Summer and travel ball ?

AllSports12 said:
Looks like they are finally going to engage the OHSAA. (bolded part is my emphasis)

"We're going to begin to coordinate with them on protocols for training in preparation for school-sanctioned sports," Husted said.


www.wcpo.com

Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted pledges to work with OHSAA as part of state's reopening plan

Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said Monday afternoon his office plans to work with OHSAA executive director Jerry Snodgrass regarding safe protocols for school-sanctioned sports as the state announces plans for reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic.
www.wcpo.com www.wcpo.com
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This is a good deal. Keep everyone with a seat at the table and hopefully help the one's making the final call understand ALL the implications. Maybe a side benefit will be an enhanced relationship between school and club sports. Here's to moving forward!
Did Tim Stried make a recommendation on the matter of school facilities? Maybe to the AD's?
 
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Down The Road said:
This is a good deal. Keep everyone with a seat at the table and hopefully help the one's making the final call understand ALL the implications. Maybe a side benefit will be an enhanced relationship between school and club sports. Here's to moving forward!
Did Tim Stried make a recommendation on the matter of school facilities? Maybe to the AD's?
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This is one of the many potential changes that will come to the "normal" we will eventually get back to. I keep telling people that things will be different in the future. Not completely different, but many of the norms of our society will be replaced with new norms. A lot of changes, that years from now we won't even think twice as not being "normal", are things we aren't even thinking of right now.

Like you said, here's to moving forward!
 
brianwr112 said:
And the way you've described coming back is more on what I'm thinking. I don't have date for people. They say May 26 then I'm guess it's a thought out date. The way you talk about the last weekend of May it sounds like you'll be having more of a scrimmage situation. Actually get to your "competitive" part of the schedule in a few weeks. Again, no problems. You've given the kids a chance to get acclimated a bit. Can we agree having a U11 team signed up for a tourney on 5/26 is ridiculous
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Yes it is ridiculous but not surprising given that 2/3rd's of the 14 and under season's are done so there is a sense of urgency to start immediately (similar to playing an early bird snow tournament in mid March). I will never understand why even in travel ball for the youngsters start so early and finish around July 4th. We start in the snow, lose half the April and May games to bad weather and then right when we hit our stride, the season s over. Part of that might be about vacations. But I say, play through the vacations and finish at the end of July. Gives one a couple or three weeks for vacations and winding down. On another positive note, I got an email from PBR talking about putting together some graduating seniors and college players teams together to play for 8 weeks because all the college summer leagues are canceling. If spectators are allowed, I will got watch some of these games.
 
BASESWIMPARENT said:
Yes it is ridiculous but not surprising given that 2/3rd's of the 14 and under season's are done so there is a sense of urgency to start immediately (similar to playing an early bird snow tournament in mid March). I will never understand why even in travel ball for the youngsters start so early and finish around July 4th. We start in the snow, lose half the April and May games to bad weather and then right when we hit our stride, the season s over. Part of that might be about vacations. But I say, play through the vacations and finish at the end of July. Gives one a couple or three weeks for vacations and winding down. On another positive note, I got an email from PBR talking about putting together some graduating seniors and college players teams together to play for 8 weeks because all the college summer leagues are canceling. If spectators are allowed, I will got watch some of these games.
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"Back in the day" as kids we had organized baseball until early August, starting games in mid to late May. If you had a family vacation, you went. No big deal.

Nowadays families are spending thousands and thousands of dollars on being all in during their youth baseball and with that much invested those families are less likely to miss any games, and I know many a family who use the money normally used for vacation to pay for their youth baseball teams, vacations and the like.

I agree with how awful it is starting so early. Man those first couple of weekends are not enjoyable at all.



But, the horse is out of the stable and the fleecing that is our youth athletics will never go back how it used to be.

And the funny thing, I don't see HS baseball any better now than it was before this garbage started
 
When I was a kid we played through the end of July...Usually first weekend of August if it fell early in the month. Pretty much everyone took the first week or two of August off before moving towards Fall Sports. Now we just kinda keep making seasons longer at both ends. I question how many kids we lose across sports because of that
 
brianwr112 said:
When I was a kid we played through the end of July...Usually first weekend of August if it fell early in the month. Pretty much everyone took the first week or two of August off before moving towards Fall Sports. Now we just kinda keep making seasons longer at both ends. I question how many kids we lose across sports because of that
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How I run my team is we play in the Fall. Once we are done in October we are done. We start back up in January with indoor training. That runs into us headed outdoors to practice around mid March. We start games the end of March early April, and finish up with a tournament on the 4th of July.

