with #5, while "daddy ball" is an issue on some teams, there are teams out there that are coached by the "dads" and things are done the right way. I coached my son's team until he was 13 and I was a lot harder on him than any other player on the team and he would be the first to sit if he wasn't playing well.
Also, playing on a dad coached team is typically way cheaper than that of a paid coaching team and like you said, it really doesn't matter what team you play on at the earlier ages. |
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bigroc19
158 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2019 : 10:21:25
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| @Big Daddy good stuff...#15 I agree is the BEST...Driving his self is Awesome |
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whits23
596 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2019 : 11:55:05
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0. Perfect Game stats MATTER!
i have spoken to and worked with numerous recruiters and the laugh when people say this..they do not look at anything but Maybe velocity..they could care less about hitting as they need to see that in person and much the same with any other aspect |
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2019 : 12:45:01
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quote:
Originally posted by bama21
I would disagree with #5, while "daddy ball" is an issue on some teams, there are teams out there that are coached by the "dads" and things are done the right way. I coached my son's team until he was 13 and I was a lot harder on him than any other player on the team and he would be the first to sit if he wasn't playing well.
Also, playing on a dad coached team is typically way cheaper than that of a paid coaching team and like you said, it really doesn't matter what team you play on at the earlier ages.
I can name three dad coaches that did it right....I have seen and heard of hundreds that did it wrong.
If you have prior knowledge that a dad coach is doing it right, by all means join the team. If you don't know if the coaches kids play MIF and are the number one/two pitchers (with a 10BB:1K record) then don't commit to that team.
I am also enjoying #15. With many games at 11am on a Tuesday my Uber bill has gone WAAAAAAY down, LOL! |
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Big Daddy
132 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2019 : 13:21:45
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quote:
Originally posted by whits23
0. Perfect Game stats MATTER!
i have spoken to and worked with numerous recruiters and the laugh when people say this..they do not look at anything but Maybe velocity..they could care less about hitting as they need to see that in person and much the same with any other aspect
My apologies. I was pretty much talking about pitching. Yes, velo and K's vs. BB's.....and of course innings pitched. They absolutely look at that and I have confirmed that with a high D1 coach as an example. Like I said, it's just part of the resume and often the beginning of due diligence for the recruit. As far as hitting, HR's are probably the most popular stat that gets noticed. |
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wareagle
324 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2019 : 15:47:37
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Stats Matter??
It depends on the coach. I promise that they do see the stats, as coaches have made reference to them if the are not at the game. Mostly just "Good day at the Plate" type comments. I am sure that they are not a top deciding factor, but they are a piece of the puzzle.
Daddy ball
I agree with CAco. Doesn't work out well. Its ok up till 12 or 13 but after that, I have never seen it done without preferential treatment. I am sure it happens but the odds are against having a good experience. Even if the coach tries to be fair, some parents will not see it that way, and the drama begins.. Stay away from it if possible. Edit to add- There are definitely paid coaches that are just as bad as dad coaches. Do your homework! |
Edited by - wareagle on 01/03/2019 16:20:00 |
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wareagle
324 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2019 : 16:07:10
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I am also not a big believer that all coaches can see a good swing without also looking at numbers to a certain degree. I have seen kids with absolutely perfect swings, good form, good timing, and crush in BP . Then in games can't hit swat. But if they hit a good pitcher hard at the right time, they get tons of attention.
And then there are kids that have terrible mechanics, but somehow just produce.
You need numbers and "eye test" in my opinion(which is just as a dad,no qualifications except my personal experiences). |
Edited by - wareagle on 01/03/2019 16:19:10 |
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Newbie BB Mom
141 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2019 : 16:30:38
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I also have a 16u player and I agree with most of this list.
I agree that daddy ball is indeed a thing. Saw it in many ways throughout our 7 years of travel ball, including daddy managers in tight with paid coaches. I've also seen a few good dad coaches who didn't give any preference to their own son, but I think they are generally the exception to the rule. Most dads who coach are doing so in order to form a team around their own son. If your son plays the same position, it's a pretty safe bet he'll be second fiddle. I'd find another team unless you have had some candid conversations with the dad coach about playing time and have done your research about the coach's reputation and integrity.
