High School Coaches running summer ball

[9diamondhounds]

I am in middle TN and have seen what has happened to summer travel ball in Sumner and Rutherford Counties. It seems the coaches require anyone wanting to participate in high school baseball to give up all other avenues of play and play year round only for them. One school in Williamson County has fallen victim and there are rumors of others. Would like to hear from those that find themselves in this situation to see if it is worth fighting to keep summer ball for the players.

[prich01]

I am a high school coach and summer baseball is very important for my program. It really is the only time to work with younger players (especially those who will see an increase in playing time the next season). Without summer baseball it would be hard to get a look at some kids. Especially with our hands being tied the way they are with fall baseball. I also am not a big fan of a kid abandoning his hs team in the summer to travel exclusively. I think it kinda sends a wrong message to his teammates (the i am too good to play with you message). Its tough to build a "team" that way. If a kid travels a lot I still want him to be present with the hs program some in the summer.

 

Now trust me, I understand the value of some travel baseball and my kids seeing better competition. I have kids on my team that play on travel teams as well. The way I like to set it up is for our high school team to play Mon-Thurs and let the kids who travel go with their teams on the weekend. That way we kind of get the best of both worlds. If a kid has a week long tourney somewhere with his travel team we can work around that.

[riverdaleman]

At RIVERDALE we play the summer together. we have been dong it this way for years (this is my 7th year with the program) In my case with my 2 boys it has benefited them GREATLY as they both get the coaching and the coaches get confidence in them.

When you play together in the summer the most important thing has to be to develop players and not winning. while we will win our fair share we also play some tough teams. In fact this year we finished very well in the sandlot world series (3 or 4th) and for a high school team to do that against these "travel" teams is VERY SOLID we had a chance in the game we lost just made a few errors. But there are some players that BECAUSE of the summer our coaches know who they can put in what situation and who will start what pitchers are better in relief and so on and so forth

[dogonedog]

I am sorry. I am sure that some of these coaches have good intentions but they just don't get it. The competition is not there. Our summer was wasted with games ending in run rule (in our favor), cancelled games, and never getting together for practice sessions. Maybe not all, but it seemes the coaches are just in it to receive a summer bonus. The coach that posted is doing it right. Allowing these kids to travel and play better competition is going to help his program in the long run. Keeping them together has it's merits but also allowing them to travel is a very intelligent way to do things. He will get the best of both worlds.

[cbg]

From what I have been told it is not legal (TSSAA Rule) for the high school coach to require any of his players to play with the high school team during the Summer. The high school Summer League team must only be one option for the player. I know of one coach that was going to require a player to play with the high school team during the Summer (player was a very good LHP and got drafted out of high school) and the father secretly taped the conversation with the coach and then gave the coach a copy of the tape. The long and short of the story is that the kid played with whatever Summer League team he wished and received no punishment while other players were forced to play for the high school team during the Summer. To my knowledge the father & coach never said anything about the conversation and went about their business.

IMO, the high school Summer team is a good idea for 95% of the players but for the 1-3 kids per class that are very strong they would benefit from playing in a program like Dulins Dodgers, East Cobb or Hit after Hit. These kids would be returned to their high school coach a much better player.

[ksgovols]

There are pros and cons. I like the Mon-Thurs approach for H.S. games and keeping weekends open for tournaments. Summer is about getting better for most of the players on high school teams. If I were a high school coach with a very good LHP, I'd want him to go somewhere where he's not overworked if he's not playing for the H.S. summer team. The parents are going to have to monitor that I guess. Play for a summer team that has your kids best interests at heart, not somebody that's trying to throw him twice a week to win games.

 

I think you get out of it whatever you put into it. #1, it's important to play. Period. You don't get better if you don't play. #2, you have to play to your level of competition. That goes for the elite players and the guys just trying to make the team. (Summer H.S. teams are a good way to conduct a tryout). A junior to be senior that's already getting DI looks doesn't need to be playing with incoming freshmen that are trying to make the team, because he's not getting better by doing that. His h.s. coach does need to know what he's doing in the summer and the kid does need to participate in any team building functions.

 

In a perfect world, you'd need 2 summer teams anyway. An 18U team and a 16U team. (or 19U, 17U). The younger team is trying to make the high school team. It's a developmental squad. The older team is playing the toughest teams they can play to make them better. To get better, kids need at bats, innings and to be put in as many situations as they can. If you're not doing that, you're not getting better.

 

There is the risk of the other guys thinking that the elite player is 'too good' to play with us, but that's usually the case too. He is too good and he's not getting better playing summer h.s. team type competition. He still should be at the park with the h.s. team anytime his elite team isn't playing.

[take2andhittoright]

Someone please call Farragut High School and tell them they are doing it wrong. If they would start strongly suggesting (forcing) their players to play in the summer with the school and that they are being selfish if they don't, they might start winning some games.

[ksgovols]

I agree that there's probably not any one formula. I think everyone agrees that there is a need for summer ball.

 

The rural schools that don't have a summer program for their players are going to suffer in the big picture. The urban schools that have multiple teams that their kids could play on aren't affected.

 

Let's compare apples to apples. I don't think there is necessarily a right way or a wrong way.

[TigerSkipper]

I am sorry. I am sure that some of these coaches have good intentions but they just don't get it. The competition is not there. Our summer was wasted with games ending in run rule (in our favor), cancelled games, and never getting together for practice sessions. Maybe not all, but it seemes the coaches are just in it to receive a summer bonus. The coach that posted is doing it right. Allowing these kids to travel and play better competition is going to help his program in the long run. Keeping them together has it's merits but also allowing them to travel is a very intelligent way to do things. He will get the best of both worlds.