Two things I stress. First is that I highly encourage my players to play multiple sports. I understand if you're playing another sport in the Fall and Winter and can't be fully committed. I tell my parents that those aren't baseball seasons so other sports should be their priority. Spring/Summer however, IS baseball season and baseball must take priority.

The second thing is that when we finish in October I want all of the players to stop playing baseball. No indoor leagues, no going to cages, no working with trainers. I feel that getting completely away from baseball helps keep the hunger for the sport when you are playing. It's my way of combating kids getting burned out.
 
Philly_Cat said:
How I run my team is we play in the Fall. Once we are done in October we are done. We start back up in January with indoor training. That runs into us headed outdoors to practice around mid March. We start games the end of March early April, and finish up with a tournament on the 4th of July.

Two things I stress. First is that I highly encourage my players to play multiple sports. I understand if you're playing another sport in the Fall and Winter and can't be fully committed. I tell my parents that those aren't baseball seasons so other sports should be their priority. Spring/Summer however, IS baseball season and baseball must take priority.

The second thing is that when we finish in October I want all of the players to stop playing baseball. No indoor leagues, no going to cages, no working with trainers. I feel that getting completely away from baseball helps keep the hunger for the sport when you are playing. It's my way of combating kids getting burned out.
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Your schedule is pretty typical for today's world. I agree with putting the ball down after the last fall ball game in October and not picking it up until after the holidays. But I wish we would start practice in early April and not really get into games until late April. Too many times we started games in late march/early April and those games were more of an exercise in perseverance than skill. Just flat miserable. Snow flakes and all. Everything is pushed up, Football, basketball, and baseball and I don't know if we are any better for it.
 
BASESWIMPARENT said:
Your schedule is pretty typical for today's world. I agree with putting the ball down after the last fall ball game in October and not picking it up until after the holidays. But I wish we would start practice in early April and not really get into games until late April. Too many times we started games in late march/early April and those games were more of an exercise in perseverance than skill. Just flat miserable. Snow flakes and all. Everything is pushed up, Football, basketball, and baseball and I don't know if we are any better for it.
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I like it because it allows me to spread out my games more and fit in more practices. Cut out that 2-4 week start time and that means I have to cram games closer together. I've gotta have my practice time, that's where the real development happens. I like finishing with a 4th of July tournament because that allows everyone to get in their summer vacations without worrying about baseball.
 
Philly_Cat said:
I like it because it allows me to spread out my games more and fit in more practices. Cut out that 2-4 week start time and that means I have to cram games closer together. I've gotta have my practice time, that's where the real development happens. I like finishing with a 4th of July tournament because that allows everyone to get in their summer vacations without worrying about baseball.
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Heck yea, practice is super important but we would be lucky to get in one a week which would not be enough and often times would be a wasted batting practice type thing. We would practice in the off-season starting in January and once the season started in mid march, practices would be few and far between. There is one program down here that practices a lot and are extremely efficient. Their younger age teams are very hard to beat because they don't beat themselves. But that program is expensive. Sounds like you run solid program.
 
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thavoice said:
"Back in the day" as kids we had organized baseball until early August, starting games in mid to late May. If you had a family vacation, you went. No big deal.

Nowadays families are spending thousands and thousands of dollars on being all in during their youth baseball and with that much invested those families are less likely to miss any games, and I know many a family who use the money normally used for vacation to pay for their youth baseball teams, vacations and the like.

I agree with how awful it is starting so early. Man those first couple of weekends are not enjoyable at all.



But, the horse is out of the stable and the fleecing that is our youth athletics will never go back how it used to be.

And the funny thing, I don't see HS baseball any better now than it was before this garbage started
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Part of the problem is the 10 or 11 man roster. No one wants their kid to sit an inning or two, so they limit roster sizes to the bare minimum and can't afford for players to miss games for family commitments. There's plenty of playing time on a 12-man roster if the kids are rotated appropriately, but that ship sailed years ago.
 
rossford_resident said:
Part of the problem is the 10 or 11 man roster. No one wants their kid to sit an inning or two, so they limit roster sizes to the bare minimum and can't afford for players to miss games for family commitments. There's plenty of playing time on a 12-man roster if the kids are rotated appropriately, but that ship sailed years ago.
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Now that is a solid argument.
Last summer the boy's team had a couple of injuries. The last tournament they brought another kid in so they would have 10 players.

