| The Coach's Corner/ Decision Time |
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For many, this is the decision time of year, play in the local league or travel/select? You must decide, of course, you will ask your son what he wants, but you know you can lead him in the direction you think appropriate. The first question should be for what reason is he going to play baseball. “He wants to play because it is fun!” Of course, even if he doesn’t play baseball he will still have fun because having fun is a kid’s job. He is very good at it. If he doesn’t play baseball, he will still have fun climbing a tree or throwing pine cones at the neighbors cat. I think one reason a kid should play baseball is to learn lessons in life such as dealing with failure, hard work EARNS more success/fun and not to concern himself with things over which he has no control. But that has nothing to do with whether he plays travel/select or in the local league. If the answer is because he will improve his skills and have a better opportunity to play High School or beyond and he hasn’t gone through puberty, then you are delusional. NOTHING A PLAYER ACCOMPLISHES PREPUBERTY IS A HARBINGER OF FUTURE SUCCESS. Too many parents “drink the koolaid” of travel/select because they fear that if lil Johnny doesn’t travel all over the country playing ridiculous numbers of games he will be doomed to “rec” league hell and forever give up any chance of playing High School baseball or beyond. I have no definitive answer. There are too many variables. How good is the local league? How much does HE really want to play baseball? How crazy is the select/travel schedule? How good are the coaches? One thing that should never come into play is what position a kid will be playing on any given team. His only role is to do what he can to help the team be as good a possible. That’s called TEAMWORK. If he plays select/travel I darned sure would be sure he doesn’t pitch too much. I’m not talking pitch counts but that he is going to get sufficient rest between mound appearances to let his arm recover from the last outing. There is something to be said for a year in which he has a chance to dominate. That is one way that essential “inner arrogance” is developed but regardless, where a 9 year old plays will have no bearing on his future in baseball. What is important is that YOU share this short and precious time in baseball. You should help him with his home training program. Good luck with whatever you decide and remember it is HIS baseball experience. Where he plays is not going to have any effect upon YOUR status in the community. Respect the game, Work hard, and have FUN! Yours In Baseball THE COACH ARCHIVES
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Youth Sports Video
Gas Lites
Today in 1991, Houston QB
David Klingler sets NCAA
record with 6 touchdown
passes in the 2nd quarter
as the Cougars clobbered
Louisiana Tech 73-3.
