Things Are Changing with Alabama High School Baseball

High school baseball in Alabama has changed and for the better. We are finally seeing a level of baseball at the high school level that is where it should be in a football crazed state. And its about time in my opinion. In the last five years things are looking better and high school baseball is improving. There are some definite reasons for this improvement.

Its starts at the bottom - youth baseball is better.

When I returned to Alabama in 1995 after stints in North Carolina and Oklahoma I was awakened to the fact that my home state was behind in developing young baseball players. The competitive comparisons in some cases were alarming. To watch the advanced skills of young players in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and California against our state was sometime embarrassing. It wasn't the kid's fault or a lack of raw skill in them, but the lack of development that was so alarming. Watching nine and ten year old players from other places turn double plays, take proper leads off bases, make reads on balls hit to the outfield, select good pitches to hit at the plate and pitch to locations wasn't uncommon. Well, at least it wasn't to them. Such wasn't the case here at home. Many of these things couldn't been seen here watching a high school game, much less a nine or ten year old game.

Yes, you could find recreation "all star" baseball teams making their runs against other states and competing within recreational organizations, but if you were to compare their "skills" on a national level they were lacking. While I lived in Oklahoma I found that there was a level of baseball at the youth level far above what many see who don't venture far from their local parks. It wasn't what is commonly referred to today as "rec ball". It is what has grown into a huge venue today and commonly referred to as "travel ball". Like it or hate it, it has helped baseball. It is not for everyone and as with any youth sport it has been abused by some. But it has been no more abusive than "rec ball" or recreational leagues. "Daddy ball", politics and player abuses can be found at all levels. It's not just found in "travel ball". While some complaints against travel ball are justifiable, others are just grievances largely associated with the effects felt by local leagues and boards. Most are just mad because their all star teams are just not as good as they used to be and admittedly they are not. The sad fact is that travel ball started because of their failures. The three most prominent are: (1) the politics behind local board's all star selection, (2) most talented players want to play with those playing at their own level and (3) most kids want to play more than ten to fourteen games a summer. All three were and are major problems in recreational sports. Let's look at all three briefly:

1. Local recreational board politics. Unfortunately politics can be found at all levels and most facets of life. There are few circumstances more abusive than when grown ups get involved in children's activities. It can bee seen each year when the selection committee meets to choose the all star team. What normally follows is what I refer to as the "my boy and the best other eight" syndrome. After "my boy" is selected I want to surround him with the best other players I can find, but so does each other board member. What normally occurs afterwards is a political compromise that often leaves out the unrepresented players. I served on a National Little League board several years ago and after several confrontational board meetings convinced them to allow the players to vote on the all star team. Each player's vote counted 50% and the coaches vote counted at 50%. The board then had the discretion to appoint two players at large to fill the team. It was the best team they ever had and they NEVER used the system again. You can judge for yourselves as to why!



2. Spreading the talent pool. There is nothing more disheartening to a talented player than to surround him with teammates who cannot play at his level. For example a shortstop who cannot make his normal hard throw to first base because the first basemen would likely eat the ball to his face instead of catching it. For this reason his talents are throttled back and his development hindered because he is not able to play to his level or be pushed to get better. When leagues draft teams they try to equalize talent so no one team dominates the league. Often teams are given two above average players and then surrounded them with players with lesser talent. While this system provides equality in league play, it does little to develop the more advanced players. There is a better way - take the advanced players out of the recreational pool into travel ball and fill the recreational teams with the players needing further help. Both will then become better players and make the game better. There is a place for all to play the game and enjoy it.



3. Fourteen games and you're done. Unfortunately, most parents become tired before the kids. I saw an eleven year old team play over 100 games one summer from May through October and then cried because the coaches would not schedule more games. No, kids don't burn out from playing baseball, but more often than not because the love of the game is taken from them. When the game is made to be fun, competitive and rewarding they will play it as long as you let them. It is when grown ups take the joy from it that they "burn out". I've heard people make the comment, "Well, his dad just burned him out on baseball by playing too many games and not letting him do other stuff!" The reality of the matter is that most often it is because someone started making the game no fun to him and burned him out, not the game of baseball or the amount of games he played. Fourteen games and you're done is generally for the convenience of the rec department and parents, not for the kids. Most want more. Where the rec departments failed the travel teams venue supplied.

