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Post by BaseballNut on Jun 27, 2016 14:35:10 GMT -5
Just looking to generate discussion on high school baseball here in the summer. Sandusky and Milan both have senior legion teams which are the only serious options in the area for those who are interested. Otherwise there are teams/leagues to the west and the east. High schools also have the opportunity to have ACME teams which has not been that successful in this area, unlike west and southwest of here.
Some topics to consider if you want to join in:
What other opportunities are available for those who enjoy playing baseball?
Why is baseball becoming less relevant in this area compared to other regions (high school teams struggling with numbers, area legion teams are a shadow of their former selves, legion teams have disbanded)? - the Cleveland/Lorain/Akron area has the Diamnond League that continues to grow and expand and has very competitive baseball. Cincinnati has a comparable league. ACME baseball is strong from the Toledo area all the way down to the Dayton area but has never caught on in this area.
What is missing/ what would it take to keep kids interested in baseball. They seem to play up until high school and then it's an after thought. Is it just something to do as a kid in the summer growing up?
Your thoughts and topics.
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Post by bigman on Jun 28, 2016 11:14:18 GMT -5
I think one of the big issues in the numbers dropping for summer baseball are the 10 coaching days allowed in June. You take a kid who plays multiple sports, which many do in this area, and each coach wants them for their 10 days of drills, shootouts, 7 on 7 football and that eats up the month of June. Then you have the no contact week in July. After that you have about 3 weeks until football officially kicks off with 2-a-days. That doesn't even take into consideration the "voluntary" lifting programs that each school has over the summer.
At what point does a kid just get to be a kid?
As far as kids not playing once they get into high school, you have to consider track as a direct competitor to baseball for the athletes. Not many Middle Schools have baseball teams, so the kids get themselves involved in track and if they do well they continue that into high school. When kids are younger they practice a couple time a week and then go to a travel tournament and it is considered fun to them. Once you hit high school and baseball becomes a 6 day 3-4 hour grind is where you start to see other kids drop off.
I love baseball and truly enjoyed watching my son play throughout the years and even through high school. That is just some of my thoughts on why you don't see as many kids playing anymore.
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