High School ball VS Select Ball

[NEWS]

You asked for it you got it lets see where this takes us.

[CRUSHCOACH]

OMG ! This ought to be a good one. But, I'm not starting it !!  ;D ;D

[Pirates88]

How many of us select ball dads have set in the stands during high school ball and wanted to strangle our high school coach.( figuratively of course)  Now thats a question alot of us have wanted to ask. ;D ;D ;D lots of love and respect to mine. Good job of bringing our girls back;D ;D ;D

[oldschool99]

ok....i'm not bold enough to start....but i'm sure i'll bite eventually. 

let's hear it......you know you wanna. 

[Guest Robert Plant]

East Tx will have a blast with this one!!!!

Relax it's a joke!

[NEWS]

OMG ! This ought to be a good one. But, I'm not starting it !!  ;D ;D

Come on CC you have coached both ;D ;D ;D

[trout]

How many of us select ball dads have set in the stands during high school ball and wanted to strangle our high school coach.( figuratively of course)  Now thats a question alot of us have wanted to ask. ;D ;D ;D lots of love and respect to mine. Good job of bringing our girls back;D ;D ;D

You also have to remember that we all have had parents in the stands wanting to do the same thing to select coaches too. If you coach you will always be second guessed because hind sight is always 20-20 and some always think that they could do a better job but never seem to have the time to be there. Wether HS or Select at some point you have to hand your kid off to some else and hope they do a good job and live with it. If the results are not what you want, go to work your kid and change it. You control your own destiny, just do it.

[CRUSHCOACH]

How many of us select ball dads have set in the stands during high school ball and wanted to strangle our high school coach.( figuratively of course)  Now thats a question alot of us have wanted to ask. ;D ;D ;D lots of love and respect to mine. Good job of bringing our girls back;D ;D ;D

You also have to remember that we all have had parents in the stands wanting to do the same thing to select coaches too. If you coach you will always be second guessed because hind sight is always 20-20 and some always think that they could do a better job but never seem to have the time to be there. Wether HS or Select at some point you have to hand your kid off to some else and hope they do a good job and live with it. If the results are not what you want, go to work your kid and change it. You control your own destiny, just do it.

I hear ya !! You ought to try having stircrazy in the dugout with you and youknow in the stands !!! OMG !!!!! ;D ;D

[twilyms]

The biggest difference I have noticed is the acceptance of input. Whereas our select ball coach (Birdman) loves parents input and participation, the highschool coach is highly against it. Practices are closed. Kids have to run if they communicate with people in the stands during games. And God forbid, a kid get pitch tips from an outside source. It would seem that since we have observed these kids since they were 8 years old, in most cases, that high school coaches would try to get as much information on their players as possible. Pitching strengths, hitting strengths and fielding strengths, etc.

[Mc]

One of the things I like about Summer ball is you can have a bad weekend and the next weekend you can start over with a clean slate.

As far as the coaching goes, I would think that it would be a little more difficult coaching at the high school level than a summer ball team:

• receive a new group of players year in and year out; must evaluate what buttons to push for each new kid
  
• only as good as the talent feeding into your school; no recruiting (probably)
  
• could ask for "tactical assistance" from parents; but what strings would be attached?
  
• could ask for "tactical assistance" from parents II; how certain would they be that they are getting good advice?
  
• younger and/or inexperienced coaches decisions are publicly scrutinized; are summer ball coaches better coaches today than when they first coached at 6U.
  

Some say that they are getting paid for their coaching and should perform and I agree to an extent. But I think a true evaluation of a coach should also focus heavily on what processes they are using to further educate themselves on the game and what research they are doing to ensure they are using the proper resources for their education.  Also, a coach should learn the different psychological aspects for each player.  There is no cookie cutter out there producing these kids.  What works for 1 doesn't work on them all.

[twilyms]

One of the things I like about Summer ball is you can have a bad weekend and the next weekend you can start over with a clean slate.

As far as the coaching goes, I would think that it would be a little more difficult coaching at the high school level than a summer ball team:

• receive a new group of players year in and year out; must evaluate what buttons to push for each new kid
  
• only as good as the talent feeding into your school; no recruiting (probably)
  
• could ask for "tactical assistance" from parents; but what strings would be attached?
  
• could ask for "tactical assistance" from parents II; how certain would they be that they are getting good advice?
  
• younger and/or inexperienced coaches decisions are publicly scrutinized; are summer ball coaches better coaches today than when they first coached at 6U.
  

