If a coach is asking a kid to come out and then cuts him after he comes out. The only reason my kid came out was because the coach kept asking, there would be a very intense conversation with the coach.

 

Agree. I sure would grill him as to what he saw in my son that would have caused him to repeatedly ask him to try out, and what he didn't see that would cause him to be cut.

How is the coach supposed to know the skill level of a kid he's never coached before?

How is the coach supposed to know the skill level of a kid he's never coached before?

 

Why would he come after a kid like that to tryout if he didn't know he/she could play? There are plenty of kids out there to choose from.

Why would he come after a kid like that to tryout if he didn't know he/she could play? There are plenty of kids out there to choose from.

 

If a kid is a stud in other sports, maybe the coach thinks he'd be good. Once he comes out for the team he realizes the kid can't play.

Unfortunately it happens at the high school level all of the time.

 

High school coaches, especially big school/big program coaches court grade school players and paint a rosey picture of their future in their program, even though they know full well that the kid doesn't fit on their dept chart and have no real future in their program. It's called the Basket Theory, getting as many players as possible in the basket in hopes that the cream will rise to the top, and a few will become major contributors. The rest fall by the wayside and end up pursuing other areas of interest - like the Chess Club, even though that player could have had a future in a smaller program and developed into a contributing member of the smaller school's program.

 

Unfortunately grade schoolers all think that they are going to play high school ball at that big school. One of the things that I continually tell grade schoolers when I talk to them is to ask themselves if they really want to play high school ball, and then honestly evaluate where they fit in that school's program??? Parents have to be vigilant, and look out for their son's best interest, even if the kid can't see the forest for the trees himself. It's a tough, brutal, competitive world out there, and schools need enrollment as well as athletes.

 

Oftentimes if a player in this position doesn't pan out, that coach who coerced him into coming in the first place, will write it off by saying that academics come first and that the players who don't make it are still going to get a fine education anyway. Unfortunely, they have deprived that potential player of a whole dimension of his life that he could have experienced in a more suitable program.

Unfortunately it happens at the high school level all of the time.

 

High school coaches, especially big school/big program coaches court grade school players and paint a rosey picture of their future in their program, even though they know full well that the kid doesn't fit on their dept chart and have no real future in their program. It's called the Basket Theory, getting as many players as possible in the basket in hopes that the cream will rise to the top, and a few will become major contributors. The rest fall by the wayside and end up pursuing other areas of interest - like the Chess Club, even though that player could have had a future in a smaller program and developed into a contributing member of the smaller school's program.

 

Unfortunately grade schoolers all think that they are going to play high school ball at that big school. One of the things that I continually tell grade schoolers when I talk to them is to ask themselves if they really want to play high school ball, and then honestly evaluate where they fit in that school's program??? Parents have to be vigilant, and look out for their son's best interest, even if the kid can't see the forest for the trees himself. It's a tough, brutal, competitive world out there, and schools need enrollment as well as athletes.

 

Oftentimes if a player in this position doesn't pan out, that coach who coerced him into coming in the first place, will write it off by saying that academics come first and that the players who don't make it are still going to get a fine education anyway. Unfortunely, they have deprived that potential player of a whole dimension of his life that he could have experienced in a more suitable program.

 

What "big school" do you speak of?

At first blush it doesn't sound good but I guess I'd have to get more details.

 

I must ask , though, how it is "self-serving?"

If a kid is a stud in other sports, maybe the coach thinks he'd be good. Once he comes out for the team he realizes the kid can't play.

 

This is what I was thinking too. At least this coach uses try outs to decide and doesn't guarantee a spot on the team.

Wow...same thing happened to my kid! Coach personally asked then had him catch for two days before cutting him. My son is no catcher, has never played that position. Weird and aggravating.

It all depends on how the coach asked. If he asked him to come out to practice, or come to try out, then that is just every coach ever wanting to get as many bodies as possible to play their sport. Almost every coach would want people out there, just for the pure fact that you don't know what everyone is capable of. I've seen kids who are really good at certain sports "go out" for another team, and they are terrible at it. I've seen kids who are average at basketball be beyond excellent at football.

 

A lot of it is size as well. If a kid passes the eye test for any sport, a coach wants to at least take a look at them.

 

 

While it might hurt the kid that he didn't make the team, I don't really fault the coach. That's life.

I learned to not interfere with coaches, a hard lesson, however if this was occurring repeatedly, me and Mr. Coach have a private, adult conversation where Mr. Coach now clearly understands where he fits into my world order. Don't poke the bear, it brings the pain...

If a kid is a stud in other sports, maybe the coach thinks he'd be good. Once he comes out for the team he realizes the kid can't play.

I would guess that in most towns on KY the varsity coaches know most studs abilities. Most have probably played the different sports at some age/level and the coaches will know if they can play their specific sport. Now that's not always the case and I see your point. It also wouldn't apply to cities like Louisville and Lexington as much.