It is sad that some anonymous parent chose to present such an inaccurate, incomplete & uninformed picture of UD travel baseball. Indeed, it is cowardly to attack anonymously the dedicated individuals who devote countless hours of their "free" time to teaching & working with the youth of our community.

While not mentioning the specific team I follow, I can say that over the years the assistant coaches have changed every year as has the roster of boys who made the team. Indeed the one constant has been "change" itself along with the dedication of the head coach. This particular head coach never selected an assistant coach unless & until it was clear that the assistant coach's son had earned his spot on the team based on his own merit. Moreover, this team has had boys from all faiths--Catholic, Jewish, Protestant & others along with several different minorities over this time period. No one school, no one faith, no one socio-economic, no one neighborhood was favored over any other. Notably, the tryouts for these teams & the selections were conducted by older level travel coaches, former coaches who no longer had kids in the program or other dedicated folks who have given their time & energy to UDJAA.

Coaching in UD is an honor & privilege that is not taken lightly by those who willingly & freely step up and volunteer their time. For once, I would like to thank them for their efforts rather than see their good character besmirched by the disgruntled & uninformed.

I think it would help if they could create more than one team per age group. There are lots of talented kids, and just not enough room for all of them.

My son recently tried out and did not make the team. He was given about 9 pitches total in a batting cage to test his batting skills. He came home upset because the coach had him stand too close to the pitching machine and the balls were coming out so fast he couldn't hit a single one. The next day, the coach explained that in fact this was true. Someone had made a mistake, the base was too close, and "90% of the kids" couldn't hit the ball. When my son did not make the team, he was told that he had great skills in fielding and even pitching, but scored low on batting. The coach handled it with class, told my son himself, and encouraged him to try out next year.

My guy is brokenhearted. He poured everything he had into making this team. He is a kid who intuitively knows what to do when the ball comes to him. He is a quirky kid and things don't come easy to him. He is not good at everything. He is good at baeball. I can't help but feel that the process was unfair, and that he was denied access to the team based on someone else's mistake. If there were two teams, He would have at least made the B team and would have been thrilled. He just wants to play ball.

It is a shame that this disgruntled parent who wrote this piece will not be able to vicariously live out their own unfulfilled athletic dreams through their child. It is also a shame that the Upper Dublin Patch chose to give this person a venue to voice their discontent with the people who actually got off their rear ends and volunteered, and I mean volunteered, to coach these teams for our kids. But perhaps the biggest shame is that the article contains so many grammatical errors amidst the hate-filled rhetoric. I ask you, the reader, "would you like to coach this anonymous coward's son?" For who...for what? By the way, Patch editors, check the facts before publishing another of this anonymous crybaby's diatribes. Several of the travel teams in Upper Dublin won championships this past year, and it is an insult to every child that worked their butts off and sacrificed a great deal of their summer time to win games and become better players.

I would just say that we have had a positive experience with travel baseball in UD. The coaches have taught the boys the game, managed not just to win, but to give the boys a chance to develop as players and I think they've cared about the boys for the longer run.
I guess there will always be unhappy people since only so many boys or girls can make the teams and at some level it is a judgement call as to who the coaches pick for the teams but we've found that the coaches pick a good blend of players given the positions that need to be covered and the longer term goals of the team. At least at the U13 level, there was a large turnover of players in the past few year. Perhaps a sign of 'unhappy parents' perhaps a sign of boys just moving on, maybe just new players stepping up?
I don't think it's accurate to say that the quality of play has suffered entirely...at least as the UD U14 team won it's league title this past spring, in fact, running the table and going undefeated in the playoffs.
Lastly, if you've ever coached you know it's a huge time and energy commitment both at the games and practices, but also behind the scenes. I don't think 'perk' is the right word, but I think it's fair to say that one of the possible benefits of volunteering your time to coach is that it assures your son / daughter a place on the team. This happens all the time in intramural sports as parents join together to coach so that their children will be on the same team.

Thank you "JLo," for proving some of the points I was trying to make in my blog. First, it's clear that when you have something to say that the baseball bullies don't like they immediately want to stifle those opinions, even criticizing the Patch for posting my blog. Next, when a parent does voice their opinion, you go right for their kid. What do my opinions have to do with how my child would be coached? That, Mr. Dianno, is why I am not interested in broadcasting my name, because these guys would make my child suffer. And, for the record, my son has been on the travel team for the last two years (not going to say which one) and I've never heard any complaints. So, I am not an outsider looking in, rather an insider who has been privy to much of the process and I say again its time for a change. I've been to the tryouts where the impartial evaluators pick a kid for the team just to be overruled by the coach or commissioner. So, "Anonymous", it's no wonder your child is heartbroken, because the chance of him getting a fair shake was already against him before the batting cage evaluation took place. I am sorry for that. I want that to change. I would also say that I am sure there are some parents who have had positive experiences. I am happy to hear that, but that does not discount the other kids and families who have not, and there are many. These guys don't like it when you call them out, but it's about the kids gentlemen, let's get our priorities straight.