I don't think #7 is so true. Some good players stay good, some don't. To be honest, a lot of the "studs" coming out of our rec park at 8u, 9u, and 10u to play travel ball were passed by between 11u and 14u. A few others burned out or picked football. Meanwhile, some mediocre players who kept at it surprised us in high school. This one is a real mixed bag.
My advice to a parent who's kid loves baseball but isn't one of the top players on his team is to keep at it. Don't let anyone discourage you. Hard work (and puberty) can pay off.
Totally agree about the grades. If your kid is a decent ball player at 15u and 16u (I don't mean a stud, I mean just solid by Atlanta standards), and has very good grades, there will be college opportunities for him if he's interested. The lower his grades and SAT/ACT score, the more talented he'll need to be, and vice versa. There are college roster spots for kids with 7.5 Perfect Game ratings, but most of them are excellent students. |
Edited by - Newbie BB Mom on 01/03/2019 19:20:19 |
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Crazyforbball
391 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2019 : 09:59:45
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| Great points! Agree that even some paid coaches can get a little cozy with certain parents, but there is a much greater ratio that do it right and definitely gives you the best opportunity long term of staying in the game. Do your homework. |
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Critical Mass
277 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2019 : 10:55:01
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#8 and #14
You are right, there can be a spot/scholarship for a kid in college at many levels. Power 5 D1 and some other very good D1s (think Coastal, S Alabama, So Miss)are different. You must be good and no, if you are good at 14U you arent guaranteed to get a scholarship at these levels. Second point about playing time is in direct correlation to first, just because you've arrived doesn't mean you will play. Lots of factors but getting there is important. Juco or transfers is one aspect but your attitude, work ethic, talent/performance and ability to stay healthy are all major factors. (If you are a blue chip prospect some/most of these go out the window and you'l play regardless). Good list though and a solid contribution to this site as the nail biting parents of future all world travel ballers and MLBers continue to sign on and sign up for the magic answers. Congrats on your boys playing college ball now and the young up and comer! |
Edited by - Critical Mass on 01/04/2019 13:23:35 |
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Punishers
688 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2019 : 16:48:40
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2. Sorry but the quality of baseball team that your son plays for under the age of 13U really doesn't matter that much. What does matter is that he is learning good fundamentals and having fun. If your kid can play, he can play on the top teams when he gets older. Driving 1 hour to and from practice 4 times a week at 9U so you can say your kid plays for (insert team name here) is a waste of time and effort at this point.
So true. Spending $3000 and living in traffic for hours at 12u and below just to say your kid plays for this and that team is a waste. This is a parent ego stroking thing that will subside when the reality of playing on a 60/90 field settles in. |
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bfriendly
376 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2019 : 10:31:03
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great stuff daddy........most of it hits home! With my son being a freshman trying to make the Etowah team, we are kind of in the middle of that time span you have so eloquently portrayed.
We'll see how the rest pans out |
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Vandy
36 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2019 : 15:16:40
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| Valid info there |
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Renegade44
211 Posts |
Posted - 01/13/2019 : 13:01:54
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So 9+ years of perspective is the topic? Age 8 to age 18 near graduation.
Lets see?
1.) Oh how it has all changed over the years. Big business has turned it all from a true passion for the game and similarly dedicated coaches into a giant county club sport chasing profits and selling $80 an hour dreams to the country club set.
2.) Travel ball which used to supplement extra summer/fall games for the best rec league players, has turned minimal cost options such as youth rec league, Babe Ruth, Middle school, Jr Legion, and Legion into a vast wasteland. High school is beginning to suffer as "priorities" and pressure trend further to the for profit side of travel ball.
3.) The pursuit and ready availability of profits to be had has turned the sport into a year round grind to chase the dream. Wouldn't want to be left out would you just because you skipped a season/session of stroking a check?
4.) Costs which were 'hey bring me a $20 next week' or collected at the park on gameday, have ballooned into stroking a check for $3,000 twice a year.
5.) Overall costs have began to approach the $10,000 mark in the race to showcase this, travel there, showcase that, travel again, college camp, showcase, etc.
6.) The good old boy network is alive and well! College degrees in sports marketing, poor degree choices, general bad job market for young people 2 to 5 years ago, have found a gig spot giving lessons, coaching for academies on every corner vacant warehouse in town, etc.
