Kind of surprising that Westlake doesn't have a good baseball program.

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Kind of surprising that Westlake doesn't have a good baseball program.

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They used to, but lost a long time coach a few years ago and then had another coaching change again last year I believe.

They will get it worked out in the next few years for sure.

Coaches response to all questions and statements from the kids is 100% "I don't care". I believe that is the truth.

Maybe those coaches are on their way out. I do feel bad for the kids relative to baseball, but sometimes you do find yourself in a swirling vortex and its up to you to find your way.

It can't happen fast enough, but I do believe the new guy will "get r done". Every other program is having high level success and there is a lot of pressure on the baseball program at the moment.

Since the thread was originally about advice...

I had a difficult time getting the boy to read the Mental Game of Baseball. I had to wait fot the right moment of adversity to hit to get him to read the chapters on confidence, attitude and learning, the three best chapters in the book. He had never been nervous until his first time on the mound in high school. He's got an outside lesson with a former MLB pitcher once a week, half bull pen and half hitting. He came from a select program that believed in that book and this coach has been a perfect match for the boy. It has really helped maximize what practice he does get and now he could roll out of bed and pitch.

Even days when he does soft toss only batting practice, he's focused on many batting details and makes progress. When he does get a bull pen or pitching duty or relief or closing, he's throwing two fastballs that beak either direction and hits any spot, a curve for strikes that can bend from 9/3 all the way around to 3/9 (mostly choosing 12/6) a change up that hits the inside every time with a funky break and a strikeout curve that starts down the middle and hits the catchers outside shoe. This seemingly terrible experience relative to practice quality has really helped him focus on the mental part of the game.

There is always extra physical work needed on running speed, throwing velocity and batting. He'll get more of that in the summer. He's just 14.

As I said earlier, my only good advice is to read that book because there will be a right time to get your kid to read it and you will see amazing results.

Great post Wabs!

I'd also add: Is your son learning the game?

My biggest frustration with the expansion of travel/select ball is the fact that so many coaches don't teach the little things that are the most important parts of the game. The unwritten rules are being forgotten and/or ignored and it cheapens the game.

I would also add that it's important for the kid to own his baseball experience by 8th grade (12/13). They need to know how to adjust their batting or pitching to the field conditions and the officials. They need to take responsibility for their play and for asking their parents/coaches when they don't know what to do. Also they need to know how to move past the disaster when it happens and figure out what they need to do to fix the problem.

I see kids on the freshman team that don't know how to take responsibility for their game. I see this in the big innings where errors inspire overthrowing, leading to more base runners, hits and errors. Baseball is a brutal sport to be taken one pitch at a time. I even see kids, coaches and parents still getting angry over the strike zone. By high school that will eliminate your playing time quickly. You need to be well on your way to fixing those basic issues in 7th grade (11/12).

You might have a 14 year old freshman, but the majority of kids will be past 15.5. We even have a 16 year old. I think holding kids back is a terrible idea, but we are a very small minority here. You will not get any breaks for youth.

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Great post Wabs!

I'd also add: Is your son learning the game?

My biggest frustration with the expansion of travel/select ball is the fact that so many coaches don't teach the little things that are the most important parts of the game. The unwritten rules are being forgotten and/or ignored and it cheapens the game.

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Here's the problem - alot of parents equate "quality select programs" to the number of tournaments the program wins. And, now that they think this is a "quality" program, they are willing to pay massive amounts of money to have their kid on the team. Their kid can wear all of the cool team gear to school and brag about how his team won a tournament. The parents can tell their friends "hey my son plays on Team X, and they play at the elite level!".

Here's a clue - For 95% of those programs, all they want is your $$$. They are a business and they make money off parents willing to dish it out. They will accept your kid no matter how well he fits the team as long as you're willing to pay.

Finding the right fit for your son is no easy task. But paying alot of money so he is on a team that wins tournaments is not usually the answer (see my post above for more important considerations).

Another side note - Many times I've seen these "elite" teams lose to a more disciplined "non-elite" team. 9 times out of 10 their players and especially their parents handle it very, very poorly during and after the game. So, really what is your son learning in that situation???

I also see parents handle winning poorly.

Your kid will have some aweful kids on his high school team, guess what their parents are like? We had not encountered those types before high school.

There are also many (mostly) awesome kids and parents greatly outnumbering the bad apples. We've just been very lucky with that in the past. Now I understand why all the new people that join the select program go on and on about how nice all the kids are.

If anyone is searching for advice in tournament baseball - read Wabs' posts...then read them again and again.

I don't know Wabs, but those posts are spot on. My youngest son is playing 7U right now, which, yes, I know seems very young to start tournament ball. Call me ridiculous if you want. But, he is in a great situation on a pretty good team, but more importantly, with a coach who "gets it".