Some say that they are getting paid for their coaching and should perform and I agree to an extent. But I think a true evaluation of a coach should also focus heavily on what processes they are using to further educate themselves on the game and what research they are doing to ensure they are using the proper resources for their education.  Also, a coach should learn the different psychological aspects for each player.  There is no cookie cutter out there producing these kids.  What works for 1 doesn't work on them all.

Very valid points. One thing I see is that in high school, most coaches demand that players adapt to them. In select, coaches tend to be more flexible to take full advantage of individual players' strengths.

[outlaw]

select coaches can get the best of any or a larger area and they get the girls that play ball all year or at least most of the year A high school team may only have two or four of those girls.

[#1 Cheater]

I could get in trouble with this topic! :

For the most part I had a great working relationship with my parents in travel ball!  It did help to have a great group of young ladies.

[twilyms]

Difference between select ball and highschool.

Scenario: Bottom of 7 - 1 run lead - 2 outs - runner on third

Select ball: Pitcher makes perfect pitch on outside corner. Batter hits lazy fly ball to right. Immediately going through pitcher's mind. "Perfect, did my job, we win. I love this game."

High school ball: Pitcher makes perfect pitch on outside corner. Batter hits lazy fly ball to right. Immediately going through pitcher's mind. "Please catch it. Please catch it. Why did I throw it on the outside corner? Why did coach put her out there? Please catch it. Please catch it. Why do the softball Gods hate me?"

[Guest stircrazy]

Select Ball= Relaxed,short wearing,no worries, a few cuss words,a great beverage(styrofoam cup with lid),around the pool afterwards to talk about the CE'S and tell SHORT jokes about CC.

HS Ball = NONE OF THE ABOVE ;D

[CRUSHCOACH]

I could get in trouble with this topic! :

For the most part I had a great working relationship with my parents in travel ball!  It did help to have a great group of young ladies.

So which do you like doing the most ?? High School or Travel Ball ???? LMAO !! ;D ;D  Couldn't help myself

[oldschool99]

Difference between select ball and highschool.

Scenario: Bottom of 7 - 1 run lead - 2 outs - runner on third

Select ball: Pitcher makes perfect pitch on outside corner. Batter hits lazy fly ball to right. Immediately going through pitcher's mind. "Perfect, did my job, we win. I love this game."

High school ball: Pitcher makes perfect pitch on outside corner. Batter hits lazy fly ball to right. Immediately going through pitcher's mind. "Please catch it. Please catch it. Why did I throw it on the outside corner? Why did coach put her out there? Please catch it. Please catch it. Why do the softball Gods hate me?"

Depending on the high school, and how long you've played with those particular girls, this statement could be very very very true. 

The attitudes about the game in general are very different as well.  Like stircrazy said, select is a lot more laid back in quite a few aspects.  You can wipe the slate clean after each tournament, and don't have to look back.....well, for the most part anyway.

[Champion]

I think that they should feed off of each other in a perfect world.  I have had the luck of working with some great select programs and will continue to do so.  Select programs are what have helped build my program at the high school level no doubt.  We don't have an athletics class for softball and I dont see my kids until the end of January each year so we are playing catch up.  I have players that dont play select and have been sucessful and do a great job for us.  I always encourage mine to play as much as they can.  I also try to make it out to the tournments when I can and support my guys!  So I ask this why does it have to be One against the other why cant we all just get along! ;D       

[3ABirdMan]

I think that they should feed off of each other in a perfect world.  I have had the luck of working with some great select programs and will continue to do so.  Select programs are what have helped build my program at the high school level no doubt.  We don't have an athletics class for softball and I dont see my kids until the end of January each year so we are playing catch up.  I have players that dont play select and have been sucessful and do a great job for us.  I always encourage mine to play as much as they can.  I also try to make it out to the tournments when I can and support my guys!  So I ask this why does it have to be One against the other why cant we all just get along! ;D       

FIRST - THERE IS NO HIDDEN MEANING TO THIS REPLY, SO DON'T GO THERE

Very good post, but in my opinion (with a few exceptions ie Cheater, Champ, BG - this is a NON-inclusive list) it is the HS coaches who don't want to get along - As parents and select coaches, we would do ANYTHING we could to help the girls succeed, and sometimes that means "NOTHING".  There are 2 problems, though:

• Parents can't relinquish control, and let the HS coach do their job
  
• (some) HS coaches feel VERY threatened by us, and the evil plague germs we carry, therefore they cannot talk to us, make eye contact with us, discuss games or strategies or skills, opponent talent and tendencies
  

Neither of these lead to healthy relationships between the 2 parties.  I have no problem letting go and letting a coach do the job (s)he is paid to do.  I have no problem with playing time or position.  I have learned to "let go", because HS has ZERO bearing on what I do the other 8 months of the year.  I DO have a problem with paid professionals who DO NOT try to "grow" our kids into better people by their actions and words and deeds.  Yes, I want HS to win, but in the end, there is no scholarship at the end of the HS season - Only school spirit, a letter jacket and patch.

[twilyms]

I think that they should feed off of each other in a perfect world.  I have had the luck of working with some great select programs and will continue to do so.  Select programs are what have helped build my program at the high school level no doubt.  We don't have an athletics class for softball and I dont see my kids until the end of January each year so we are playing catch up.  I have players that dont play select and have been sucessful and do a great job for us.  I always encourage mine to play as much as they can.  I also try to make it out to the tournments when I can and support my guys!  So I ask this why does it have to be One against the other why cant we all just get along! ;D       

FIRST - THERE IS NO HIDDEN MEANING TO THIS REPLY, SO DON'T GO THERE

Very good post, but in my opinion (with a few exceptions ie Cheater, Champ, BG - this is a NON-inclusive list) it is the HS coaches who don't want to get along - As parents and select coaches, we would do ANYTHING we could to help the girls succeed, and sometimes that means "NOTHING".  There are 2 problems, though:

• Parents can't relinquish control, and let the HS coach do their job
  
• (some) HS coaches feel VERY threatened by us, and the evil plague germs we carry, therefore they cannot talk to us, make eye contact with us, discuss games or strategies or skills, opponent talent and tendencies
  

Neither of these lead to healthy relationships between the 2 parties.  I have no problem letting go and letting a coach do the job (s)he is paid to do.  I have no problem with playing time or position.  I have learned to "let go", because HS has ZERO bearing on what I do the other 8 months of the year.  I DO have a problem with paid professionals who DO NOT try to "grow" our kids into better people by their actions and words and deeds.  Yes, I want HS to win, but in the end, there is no scholarship at the end of the HS season - Only school spirit, a letter jacket and patch.

Both very good posts. That is why Champion, Cheater and BG (and I am sure a few left out) are so respected on this board. They understand what the select programs do to improve their programs. For the ladies who play for these type of coaches, be very appreciative of what you have. Believe me, playing for a coach who is anti-select can be very stressful.

[JohnnyT60]

We have been very fortunate to have played with some very good players at the HS level. We have also enjoyed some very good coaches who were very open to suggestions. The key is not to intrude on their territory. We offered to help in any capacity, and the waited for them to ask for help. This may not be representative of most programs, but it certainly worked for us. Some folks can be kind of condescending, when talking to coaches, and that ain't gonna work.

[Pirates88]

How many of us select ball dads have set in the stands during high school ball and wanted to strangle our high school coach.( figuratively of course)  Now thats a question alot of us have wanted to ask. ;D ;D ;D lots of love and respect to mine. Good job of bringing our girls back;D ;D ;D

You also have to remember that we all have had parents in the stands wanting to do the same thing to select coaches too. If you coach you will always be second guessed because hind sight is always 20-20 and some always think that they could do a better job but never seem to have the time to be there. Wether HS or Select at some point you have to hand your kid off to some else and hope they do a good job and live with it. If the results are not what you want, go to work your kid and change it. You control your own destiny, just do it.

Very true Trout, I do coach and have no doubt I am second guessed and have on occasion thought to myself how stupid a move I made. Coaching is a little like umpiring in that its much easier to do from the stands whether your talking about H.S. or select.

[BHBLUE]

Very true Trout, I do coach and have no doubt I am second guessed and have on occasion thought to myself how stupid a move I made. Coaching is a little like umpiring in that its much easier to do from the stands whether your talking about H.S. or select.

You keep talking like that and they'll revoke your Pitcher's Dad's Club membership. 

[Pirates88]

Very true Trout, I do coach and have no doubt I am second guessed and have on occasion thought to myself how stupid a move I made. Coaching is a little like umpiring in that its much easier to do from the stands whether your talking about H.S. or select.

You keep talking like that and they'll revoke your Pitcher's Dad's Club membership. 

Thanks for the advice BHBLUE....sometimes the line between arroggant coach and crazed pitching dad in the stands gets blurred ;D ;D ;D Don't want to lose my membership.

[JohnnyT60]

Atleast I know mine is safe! ;D