Tips for Aspiring Baseball Players- Making the Jump to HIgh School
Ramsey Abushahla
Making the jump from little league to high school can seem like a daunting task at first glance. Out with the days of daddy-ball with your best friends and in with running poles for wearing the wrong practice jersey or forgetting your belt. However, with the right attitude, high school baseball can be one of the most fun and rewarding experiences of your young life. Here are seven tips to make your experience a positive one.
· You’re not the best player anymore
If you are an aspiring high school player, you were probably one of the better players in your youth league or club team. Not anymore. The kids you will be playing with and against will be older, stronger, more developed and more experienced than you. Don’t let that discourage you. Let it motivate you. Work hard and let your play do the talking for you. Remember, no one likes a cocky freshman. Your play and effort on the field will gain the respect of not only your coaches, but also the older players on the team.
Chances are you won’t play varsity as a freshman. If you’re talented enough to be on the varsity squad, don’t get complacent. There are always ways to get better. If you’re like most incoming freshmen, you will be on either the JV or freshman team. JV is a great starting place to be as a freshman. It can be a little intimidating, especially playing against older players, but it is the perfect level to get experience and grow as a player. If you don’t make the JV team you shouldn’t be discouraged either. Many players (including myself) mature later in their high school careers. As long as you’re practicing and playing hard, improvement will come.
No matter what level you are as a freshman, it is important to work hard, trust yourself, and respect your coaches. That brings us to our next tip.
· Respect your coaches
With some exceptions, the coaches you had before high school were usually a parent of a player on the team. They usually try to get everyone in the game and their main concern is for everyone to have fun. This is not the case for most high school coaches. The high school coach is a hardened, tough individual. He cares about one thing, and one thing only: Winning. Sure, a good coach wants all of his players to develop and mature into college-ready ballplayers, but at the top of each high school coach’s docket is winning baseball games. Winning gets them credibility, credibility gets them respect, and respect is something coveted by coaches at every level, not just high school.
That being said, your coach may not be your best friend at times. He will make decisions that you don’t agree with. However, he is your coach, and while he may not be the second coming of Joe Torre or Augie Garrido, there’s nothing you can do about it. He will make you run when he feels like it, chew you out after a bad at bat, but you can’t let that get to you. A coach disciplining you is his way of showing he cares. If a coach ignores you when you make a mistake or show up late, that’s when you should be worried. If you respect your coaches and work hard, they will respect you back. Don’t give your coach a reason to dislike you. Hustle on and off the field, don’t talk back, and most importantly, show up on time. Which brings us to our next tip.
· Show up on time
Part of respecting your coaches and teammates includes showing up on time. Being late to a game or practice is a surefire way for you to get benched. There’s a saying, “If you’re not five minutes early, you’re late.” Live by this. Being punctual is about respect toward your teammates and coaches. If you constantly show up late it says that you couldn’t care less about everyone else’s time.
· Academics
Your parents harp on you non-stop about your grades. Listen to them. Balancing baseball and school is tough, especially when you miss class for games during the week, but do your best to stay caught up and get at tutor if necessary. What does you GPA have to do with your performance on the field you ask? Nothing. You can be the best baseball player in the area with a 2.0 GPA and you’ll still be eligible to play. However, if you want any shot at making it to the next level, your grades are almost as important as your talent. A high GPA will open more doors for you when it comes to playing in college. I have witnessed so many talented baseball players that were not taken seriously by college recruiters because of their low GPAs. Don’t be that guy.
· Start working out/take care of your body
Every coach’s favorite response to the question, “What can I do to improve?” is, “Get bigger, faster, and stronger.” There are many conflicting views about lifting weights at a young age, but I believe a freshman in high school is old enough to start learning proper technique and start doing some light lifting. Technique is extremely important, especially in lifts such as squats, and the younger you get the proper technique instilled in your muscles, the safer your body will be. A strength and conditioning coach is ideal for teaching proper lifting technique, and if your high school program doesn’t have one, perhaps search for a baseball-specific weight coach in your area.
Along with working out comes taking care of your body. Invest in a foam roller. Those things are lifesavers. Stretch and warm up properly, especially when it comes to your arm. The increasing number of arm injuries has a lot to do with lack of arm care. Pitchers should always ice after they pitch, whether it be in a game or bullpen. Position players should ice regularly too, not just when their arms are sore. Taking care of your body also means eating right. While an occasional fast-food binge is ok, try not to make it a habit. Drink plenty of water every day and make sure to have well-rounded meals. Avoid excess dairy and grains as they have been proven to promote inflammation.
· Have an overall goal/avoid distractions
While it may sound simple, having an overall goal will help you stay on track to achieve what you want. What do you want out of high school baseball? Ask yourself this regularly. Whether you want to play at the next level or simply just improve your skills, do everything you can to achieve your goal.
As you get older, many other distractions will get in your way of baseball. When faced with these distractions, ask yourself if they identify with your overall goal. If they don’t, ignore them and continue to work towards your goal.
· Stick with it/Don’t forget to have fun
Sticking with baseball won’t be easy at times. Early mornings lifting sessions and late practices will leave you feeling drained. Stick with it. I’ve played with so many guys who regret quitting and wish they could go back and stay. Playing high school baseball will give you friends and memories you will have your entire life. The hard work you put in makes the end result that much more rewarding.
Make sure you remember to have fun. It sounds corny, but baseball gets really serious and hectic. If you let it, it can overcome you. Remember, you’re a kid playing a game in a field with your best friends. It doesn’t get better than that.