The boys rotate all over the place, even on Sunday's when it's lose or go home. If we get up several runs, he will purposefully put kids in positions where they aren't quite ready to play and challenge them. He'll sit out the best players on the team. It's not fun/fair/positive baseball because playing time and positions (such as SS) aren't rotated as much as say RF/LF, but there is rotation. Rotation leads to development and leads to a better understanding of the bigger game of baseball.

My oldest son, a HS freshman, grew up in an outstanding organization that put player development before wins and losses - and now he can play any position on the field at an at least above average level. Some positions, he excels at, but he's competent everywhere if needed.

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If anyone is searching for advice in tournament baseball - read Wabs' posts...then read them again and again.

I don't know Wabs, but those posts are spot on. My youngest son is playing 7U right now, which, yes, I know seems very young to start tournament ball. Call me ridiculous if you want. But, he is in a great situation on a pretty good team, but more importantly, with a coach who "gets it".

The boys rotate all over the place, even on Sunday's when it's lose or go home. If we get up several runs, he will purposefully put kids in positions where they aren't quite ready to play and challenge them. He'll sit out the best players on the team. It's not fun/fair/positive baseball because playing time and positions (such as SS) aren't rotated as much as say RF/LF, but there is rotation. Rotation leads to development and leads to a better understanding of the bigger game of baseball.

My oldest son, a HS freshman, grew up in an outstanding organization that put player development before wins and losses - and now he can play any position on the field at an at least above average level. Some positions, he excels at, but he's competent everywhere if needed.

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Thanks, Cinch. Great to hear your son is playing well in HS and, more importantly, is enjoying it!

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So an update from the original post. We decided to keep him on his same team. So far we have played 2 tournaments and brought home rings both weekends.

Thank you for all the advice. Definitely made the right call in leaving him on the team he was on.

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Ok, so in your original post you stated that your son was an 8U player. And now you're saying that you feel that you made the right team decision for your son because they have "brought home rings" in tournaments.

Just a piece of unsolicited advice from someone that has been through this with his son - Wins and losses (and "rings") are very low on the priority list of important things - especially at 8U. Or even 9U,10U,11U,12U,13U.

Here are just a few things that I see as much more important considerations than winning tournaments:

#1a Is your son having fun? Is he having fun even when his team doesn't win?

#1b Is your son learning how to be a good teammate?


- Is your son learning how to respect the game, the umpires and the opponent?

- Is your son learning how to play multiple positions? Bat at multiple parts of the lineup?

- Does your son look forward to every practice?

- Is your son learning skills and ways to improve his game at every single practice? Or does all that matters is that his team wins a tournament on the weekend?



I'm not saying your son is not learning these things. I hope he is. But I would strongly caution making winning tournaments as an indicator of how well your son is being developed as a baseball player.

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1. The point of me posting about them winning was to simply point out the coaches were developing the kids. We won more games last weekend than we did all fall. Winning isn't the only criteria to judge success. But it is a big one. If players are being developed it only makes sense the team will win more.

2. Totally disagree about teaching kids that losing is fun. Losing isn't fun. It sucks. When adults say stupid stuff like this kids see through it and know they are being lied to.

3. No kid in the world looks forward to every practice.

4. Your rainbows and unicorns world view where everyone plays every position and kids bat in every spot regardless of ability is why we have raised a generation of entitled brats.

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Great post Wabs!

I'd also add: Is your son learning the game?

My biggest frustration with the expansion of travel/select ball is the fact that so many coaches don't teach the little things that are the most important parts of the game. The unwritten rules are being forgotten and/or ignored and it cheapens the game.

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My son was so pleased with himself this weekend when he grounded out to first with nobody out and a runner at second.

Honestly I don't think kids watch as much baseball as they used to. I think so many of the little things are picked up by just watching the game. It's unfair to put it all on the coaches.

I agree watching baseball is a big reason. However, one of my big pet peeves can certainly be laid at the the feet of the coaches.

Saw it three different times this weekend where a visiting team player (1st base dugout) goes to the 3rd base side to take warm-up swings during a pitching change. One kid couldn't have been more than a few feet from the batters box.

Not only is this bush league b.s., it is also a great way to get a kid hurt. It is almost guaranteed that that will earn you a fastball to the ribs at the higher levels.

Good coaches wouldn't think about letting their players do this.

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Your rainbows and unicorns world view where everyone plays every position and kids bat in every spot regardless of ability is why we have raised a generation of entitled brats.

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It's not as bad as it sounds. Select looks for weakness to work on because high school is looking for excuses to eliminate. Entitled kids don't see the field in select, it's a grind where punctuality, behavior, missing a sign and the way you suit up can put you on the bench. There will be at least 15-16 kids on your select team, if you want playing time, you are going to have to beat out some good players and play multiple positions.

When my oldest son was moved up he slid into the OF and worked his was back into his natural positions (3rd/1st). Thank goodness he had the opportunity to play multiple positions as a kid because it allowed him more flexibility when he was the younger pup on varsity.

I saw too many kids that played only one position and that meant they usually didn't see a lot of playing time.