OT: Select Baseball
- Thread starter big red23
- Start date
You'd get much more benefit researching camps/clinics put on by local colleges and spend your money going that route. Play in whatever local league you can afford, and then take your kid to a couple of camps. The instruction from college coaches will be better than anything they will get from playing on the select circuit, especially in a sport like baseball. where you can either hit/throw/run, or you can't.
It was a tournament last year in Omaha, 10 yr old boys. Like I said I was standing behind the dugout watching the game, had already played one of the teams, Grandma stood behind the dugout to say her goodbyes. Coach went ape ****, I looked over at the other parents, waiting for a Dad to put the prick coach in his place. No one moved. I felt sorry for the kid and grams. I could understand if she went into the dugout, but she stood behind.
I am not sure about that. Most of the camps for the younger kids are run by the players. It's a cool experience for the kids, but the instruction is no different than they get with their club team. When the kids get into high school, the kids that aren't on the recruiting radar of the colleges, get minimal attention. Just my experience.
I just wish one single god-d@mn select baseball coach out there would teach real baseball, i.e. 1st and 3rd defense, actual cutoffs, bunt defense, bunt offense, infield positioning , a real ready-position for an IF or OF, approach at the plate, and baserunning(HOW TO TAKE A LEAD AND HOW TO READ A BALL IN THE DIRT) for freaking crying out loud. JFC!
—a guy who has coached HS baseball for 20 years
—a guy who has coached HS baseball for 20 years
This is pretty spot on with a lot of camps for younger kids. You see tons of varsity players out there coaching and they do a good job but it is sort of mandatory/dick around time for them as well.
I can assure you, it is being taught. We have introduced everything you mentioned above already on my youngest son's team (granted, it's 10U Majors level with boys with high baseball IQ for their age). Now whether or not all the players you get each year are knowing it in game situations, i can't speak to that. I'm guessing the players that don't know this stuff stick out like a sore thumb at the HS level (as I see it all the time at my son's high school teams!)
-a guy who has coached youth baseball for 15 years Winking
We do half of that with our 8-year-old girls softball team.
--a guy who coached both his sons for 10 years
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Remember when you just played good old park district or rec league baseball...then went to high school and as a freshmen you played on the freshmen team...then as a soph you played reserve or JV...then as a junior you played JV or Varsity...then as a senior you played Varsity...
Remember when joining a team cost like 25 dollars and you get a jersey that you had to give back at the end of the season but you got to keep the hat...remember when the coach brought bats in a big green military bag and they had a huge blue bag with helmets? Remember how on Saturday you would have a game at 9am and it would be done and you would be back home by 11am...and you had the rest of the day to play with friends and ride bikes and have fun.
How did baseball manage to even exist back then? I mean...those players must have been sooooooooo horrible and none of them must have ever made their varsity team or played in college or the pros.
Remember when joining a team cost like 25 dollars and you get a jersey that you had to give back at the end of the season but you got to keep the hat...remember when the coach brought bats in a big green military bag and they had a huge blue bag with helmets? Remember how on Saturday you would have a game at 9am and it would be done and you would be back home by 11am...and you had the rest of the day to play with friends and ride bikes and have fun.
How did baseball manage to even exist back then? I mean...those players must have been sooooooooo horrible and none of them must have ever made their varsity team or played in college or the pros.
Both my kids played select ball from age 11-14. Both were decent players but good pitchers. Coaches were really dirtbags at most levels although my youngest had great luck the last couple of years he played.
The best: you do learn a lot and play a lot, so you are normally way ahead of kids who did not play select ball.
The worst: the coaches just want to win and don't care at all about player development. Also, one of the coaches back then was the head coach at Lincoln Southeast. He also ran the Lincoln Rebels. So if you were on the Rebels you basically started out on the JV team as a freshman before tryouts. If you were not a rebel, good luck earning your spot based on merit. I'm sure that goes on elsewhere as well.
Bottom line-- if your kid does love baseball and you don't mind spending your time and money all summer, go ahead and do it. If your kid isn't serious and isn't planning on playing high school sports, there are camps and rec programs that will also help develop the kids. I also saw multiple kids who played select ball from age 8 to 15 that were so burned out they didn't even try out for high school ball. They played soccer or some other sport.
The best: you do learn a lot and play a lot, so you are normally way ahead of kids who did not play select ball.