 

I am a high school coach who runs a summer program......I would like to know where to pick up my "summer bonus" check. For the majority of us, it is not about money......it is about the development of our programs. I enjoy the summer mostly to get my incoming players acclamated to the way we do things.....especially the ones who are going to be involved in other sports. This way we are not starting from sq. 1 when we begin practice.

 

I also am in agreement that all my players should be involved in some capacity with the summer program. They will still have plenty of opportunity to play with a travel team if they so choose.

 

On another note: I believe there are too many parents/coaches that think you have to "be playing games all the time" to get better. I do think they need to play, but if you are playing all the time, then when do you have time to: get stronger, work on your swing, pitching mechanics, etc. etc.???

 

The truth is only about 10% of HS baseball players are "polished" and ready to compete on an elite travel team. The rest of the participants are just writing checks to make it possible. Most of the kids would benefit more from: Long toss program, Tee and soft toss work, pitching drills and bullpens, and hitting the weights in the off season, rather than playing 50 games.

 

Yes, by playing games, you are put in more situations.......but when the season is complete, their ability and skill levels are exactly the same

 

Just playing games does not make you a better player

 

Off my soapbox now

[Mwalls14]

I would also like to make my comments because I think it's a great question to pose. I am now a high school coach and had always been opposed to high school summer teams for the reason that many brought up. There are pro's and con's to running a summer program but the opinion I've come to is that the pro's do outweigh the con's.

 

I think our high school head coach summed it up best when he told our parents that summer is really our only time to teach the game. We have fall workouts right now where we can't teach, and really only about a month of practice time before the season begins. The summer is the ideal time for us to work with guys because of the lack of restrictions. For the success of our program, it's beneficial to have that time together. We have one successful travel program in town and we tell our players that if they make the 18U team, they are welcomed and encouraged to do that because we know that team is well coached.

 

Now, good coaches do need to enhance the experience. Someone mentioned the lack of competition. There is good competition out there, a coach just needs to find it. You might mention the lack of exposure. The coaches should seek out reputable showcase opportunities and encourage players to attend those. It's part of creating a well rounded program. There's nothing stopping high school teams from entering elite tournaments. So you can't really blame the concept of high school summer ball on lack of competition. You play who you want.

 

Someone also mentioned about Farragut not having a program. They've obviously an influx of talent like no other area in the state. I think it would be unfair to use that comparison. Just look at Bartlett and their success. They stay together. You could make the argument either way.

 

The point I'm trying to make is, if you have a coach committed to the program, teaching the game, and creating a challenging and enriching experience in the summer, then high school baseball is the best option. If the high school program just throws the team together, gets someone else to coach it, or just schedules games without using the time to teach, then I think those teams probably should just take the summer off.

[dogonedog]

The point I'm trying to make is, if you have a coach committed to the program, teaching the game, and creating a challenging and enriching experience in the summer, then high school baseball is the best option. If the high school program just throws the team together, gets someone else to coach it, or just schedules games without using the time to teach, then I think those teams probably should just take the summer off.

 

If all the things mentioned above are done, then it would most likely be worthwhile. Kids have plenty of time to work on their swing in practice. They have plenty of time to work on their fielding if they practice. Travel ball does not in any way prevent practice.

[9diamondhounds]

First, thanks everybody for your response to this thread. There have been many excellent points and counterpoints brought up. I was gratified to hear from so many coaches. They obviously feel strongly they are doing the best thing for the kids and that is all you can ask. You must keep in mind that it has been 10+ years since any of these coaches participated in youth baseball and their primary job is to strengthen the program at their high school. But it seems to me that there is a point where the parent/player relationship needs some separation.

 

If all high school coaches were as thoughtful and concerned as some that we have heard from it would be a wonderful world. But based on where you live there is no guarantee that your coach will have the best interest of all his players at heart.

 

My kids live near a major metropolitan area of middle TN and have multiple choices of travel teams at various skill levels. I understand that in other parts of the state, the high school program may be the best option.

 

A high school coach has his players beginning with the start of school in the fall until the end of baseball season in May. Surely this is enough time to accomplish the goals he has for his players and the team.

 

The solution as usual is simple and obvious. Our country is based on a free market system where the consumer is free to choose goods and services as he sees fit. If your high school team represents the best opportunity for your player then you should be free to play for them. But if you feel it is the best interst of your player to seek other opportunities in the off season, who is all knowing enough to deny you this?

 

TSSAA has made an effort in multiple sports to keep high school coaches from completely controlling athletic opportunities of the players. Obviously they have left a huge loop hole in baseball. High school coaches should be allotted a specific amount of time to develop their program. There should be a small portion of the players high school baseball life left to free will. Since the primary season for demonstrating ones talent to the college market is the summer, then let the high school coaches dominate the fall with developmental training.

 

In summary, all high school coaches should feel free to run summer programs as all collegiant professional and parent based organizations should as well. If the primary high school coach has sufficiently impressed his players and they desire to stay with him in the summer, then my hat is off. If through vale threat or inuindo he has to forceable create a team, then I give him the respect that he deserves. My high school coach does not choose the neighborhood that I live in nor the brand of automobile that I drive or have exclusive rights to the athletic future of my sons. But I will happily raise money, do field work, or anything else to support the high school program. And I expect the same honor from the coach.