VARSITY COACH GIVES ADVICE TO PARENTS – PART II
My conversation with Coach Dufek continues.
Getting a Spot on the Team
TheRustyArm: How many players do you normally carry on a team? What percentage of them are pitchers?
Coach Dufek: I will carry any where from 16-18 players on each team. Some years we have a couple more or less. I will carry as many quality pitchers as I can. Ideally I would like to have 6 to 7 pitchers on our team. Some of those players will just pitch and some will play another position.
TheRustyArm: Are there academic requirements for playing high school baseball? If so, what are they?
Coach Dufek: Each player is required to have a 2.0 GPA to participate in any sport.
TheRustyArm: What would parents or players be most surprised to learn about high school baseball?
Coach Dufek: Some parents will be surprised to learn that their opinion on their child’s playing time is not up for discussion. In my case, I am going to chose the most talented players to be on the team. On that team the players that produce the most will play the most. This philosophy does not always work for parents. They players have to learn that they are evaluated on everything. What they do on the field and off the field could affect their future in my program.
TheRustyArm: What would you say the biggest change/most surprising difference is between high school baseball then (back when I was playing) and now?
Coach Dufek: There are a lot of players who are specializing in their one sport. The fear of not making their high school team or not getting a college scholarship or not being drafted has changed the game
Today there are numerous associations who have formed to help provide exposure for players. They are either showcases or teams kids can play on. I believe this has prevented kids from playing other sports as young players.
