Pre-season baseball training starts

Today, I asked the Athletic Director what hurdles I would have to start up a JV team, even if they didn't play any games - just practiced every day, maybe getting in a couple of scrimmages with rich private schools who could come to the school and not have to bill us with the transportation. He told me that he doesn't think liability will cover it. I tell him we've got 60 young men who want to try out for baseball, that there is a JV football team and a JV basketball team, and that it's just not right not to have a JV baseball team. He sort of snorts and blames things on the city and talks about money and says he'll check on it. That's the most positive comment I've heard from him in years, but I'm still not optimistic.

I'm already getting stressed out about how I'm going to make decisions in the next month about tryouts and this team. One friend today was telling me I should cut the crummy seniors, that there are two of them and they should learn now that they're just not good at certain things. But this is their last chance to play baseball in their lives, how can I can these two kids? But it's not just that. It's the slew of kids I'll have in front of me, from the 9th grader in my 5/6 class who calls me "Coach" now in a presumed attempt to suck up so he'll be on the team, to the senior who I've taught twice and has never tried out but wants to play because he's always wanted to play a sport for me and has quit his job to do so. It's ridiculous that I'm putting this much pressure on myself with still five weeks before tryouts begin, but things are going to get tough and I just wish the school had the money for a JV program.

I also think we have a decent shot at the City Championship this year. We were 11-5 last year, and our core is intact - including my 6'4, 240lb shortstop who hit .600 last year and is the most humble kid you'll ever meet even though he's been featured in the Sun and has a full ride to play football for a devilish school in the south. I'm pretty excited about what this means.

Today was our first unofficial baseball workout in the weight room. It was great handing out my baseball conditioning handouts and lifting weights and stretching with the kids in preparation for tryouts. The kids are excited. I am too. I just wish there were less of them.