| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Newbie BB Mom
141 Posts |
 Posted - 01/09/2019 : 13:02:30
|
Am I right that these high school alternatives are proliferating? In the past there has been team (or two), usually out of ECB, that provided an option for home-schooled kids and kids at private schools too small to field a baseball team. In the last couple of years the number seems to have grown.
What accounts for this? Many more kids wanting to continue playing baseball than area high schools can accommodate on their jv and varsity teams? Is this a byproduct of Cobb County not having freshman teams? Or are more kids skipping high school baseball programs altogether? Are these programs offering something better than some high schools can provide? This definitely seems to be a trend, and I'm curious what's primarily driving it. |
|
|
CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2019 : 09:45:32
|
I'm only guessing that it is made up of the kids who:
1. Have such extremely talented high school teams, they can't make the team.
2. Have such a poor high school team, they don't even want to try out for the HS team.
3. 9th graders who haven't hit puberty yet and couldn't get on the JV team in Cobb or Cherokee (since they don't have 9th grade teams)
4. Their grades aren't allowing them to play HS sports.
5. Other sport kids who can't do both school sports at the high school
6. Kids that have already quit their HS team once and aren't allowed back on there
7. Kids who, for whatever reason, don't get along with their coach.
8. High caliber player who has an even higher caliber player in front of them and they won't get to play on the HS team.
9. Kids who just transferred schools and are ineligible to play with their high school
10. The HS doesn't have a team
There are a huge group of kids that fall into these categories. I can see why it's growing in popularity
|
 |
|
|
chasingballs
1 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2019 : 10:41:59
|
| Is there a list of such programs? |
|
|
|
Newbie BB Mom
141 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2019 : 12:04:19
|
Right, but most of the reasons why a kid might want to play on an alternative team have existed for a long time. Why are there increasing numbers of these teams in the last couple of years?
Is it just the logical extension of more and more kids playing travel ball rather than rec ball? All those kids who used to play rec ball until 11 or 12 and then hung up their cleats, now play lower-level travel ball until 14 or 15? But, then I guess there is not enough room for them all on the high school teams, especially in Cobb and Cherokee? Maybe this isn't happening in Fulton and Dekalb?
My son's high school tryout has a very large number of freshman this year. More than half of them won't make the team. There just aren't enough roster spots. I guess more and more of them are turning to the alternatives to keep playing. And they have parents willing to open their wallets for it, so the academies are happy to oblige.
What's interesting is these aren't just freshman teams. They have 16s and 17-18s, so you've got high school juniors and seniors playing on these teams.
I'm not knocking it (it keeps boys playing a sport rather than fortnite and provides revenue to struggling baseball programs), just trying to understand why it seems to be growing. |
Edited by - Newbie BB Mom on 01/10/2019 13:32:38 |
|
|
|
Newbie BB Mom
141 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2019 : 12:09:08
|
quote:
Originally posted by chasingballs
Is there a list of such programs?
Go to the High School Age Teams Openings and Tryouts to see postings for teams. I believe there are several affiliated with East Cobb Baseball and it appears a new program at Sandy Plains. There are probably others if you look back through older posts.
I suspect some will be posting again once high school tryouts are over. |
|
|
|
Crazyforbball
391 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2019 : 17:07:04
|
| My best guess is they couldn't make the team (and may still be high level), but still like playing a fuller schedule and receiving more reps and instruction than rec ball has to offer to gear up for the travel season. |
Edited by - Crazyforbball on 01/10/2019 18:26:25 |
|
|
|
Longlivebaseball
7 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2019 : 19:41:35
|
This list pretty much covers it but as much as I hate to admit it there are definitely schools where political issues come into play. A friend of ours from travel continues to not make his team when he is clearly better than many on his HS varsity team. I also know a kid whose family weren’t fundraisers and he never made a roster at his high school.
Mine plays on his HS team so these are not sour grapes stories.
I'm only guessing that it is made up of the kids who:
1. Have such extremely talented high school teams, they can't make the team.
2. Have such a poor high school team, they don't even want to try out for the HS team.
3. 9th graders who haven't hit puberty yet and couldn't get on the JV team in Cobb or Cherokee (since they don't have 9th grade teams)
4. Their grades aren't allowing them to play HS sports.
5. Other sport kids who can't do both school sports at the high school
6. Kids that have already quit their HS team once and aren't allowed back on there
7. Kids who, for whatever reason, don't get along with their coach.
8. High caliber player who has an even higher caliber player in front of them and they won't get to play on the HS team.
9. Kids who just transferred schools and are ineligible to play with their high school
10. The HS doesn't have a team
There are a huge group of kids that fall into these categories. I can see why it's growing in popularity
[/quote] |
|
|
|
TmanBaseball
1 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2019 : 15:10:10
|
| The teams are led by Baseball instructor/summer ball coaches. Provides more detail instructions and continued growth. |
|
|
|
NF1974
62 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2019 : 16:00:12
|
" This list pretty much covers it but as much as I hate to admit it there are definitely schools where political issues come into play. A friend of ours from travel continues to not make his team when he is clearly better than many on his HS varsity team. I also know a kid whose family weren’t fundraisers and he never made a roster at his high school."
My kid fell into the category above and played for an alternative Highschool team. He continued to play travel ball in the summer and went to a few showcases his junior year and was seen by some coaches that sent him letters. He eventually played 4 years at a D-3 high academic schools and is now graduated.
We were thankful for the alternative teams. |
|
|
|
turntwo
955 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2019 : 09:22:24
|
quote:
Originally posted by CaCO3Girl
I'm only guessing that it is made up of the kids who:
1. Have such extremely talented high school teams, they can't make the team.
2. Have such a poor high school team, they don't even want to try out for the HS team.
3. 9th graders who haven't hit puberty yet and couldn't get on the JV team in Cobb or Cherokee (since they don't have 9th grade teams)
4. Their grades aren't allowing them to play HS sports.
5. Other sport kids who can't do both school sports at the high school
6. Kids that have already quit their HS team once and aren't allowed back on there
7. Kids who, for whatever reason, don't get along with their coach.
8. High caliber player who has an even higher caliber player in front of them and they won't get to play on the HS team.
9. Kids who just transferred schools and are ineligible to play with their high school
10. The HS doesn't have a team
There are a huge group of kids that fall into these categories. I can see why it's growing in popularity
Pretty much sums it up... Add "reclassified" (as in grad year and out of eligibility for GHSA).
Also, I hear it's rather inexpensive (sub $1K) and the 'season' is comprised of 30-40 games, along with a season ending tourney. So potentially better 'bang for buck' than most H/S programs. |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Atlanta Area Spring/High School Alternative Teams