The worst: the coaches just want to win and don't care at all about player development. Also, one of the coaches back then was the head coach at Lincoln Southeast. He also ran the Lincoln Rebels. So if you were on the Rebels you basically started out on the JV team as a freshman before tryouts. If you were not a rebel, good luck earning your spot based on merit. I'm sure that goes on elsewhere as well.
Bottom line-- if your kid does love baseball and you don't mind spending your time and money all summer, go ahead and do it. If your kid isn't serious and isn't planning on playing high school sports, there are camps and rec programs that will also help develop the kids. I also saw multiple kids who played select ball from age 8 to 15 that were so burned out they didn't even try out for high school ball. They played soccer or some other sport.
This. My son plays 9Y for his district’s travel team in Indiana. We played in a tournament up in the Chicago area last weekend, which featured teams from Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. The desire to win by coaches for 9-year-old kids was sickening. Coaches screaming at kids, physically dragging them to the dugout off fist base when injured and above all else making *** clowns out of themselves by arguing with umpires and opposing teams. Be an example for your kids.
We seriously had a coach take issue with a mom on our team running GameChanger for our dugout. He said women don’t play baseball and shouldn’t be allowed to keep score. I was livid and shouted some words I vowed never to at my son’s games but this took the cake. This woman knows more than most dad’s on our team and I will put myself in that group. She is the wife of one of our assistant coaches and when HE didn’t stand up for his own wife it made me question whether I will let my son play on the same team next year if he is part of the team. Not the kind of man I want being an example for my son. I think we can all agree most of our kids won’t grow up to play past high school but we expect all of them to grow up to be men who stand up for what is right.
In terms in development, find a team or program that pushes the skill development first. Wins are great and the cool jerseys are nice while you can fit in them, I guess.
I work with a program that gets lots of players that played on some “high end” select teams and some “lower” A/AA teams. Biggest thing I see is the size typically for the difference.
Playing catch for many of the guys past 90ft is surprising. It looks difficult for many as they transition to high school teams. Usually because the lower body isn’t being properly used.
There are some good programs in my area but there are some that certainly have player development as a more secondary priority.
I work with a program that gets lots of players that played on some “high end” select teams and some “lower” A/AA teams. Biggest thing I see is the size typically for the difference.
Playing catch for many of the guys past 90ft is surprising. It looks difficult for many as they transition to high school teams. Usually because the lower body isn’t being properly used.
There are some good programs in my area but there are some that certainly have player development as a more secondary priority.
That is so embarrassing. I have a friend that used to ump 9 and 10 year old games...mostly these select teams. If parents/coach bothered him he would literally make sure the team that was being an ******* to him lost. It was epic! He called 4 straight balls on what were clearly all strikes to walk in the winning run because the other teams coach and parents were insane. It was babyish of him to do it...but it was also awesome!
Why do 9 year olds need to travel to play baseball?
11u state tournament last weekend a coach got thrown out and parents went over and spit chew all over the umpires cooler which was outside the gate. This is the kind of stuff you see.
Shocking that leagues have issues finding enough umpires.
Same reason 3rd graders are playing tackle football. Parents.
Agree 100%. Never cared for players that would go play club balland not participate in the other in season sports at school. I always felt that especially in a smaller school, it was more important to be a 3 sport athlete than to do one all year long. Miss out on so much of what you just described plus it hurts everyone else
I know. My son’s school dropped live arm pitching below 10. It was try out for the live-arm district team or continue playing machine pitch.
In areas with smaller populations it makes some sense. In Omaha here, I just laugh. Theres probably 50 select teams in your age group, but you need to travel to find someone to play....
Man we had it made.
Baseball in the summer, a few games and maybe a few practices during the week. Never interfered with fireworks or the pool. Rode bikes everywhere. Played maybe 15-20 games.
Played a lot of pick up football and baseball in one of two big lots in town. These games were always the best! Summer baseball or home run derbys, football and tackle football especially in the fall and snow, basketball hoops to play on as well.
Golfed a lot. Played super nintendo late at night at a buddies house and get up and do it all again.
Even high school baseball in the summer was three nights a week mid may and june but pretty much done by early July. 35 games tops, rarely a saturday if ever and never a Sunday. Still had plenty of time to work, lift weights, camp numerous nights a week and chase girls. Our coaches were always great and wanted to win and teach the sport but werent dicks and had a lot of fun. Anyone who wanted to play had a spot on the team.
