There used to be a tradition in Little League baseball called tryouts. It was a chance for coaches of teams to get a look at the players new to the league. They may be young or old, experienced or novice. Everyone not on a team the previous year had to "try out" his skills for the coaches. It was an annual right of passage. If for whatever reason you did not want to play on the same team for another year, (the beginning of the pussifying of America) you would have to try out again.
I watched my dad pick kids at tryouts and they were not always the most talented but he would see something of value in them. Of course, Dad could see something of value in everyone and so it was. I personally never had to try out because he was always coaching or my older brother was in the league already. Families stuck together. I became a coach, a not very good one and I am sure that my "tryout rules" were part of the problem.
The first two rules are for the player:
Rule 1: If they could not stand in line and be still during tryouts, I did not want to deal with them on my team. The kid had to look interested in playing baseball and not grabass. I felt I could teach a kid to hit a baseball or turn a double play if he was interested.
Rule 2: A kid had to be able to catch the ball a little bit and not be afraid of it. I was not as worried about throwing as I was catching. Some of the best arms ever could throw it to the moon and that is where it ended up most of the time.
These rules are directed toward the parents. These days you are drafting not just the kids but the mom and dad, little sisters and little brothers. The dad that coaches my team from the stands can only be tolerated if his wife/girlfriend has a nice butt.
Rule 3: A Good looking mom with team mom potential is very important, especially with female sports. Sometimes a good team mom is better than a nice butt.
Rule 4: Dads that want to help and coach, volunteer to help. If they are yelling at their kid from the smoking area, be careful, very careful. These kids are can be first picks but dad is baggage. If they are later picks, the kids are usually quit malleable because dad has worn them down to a nub. These are some of the best kids to pick. They blossom like lilies after a rain and are usually very appreciative.
Rule 5: For a good team year after year, a dynasty, you need to look at the younger brothers. They will be on your team also (next year) so you need to keep this in mind while drafting the older sibling. I had three brothers on the team and they were are mediocre or average players but they loved to try and played hard. Their mom was cute and a great team mom. They basically counted as 1 big pick.
Warning: the dad, mom and coaching, encouraging from the stands thing. My dad had a parent giving signals to his son pitcher who was good but could have been better. My dad called "timeout" walked up to the fence and asked the man if he wanted to coach the team. The man said "no" so my dad asked him to please stop sending signals to his son or he would take him out of the game and put him in the stands. Enough said.
I loved playing and coaching. I was not very good at either. Little League was great. The last time I watched a game they had changed the rules and kids were crying and talking on cell phones in the dugout. Not for me. No changes for the better.
I watched my dad pick kids at tryouts and they were not always the most talented but he would see something of value in them. Of course, Dad could see something of value in everyone and so it was. I personally never had to try out because he was always coaching or my older brother was in the league already. Families stuck together. I became a coach, a not very good one and I am sure that my "tryout rules" were part of the problem.
The first two rules are for the player:
Rule 1: If they could not stand in line and be still during tryouts, I did not want to deal with them on my team. The kid had to look interested in playing baseball and not grabass. I felt I could teach a kid to hit a baseball or turn a double play if he was interested.
Rule 2: A kid had to be able to catch the ball a little bit and not be afraid of it. I was not as worried about throwing as I was catching. Some of the best arms ever could throw it to the moon and that is where it ended up most of the time.
These rules are directed toward the parents. These days you are drafting not just the kids but the mom and dad, little sisters and little brothers. The dad that coaches my team from the stands can only be tolerated if his wife/girlfriend has a nice butt.
Rule 3: A Good looking mom with team mom potential is very important, especially with female sports. Sometimes a good team mom is better than a nice butt.
Rule 4: Dads that want to help and coach, volunteer to help. If they are yelling at their kid from the smoking area, be careful, very careful. These kids are can be first picks but dad is baggage. If they are later picks, the kids are usually quit malleable because dad has worn them down to a nub. These are some of the best kids to pick. They blossom like lilies after a rain and are usually very appreciative.
Rule 5: For a good team year after year, a dynasty, you need to look at the younger brothers. They will be on your team also (next year) so you need to keep this in mind while drafting the older sibling. I had three brothers on the team and they were are mediocre or average players but they loved to try and played hard. Their mom was cute and a great team mom. They basically counted as 1 big pick.
Warning: the dad, mom and coaching, encouraging from the stands thing. My dad had a parent giving signals to his son pitcher who was good but could have been better. My dad called "timeout" walked up to the fence and asked the man if he wanted to coach the team. The man said "no" so my dad asked him to please stop sending signals to his son or he would take him out of the game and put him in the stands. Enough said.
I loved playing and coaching. I was not very good at either. Little League was great. The last time I watched a game they had changed the rules and kids were crying and talking on cell phones in the dugout. Not for me. No changes for the better.
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