HS coaches

[RICK]

What is the deal with HS coaches telling kids they cant play/practice with their tournament teams. Here in PA ALOT of these coaches try to pull an OWNERSHIP clause on these girls. These lil napolean coaches tell these girls all this stuff and threaten them to bench them. These coaches dont realize that the summer/tournament teams that work with these girls 10-12 months of the year made them the players they are, not the napoleans. The worse part is half the time when you get the girls after HS season they have picked up bad habits. Any one else have a thought on this

 

[Amy in AZ.]

This question was asked recently. In many areas it is a state association rule. You would become ineligible for HS ball, if you practiced with your travel team. Check your state rules. I never minded the rule. We wouldn't have had time for any other practices, anyway.

 

[Sparky Guy]

The girls should focus on one team at a time.

In a perfect world that is true. However, the summer season for 16U & 18U teams is about 8 weeks for most of country. Some of the warm weather states are able to start HS sooner. During that time the teams must play in all the necessary tournaments to qualify for a national tournament as well as playing any exposure tournaments. In MANY cases the level of play in HS does not keep the girls sharp enough to face higher level of play during the summer.

Because there is such a great disparity in the level of play the college coaches really don't look at HS ball seriously. The CIF in California has it right. The kids practice with their travel teams once a week. Combine that with the warm weather advantage and you have the recipe for hitting the summer season on-the-run.

 

[Cannonball]

Rick, as a high school coach I will speak for myself but only myself. I don't know about other coaches and their positions but I do know that should a player on my team get injured practicing for another team while in HS season, they jeapordize the success of the team as well as risk the success of all of our seniors and their senior year of HS softball. Personally, my job could be on the line should we have key players get injured that would then result in a poor record. At the school I coach at they have made it clear that they have high expectations.

Rick I also take issue with the notion that you/travel ball programs teach the players the fundamentals and the HS coach contributes nothing toward the player's skill level. If that is the case then I want to know why even the most simplistic fundamental is not ingrained in the players I get. Many of those players play at a very high level. Yet, lining up for cut offs, proper run down proceedure ... all are lacking. I would continue with proper bunting technique, knowledge of game situations ...

Rick you paint with a wide brush. Why not have your players skip HS then you can be happy, their skill level will increase and they will all go on to be D-I players.

 

[coachtucc]

Most travle teams in NY don't practice during the HS/MS seasons except maybe once in a while on a Sunday! I tell my HS girls you miss a practice, you miss a game (superstar or not) since it would be unfair to play someone who missed apractice over someone who doesn't! Also before someone says this, having a doctor's appt doesn't wash since I don't make doctor's appointments during the season since I can't miss a practice! Now if your very sick, thats something different but you better call me!

 

[CoachScott]

I actually have a question for HS coaches. When conducting try outs for the teams (V & JV) and girls get close to making the team but get cut during the last few days of try outs. Do you let them know what they need to work on for next years tryouts?

 

[coachtucc]

Definitely!! Usually I post a list and next to it ask the gilrs who were cut to see me so that we can talk about what to work on!! I don't want anyone giving up just because they were cut!! Remember Michael Jordan got cut also!!

 

[CoachScott]

Thanks Coach Tucc, that's what I thought should happen however that is not what's happening for my local HS, which really upsets me as I coach in the league and area that feeds the HS team. Be nice to know what she is looking for when she cuts these kids. I'm not real keen on her coaching either but that's another story for another day. Not saying she's a bad coach but I wouldn't say she's a good one either.

 

[josie8]

Here in Illinois it is an IHSA rule - NO Travel Ball practices (even gatherings at a batting cage of 3 more players) WHILE HS BALL IN GOING ON.... (including tryouts)

 

[mkral]

Here the TB vs HS ball fight has not grown legs yet. Here a lot of kids still love getting to the state tourney with their HS team. For some that is why they started playing the sport. That is also why some have gone to TB, to get ready for HS ball. I know that in some area's HS ball is considered a joke and TB is the holy grail of softball. But that is not the case here. As I said in another post there are some kids here giving up HS ball to go the TB route but that is to get more exposure since our HS season is a summer season. In our area the HS coaches are good coaches who have been around this sport a long time. Does that mean they must be good? Absolutely not but we do have some good ones in our area.
TB vs HS ball is a big fight in some area's and I am kind of glad that we are not there yet. I do like Cannonball's explanation of the ruling for some area's. I think a lot of people, myself included, have not thought about it the way he has explained it.