Football in the fall.
Basketball/wrestling in winter
Track/golf in spring.
Numerous multi sport athletes. It was never a question or option to specialize, and no coaches asked anyone to. And still some of us were good enough to play a college sport, a few D1 even, and every D1 athlete was multi sport.
I cant imagine playing 50 or more baseball games in one season! Especially on top of practices, all day tournaments, winter hitting, camps, etc. Its ********. Robbing kids of their childhood so parents and coaches can pat themselves on the back.
Sorry for the old man rant here, but I just dont see this opportunity for kids today,a dnat my local school it might be even worse for the girls as they play volleyball year round now and constant basketball in the summer on top of it. Its wrong. Kids dont have a choice at all. Its either all or not these days and it burns them out. Anyone ever ask the kids what they want? "Oh joe says he likes baseball!" Yeah but Joe can play baseball 30 games a year and still have a lot of fun and do other things, it doesnt have to be 0 or 100 and thats what we are making it. Joe might also find he likes track or basketball or football but wont get to try because he thinks he needs to play baseball year round to keep his spot.
Thank God I grew up where and when I did.
Baseball in the summer, a few games and maybe a few practices during the week. Never interfered with fireworks or the pool. Rode bikes everywhere. Played maybe 15-20 games.
Played a lot of pick up football and baseball in one of two big lots in town. These games were always the best! Summer baseball or home run derbys, football and tackle football especially in the fall and snow, basketball hoops to play on as well.
Golfed a lot. Played super nintendo late at night at a buddies house and get up and do it all again.
Even high school baseball in the summer was three nights a week mid may and june but pretty much done by early July. 35 games tops, rarely a saturday if ever and never a Sunday. Still had plenty of time to work, lift weights, camp numerous nights a week and chase girls. Our coaches were always great and wanted to win and teach the sport but werent dicks and had a lot of fun. Anyone who wanted to play had a spot on the team.
Football in the fall.
Basketball/wrestling in winter
Track/golf in spring.
Numerous multi sport athletes. It was never a question or option to specialize, and no coaches asked anyone to. And still some of us were good enough to play a college sport, a few D1 even, and every D1 athlete was multi sport.
I cant imagine playing 50 or more baseball games in one season! Especially on top of practices, all day tournaments, winter hitting, camps, etc. Its ********. Robbing kids of their childhood so parents and coaches can pat themselves on the back.
Sorry for the old man rant here, but I just dont see this opportunity for kids today,a dnat my local school it might be even worse for the girls as they play volleyball year round now and constant basketball in the summer on top of it. Its wrong. Kids dont have a choice at all. Its either all or not these days and it burns them out. Anyone ever ask the kids what they want? "Oh joe says he likes baseball!" Yeah but Joe can play baseball 30 games a year and still have a lot of fun and do other things, it doesnt have to be 0 or 100 and thats what we are making it. Joe might also find he likes track or basketball or football but wont get to try because he thinks he needs to play baseball year round to keep his spot.
Thank God I grew up where and when I did.
Nothing stopping parents and kids from living that way now.
I have 3 kids that have, are, or will play division 1 sports and all 3 of them played multiple sports in high school.
They definitely had a sport of preference and one that took priority over others although we never missed a high school game for the primary sports practice.
As I have shared on here before, my kids and I talk all the time about how we wouldn’t change a thing. We traveled all over the country together, my kids have lifelong friends that they met on the playing field. I was able to have incredible conversations with my kids as we drove hours to play in tournaments or whatever.
As far as playing outside and all that stuff, that isn’t solely because of parents wanting to pat themselves on the back. Much of it is because society changed, computer games and computers, smart phones etc. kids can play video games with and against kids from another country. 2 parents are working, you can’t leave your kids at home alone and you definitely aren’t letting them roam the streets, like I did, because of all the looney MFers out there.
I have 3 kids that have, are, or will play division 1 sports and all 3 of them played multiple sports in high school.
They definitely had a sport of preference and one that took priority over others although we never missed a high school game for the primary sports practice.
As I have shared on here before, my kids and I talk all the time about how we wouldn’t change a thing. We traveled all over the country together, my kids have lifelong friends that they met on the playing field. I was able to have incredible conversations with my kids as we drove hours to play in tournaments or whatever.
