My Pitcher was Balked Tonight

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by CoachJM

Basketball?!?!? Great sport, but this is Baseball season!

I've been coaching 13-15 yr. old kids for the last 5 yrs. (baseball, basketball, & football), & somehow it saddens me that some of them (or their parents) choose to specialize year 'round in one sport at such a young age.

Such is life.

JM

Gonzaga University runs four one-week high school team camps each summer: two for girls and two for boys. The kids get individual and group skill training and the teams play at least two games a day. The kids look exhausted towards the end of the week.

I'm not sure how many teams show up, but we have to cover 128 games a day.

There is a individual fee and a team fee. The net profits go to GU's assistant coaches. This is how a small school can come up with enough money to keep their assistants in place for as long a Gonzaga does. Plus, they get to look at some good prospects for future recruiting. Teams come from all over the country and three Canadian provinces.

I agree with you on the specialization however. It has come to the point in Spokane when you can see a school's future varsity team by the time the kids are in 7th grade. It makes it next to impossible for a kid who can't afford to be in a "select" year 'round team to make varsity.