Some how that new, extra player became a starter and playing the whole game for that tournament. Wasnt like the kid was a ringer or anything, but I thought it was shady..
 
thavoice said:
Now that is a solid argument.
Last summer the boy's team had a couple of injuries. The last tournament they brought another kid in so they would have 10 players.

Some how that new, extra player became a starter and playing the whole game for that tournament. Wasnt like the kid was a ringer or anything, but I thought it was shady..
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HS is a different deal. I see it at 8U though, around here. There's a missed opportunity for teaching kids the mental part of the game or letting them throw bullpens (and practice catching) that doesn't happen because little Jagger or Kaden can't sit on the bench for 2 out of 6 innings (and three adult coaches are busy watching the game and trying to micromanage every play). Don't even get me started on playing 20 games and practicing 5 times once the season starts.
 
rossford_resident said:
HS is a different deal. I see it at 8U though, around here. There's a missed opportunity for teaching kids the mental part of the game or letting them throw bullpens (and practice catching) that doesn't happen because little Jagger or Kaden can't sit on the bench for 2 out of 6 innings (and three adult coaches are busy watching the game and trying to micromanage every play). Don't even get me started on playing 20 games and practicing 5 times once the season starts.
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20 games, shoot....try 35 or more and scheduling at least one practice a week that usually gets taken over by a make up game. By far, the biggest issue with select teams is the lack of in season practice. It is really a missed opportunity of you ask me. of course, running a good efficient practice is an art, but their are plenty of videos out there that have good ideas for all age groups.
 
The vast majority of age group teams below high school are operating with super tight rosters. That's what I'm seeing when I umpire during the week and in tournaments.
 
bucksman said:
The vast majority of age group teams below high school are operating with super tight rosters. That's what I'm seeing when I umpire during the week and in tournaments.
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Your observation is very accurate and it goes back to the above mentioned post: "I am not paying for Johnny to sit." Now if coaches would only take players that they feel comfortable playing, maybe this would not be as big an issue. But it really is a big issue.
 
BASESWIMPARENT said:
20 games, shoot....try 35 or more and scheduling at least one practice a week that usually gets taken over by a make up game. By far, the biggest issue with select teams is the lack of in season practice. It is really a missed opportunity of you ask me. of course, running a good efficient practice is an art, but their are plenty of videos out there that have good ideas for all age groups.
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I concur. I could not believe the lack of practices the last two summers.

The lack of practicing is what is keeping the the team aspect of baseball from blossoming.

Pregame is a lame hitting and a few token ground balls.

It is quite Pathetic.

Our coaches realized that games are great, but without constant practice you lose a lot of the little skills that may only be needed once a year that may cost you the season.

The youth game is becoming just an individual skill set and ignoring the team fundamentals.

The lack of team practices at the youth level hurts the development of the team game.
 
Watch a video on how to run an efficient practice. Lol. Seriously. Practice or play six days a week during summer ball.
Summer programs have turned into Thur-Sun tournaments and for a high price. Ridiculous what it’s come down to.
 
GCPRO said:
Watch a video on how to run an efficient practice. Lol. Seriously. Practice or play six days a week during summer ball.
Summer programs have turned into Thur-Sun tournaments and for a high price. Ridiculous what it’s come down to.
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I agree with the practice or play 5 or 6 days a week. it is just hard as heck to get a field. But a lot of times practices devolve into infield and outfield round robin practice and lame batting practice where the kids play the infield and outfield catching batting practice balls. I would like to see practices kind of run like football practice. Broken down into individual defensive skills (maybe emphasizing the players primary position), then small group practice (like working on double plays and relays) and then full situational practice. Throw in an instructional period on running bases once a week. Afterwards work on pitching and hitting mechanics in a hitting tunnel. Always have a proper warm up and warm down. Just keep the standing around to minimum.
 
Philly_Cat said:
Come check out one of my practices. I run them like that even at the tball level.
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Then I wish I had had someone like you as a coach. The dads meant well, they just did not know. I do pick up good drills on youtube especially from antonelli baseball and gopro. Also the Louisville Head coach has some good advanced drills.
 
