This brings up a good point. Can someone explain to me why knothole has gone down hill so much over the last decade or so?

I've seen it myself over the years. My boy has always played select baseball since 4th grade and I honestly never paid much attention to the talent level or the competitiveness that much while he was playing. He simply played on the teams he played on because his friends were also playing on these teams etc. To me it didn't really matter what league he played in because, well afterall he was in 4th grade.

 

With that said, when I was growing up there was really only knothole, so there wasn't "traveling teams" per say therefor there wasn't really another league to choose from. You played knothole through A ball (8th grade) then went to play on your high school team etc. These days knothole is so far behind for instance the SWOL etc. that it isn't even a fun game to watch if a knothole team and a SWOL team for instance meets in some tournament. There are plenty of knothole kids playing that could play for any select team, don't get me wrong, but I just wondered why the talent and competitiveness is that much different?

 

Seems to me that boys move from knothole all the time to other leagues and are successful, so I don't buy the argument that everyone in select ball are that much better individually, but as a whole team it always seems to be that way for some reason.

 

 

IMO part of it is that every kid regardless of sport wants to be on a "select" team. Soccer, Basketball, Baseball all the same. Pretty easy to be good (or you should be) when people are paying money and you can choose who you play with. That is why I like High School ball so much more. There is no "choosing" what team you are on, you are on your high school team. See if you can lift them up if you are so good. Some of the best can't do it. Some of the best are in reality playing for themselves and not the team concept of winning a ballgame. They want to know their stats. Check out how few players from the area go to D-1 college in any sport around here, stay and play, and how few actually make it professionally. Enjoy your high school years. The "select" stuff makes me laugh. In baseball, I will grant you Midland is top tier (at their highest level). That is it. Others are okay-Colonels, Bluegrass, but many of these kids believe they are going to play high level college. Not because the organizations told them that, but because that is what they believe.

As some have stated here, the major difference between Knothole and SWOL is pitching. Hitting in SWOL is also a lot better but that can also be attributed to the better pitching. My son started off in Little League then moved to Greater Cincinnati Knothole and then to SWOL. IMO there is no comparison between knothole and SWOL, the competition is vastly different. That is not to say that a kid that is playing Knothole could not pay SWOL. They could, but it would take time to transition because of the difference in pitching. Now if all the kids in NKY that are playing SWOL were forced to play for a Knothole team in their own county, then knothole would be very good!

 

My son filled in for a Fallball knothole team a fews years back and I will admit it was painful to watch. That statement is in no way a slight against the kids that were playing. They were out there playing hard and having fun. It is more a slight towards the coaches. They were not, and did not appear to be teaching the fundamentals to the kids. Each team he played against had one good pitcher and the coaches would have that kid pitch 99% of the time.

I've got two sons, one that plays SWOL, and my youngest who is playing Crosstown (Kenton county knothole folded). It's not even close, SWOL. Is vastly superior. At the 13u level, I've seen one team that could compete in SWOL. Most of the kids struggle with basics...fly balls in the outfield are 50/50 whether they get caught. Catchers can't make the throw to second and pitchers have no clue as to how to hold runners. Knothole is great for kids who are just playing to have fun. But it in no way prepares you to play high school ball. I can't speak for the older age groups, but if your kid is looking to play serious baseball, they need to play SWOL.

I've got two sons, one that plays SWOL, and my youngest who is playing Crosstown (Kenton county knothole folded). It's not even close, SWOL. Is vastly superior. At the 13u level, I've seen one team that could compete in SWOL. Most of the kids struggle with basics...fly balls in the outfield are 50/50 whether they get caught. Catchers can't make the throw to second and pitchers have no clue as to how to hold runners. Knothole is great for kids who are just playing to have fun. But it in no way prepares you to play high school ball. I can't speak for the older age groups, but if your kid is looking to play serious baseball, they need to play SWOL.

I would go a little further. I don't think SWOL is what would give them a better chance to play college ball, but more of the showcase tournaments the team plays in.

 

My boys team is in the SWOL league, but not for the league itself. They only play 1 game a week in league play, but they are mainly a travel team that is playing every weekend at a college sponsored baseball tournament so that the college recruiters can see the boys play in person. The only reason they are associated with the SWOL is to get in "practice" games which they use the league games for. They use those games to try kids at different positions etc. to see how well they do. The real games are each weekend when they travel for these tournaments. They have picked certain tournaments this year that take place at colleges where players want to play and have had interest from their scouts etc.

