Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
Originally Posted by Anonymous
This trend has reached a new level in Ward Melville. For years, the youth program has said if you play outside of our 3 village program you can’t play on the town travel team. That was fine and everyone understood their options. Some families stayed with the town program, but some also left for select teams like express, 91 team LI...The families that left generally have either really good players that wanted more competition than town team tournaments, or players that weren’t as strong that weren’t getting playing time on the town team. It was sad that the teams lost players and the boys lost the opportunity to practice and play with their friends, but generally it worked out ok for all.

Now, at the HS travel level they have two teams-Green and Gold (JV and Varsity) being coached by HS coaches. At the recent try-outs, there were approximately 100 boys for roughly 50 spots. There were several boys trying out that had previously played on select teams (all whom are now very strong players). Having talked to some of those families I learned that they were trying out to make sure the HS coaches knew their kid existed…

At the end of the try-out, the coaches thanked all for the boys for trying out and were pretty open about their expectations. They don’t want any Ward Melville boys playing outside of their reams. The threat is clear, play elsewhere and you have no shot at playing on the Varsity team ever. Now, for most of the boys, the threat is really nonsense as the HS varsity team rarely plays more than 12 or 13 boys during any game (except for last Q in a blowout, starters don’t leave the field). So unless you have a real shot to be one of those 12 or 13, you should tell the coach to jump off the local bridge. However, if you have a shot to be one of those, then you are in a ridiculous bind. The coaches want the boys together because they say it makes the HS team stronger and it is a fair point. But all the boys want the chance to play. So if you are one of the 12 or 13 you get looked at by colleges and have a shot to get recruited, but if your are not and only play at junk time, no one ever sees you.

The summer team plays 5 tournaments and so unless you are on of the 12 or 13, you need to get really lucky to get an opportunity for a college coach to see you do anything…It is left to each kid to figure out how to get himself recruited.

The net result in WM is that at any given time there are 10 kids that won’t see the field that would get a starting job at most other HS programs. They are giving up their shot to play and get looked at by colleges (remember D II and D III are really great options for most kids) –all to make the HS program stronger???

In my humble opinion this is a completely inappropriate use of power by a HS coach, by a school district and a complete shame. I have heard a rumor that Smithtown is making a similar threat and as a result I suspect Turtles team will also be impacted as some will choose HS team over Turtle team.


All this dam crying about fair and not fair. We have completely given in to the whining parent. If your kids not good enough he's not good enough that's it. Sorry if I am going to ruffle some feathers but its not PAL its not rec league where everyone get a trophy. A high school coaches career is measured on wins and losses. You win you keep your job as a coach you lose, bye bye. Thats it. Coaches,they coach and live, love the game but in the end its results. Let's put it in everyday terms for people to understand. You are in sales and work on commission you don't produce you don't have money to pay bills, and your out of a job. Do you guys get it or let's put it do you moms get it. It's not all rainbows and lollipops in the real world. Why do we think our kids are entitled it doesn't work that way.


I think your arrogant and are not listening. The point is that if a kid is good enough to go D2 but cant get on the field on his HS team and then has to be play with them in summer or face retribution he will NEVER be looked at. My friends kid played at a powerhouse HS, he refused to play on their summer travel, in the end he actually sent his kid to a different HS where he started and received a big chunk of money from a D2 school. Not to mention, you thinkthe parent who lines the coaches pockets in the summer wont getter preferential treatment ?


Thanks I am arrogant. Damm if your kid is good the coach will play them plain and simple. In real life you will face situations that you dont like like politics, nepotism etc but its how you teach your child to handle these situations. Good for your friend but most people dont have the means to do what he did. So what do you do? Work harder with Johnny and make him a better player so its impossible for the coach not to play him. Thats it. We have created a society of cry baby parents and kids that feel everyone is entitled. I feel bad for this generation of child should mom and dad go on their job interview with them because thats whats happening. If it doesent work mom and dad will fix it. Sad. You ever play D1 or Pro I have and its a dog eat dog world out there. All this A team B team even C teams at school, whats this crap about so we dont hurt anyones feelings. It teaches kids they dont have to work hard to make the varsity or JV because there will be a team for them. Please!!! parents writing town papers to complain about posting Deans list and honor roll listings because those not making it get upset. If my mom or dad ever said anything to my high school or travel coach I would be benched and my parents banned from coming to games. Thats the way it was. I feel bad for high school coaches. They are in a lose, lose situation and its only getting worse.