BASESWIMPARENT said:
I agree with the practice or play 5 or 6 days a week. it is just hard as heck to get a field. But a lot of times practices devolve into infield and outfield round robin practice and lame batting practice where the kids play the infield and outfield catching batting practice balls. I would like to see practices kind of run like football practice. Broken down into individual defensive skills (maybe emphasizing the players primary position), then small group practice (like working on double plays and relays) and then full situational practice. Throw in an instructional period on running bases once a week. Afterwards work on pitching and hitting mechanics in a hitting tunnel. Always have a proper warm up and warm down. Just keep the standing around to minimum.
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This is absolutely true around here. It was bad 10 years ago - even worse now with big dollar travel programs paying local governments for exclusive use of their fields during the season. City-run program gets hollowed out by kids leaving for travel. Parents who used to volunteer and kids who used to raise the level of play in the rec program aren't around. Coaching and quality of competition gets worse. More kids leave. City says, "screw it - cancel the program and rent the fields to 'Big Time Sports Complex Travel Ball'" or use the outfield for spring flag football/soccer. I talked to a guy last year whose village board was going to rent two diamonds from April 1 to July 31 to a travel program for $3,000. They would have had exclusive rights to the fields from 4:30 to 8:30 PM (no lights) Monday through Friday and Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. He got them to drop the contract after telling them that the team fees for two kids in the program would cover field rental for the year. His locally-based team with 11 kids exclusively from the school district that serves the village would have had nowhere to play or practice.
 
Our problem around here is that there is just a ton of teams and between games getting scheduled, and other practices. But like Philly said, you have to be creative.
 
BASESWIMPARENT said:
Our problem around here is that there is just a ton of teams and between games getting scheduled, and other practices. But like Philly said, you have to be creative.
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With fields truly being limited and nobody really knows the HS field availability...I'd have a serious discussion with the staff, team and parents to consider afternoon games for the HS aged kids that have transportation. Now of course the coaches will have to be able to be there. Major problem is parents might miss out and then who would yell at the umps?
 
Out wily coaches at times would tell us if we wanted BP we had to come before, or after the normal reporting time as the bulk of the practice was everything but hitting and standing INF/OF
 
brianwr112 said:
With fields truly being limited and nobody really knows the HS field availability...I'd have a serious discussion with the staff, team and parents to consider afternoon games for the HS aged kids that have transportation. Now of course the coaches will have to be able to be there. Major problem is parents might miss out and then who would yell at the umps?
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would you be able to find umpire coverage during the traditional work day? Just spit balling a question out there. If your high school aged kids (i.e. the ones who can actually drive themselves places) aren't doing other things during the day, and you can get umpire/coach coverage, I don't see why not be "creative".
 
bucksman said:
would you be able to find umpire coverage during the traditional work day? Just spit balling a question out there. If your high school aged kids (i.e. the ones who can actually drive themselves places) aren't doing other things during the day, and you can get umpire/coach coverage, I don't see why not be "creative".
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This late in the game that may be tough. I know some take vacation for rom work to do games for big tourneys on Thursday Friday. Also do kids not get jobs anymore? I know when I coacjed HS aged kids almost all had some sort of job during the day.
 
brianwr112 said:
With fields truly being limited and nobody really knows the HS field availability...I'd have a serious discussion with the staff, team and parents to consider afternoon games for the HS aged kids that have transportation. Now of course the coaches will have to be able to be there. Major problem is parents might miss out and then who would yell at the umps?
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My kid is practicing during the day in the afternoon so the afternoon games are a possibility. The assigner might have a couple of guys in his hip pocket that might be available. As far as work goes, he was able to move his work hour to the evening but I realize not everyone can do that.
 
I honestly don't know. I know several that work 9-5...but have kinda been able to work whenever from home. Not sure if that continues. Some are teachers and might be available but some of those also have summer gigs. Some of the older guys might be retired but I'm not sure if that's a safe option.

And I'm sure some have jobs, maybe less than normal this year. I always worked but it seems a lot use the summer now for specialized training. This summer everyone's going to have to sacrifice something. It's up to each player/family decide what that is. All the schedules have been thrown out the window
 
*How about this for being notified a tournament is cancelled.
*19-21 June Cap Classic in Elizabethtown, Ky.
*Coach learned of the cancellation when the HOTEL notified him that the tournament was cancelled and was NOT notified by the tournament.
Coach then contacted the tournament to see what it was about!


Classic.
 
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