Many of their classmates have stayed involved as college nonpaid assistant to assistant coaches. There is the direct route from for profit academy to college athlete.
7.) The colleges have taken note of the lure to be a college baseball player and the funds available to make it be so! Especially those non state colleges struggling for enrollment. (And this doesn't pertain to just baseball, could be and is all sports) Be careful...... that private D1, smaller D2, D3, Juco or whatever......might just be bringing in 100 or more! players for Fall workouts. Yeah you committed, yeah it sounds great, but please tell me how a college can and does knowingly recruit 100 players for a 35 player team? Never mind, I know it comes back to profits and money. Baseball isn't funded well at colleges. As a coach you can stay employed AND increase your funding by luring more aspiring student athletes to enroll. IE Your baseball budget doubles if you expand your list of enrolled commits from 50 to 100. And the struggling small college president loves ya too at $25,000 to $40,000 tuition a year and increased enrollment numbers.
8.) The quality of play and in game baseball execution has fallen drastically. Yeah the radar gun can be lit up, as the bases are loaded with walks and the 2 hour showcase slogs thru 4 innings of pure torture. Defensively the showcase circuits looks lost, I've seen middle school teams execute better.
9.) There will be a lot of college coaches with buyers remorse. Stock in RolAids should go up. They've recruited many coach killers that can't win. Cue up the Juco tranfers to magically appear just when you thought you were entitled to be up next after slopping thru your first 2 years.
10.) Scholarships? Mostly a one year gig to be annually re-evaluated. Plan on 25% for D1, $3,000-$5,000 for D2, and zero for D3.
11.) Academics? There is your scholarship money. HOWEVER don't think for a second that high academics, full academic scholarship, and high level baseball success alone, can even get the baseball phone picked up at your mid level baseball college. See #6 above. Absent the purchased help form the good old boys the conversation will go like this at most D1: "Hey coach, I've been admitted, don't need any baseball money, what's the process of getting a full walk on opportunity for next Fall? Great you've heard of me, seen my videos, etc, so how can this work? Coach: Well we've been fully recruited since a year ago when we attended the $1000 showcase in Florida, but thanks for coming to our $300 camp last week, you looked really good, probably more skilled than half our recruits, but but but we don't truly do walkons as we are full already. Player:??? So there is no path to even have a serious tryout if I enroll, and even if I can outcompete your recruits? Coach: That's correct we are full and we have 'our' players for now."
12.) The environment isn't going to improve within the next 10 years. And the game as you know it may not survive. But that's just fine to some who enjoy and believe in the current state of youth baseball.
So you read this far and you may think disgruntled clown and not skilled enough player.....
6'3, 87mph pitcher, 7.0 runner, 4 year varsity starter at highest class high school division in sate, SS defense, #3 hitter, team leader. 34 ACT, 1500 SAT, Committed pending academic scholarship competition outcome probably at a school he would not attend without baseball offer. Loves and Lives the game, but won't go into $100k college debt to keep playing in a flawed system. Has multiple baseball offers at schools which will require 100K+ of loans to attend, and has multiple offers of full tuition but no shot at baseball allowed by coaches at those colleges.
So be aware....this is the potential end result of the moneyball system you are funding each weekend. |
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takeit4aride
5 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2019 : 09:13:03
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Thank you so much for this perspective. You are exactly on point. I love baseball and playing it when I was growing up. I thought it was going to be the same when I had a son, but boy was I wrong! I have a young teenager playing baseball that is a really good athlete but it has gotten so expensive that i'm not sure if I will be able to keep up with the rising cost. I posted this in "Does young elite talent carry into later years" thread below on 12/18/18:
"Does elite talent carry over into the later years? I've seen many gifted/talented baseball players over the years. I see on this thread that when some of these "studs" are at the younger age groups they tend to get weened out because the "fields get bigger", "puberty", "they're not working as hard as the next kid", etc. While a lot of this is true, there is one thing that I haven't seen mentioned. Some parents just can't afford it as their kid(s) get older!! Baseball gets more expensive as these young men get older. $3000 to $4000 just for the summer ball for some of the top organizations. That doesn't include travel, training, and showcases. Many middle class families with two or more children that play sports or other activities just can't afford it so you see some of these gifted young baseball players who were studs move to other sports. They definitely don't lose their athleticism. When I was younger my parents didn't have to mortgage their home so I could play sports. Youth sports has gotten out of control. I've seen post on the youth threads where people are asking, "are there teams less than 3000k". Wow. What's happened to the sport I love?"quote:
Originally posted by Renegade44
So 9+ years of perspective is the topic? Age 8 to age 18 near graduation.
