Long range TEAM hitting strategy

Why would I defer to someone else's "expert opinion" when my job is on the line? Again, this is back to some wanting HS coaches to simply be supervisors. If that is the case, I'd quit.

Cannonball said:

Why would I defer to someone else's "expert opinion" when my job is on the line? Again, this is back to some wanting HS coaches to simply be supervisors. If that is the case, I'd quit.

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I can see your point on this CB, but to me it depends on the situation.

1) I realize this is a bit utopic, but I believe that High School or travel ball coaches can work together with instructors. Although I consider myself knowledgeable in softball/baseball, I have no problem admitting that DD's pitching coach is much more knowledgeable about pitching than I am. In regards to hitting we may not see eye to eye, Lol! But I trust his judgement with pitching. I will not tinker with anything that he teaches DD, but do attempt to understand the process so that I can assess along the way. As another example, while our coaching staff is relatively knowledgeable about nutrition and exercise, we have chosen to invite a friend of mine to help us with some practices. He is a PT with a specialization in sports medicine. We are adding his knowledge to our own and trying to help the entire team. From the "job" perspective, I would classify both of these individuals as "paid advisers" or "specialists".
2) Some parents are financially invested in private instruction and don't like being told that they are wrong. I tend not to force my views on these people because it just tends to lead to issues that I would rather avoid. I'm sure some are better at dealing with those things than I am. I allow them to continue doing what they are doing and potentially playing their way out of the lineup. In some cases parents have come to me and said "Sally's private coach isn't working out, would you work with her?". At least in my experience, that scenario tends to play out much better than me saying negative things about someone they are paying for help. Ultimately the results will determine what needs to be done. And if the results are positive, awesome! As long as they are helping the team, they don't have to do it my way.

Cannonball said:

Why would I defer to someone else's "expert opinion" when my job is on the line? Again, this is back to some wanting HS coaches to simply be supervisors. If that is the case, I'd quit.

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If I were a college coach I would agree. If you are a HS coach and you get he players for 2.5-3 months out of the year how much of an impact do you really think you are making?

Perhaps your state and high school have different regulations so your situation is different (you have more access to your players).

FP, I know and believe me, I've fought this battle so many times here that I don't really care to do so again. Coaches like me aren't long for this profession. Perhaps we should just have each player fill out who their various experts are and we can pick a team based upon that. Then again, maybe the ones who don't put anything down should be the team. LOL

What concerns me is the number of "experts" out there that don't know ... and yet, people pay them as if they were experts. You can't believe the level of incompetence that is out there. What I do know is that, at least in our school, if you don't win, you are gone. That is the way it should be. Not only do I welcome that, when I hired here, I was given a timeline that I was expected to produce winning teams. I came in as the HC of two sports. I didn't wait for someone's "expert" to help me out. I was fortunate that the school district hired former players of mine who were HS All Americans, excelled in college and off we went. Now, there are "experts" in this community that say my time has passed. Maybe it has but I'm not an expert. I am reading, studying, trying to swing a bat, ... and doing every day. Never have I sat back and rested on success.

Well, there I went again. Sorry for the rant.

GunnerShotgun said:

If I were a college coach I would agree. If you are a HS coach and you get he players for 2.5-3 months out of the year how much of an impact do you really think you are making?

Perhaps your state and high school have different regulations so your situation is different (you have more access to your players).

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I don't know. We practice 3 hours a day for 3 months with the exception of Sundays. What do you think happens in a practice? Who teaches the SS and 2B to turn that double play? Who teaches all of the catcher's skills? Who does OF fielding and throwing drills every day? Do you all really expect for a HS coach to sit in a chair? My HS Hitters are going to get in 300 swings in a practice.

Never mind!

Cannonball said:

FP, I know and believe me, I've fought this battle so many times here that I don't really care to do so again. Coaches like me aren't long for this profession. Perhaps we should just have each player fill out who their various experts are and we can pick a team based upon that. Then again, maybe the ones who don't put anything down should be the team. LOL

What concerns me is the number of "experts" out there that don't know ... and yet, people pay them as if they were experts. You can't believe the level of incompetence that is out there. What I do know is that, at least in our school, if you don't win, you are gone. That is the way it should be. Not only do I welcome that, when I hired here, I was given a timeline that I was expected to produce winning teams. I came in as the HC of two sports. I didn't wait for someone's "expert" to help me out. I was fortunate that the school district hired former players of mine who were HS All Americans, excelled in college and off we went. Now, there are "experts" in this community that say my time has passed. Maybe it has but I'm not an expert. I am reading, studying, trying to swing a bat, ... and doing every day. Never have I sat back and rested on success.

Well, there I went again. Sorry for the rant.

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I feel your pain CB. And your situation is far different than mine. Being in an urban environment there are probably dozens of instructors in your area. In a more rural environment like mine, there are not as many. As a high school and travel ball coach, I have either met or have a decent understanding of the teachings of every instructor within a 30 mile radius of my house. There is one hitting instructor in particular that quite often gives lessons in the cage right next to the cage I use with our players. He is a former minor league player and uses much of the same terminology I use. He does a nice job with his students. If someone asks for my advice about him or any other instructor, I will gladly provide it. I just don't try to talk people out of something when it is clear they already have their mind made up (kind of like some hitting forums I'm familiar with... Lol!). At my real job, I supervise over 250 people, and decisions I make do affect my career. But I still rely on input and advice from other people. While I may know more about my department, et al. Some other folks may know more about specific aspects of the job. It is my job to listen to their advice and then decide the proper course of action from there. I think the same type of philosophy can work for coaches as well. For example, if one of my players came to me this weekend and stated "I am taking hitting lessons from some dude named Cannonball", I would say, "That's awesome! He knows his stuff.".

Cannonball said:

I don't know. We practice 3 hours a day for 3 months with the exception of Sundays. What do you think happens in a practice? Who teaches the SS and 2B to turn that double play? Who teaches all of the catcher's skills? Who does OF fielding and throwing drills every day? Do you all really expect for a HS coach to sit in a chair? My HS Hitters are going to get in 300 swings in a practice.

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So who gets the players the other 8 months out of the year? (travel ball). Who gets access to those hitters 12 months out of the year? (hitting/pitching coaches and parents).

If you polled my players and asked them what influence their high school coaches had on their game they might come in 4th? It has nothing to do with knowledge but the limited time they have access to these players.

I don't disagree with your position. There is no doubt that there are some talented high school coaches but in my observation they are drowned out by other voices that have more time (and $ invested) with these players.

I heard a travel ball coach speaking to his 18u team that they would practice as soon as High School ball was over so he could, "undue the crap that the high school coach taught and get them back to a high level". Does he know all of the high school coaches that his players played for? Doubtful.

I take a different approach and I spend the spring driving all over the state watching my players play in high school games. Some of the coaches are great and I learn some things. I also learn which players are in good hands and try to keep things rolling when travel starts in the summer.

I am not justifying any of it; I am just explaining what I observe in my state.

GunnerShotgun said:

This is the best answer/reason.

The only downside is that if the paid hitting/pitching coach is average to below average. Most parents don't want to hear that they are paying money for poor advice. I mentioned this earlier in another thread but if it's possible figure out who their hitting/pitching coach is before you select them for your team. It saves aggravation latter on.

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Parents and players get some "feedback" on their hitting and pitching every time they play a game. If they are not getting "positive" feedback, they need to be willing to make a change...

Interesting to hear how different HS ball is around the country. Freshman DD has been practicing with her high school team since last May (when she was in middle school) and their HS season didn't even start until last week. Once the season ends in May, they will start practice for next season. For DD this is a good thing as she is no longer playing TB and needs as many reps as possible. She will continue regular hitting and pitching lessons throughout the year.

Will agree with most here that the level of coaching in HS is below average compared to her TB coaches and that the best players are that way because of what they do and have been doing away from school ball. CB is an exception to the rule IME.