- Mar 7, 2016
- 242
- 28
If you have coached any amount of time I am sure each of you have been through players leaving (unless you are extremely fortunate). This past Friday I was relaxing at home on one of those rare nights where nothing was going on in my household. Talking to an old college buddy on the phone about upcoming hunting plans. Had a call come in from one of my players mothers "you are not going to ****ing believe this" she shouts into the phone... no sooner than I had a chance to reply to her I hear a knock on my door. I live clear out in the sticks in rural Kansas, people knocking on my door is like twice a decade occurrence... I tell the mom ill call her back and head to the door. Standing there holding all of our team gear is one of the longest tenured players on my teams father. They are choosing to leave to go to our biggest rival..... It was pry one of the coldest talks I have had in a long time. (THE PLAYER DID NOT COME WITH HIM WHICH SAYS A LOT) You see not only have I invested countless hours teaching this player, I have jumped through hoops to help her family out even allowing their family to stay with my relatives to help cut costs for them when we travel. Our starting Shortstop, most talented OF, and a heck of a pitcher, someone I spent the past 5 years and hundreds of games coaching. All I could do was wish them well, and tell them we will see them come summer. Their families issue over fall ball was she didnt see the mound time she wanted... for many reasons most of them being her talents were needed elsewhere. The team she is headed to is a great team, State champions, but they already had a 6 pitcher deep rotation her making the 7th. I didnt tell her family this but the chance of her seeing mound time is lower than it ever was on my team. I sure hope they do as much for her family as we did.
Fortunately I picked up a new player starting in fall that was every bit as talented middle infielder, better arm, and a cannon pitching so roster wise we were good just hate to watch a player leave when you have so much time invested.
Fortunately I picked up a new player starting in fall that was every bit as talented middle infielder, better arm, and a cannon pitching so roster wise we were good just hate to watch a player leave when you have so much time invested.