Lets see?
1.) Oh how it has all changed over the years. Big business has turned it all from a true passion for the game and similarly dedicated coaches into a giant county club sport chasing profits and selling $80 an hour dreams to the country club set.
2.) Travel ball which used to supplement extra summer/fall games for the best rec league players, has turned minimal cost options such as youth rec league, Babe Ruth, Middle school, Jr Legion, and Legion into a vast wasteland. High school is beginning to suffer as "priorities" and pressure trend further to the for profit side of travel ball.
3.) The pursuit and ready availability of profits to be had has turned the sport into a year round grind to chase the dream. Wouldn't want to be left out would you just because you skipped a season/session of stroking a check?
4.) Costs which were 'hey bring me a $20 next week' or collected at the park on gameday, have ballooned into stroking a check for $3,000 twice a year.
5.) Overall costs have began to approach the $10,000 mark in the race to showcase this, travel there, showcase that, travel again, college camp, showcase, etc.
6.) The good old boy network is alive and well! College degrees in sports marketing, poor degree choices, general bad job market for young people 2 to 5 years ago, have found a gig spot giving lessons, coaching for academies on every corner vacant warehouse in town, etc.
Many of their classmates have stayed involved as college nonpaid assistant to assistant coaches. There is the direct route from for profit academy to college athlete.
7.) The colleges have taken note of the lure to be a college baseball player and the funds available to make it be so! Especially those non state colleges struggling for enrollment. (And this doesn't pertain to just baseball, could be and is all sports) Be careful...... that private D1, smaller D2, D3, Juco or whatever......might just be bringing in 100 or more! players for Fall workouts. Yeah you committed, yeah it sounds great, but please tell me how a college can and does knowingly recruit 100 players for a 35 player team? Never mind, I know it comes back to profits and money. Baseball isn't funded well at colleges. As a coach you can stay employed AND increase your funding by luring more aspiring student athletes to enroll. IE Your baseball budget doubles if you expand your list of enrolled commits from 50 to 100. And the struggling small college president loves ya too at $25,000 to $40,000 tuition a year and increased enrollment numbers.
8.) The quality of play and in game baseball execution has fallen drastically. Yeah the radar gun can be lit up, as the bases are loaded with walks and the 2 hour showcase slogs thru 4 innings of pure torture. Defensively the showcase circuits looks lost, I've seen middle school teams execute better.
9.) There will be a lot of college coaches with buyers remorse. Stock in RolAids should go up. They've recruited many coach killers that can't win. Cue up the Juco tranfers to magically appear just when you thought you were entitled to be up next after slopping thru your first 2 years.
10.) Scholarships? Mostly a one year gig to be annually re-evaluated. Plan on 25% for D1, $3,000-$5,000 for D2, and zero for D3.
11.) Academics? There is your scholarship money. HOWEVER don't think for a second that high academics, full academic scholarship, and high level baseball success alone, can even get the baseball phone picked up at your mid level baseball college. See #6 above. Absent the purchased help form the good old boys the conversation will go like this at most D1: "Hey coach, I've been admitted, don't need any baseball money, what's the process of getting a full walk on opportunity for next Fall? Great you've heard of me, seen my videos, etc, so how can this work? Coach: Well we've been fully recruited since a year ago when we attended the $1000 showcase in Florida, but thanks for coming to our $300 camp last week, you looked really good, probably more skilled than half our recruits, but but but we don't truly do walkons as we are full already. Player:??? So there is no path to even have a serious tryout if I enroll, and even if I can outcompete your recruits? Coach: That's correct we are full and we have 'our' players for now."
12.) The environment isn't going to improve within the next 10 years. And the game as you know it may not survive. But that's just fine to some who enjoy and believe in the current state of youth baseball.
So you read this far and you may think disgruntled clown and not skilled enough player.....
