Posted on 06/20/2014 7:20:48 AM PDT by Phillyred
We know how you feel... In our local Little League, if you are not a son of a coach or a coach's favorite, you doesn't make the All-Star team. And if you are a coach that vocally sticks up for your team against biased officiating, your son will not make All-Stars as well. There is no rhyme or reason to how the All-Star team is selected... If you question how the determinations are made, you will be told "stats". But no one will actually show you the stats because they know that real stats would prove the bias.
My son, batted a .522 this past season, with OBP% of .686, and SLG% of .783. He averaged better than 1 stolen base per game, and his STB% was 100.00. His fielding (CF) was great, and he had no issues in accurately getting the ball to the infield without using a cutoff man. For 3 years in a row he has been passed over, and I am left trying to comfort him from the front seat as we go home... He doesn't understand how someone with a sub-.200 average can make All-Stars when he doesn't. Children know when they are being wronged... They are not stupid. And they don't forget. I just keep telling him that favoritism shown others now will turn into a great disservice to them later, as they were never as good as they thought they were and the truth really hurts.
He gets professional private batting instruction weekly, and has a form that rivals anyone in the MLB. He is young and working to perfect it, but knows that it will be worth it in the end. (He still gets a little "rotational" sometimes on low and away pitches... He knows the answer is to keep his hands up and to rotate the barrel of the bat downward as it comes across the toe-line.) He has a head for fielding and was setting up double plays from the mound at age eight when everyone else was still stuck in "the easy play is at first" mode. He is his own worst critic, so I have to be sure to reinforce his positive actions and let him figure out how to reverse the negatives by asking him questions. I believe he is truly focused on the long-term aspect of playing, so he understands that the real rewards will come later. While it is a true in life that favoritism exists and happens often, it hurts me to see him have to deal with it at this young age involving a game he loves - but he will be a stronger teen and a better adult for knowing the realities of life. Until then, we practice, we play, we seek out opportunities that allow us to improve and we look toward the future.
Start a new team in competition with the coaches’ team.
“Start a new team in competition with the coaches’ team.”
Best idea yet. Then recruit his best players - I’ll bet some of them would love to leave.
BUT - don’t make the same mistakes he makes:)
A few travel teams recruited my youngest son and he and my wife and I said no thanks. He plays little league and middle school baseball and middle school basketball. He said I want time to rest and not get burned out, we agreed and you are right travel ball is expensive and time consuming.
I don't know what 'elite travel teams' are?
College scouts most definitely come see Houston big 20-6A & 20-5A football, basketball, track & baseball/softball boys and girls.
Play a meritrocratic sport instead? (Like football, lacrosse, or rugby? Sometimes soccer too.)
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