Whether you consider it hot August nights, the dog days of
summer or three weeks before school starts, random thoughts are
swirling around my head as I look back on the youth baseball
season.
Whether you consider it hot August nights, the dog days of summer or three weeks before school starts, random thoughts are swirling around my head as I look back on the youth baseball season.
- Was it me or was the umpiring in postseason all-star competition around the region just awful? I saw infractions not called, plays missed by umpires who were out of position and wrong interpretations of rules.
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One nice thing to see during postseason was the Morgan Hill Colt team advancing to the the Colt World Series. This is a team that has good hardworking kids, strong parental backing and good coaching.
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Weather report: If by some chance you don’t make it to heaven, you’ve just witnessed what the other side might be like.
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Kudos also has to go to the Morgan Hill Bronco All-Star team, that had to endure that other side while playing in the Regional tournament in Brentwood.
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Having just returned from doing an arm strengthening demonstration at the Dusty Baker Camp in Sacramento, I would have to say that this is one of the best youth overnight camps anywhere.
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In talking with former big leaguer Bob Oliver, the hitting director of the camp, he came up with some invaluable insight in working with youth players by saying that the power of suggestion is a great teaching mode in trying to get a point across.
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Fundamental mistakes that are magnified during postseason competition are usually a bi-product of not learning that certain aspect during the regular season.
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Families and education always come first in my book, but declining an invitation to play in all-star competition to play somewhere else needs to be re-thought.
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When I was growing up I always thought growth hormones were steak, potatoes, eggs, milk and a chocolate shake. Guess not!
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As I strolled out of the Aquatics Center the other day and looked at all that vacant property next door I pondered the thought that I’ve heard about the Abominable Snowman, but have never seen it, and I’ve heard of Bigfoot but never have seen it and I’ve heard of the sports complex and well, uh, … What’s the hold up?
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If you don’t talk to your kids about the little stuff of playing sports (sportsmanship, respect of coaches and all the intangibles) they’ll never understand the the big stuff (winning and losing).
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Watching a program the other night about steroid use in high school sports , including incoming freshmen who are 14 years old, I wondered if this trend is going to filter down to youth sports as competition gets more fierce.
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I sure hope every national youth organization adopts a pitch count rule next season, including travel baseball tournaments. Things are getting out of hand.
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My youngest son Cory will begin his first season of organized baseball next year by playing T-Ball. To his coach,all I can say is, “Whoa, look out!”
Rich Taylor is the owner, head instructor and CEO of California Pitching Academy. He can be reached at rj********@***oo.com.