Having had a similar experience with the Upper Dublin league, I am glad to see this issue brought to light. My son, (who had previously made the team), was told he had an exceptional tryout yet did not make the roster. When he asked what he could have done differently, he was told that his play in the fall season needed improvement.

At this point, I inquired as to why the tryouts were even being conducted considering that they were apparently not the deciding factor. In response, I was told by a coach that the evaluators wanted to place my son on the roster but that he overuled the descision due to the fact that he had seen him play before in the fall league. When I questioned the fairness of this judgement, I was told that "a kid with difficult parents will never make the team regardless of how good a player he is". The message was clear. I had been warned not to question things.

While the volunteerism of coaches and assistants is admirable, we should remember that this is not a license to be unfair or slanted in judgement. After all, what values are we trying to instill in our children about work ethic and fair play?

Thank you CSmith, for bringing this issue to the forefront.

Right on CSmith. I have been in contact with the new commissioner recently about another legitimate concern and he totally skirted around it. I found out recently that one of the coaches has moved out of the area but has decided to continue to coach. That is admirable, for sure. However, my question was regarding his son and he refused to answer it. I wanted to make the point that since there are only 12 coveted spots on the team I didn't think it was right for his son to take one from a local kid. I have nothing against either the coach or his son but I thought the point was valid given the boundary restrictions we all live by. If there were more opportunities for kids to play competitive ball in the area then maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal but there are not at the elementary level. I like the idea of a B team or even a second A team but for now we don't have it and the kids in UD should get priority. For this year anyway, my kid skipped the tryouts...with all this drama, lacrosse is looking mighty good.

I am so glad that someone is finally dealing with this organization in a truthful way. Our family has experienced so much of what CSmith said first hand. The contract, the warnings, the favoritism and ultimately the disappointment. I looked into having my step son play elsewhere but we are restricted from playng on every surrounding team because we don't live in the town. I also agree that often the best kids are not chosen for these teams. I had first hand experience when my step son was asked to play on a tournament team in Roslyn this summer. The team was made up of a bunch of 11-12 year olds, many who hadn't been "good enough" for the real 11U travel team. Wouldn't you know, in the first game of the tournament they had to play that same 11U travel team from Upper Dublin. Our team was thrown together at the last minute with only a couple of weeks to practice. The other team had been playing together, many kids for two years and practices for them had started in January. Guess what, our team beat the UD travel kids, hands down. So, yes, I question the selection process and many of the decisions being made in that organization. I hope CSmith bringing this to light will help make things better.

I have been chomping at the bit to get in on this conversation. CSmith, you are right on! It's the classic case of giving people a little power and watching it go right to their heads. I definitely don't think that all of the coaches are bad guys but some of them at the top definitely use the organization as a launching pad for their friends and family to get ahead in local sports. I saw it with my own eyes. My son was part of it all (and so was I) until I got him involved in AAU. Mr. Dianno, I don't know how you can say that everything changes each year. I remember it being the same core group of kids on the roster with maybe one or two exceptions and the assistant coaches were definitely on board before the tryouts were complete. Maybe each team is run a bit differently but that is what I saw. MGraham, I'm not sure how I feel about your concern. I think it has merit because there is a boundary rule for a reason. That is what limits our kids from playing on other teams. Maybe that should change. But I also appreciate the coach that wants to stay on with UD. Maybe he is concerned his son won't make the team in his area, who knows. I definitely think the commissioner should have addressed your question honestly. My son is past the age of participation in this league but I hope things get better for the young guys who just want to play ball.

"Chad," that should have never happened to your kid. If they had no intention of putting him on the team, why make him try out? And, fall ball should have nothing to do with his evaluation. That is suppossed to be purely for fun for kids who can't get enough baseball. Plus many kids play other sports at the same time in the fall, baseball being the second sport. Maybe this applied to your son or others who were not at full strength and thought they were just playing for fun, not being judged. Totally unfair. Why have these evaluators at all if they are just going to be overruled anyway? "Karen," I heard about that upset. Good for those kids. It just goes to show that there are not enough outlets in UD for talented baseball players. I hope it was a major confidence boost for them so they know not to give up their love of baseball just because their talent hasn't been recognized by a small group of individuals. "MGraham," I think you have a point but I hate to single out a kid. The boundary rules are there for a reason though. "Joe," Thanks for your support, glad to hear your kid was able to continue with baseball and be successful in the sport he obviously loves.