 

I enjoy summer ball a lot more than high school ball, mostly because we seem to have more fun and enjoy the families we travel with etc. but I will add I can't wait until my boy graduates because summer Ball is so expensive. After the team fee's which can be up to $1,000 just to play on the team, you then have travel expenses each and every week until the end of summer which can be pretty expensive, especially for those 4 day tourneys that start on Thursday and end on Sunday. You are talking close to $500 a week for hotel, food and gas etc. I won't miss summer ball at all after this year. Unfortunately if your boy wants to play at the next level it is the best way to be seen.

Sooooooo...... Can anybody send some answers to my original post and talk about how the teams are doing. The SWOL and Knothole debate can be debated on another thread.

 

Just to throw my knowledge of the issue in though I can tell you to ask any high school coach in NKY what league they would like to have their kids playing (regardless of talent) and they will tell you without a doubt SWOL or select ball. Its more than just talent. Its who your playing against, where you play, how many games you play, coaches, players you play with, etc. Its night an day the difference between Knothole and SWOL. Many high school coaches see Knothole as a cancer in NKY now.

 

My meaning by this is that these kids play Knothole and win a city championship and think they are the best of the best and that there can not possibly be somone out their better than their team. Well.. when you get into the SWOL and your playing the Midland Redskins, or traveling and playing East Cobb or the Indiana Bulls, Ohio Yankees, etc.. you find out really quickly you a small fish in a very big pond. Some of these kids are good enough to play college ball at the D-3 or junior college level and many of them never do because they think theyre being screwed over if they dont go D-1 or D-2.

 

There are many ways of looking at the issue. Just my thoughts..

At-The-Yard Roosters 18u team website: Home

 

Complete roster is on the website but some of the players:

Brandon Ward

Nick Pope

Addison Brown

Brady Smiley

Trey Ganns

Sooooooo...... Can anybody send some answers to my original post and talk about how the teams are doing. The SWOL and Knothole debate can be debated on another thread.

 

 

ATY U15 is doing good. The team is made up of mostly Cooper and Ryle JV players and one Conner JV player. They are playing in the National League for the first time and have a league record of 4-2 and an overall record of 12-6. The two league loses have been by 1 run each.

Bluewave 17u is currently undefeated in SWOL and is headed to Indy this weekend for a tourney.

I know that they are a Cincinnati based team but 3 players from Dixie play on the 18U Riverbats and they did have back to back wins over the Bluegrass Chiefs & Ky Colonels last week.

I know that they are a Cincinnati based team but 3 players from Dixie play on the 18U Riverbats and they did have back to back wins over the Bluegrass Chiefs & Ky Colonels last week.

 

Who was the third? I only saw two (EE and DA) when they were at Dixie last week playing the Chiefs. I was told GC was on it but didn't see him.

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I know that they are a Cincinnati based team but 3 players from Dixie play on the 18U Riverbats and they did have back to back wins over the Bluegrass Chiefs & Ky Colonels last week.

 

Does Matt Current coach this team?

Who was the third? I only saw two (EE and DA) when they were at Dixie last week playing the Chiefs. I was told GC was on it but didn't see him.

Garrett Combs is the third. He pitched a complete game 4-hit, 1er win against the Colonels. He was not there foe the Bluegrass game.

[/indent]

 

Does Matt Current coach this team?

 

Stefan Goldman is the coach.

You say this:

The SWOL and Knothole debate can be debated on another thread.

 

Then you say this? :

Just to throw my knowledge of the issue in though I can tell you to ask any high school coach in NKY what league they would like to have their kids playing (regardless of talent) and they will tell you without a doubt SWOL or select ball. Its more than just talent. Its who your playing against, where you play, how many games you play, coaches, players you play with, etc. Its night an day the difference between Knothole and SWOL. Many high school coaches see Knothole as a cancer in NKY now.

 

My meaning by this is that these kids play Knothole and win a city championship and think they are the best of the best and that there can not possibly be somone out their better than their team. Well.. when you get into the SWOL and your playing the Midland Redskins, or traveling and playing East Cobb or the Indiana Bulls, Ohio Yankees, etc.. you find out really quickly you a small fish in a very big pond. Some of these kids are good enough to play college ball at the D-3 or junior college level and many of them never do because they think theyre being screwed over if they dont go D-1 or D-2.

 

There are many ways of looking at the issue. Just my thoughts..

I know that they are a Cincinnati based team but 3 players from Dixie play on the 18U Riverbats and they did have back to back wins over the Bluegrass Chiefs & Ky Colonels last week.

And they are looking to possibly add another. They also beat the Indiana Bulls last weekend.

 

Stefan Goldman is the coach.

I am one of his clients, also a good friend of mine.