Travel Ball is Killing Rec Ball

[Eric F]

Bolded is funny..so if a kid is playing SS and batting third for the Firecrackers but doesn't go to hitting and fielding lessons they won't take them.. I am sure, even nowadays, while few and far between some of those types of kids exist, especially if their parents know what they are doing from an instructional standpoint.

I would guess a large majority of players on top-level 12U and older TB teams in So Cal are working with a hitting instructor.You can bet that nearly every pitcher at this level is working with an instructor, as are a lot of catchers. Fielding instruction at this age is more rare, but some do extra work at the local regular high-level clinics in the area.

As they get older, fewer and fewer parents are working with their DDs the same way they did when they were young.

 

[Eric F]

Are you talking about La Serna in Whittier. That’s our school or Whittier Christian , St Paul perhaps for private. La Serna just won the league finals.

No. I'm pretty sure JG is talking about OLu.

 

[_MIA_]

I would guess a large majority of players on top-level 14U and older TB teams in So Cal are working with a hitting instructor.You can bet that nearly every pitcher at this level is working with an instructor, as are a lot of catchers. Fielding instruction at this age is more rare, but some do extra work at the local regular high-level clinics in the area.

As they get older, fewer and fewer parents are working with their DDs the same way they did when they were young.

I don't disagree with bolded..that is why I said it is few and far between . My point was that to say that before even evaluating a kid is kind of silly imo.

 

[Eric F]

I don't disagree with bolded..that is why I said it is few and far between . My point was that to say that before even evaluating a kid is kind of silly imo.

My point is that if a kid is playing SS and batting #3 for the top FC team, you can pretty much bet they are working with a LEAST a hitting instructor.

 

[_MIA_]

There's a thousand Firecracker teams and they range from barely better than park and rec to Tonys hand picked studs. But if you think that the girls on the top 12 and 14u teams are not going to a hitting coach and fielding classes every month you'd be mistaken.

I've watched PGF nationals 12U and 14U championship games and some of those kids, in particular the MI, need to find better fielding instructors then.

 

[_MIA_]

My point is that if a kid is playing SS and batting #3 for the top FC team, you can pretty much bet they are working with a LEAST a hitting instructor.

Because they need to or because they are forced to..? You need to put the work, I certainly understand that part of it. I wonder sometimes however if that is what it is for a lot of these kids..in particular the ultra talented ones. They pay 100 bucks a week for lessons just so they can get their 500 swings in...

 

[Eric F]

Because they need to or because they are forced to..

Because that's what it takes to stay competitive at that level. Not just against other teams, but also against the other girls on their team that want the spot. if you aren't constantly improving, you will get passed up.

 

[_MIA_]

Because that's what it takes to stay competitive at that level. Not just against other teams, but also against the other girls on their team that want the spot. if you aren't constantly improving, you will get passed up.

I edited that post..read my edits..Certainly not against lessons. Just against the idea of making lessons mandatory if a kid is working hard and making progress without them. The whole being able to work with your kid when they are teenager thing is a whole different story..


Edit: Mackenzie Donahoo is a OU recruit matriculating next year. She hits with DD's org head. I have seen their lessons 3 or 4 times. He pitches to her, she hits. Only time I heard him say something to her from a mechanics perspective was when she was complaining that JT Gasso was having her change her handset and she didn't like it....I guess they work with their recruits before they get on campus. Now that said I didn't see what he did with her when she 12 or 14 so that may be a different story.

 

[Eric F]

I edited that post..read my edits..Certainly not against lessons. Just against the idea of making lessons mandatory if a kid is working hard and making progress without them. The whole being able to work with your kid when they are teenager thing is a whole different story..

I don't know about the "mandatory" part. We haven't encountered that yet, but I have little doubt it happens with some teams.

 

[_MIA_]

I don't know about the "mandatory" part. We haven't encountered that yet, but I have little doubt it happens with some teams.

I was just reponding to J. Galt's post.