6'3, 87mph pitcher, 7.0 runner, 4 year varsity starter at highest class high school division in sate, SS defense, #3 hitter, team leader. 34 ACT, 1500 SAT, Committed pending academic scholarship competition outcome probably at a school he would not attend without baseball offer. Loves and Lives the game, but won't go into $100k college debt to keep playing in a flawed system. Has multiple baseball offers at schools which will require 100K+ of loans to attend, and has multiple offers of full tuition but no shot at baseball allowed by coaches at those colleges.
So be aware....this is the potential end result of the moneyball system you are funding each weekend.
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2019 : 10:23:13
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I wish people would sit back, take a breath, and realize what this rat race is for.
If it is to spend time with your son, doing what he loves, and you can afford it....more power to you!
If it is to get a college scholarship....it really is 25% OR NOTHING in most cases. Is it worth saving $0-2K a year in 3 years to spend 5K a year now when you have to eat Ramen and PB & J to do it? I don't think so.
The reality is NOT EVERYONE IS SPECIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Repeat...your kid may be a wonderful, well mannered, polite, great student, and a talented young man; but he isn't necessarily special! If people can wrap their head around that idea the travel ball world would be less populated and rec parks would be alive again! |
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Newbie BB Mom
141 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2019 : 11:16:37
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Our son is just two years behind yours Renegade44, and we worry about some of the things on your list. We're not trying to get a baseball scholarship, but we were hoping baseball could open college doors that might otherwise remain closed.
To that end, I'm curious about this statement:
quote:
Originally posted by Renegade44
Committed pending academic scholarship competition outcome probably at a school he would not attend without baseball offer.
Do you mean his baseball skills got him into a school he otherwise might not have based solely on his academics? Or do you mean he is considering going to a school he would not otherwise be interested in only because there is an offer to play baseball?
I really hope it is not the latter. Your son sounds like a good student and a good player. I'd like to think he could be rewarded for both of these accomplishments in college. But if he has to pick one, I'd encourage him to take the full academic scholarship and hang up the cleats. I know this is a personal choice but we're talking about the rest of his working life.
Anyway, kudos to your son, and fingers crossed for the scholarship competition! Let us know how it ends up! |
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Renegade44
211 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2019 : 21:14:19
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<Do you mean his baseball skills got him into a school he otherwise might not have based solely on his academics? Or do you mean he is considering going to a school he would not otherwise be interested in only because there is an offer to play baseball?>
Actually could be both sides of the equation. But I'd also assume he got into the way way too far north school on his grades. Although this college is great its just not for him.
But presently he appears to be set to attend a place he would not go without baseball. His self imposed ground rules though are that place has to match academic money with the money he has from the no baseball schools. Its not a bad spot, but its his decision to pursue or not. (Really the first 4 years are about getting the credits in......grad school can be a big state U or where ever similar.)
But like I said, the moneyball system is a mess. Just could not keep up.
Way too many phone calls and contacts went this way:
Coach: We like your videos, like your grades, like the coach feedback.
Son: Great I'm pitching game 4 at 1pm at XYZ, be in field somewhere games 1 thru 3, please come evaluate my play.
Coach: What showcase will you be at next week? We are attending the 3 big ones. Fla, Fla, New York. (Hint the showcase prices before 3 days of travel costs were $999, $975, and $850.)
Son: Sorry can't attend coach, not in our family budget. When might could you be free to check me out.
Coach: There's another showcase coming up in 3 weeks, can you be there?
Money money money. |
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Renegade44
211 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2019 : 21:29:22
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Here is a little known fact too by the way.
Did you know you can visit campus and conduct 1 workout in front of D2 coaches? Don't ever fall for the D2 or D3 camp invites. If the place is serious about you, they can have you in for a workout. For free.
And don't waste your money on D1 camps no matter the number of email invites you get.
The top college my son really really wanted to attend he went to a prospect camp. Before paying he asked the coach what are you looking for at this camp? Answer: Best athletes and ball players we can find. Every position.
Dang sign me up coach I'm it, checks in mail!
Threw to 6 batters, struck out 4, with 2 grounders. #3 60 time at 120 player camp. Hit 4 out of park in 10 BP swings, 4 more off wall. Went 3/4 in the controlled scrimmage with 2 HR and a double. Focused as he could be to succeed and be noticed. On a mission.
