Senoir Night

[tim_s]

this notion of hugs & trophies for everyone is the single most tired trope i've heard......while it is true that a small sub-population of parents snow plow/steam roll/helicopter their way through child raising, this generation has it far more competitive than i ever did as a child of the 70's & 80's

my kids have been 'competing' for grades and status in school since middle school......travel sports have so over taken the world of youth sport, rec leagues are struggling and specialization has killed the 3 sport athlete often before kids even get to middle school age......everyone knows everyones business thanks to social media, and everyone pushes to impress.......their world is FAR more competitive and stressful than the one i grew up in......

yes, i have decided to give them the tools needed to succeed in a competitive world, and part of that has been the ability to lose appropriately, and to learn from that losing....


i'm glad i grew up when i did.......


here it's usually an inning and an at-bat for the non-starter senior - this year we have one non-starter that is a senior (we only have 2), and we've known her since early rec ball days.....she's always been 'that' kid......the one that you hold your breath on when someone hits a ball her way during BP, the one that takes a ball off her body trying to make a play and does it with a smile, the one that always has a kind word for a teammate, even if on some level she probably wishes she got more time.......she's thrilled to have been on this team for 4 years, and if she DIDN"T get the start on senior night, i suspect her teammates would be pretty upset.......she's a kid that always just wanted to be treated as just another teammate, and this group has done a great job with that.......her start will mean more to them than it will to her.......and THAT is the type of lesson we want kids to learn from all of this

 

[murphdog]

These are all excellent points and food for thought for me. Let me ask you a question, you have talked about seniors and playing 4 years interchangeably. Would you look differently at a situation where a senior came out for the team for only a year or two and clearly was there for social rather than athletic reasons?

When DD played HS there were always enough players who really wanted to play so this was never the case. Was there ever a senior who wasn’t very good and rarely played, sure but that player was always as much a part of the team as any other play and always worked hard.

 

[bmakj]

if she DIDN"T get the start on senior night, i suspect her teammates would be pretty upset......

would they have pulled a "Rudy" type procession to HC? or maybe only 8 show up on time? sometimes the kids teach the coaches/teachers

 

[tim_s]

would they have pulled a "Rudy" type procession to HC? or maybe only 8 show up on time? sometimes the kids teach the coaches/teachers

lol who knows

wouldn't be an issue, everyone, coaching staff included, gets it with this one - there's no doubt she gets the start

although i know last year when i was working with them, every time a ball went near her we'd all hold our breath......like firing fly balls into the outfield with the pitching machine, ball goes off her wrist and bounces up over her head and she still manages to catch it kind of plays lol

 

[Long Baller]

People would really complain about a SENIOR starting on SENIOR NIGHT?????? Wow, just wow.

 

[reagansdaddy]

When DD played HS there were always enough players who really wanted to play so this was never the case. Was there ever a senior who wasn’t very good and rarely played, sure but that player was always as much a part of the team as any other play and always worked hard.

I think that is where some of the disconnect lies - situations can vary dramatically at the HS level. I know of teams where maybe 1/3 or more are there because it's the "fun" thing to do in the spring. They won't pick up a bat or glove from the end of the season until the start of the next one. They are good kids and I think there is absolutely a place for these kids in school ball, but I'm just not sold that these kids deserve a start.

 

[EC22]

Wow. I think posters are struggling to be as nice as they are. 1 HS game, maybe an inning or 2, really?

 

[reagansdaddy]

Wow. I think posters are struggling to be as nice as they are. 1 HS game, maybe an inning or 2, really?

I actually have no problem with this. I absolutely think every Senior should play on Senior Night. Pinch run, half inning on defense, maybe an AB. My thing (and admittedly, I seem to be a minority of one) is that being a starter means something and is earned rather than is given simply for putting in time.

 

[bmakj]

I think that is where some of the disconnect lies - situations can vary dramatically at the HS level. I know of teams where maybe 1/3 or more are there because it's the "fun" thing to do in the spring. They won't pick up a bat or glove from the end of the season until the start of the next one. They are good kids and I think there is absolutely a place for these kids in school ball, but I'm just not sold that these kids deserve a start.

lets take a look at this really

I think a low% of these girls are going to be seniors in areas where SB is played in spring. too many other things on seniors minds unless they are really into the sport (prom, senior trip, picking a college, their summer plans). even if 1/4 of this 1/3 are seniors (statistically likely), that is 1/12 of the team. that is at most two players (or your HS coach is an idiot carrying 30 girls). did they come out all four years? are they good teammates? do they work hard? if yes to all, start them. one inning and two PA (one for both) is not going to destroy your season (if your season hangs on that thin a thread, probably would not do anything post season anyway). and guess what, it is in situation like that the girls surprise you. they reach 1B on a stupid blooper, or they drive in a winning run with an ackward infield hit. also, if worried about how long they are in, bat them 1 and 2, and after 1st inning, presto, you have your normal lineup.

this is not everyone gets a trophy, this is girls who have worked hard and supported their team get recognized.

 

[bmakj]

half inning on defense, maybe an AB.

so why not in the first inning? or you would rather the coach be trying to figure out a way to get them in in the late innings?

Oh, forgot, an individual consecutive starts record.