Thank you CSmith for proving some of my points, as well. First of all, let me just say that your assertion that because I take offense to your article I must be a coach in the Upper Dublin travel baseball program is completely false. This proves that the "woe is me attitude" with which you wrote this blog is the driving force behind it. I have, however, played and coached baseball at every level, from T-Ball to Professional baseball, and I take offense whenever anyone implies that coaching young people is an easy undertaking. When I inferred that I would never want to coach your child, it had nothing to do with him, and everything to do with you. As a matter of fact, it is about the kids, and for you to imply that the kids on these travel teams do not deserve to be playing, is a slap in the face to each one of those kids...and their parents. It is always easy for parents to sit back, evaluate their own child's performance, and decide that, because of the rose-colored glasses through which they watch, their child is so much better than those that make a team. As someone who has had to make those difficult decisions, cutting young athletes, it is the most painful part of coaching at any level. It cannot be taken lightly, and from what I've observed of the coaches in Upper Dublin, it is not taken lightly.

Baseball is the greatest game in the world, and one I have dedicated the majority of my life to playing and teaching. The most difficult thing about it is the fact that everyone, because they watch baseball on t.v. and can quote meaningless statistics from decades past, is an expert on coaching baseball. I am writing to defend my sport and those who willingly give up their time in leagues such as this, to prepare kids to move on to the next level where I may coach them. It is never a perfect system when so many kids wish to try out for a town sponsored team, simply because there are so many kids.

If anyone has a concern they would like addressed you can contact me at baseball@udjaa.com and I’ll be happy to discuss it with you. I have been running this organization (intramural and travel) with the help of many for 10 years and can talk to any aspect of it.
John Tralie
UDJAA Baseball Commissioner

Upper Dublin has long been a cliquish community and always will be so. I'm not the least bit surprised by anything the parent (CSmith) in editorial says.

The issue is the leadership of the UDJAA. You got to wonder why those grandfathers are still hanging around running things. As a baseball parent you should also be concerned about why the UDJAA is taking your money to pay for another turf field you guys will never use. The basketball parents should ask the same thing. UDJAA makes a profit of about 120,000 a year or about $60 a player. That is half of the fee? Why do they charge so much. Power for one, Danher loves to be able to be the big man who throws other people's money at the township and school district.

Coahing your kid to make sure they play the sport you want them to has been going on in UD for years. Team sport results at the HS level show where this had got us, not very far. If you look, our best HS players usually got their start playing for teams outside UD.

how does the Patch post an actual piece without an author??

@Stop with the Taxes: AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it's time for term limits. It is obvious that UD continues to run the leagues as they have always been run. Perhaps a change in leadership is needed at the top as there appears to be abuse of power. As for our experiece, the old adage of, "You live and learn." is appropriate. We have lived through the tryout process, spring season and tryout process again. We have learned that our son will NOT be undergoing a process in which backroom politics and deals are negotiated before he even stepped foot at the first tryout. Thanks for a great learning experience: life is not fair.

Wow Steve Melick. If you read my post carefully I did not say that we won the tournament, just a game. Congratulations on finally winning something. I know getting beat by kids that you thought weren't good enough for your team was embarrassing for you but hey, that's how things go. Let the kids feel good about it, ok? Also I happen to know you were the one who forced that ridiculous contract CSmith mentioned on the kids while you were in charge. Maybe that's why a new guy has taken over. Finally, maybe things will get better for the kids.

KRichman-I can tell you that a current coaches younger sons (his older son is on the team he coaches) made one of the travel teams and then was cut the following year. He has tried out since then but he has not made the team. Another father was an asst coach and the following year his son was cut. Both were tough decisions for the coach involved because the two father's had become his friends. Nonetheless, the boys were cut because other boys simply had better tryouts.

None of the coaches enjoys cutting kids. It is the worst part of what they do. The have cut kids whose families they know very well. The idea that kids are "on the team" before tryouts is simply untrue. There is a reason that some of the kids make the team year after year. It is because they are talented ballplayers. That is not to say that some kids are talented at 9U and then by the time they are 11 or 12 other kids have caught up in talent and/or size. That happens. But some of the kids continue to excel and continue to make the team. Some do not and they are replaced by kids who have grown bigger and/or have become more talented ball players. There are several new kids on each team every year. Those are the facts.

CSmith, I did not mean to get in to a back and forth about any of this. I am very happy for your son, and I hope his experience is better than yours has been. However, it just seems a little strange that the entire article is about how unfair these tryouts and the selection process is, yet your son has made the team 3 years in a row. Unless you too made a "back-room" deal, that means he was selected on his athletic ability. It seems to contradict the points you are trying to make. As far as the "baseball bullies stick together" comment I'll take the high road, and let you play the victim. I just wanted to make the point that coaching is not easy, and those who think differently should "step up to the plate" and give it a try. You will soon find out that is a thankless undertaking...at least in terms of the abuse received at the hands of parents who always know how to do it better.

Perception is reality.

i know at the U11 try outs this year, kids were cut without ever holding a bat after the 2nd night b/c the 3rd night of try outs is by invitation only. tell me, isn't batting a pretty important part of baseball? how do you narrow down to 14 kids from 30 without ever seeing any of them bat?