Youth team for 9-year-olds advertises for catcher on Craigslist
Jan 12, 2012, 6:57 PM EDT
If only the Internet had been invented 15 years sooner, Bad News Bears would have been a very different movie. Noticing that they had a hole to fill in the catching department, an enterprising coaching staff for a 9U traveling youth baseball team advertised for one on Craigslist. Seeking a “power hitting catcher” whom they said must be a “very skilled, all-star type player,” the people behind the ad provided an email address and crossed their fingers. The ad has now been taken down.
It’s been my experience as a former youth coach that catchers are made, not found on the Internet. But what do I know? I’ve been out of coaching for a while. Besides, at that age level — even among the elite players — a kid getting to first base is going to wind up at third no matter what. There are a minimum of 30 wild pitches and passed balls during any one inning.
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Youth travel team looks for catcher on Craigslist [Prep Rally]
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- trbowman - Jan 13, 2012 at 12:10 AM
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“Hi, my name is Jerry Sandusky and I’d be interested in playing catcher for your team.”
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- canucklehead21 - Jan 13, 2012 at 10:58 AM
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I believe Jerry was a pitcher
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- juicejuicer - Jan 13, 2012 at 3:35 PM
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Craigslist is a common place for youth teams looking for players. I’ve never seen anything as specific as this one, but, teams are constatnly in search of good talent at all ages of competivie baseball.
I must add, however, that you indeed must have been “out of coaching for a while”. A good 9U travel baseball team has pitchers throwing fastballs from the mid 40s to mid 50s (MPH) from a distance of about 46feet. Not just any kid is going to get in behind the plate and catch that. As silly as it sounds, experience is a must!