As far as playing outside and all that stuff, that isn’t solely because of parents wanting to pat themselves on the back. Much of it is because society changed, computer games and computers, smart phones etc. kids can play video games with and against kids from another country. 2 parents are working, you can’t leave your kids at home alone and you definitely aren’t letting them roam the streets, like I did, because of all the looney MFers out there.
My son umped for one year, did something similar more than once. If it was getting extra hot out, towards the end of the game, that strike zone got a lot bigger and he admitted it and we laughed our asses off about it when parents didn't get it and whined. These were 10U teams here.
I also dont envy kids with the video games of today and will agree that its a worse alternative. Same goes for the phones and social media. So glad we didnt have that crap.
Your kids had talent to play because they were born with it. Playing strictly high school would have gotten them there, no way to prove it however. Im glad ya'll have good memories, dont get me wrong.
But you literally just patted yourself on the back!
As a former High School baseball coach for a Millard High School, I can honestly say that coaches have no idea if kids played select ball or not. We have to evaluate nearly 250+ kids in a 4 day time span during tryouts and could honestly care less where they played prior. What really matters is what they do in the offseason. Are they coming to optional workouts? Are they lifting after school AT the school? These factors are by far more important than if your son played for Keystone or Frozen Ropes.
And mentioned by the previous post...the whole political spiel by parents when their son is cut is simply an excuse. The only reasonable "political" excuse that does have some truth behind it is if another kid is a stud football or basketball athlete and another coach from the other sport is doing some campaigning for him.
After looking through the posts here I would suggest having your kid sign up for LaCrosse. It is a game that not too many people know anything about, there is a small pool of kids that play it and it looks fun as hell.
I have a daughter that plays soccer. I didn't play it or watch it growing up and knew little to nothing about it. It is kind of refreshing not knowing anything about a sport going in to it and you get to learn right along with your kid.
Most people grew up playing the basics, football, basketball, baseball and they think they are experts. For me it is tough to ***** about something I don't know that much about.
I have a daughter that plays soccer. I didn't play it or watch it growing up and knew little to nothing about it. It is kind of refreshing not knowing anything about a sport going in to it and you get to learn right along with your kid.
Most people grew up playing the basics, football, basketball, baseball and they think they are experts. For me it is tough to ***** about something I don't know that much about.
My son who eats, breathes and sleeps baseball took up tennis last fall. Gives him something else to do in the offseason and he really gets to enjoy it without so much pressure. I love it as it gives him a "lifetime" sport. Most of his baseball teammates play football but he has no interest.
I think some of that has changed a little...coaches knowing where a kid played I mean. Abbout two?? years ago they redrew some district lines that put several blocks worth of kids who used to be in Millard West geography into Millard South geography, and it was heavily discussed and debated and bitched about by parents who knew those kids were good, and they were all going to make the team. many of them at the expense of their kid, and it happened. Kids that made the team the ear before suddenly didn't, all in favor of the Millard West kids, I don't think it was just a coincidence. So while I agree 95% with the general idea that coaches may not know, there are some exceptations. Plus you have several Millard Schools now as opposed to one, you dated yourself with the "Millard High" reference
so there aren't 250 trying out anymore and therefore coaches have a better idea of who is who, than they used to. But..like I said, if the kid can rake, they'll find a spot for him, coaches are funny like that!
I think some of that has changed a little...coaches knowing where a kid played I mean. Abbout two?? years ago they redrew some district lines that put several blocks worth of kids who used to be in Millard West geography into Millard South geography, and it was heavily discussed and debated and bitched about by parents who knew those kids were good, and they were all going to make the team. many of them at the expense of their kid, and it happened. Kids that made the team the ear before suddenly didn't, all in favor of the Millard West kids, I don't think it was just a coincidence. So while I agree 95% with the general idea that coaches may not know, there are some exceptations. Plus you have several Millard Schools now as opposed to one, you dated yourself with the "Millard High" reference
He wrote for A Millard high school
Perfect post...we may as well have grown up on the same street.
Lots of great posts. I coached both travel baseball and basketball and as many of the posters have said, just keep the kids having fun. As an anecdote, my son’s grade had 45 kids playing travel baseball in 12u. By freshman baseball they had 6 kids try out because the kids and parents were burned out. Had to beg kids to go out. Basketball is even harder as fewer play. Just have them play with friends and have fun. If they can hit, throw or are fast, they will play...