OMG!!! My son has the best average on his traveling team!!

[borlis]

Please help me congratulate SteveNashisgod13 on the incredible year he is having. He is batting .353 in 17 games! He just finished his lettle league season (different team) with an average of .533 for that team. He was voted an all-star for the first time this year and went 2-3 in that game with 4 RBI's. He finished 4th out of 25 in the home run derby also. Now he made the Williamsport Traveling Tournament for the 2nd straight year. He is only 12. Thanks for letting me brag a little! I am so proud of him!!!! :hug:

[KitchenWitch]

1. Very cool

Congratulations - that rocks!

My son played traveling baseball for 4 years and in our league it is a very political thing. He was clearly one of the best players on the team but because I did not happen to be sleeping with a coach, he managed to be treated like he was the team's liability.

He is currently playing "in house" and is very happy.

[borlis]

2. I know what you mean about the politics

I think that happens everywhere to some degree. Here the coaches kids never play outfield, never sit out an inning, bat 3rd or 4th in the lineup mostly (even if they haven't had a hit all season.) I know it's worse in other places probably, but that's pretty much what happens here. At least most of the traveling players are pretty good. It's a team they have to try out for. The main complaint I have is that they focus way too much on winning. I recently heard that one of the traveling parents (who have a son on the local high school team also) approached the coach with some tips and pointers on what they think could be done differently. The coach's response to them was that his philosophy is to play to win at all costs and develop the players 2nd. I personally think that if you develop the players 1st, the winning will come. Sometime I think that these dads are way too involved and living out their dreams through their kids. I wonder how many will be burned out by high school? I think my son is generally treated pretty well by this bunch. Although I don't always agree with the coach, he does value my son's contributions to the team. This coach has been coaching my son for 3 years and has been telling us the potential he thinks our son has (just not as much as his son's of course( ha ha).)

Glad you son is happy "in house." How old is he? Our house league this year had probably one of the most serious coaches I have ever dealt with. He lectured the kids on behavior at the beginning of the season, telling them that he didn't care if they were the best kid on the team, they would play the minimum and sit the rest if they goofed around. He told them that everyone would take a turn in the outfield and everyone would take turns sitting out (unless there was misbehaving going on.) What he failed to mention was that if you were the child of a coach you were excluded from this rule. The funny thing is that these kids are now 11 & 12 years old and not stupid. They know what happens out there. Even though my son had a phenomenal house league season, I am truly glad it's over. :hi:

[KitchenWitch]

3. My son is 14

He will be trying out for one of the high school teams next spring, where the dads no longer coach (but the booster club rules LOL)

[borlis]

5. Good Luck to your son!!

I hope he makes it. It should be funny watching the former coaches who are now just regular spectators like me and you! :hi:

[bigwillq]

4. That's great!

I didn't know he was your son.:hi: