Expert: John Priest - 2/13/2008

Question
Hi,
Maybe you can help.  My son who tried out for his high school baseball team got turned down today.  After two days of tryouts he was not on the list.  Not because he is my son but he is an awesome ball player mentally and physcially.  He knows the game.  He is a 10th grader (just moving to NC) from Florida was his first tryout for this high school.  Before moving to NC he made every all-star team, was on a traveling team just an all around great kid and player.  He can play any position, but more comfortable at first.  My husband and I watched (he did not know we were there) from our car. How do you watch another player miss a ball 6 times in a row at first, miss at many pitches at BP and still make the team.  He was told by the coach and many of the other coaches his bunting was the best he has seen, hitting was great and you seem very comfortable at 1st base and you did very well.  Good Job!  The coach tells him today ... you didnt make the team because of your speed.  That's all.. isnt that why they have pinch runners.  My son is soo devasted and I dont want him to give up his true love of baseball.

I just need an opinion. A third party.

Thank you
Missy Humprheys

Answer
Missy,
I have coach numerous years of high school baseball and I have never cut a player based on speed.  I have never seen your son play but he seems to be a good player will all the all-star teams.  You son should ask the coach what he needs to work on and get a more definite answer from him on why he was not selected as a player.  Sometimes getting cut from a team is good.  If he is dedicated to the sport this should make him work harder and prove the coach wrong.  

On the other hand, I can make a guess as to what the coach was thinking.  I am not trying to make you more aggravated, I just want to give you a full answer with possibilities on why he didn't get selected.  The reasons that go into a coach selecting a team does not always require talent.  Depending on how many team the school has, 10th grade is the hardest level.  Most schools have a freshman, Junior Varsity (JV), and Varsity.  Only freshman can play freshman baseball and usually seniors don't play JV ball.  That leaves good 9th graders, 10th, 11th and 12th graders all to fit on two teams.  I say that 10th grade is the hardest because you have to compete against the upper classmen for a varsity spot.  If your not selected for varsity now you have to compete with two grade levels for one team.  When I was coaching high school baseball my JV tryout list consisted of about 100 players after the varsity team was selected.  Thats 100 players for only 14 spots.  

If you have just moved your son may not have close relationships with the new players.  Sometimes a player may be good but they don't fit the team.  If your son is not friends with most of the players the coach may have seen him as a separate person and not as part of the team.  

Another reason the coach may not have selected your son is the limits of his position.  Does he have other positions and does the coach know?  If your son only plays first base he may have limited himself.  He does have the 11th and 12th graders ahead of him.  If this is the case you son is better off not on the team.  If your son doesn't play because of too many players above him he will not get better.  I would rather see a player work out 3-4 days per week that sit the bench 3-4 times per week.  

The last reason I can possible see as a coaches reason is coachability.  He is new to the team and new to the coach.  You son seems to have played at a high level.  Some coaches do things different from coach to coach.  Some coaches like it done their way or no way.  I have trained numerous hitters who were not liked by their high school coaches because they did not hit the coaches style.  Maybe you son does not fit in with the coaches style of play.

I hope this helps.  Right now the best thing that your son can do is talk to the coach.  tell him to get as much information as possible as to why he didn't make the team.  If it is only speed he should be join the track team for the season, that will show the coach he is dedicated.  Have your son talk to the players about where they train, where do they player in the summer, and fall.  Plan on getting ready for these teams and showing them he should have been chosen.  Also, go to the games to see the team play, study the competition so he is more prepared.  Most of all this should inspire your son and not devastate him.  
Good Luck and let me know if I can help with anything else.
Thank You,

John Priest
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Nokona Baseball Factory