Making the jump from little league to high school can seem like a daunting task at first glance. Out with the days of daddy-ball with your best friends and in with running poles for wearing the wrong practice jersey or forgetting your belt. However, with the right attitude, high school baseball can be one of the most fun and rewarding experiences of your young life. Here are seven tips to make your experience a positive one.
· You’re not the best player anymore
If you are an aspiring high school player, you were probably one of the better players in your youth league or club team. Not anymore. The kids you will be playing with and against will be older, stronger, more developed and more experienced than you. Don’t let that discourage you. Let it motivate you. Work hard and let your play do the talking for you. Remember, no one likes a cocky freshman. Your play and effort on the field will gain the respect of not only your coaches, but also the older players on the team.
Chances are you won’t play varsity as a freshman. If you’re talented enough to be on the varsity squad, don’t get complacent. There are always ways to get better. If you’re like most incoming freshmen, you will be on either the JV or freshman team. JV is a great starting place to be as a freshman. It can be a little intimidating, especially playing against older players, but it is the perfect level to get experience and grow as a player. If you don’t make the JV team you shouldn’t be discouraged either. Many players (including myself) mature later in their high school careers. As long as you’re practicing and playing hard, improvement will come.
No matter what level you are as a freshman, it is important to work hard, trust yourself, and respect your coaches. That brings us to our next tip.
· Respect your coaches
With some exceptions, the coaches you had before high school were usually a parent of a player on the team. They usually try to get everyone in the game and their main concern is for everyone to have fun. This is not the case for most high school coaches. The high school coach is a hardened, tough individual. He cares about one thing, and one thing only: Winning. Sure, a good coach wants all of his players to develop and mature into college-ready ballplayers, but at the top of each high school coach’s docket is winning baseball games. Winning gets them credibility, credibility gets them respect, and respect is something coveted by coaches at every level, not just high school.
That being said, your coach may not be your best friend at times. He will make decisions that you don’t agree with. However, he is your coach, and while he may not be the second coming of Joe Torre or Augie Garrido, there’s nothing you can do about it. He will make you run when he feels like it, chew you out after a bad at bat, but you can’t let that get to you. A coach disciplining you is his way of showing he cares. If a coach ignores you when you make a mistake or show up late, that’s when you should be worried. If you respect your coaches and work hard, they will respect you back. Don’t give your coach a reason to dislike you. Hustle on and off the field, don’t talk back, and most importantly, show up on time. Which brings us to our next tip.
· Show up on time
Part of respecting your coaches and teammates includes showing up on time. Being late to a game or practice is a surefire way for you to get benched. There’s a saying, “If you’re not five minutes early, you’re late.” Live by this. Being punctual is about respect toward your teammates and coaches. If you constantly show up late it says that you couldn’t care less about everyone else’s time.
· Academics
Your parents harp on you non-stop about your grades. Listen to them. Balancing baseball and school is tough, especially when you miss class for games during the week, but do your best to stay caught up and get at tutor if necessary. What does you GPA have to do with your performance on the field you ask? Nothing. You can be the best baseball player in the area with a 2.0 GPA and you’ll still be eligible to play. However, if you want any shot at making it to the next level, your grades are almost as important as your talent. A high GPA will open more doors for you when it comes to playing in college. I have witnessed so many talented baseball players that were not taken seriously by college recruiters because of their low GPAs. Don’t be that guy.
· Start working out/take care of your body
Every coach’s favorite response to the question, “What can I do to improve?” is, “Get bigger, faster, and stronger.” There are many conflicting views about lifting weights at a young age, but I believe a freshman in high school is old enough to start learning proper technique and start doing some light lifting. Technique is extremely important, especially in lifts such as squats, and the younger you get the proper technique instilled in your muscles, the safer your body will be. A strength and conditioning coach is ideal for teaching proper lifting technique, and if your high school program doesn’t have one, perhaps search for a baseball-specific weight coach in your area.
Along with working out comes taking care of your body. Invest in a foam roller. Those things are lifesavers. Stretch and warm up properly, especially when it comes to your arm. The increasing number of arm injuries has a lot to do with lack of arm care. Pitchers should always ice after they pitch, whether it be in a game or bullpen. Position players should ice regularly too, not just when their arms are sore. Taking care of your body also means eating right. While an occasional fast-food binge is ok, try not to make it a habit. Drink plenty of water every day and make sure to have well-rounded meals. Avoid excess dairy and grains as they have been proven to promote inflammation.
· Have an overall goal/avoid distractions
While it may sound simple, having an overall goal will help you stay on track to achieve what you want. What do you want out of high school baseball? Ask yourself this regularly. Whether you want to play at the next level or simply just improve your skills, do everything you can to achieve your goal.
As you get older, many other distractions will get in your way of baseball. When faced with these distractions, ask yourself if they identify with your overall goal. If they don’t, ignore them and continue to work towards your goal.
· Stick with it/Don’t forget to have fun
Sticking with baseball won’t be easy at times. Early mornings lifting sessions and late practices will leave you feeling drained. Stick with it. I’ve played with so many guys who regret quitting and wish they could go back and stay. Playing high school baseball will give you friends and memories you will have your entire life. The hard work you put in makes the end result that much more rewarding.
Make sure you remember to have fun. It sounds corny, but baseball gets really serious and hectic. If you let it, it can overcome you. Remember, you’re a kid playing a game in a field with your best friends. It doesn’t get better than that.
RSS Feed