Silence Not Golden at Antelope Valley

Any psychologist worth his hourly fee will tell you, communication is key to resolving conflicts. Any coach worth his whistle will tell you, conditioning is key for a team to be successful down the stretch of a long season.

Given those axioms, it’s no wonder Sean Douglass’ high school baseball career at Antelope Valley ended sadly and abruptly Thursday, only two weeks before the start of the playoffs. In Douglass’ case, there was plenty of conditioning and not enough communication.

Douglass, a 6-foot-5 right-hander who has signed with Pepperdine and is projected as at least a second-round draft choice next month, and Antelope Valley Coach Ed t’Sas didn’t agree on the benefits and/or detriments of a pitcher doing push-ups. Douglass was concerned that numerous push-ups could hurt his arm and decrease his flexibility, an opinion supported by pitching coaches and scouts.

Does a high school player have the right to tell a coach what isn’t good for him? Absolutely. Then it’s up to the coach--the adult--to measure and investigate the validity of each complaint.

But instead of working out their disagreement, Douglass’ and t’Sas’ day-to-day standoff was played out in The Times last week, with the two barely speaking.

Yet Douglass, who missed practice Tuesday and Wednesday and asked his parents not to become involved in the conflict, said on Tuesday: “It isn’t like I quit the team or was kicked off. I want to try to settle it. We just need to listen to each other.”

On the same day, t’Sas said: “If he has a problem [with the push-ups], let’s talk about it.”

What a great idea, Coach. So why didn’t you seek out the tormented 18-year-old to discuss it? Were you waiting for him to come to you? Did you think there was no problem? Surely you must have realized that the push-ups Douglass did the day before a game against Quartz Hill on May 2 did him more harm than good. He told you that much when you yanked him after five innings.

As an adult supervisor, isn’t it your obligation to look out for the well-being of all your student-athletes, whether you like them or not?

Communication, lest we forget, is a two-way street. It is the exchanging (i.e. giving and receiving) of information between parties.

Obviously, there was never a healthy verbal exchange regarding push-ups between these two. And now the team--stuck in the middle--will suffer because of Douglass’ and t’Sas’ inability to articulate to each other.

Perhaps if the exchange went like this the day Douglass did, by his count, 332 push-ups at practice Monday:

Douglass: “330, 331, 332 . . . Coach, with all due respect, these push-ups are killing me.”

T’Sas: “How do you figure that, Douglass?”

Douglass: “Well, I feel my biceps and shoulders stiffening, and scouts have told me that push-ups are detrimental to my future as a big-league pitcher. They say it restricts my flexibility.”

T’Sas: “Well, I’m your coach today and I don’t agree with them.”

Douglass: “I respect that opinion, Coach. But I am really concerned about my future. And I know you are, too. Can’t we compromise? What if I ran one lap around the field for every 10 push-ups my teammates do?”

T’Sas: “How ‘bout one mile and 20 sit-ups for every 50 push-ups, Mr. Douglass? And for homework, I want you to list 332 other things you can do to help make this team a Southern Section champion.”

Douglass: “Hey, now we’re talking!”

Of course, this conversation never took place. And it’s too bad.

Instead, Douglass left Monday’s practice upset, confused and sore. Douglass said his only contact with t’Sas over the next two days was by telephone. And that conversation, Douglass said, ended with t’Sas hanging up on him.

The two didn’t have a face-to-face meeting until Thursday morning, with assistant principal Michael Vierra playing mediator. By the end of the meeting, Douglass told his coach he no longer wanted to be a part of the team.

In the end, t’Sas agreed to allow Douglass to substitute another form of conditioning for push-ups.

T’Sas also conceded that “we didn’t know push-ups were so detrimental.” Guess you weren’t listening then, Coach.

Although Douglass has left the team, this unfortunate incident should not be forgotten.

Antelope Valley administrators should communicate to t’Sas how unfortunate and embarrassing this incident became and make sure it doesn’t happen again.