Player enhancement and instruction are better.

Young players today have the advantages of development techniques that generation prior did not. Don't let any old fogey like myself tell you that the players "in my day" were better than the players today, because they were not! Players today are bigger, stronger, faster and more skilled than ages gone by. Training techniques have become advanced and sport specific, which allows today's player to reach height we never could in our generation. For example: In my era it was a huge "No, No!" for a baseball player to lift weights, because "it would tighten you up and not allow you to be flexible." In today's generation we understand that weight lifting is a huge development tool and used by high schools, colleges and the pros because they now know better. Not only has weight lifting become a necessity it has become an art that is not only sports specific, but position specific.

Today's young players also have the advantage of hitting and pitching facilities that allow them to gain better instruction of the mechanics of the game. And a tremendous advantage is that it can be done year round now and is not seasonal. With indoor facilities players can hit and throw indoors, while working on bettering themselves. They also have the advantage of good instruction from some who have mastered the art. (Disclaimer: not all facilities and instructors are created equal. And just because a person played as a professional does not mean he has the ability to teach you anything about the game. There are some excellent instructors available within our state, but likewise there are some who are more destructive than helpful. Let the buyer beware!).

Nutrition is better today than in times past and coaches are learning from it. I remember in ages gone by where all we got was a hand full of dirty ice in two-a-days and that was only when the temperature got over 90 degrees. Today's coaches have learned better and not only provide enough water to prevent dehydration, but sports drinks that get into your system quicker. Nutritionist have learned the foods that facilitate muscle growth and recovery, as well as the foods needed for energy. All of this has helped make today's athlete better and less injury prone.

Better medicine and sports saving medical procedures.

I can remember well career ending shoulder, elbow and knee injuries to friends of mine. Today's medicine not only allows for the reconstruction of joints after injury, it allows procedures to help alleviate them in the first place. One positive improvement in helping alleviating injuries was mentioned earlier - proper instruction in mechanics. It cannot be stressed enough the need to find someone knowledgeable about throwing, fielding and hitting mechanics not just to better your game, but to help avoid injury. Today's youth has many advantages in this regard. We are fortunate to have one of the nation's top sports physiologist in Huntsville, Alabama - Mark Noble. Mark has been a leader and pioneer in the sport's injury prevention field. Through his flexibility and strength testing procedures he has helped numerous athletes avoid injuries that could have hampered or ended their careers. We also have some of the nation's best orthopedic surgeons in our state including the renown William Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama. Doctor Andrews has likely saved more sports careers than any person alive today and sees not only the professional athlete, but also the youth athlete alike. Both of these men are invaluable to our area and youth.

Last but not least - better high school coaches.

Today's youth are blessed with some good, knowledgeable high school baseball coaches. There was a day that Alabama high school baseball was just another stipend opportunity for the junior high school football coach. Schools were filled with men that may have known the game of football, but not much about baseball. It was a time that real baseball coaches could dominate the pack and build impressive career stats. It is not a bad reflection upon these men, because they did much to get us where we are today. The state owes a dept of gratitude to men such as Sammy Dunn and William Booth who are legends in Alabama high school baseball. They made it possible for the generation of good young baseball coaches we see in the state today. These two men's records will not soon be matched due to today's parity among schools. It will be hard to find a string of state championships to match theirs.

From north Alabama to the gulf coast high schools have hired "baseball" coaches and it shows. The game not only has gotten more competitive, it has gotten much better. I watched a high school playoff game this past week that any professional scout would have enjoyed watching, not necessarily for the individual talent level, but for the "skill" present among both team's players. They positioned themselves well, their mechanics were solid, pitchers pitched to spots, double plays were turned - they knew how to and played the game well! I came away impressed, because baseball coaches had taught the game to baseball players. Baseball has arrived in Alabama!