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Originally Posted by Berkut
I am still confused as to what it is about these other programs that make such better ballplayers?
Do they have professional coaches or something? What?
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Here is my exact answer the last time you expressed confusion:
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Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty
Principally PONY, but also travel ball and the other stuff that springs from those programs. Whatever the league affiliation, it is critical that a young player learn base running and pitching with runners on base way before he is 13. Playing in a ballpark with realistic outfield fence distances also is a critical element.
I'm from Southern California. Here, Little League players have little chance of being a high school player, and no chance at all at a competitive high school. It's been that way around here for about a dozen years, now. And it is becoming that way most everywhere.
I have literally seen one Little Leaguer make it at a competitive local high school. He was the ace on the Thousand Oaks team that won Williamsport. He didn't start until he was a senior, and only made it at all because he was a left-handed pitcher.
I'm sorry that's the way it is, but it's just the way it works these years.
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Why is this so hard to understand? And you know what, the elite travel teams have professional coaches, yes. And they also have some pretty impressive facilities.
And the reason Southern California is such a hotbed is tied to three main factors: weather, large population and a high concentration of great D-I baseball schools.