Speaks to coach after day is over. Thanks him, reminds him he's applied to the college, and this is where I want to be and play ball.
Coach: Ah uh hmm, we really are just looking for 90mph throwers and a catcher.
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bama21
278 Posts |
Posted - 01/15/2019 : 08:18:55
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Showcases are expensive, but it can be considered an investment if you can put up impressive numbers. PG does a great job of getting the numbers out there through multiple social media sites. You can say whatever you like about PG, but they are the go to entity for college and pro scouts alike.
As far as college camps, they are a waste of money unless you are personally invited (I don't mean by email), if they invite you, then you are treated totally different than the rest of the kids. You will get a personal tour and you will be able to speak with the coach. Maybe that isn't fair, but it is how the system works. |
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SuperStar
257 Posts |
Posted - 01/15/2019 : 08:29:02
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As I read all the comments above, I think to myself, it's definitely pricey and there are plenty of money grabs in this sport. Has the game of baseball strayed away from what it actually is? I think so due to money. But then I tell myself, so has every other sport and thing in this world.
It seems the reality of everything we do in this old world is costly. But that's just life. At the end of the day, we all want our kids to succeed in life and everything they do. I think the hardiest part for all parents is excepting what we don't want to believe. Not all players are D1 athletes and future MLB'ers. So we as parents have to except the truth and go from there.
If you know deep in your heart that your son isn't going to play baseball in the future, then don't worry about it. How do you know this? By watching other kids at their level and just being honest and knowing they are not the caliber player as the other players they ate around. Just support them and watch them play high school ball or what ever travel team they want to play on. It does not really matter in the big scheme of things. On the other hand, if you are one of those parents who think your son has a chance to play college baseball, then go for it and never look back with any regrets. There are NO guarantees in any thing we do in life. So, unfortunately we are at the mercy of this cycle of mostly money and even some politics. So hang on and enjoy the ride. It will be over sooner than you think. |
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wareagle1
5 Posts |
Posted - 01/15/2019 : 10:10:34
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Stolen from a friend's post on Facebook:
People always asked "Why do you pay so much money for your kids to do all their sports”? Well I have a confession to make; I don't pay for my kids to to do sports. Personally, I couldn't care less about what sport they do.
So, if I am not paying for sports what am I paying for?
- I pay for those moments when my kids become so tired they want to quit but don't.
- I pay for those days when my kids come home from school and are "too tired" to go to their training but they go anyway.
- I pay for my kids to learn to be disciplined, focused and dedicated.
- I pay for my kids to learn to take care of their body and learn how to correctly fuel their body for success.
- I pay for my kids to learn to work with others and to be good team mates, gracious in defeat and humble in success.
- I pay for my kids to learn to deal with disappointment, when they don't get that placing or title they'd hoped for, but still they go back week after week giving it their best shot.
- I pay for my kids to learn to make and accomplish goals.
- I pay for my kids to respect, not only themselves, but others, officials, judges and coaches.
- I pay for my kids to learn that it takes hours and hours, years and years of hard work and practice to create a champion and that success does not happen overnight.
- I pay for my kids to be proud of small achievements, and to work towards long term goals.
- I pay for the opportunity my kids have and will have to make life-long friendships, create lifelong memories, to be as proud of their achievements as I am.
- I pay so that my kids can be in the gym instead of in front of a screen...
- I pay for those rides home where we make precious memories talking about practice, both good and bad.
-I pay so that my child can learn the importance of time management and balancing what is important like school and keeping grades up
...I could go on but, to be short, I don't pay for sports; I pay for the opportunities that sports provides my kids with to develop attributes that will serve them well throughout their lives and give them the opportunity to bless the lives of others. From what I have seen so far I think it is a great investment!"
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 01/15/2019 : 10:46:02
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People would be better off getting on a travel team that does private workouts at the colleges in your son's scope. All these people paying $700+++ for PG showcases for their 8th-10th graders...I don't get it. Yes, your 9th grader is now the #4 catcher in the state...wow that must feel great....did you know only 6 catchers from that class attended a showcase????
Play at the right events (meaning on the right teams), shine when it counts, send out your emails, and above all BE A GOOD TEAMMATE and the recruiting life will go much easier for many of you. |
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After 9 years of perspective.......
