High School coaches wont let their players play

[softballrulznut]

Your actually not ASKING anything. If they don't want to play HS ball, they don't have to. Its not required. If you don't like the Coaches rules, don't play.

This is actually starting to happen more and more. There are already players on our team that did not play HS this year because they deemed it a waste of their time.

If this trend continues you will find that more and more friendlies will pop up for the HS age groups and eventually full blown tournaments. Then select coaches won't even have to worry about those 2 of 12 months these HS coaches are trying to limit contact.

HS would then turn into glorified rec ball. LOL

[NachoDaddy]

I have been told that per UIL you must play on your HS team to recieve a scholarship, is there any truth to this?

[3Bsnag]

I see a huge value for playing for your high school, and I'm not talking about the level of play. There are intangibles that can't be duplicated with travel ball.

On the other hand:

1. Not all high schools compete at a high level, the player may need to work on more advanced skills (or even routine ones!)

2. Players, especially the 9th & 10th graders, may be spending an entire season out of their travel team position. So if your travel 1B is the hs CF, she has seen little-to-no infield work from Jan-Apr/May.

3. You want your travel team at qualifiers with only 0-4 weeks lead time? No, thanks.

Don't ask me if I'm practicing, and I won't tell you that I'm practicing.

[Ace]

I see a huge value for playing for your high school, and I'm not talking about the level of play. There are intangibles that can't be duplicated with travel ball.

On the other hand:

1. Not all high schools compete at a high level, the player may need to work on more advanced skills (or even routine ones!)

2. Players, especially the 9th & 10th graders, may be spending an entire season out of their travel team position. So if your travel 1B is the hs CF, she has seen little-to-no infield work from Jan-Apr/May.

3. You want your travel team at qualifiers with only 0-4 weeks lead time? No, thanks.

Don't ask me if I'm practicing, and I won't tell you that I'm practicing.

Really? What position do you play?

[3Bsnag]

I play a great left over the fence field!

[TEXASGLORY]

I have dealt with this for years. I actually had a HS coach call me this year and tell me he would not allow his players that were on my team to come practice. My answer has always been the same.

It is is not my job to worry about HS ball. My job is to prepare players for college ball. They need to be ready to play when they arrive on campus. I know what coaches are looking for in players and the HS coaches either don't know or don't care. I've never had a player injured in practice to the point that they would have to miss a HS game. We have national qualifiers starting in early June and can't wait until that time to begin working out. I took the same policy with my own kids. If your a good player, the coach will "Don't ask don't tell" or just work with you. There are some good HS coaches out there, they realize that players must balance the HS game and the TB practice at the same time. I have had multiple players that choose to not play HS ball so that they are fully ready to play at the TB level due to pitching distance or HS coach being unrealistic about what it takes to be ready for TB.

I am a big fan of kids playing HS ball and representing the local community, playing with kids they go to school with. But, I also realize that if you have a serious college bound athlete, don't get side tracked by a HS coach who has nothing in mind but His/Her season.

Dan

[93players]

Nice post Dan. Despite their protests, High School coaches owe much of their success to PARENTS and SELECT COACHES AND TEAMS. To insist that they not go to practices or play qualifiers (as long as they are reasonable), is just plain crazy.

I think most high school coaches (1) do not know how to coach to win, (2) do not push the most out of select and nonselect players on the field, and (3) think they are too self important. But I think high school ball is very important. I have seen select players on weak teams voted all district every year and it makes them stand out to college coaches. I want to see a kid and her parents who are not quitters and who can persevere in tough situations. AFter all if I am a college coach, I will make decisions that are wrong. A kid can quit they day they show up by not trying hard and still get a years money out of me. And, I cannot revoke their admission to a school they may not have been admitted to. So, I am 99% opposed to quitting high school softball unless you have a situation of a coach with a vendetta or some type of harm issue.

[TRICKY DICK]

I would like to thank everyone that has posted so far.This is turning out to be a very productive thread.
I would also hope all the parents of college bound players are reading this & have the good common sense to help their DD that is working so hard make a good decesion.
Have fun with your school ball,but remember its that fun.

[playa4life]

I just want to say that my DD has her mind set to QUIT TODAY because of her HS coach.. I've been trying to talk her into staying, at least until the end of the season. She has so much respect for her HS coach, but it seems like with all of the THREATS being made, some being NOT to play OR practice with her travel team OR ELSE! It has gotten to the point to where my DD sees it as "it's not fun anymore Dad". She's counting down the days until she can go to her select team....

[al-e-do]

Girls on my DD team pays the TB coach $1.00 for a 2-3 hour lesson every other weekend.
That way no problem with HS coach.

Previous HS coach at Aledo once said he did not have time to teach basic fundamentals and win. He encouraged girls to play select and said any girls on JV would see better pitching at 14A than JV ball.