COACHING...CRAZY

As a coach I have seen the good and bad side of parents and other well meaning people.
I do my best to keep the "other stuff" out of my mind and to remind myself that it the girls wanting to learn how to play softball that is the most important thing, then the begins fun again.

About TBR as others have said this is a great place for softball information.
Without TBR I could not keep up with the scores from around the state.
I could not read about how girls that I know or have watched play are doing.

As a frequent reader and seldom poster I want to thank everyone on this site for the information that is posted. Please keep it up.

 

*SIGH*

Are some coaches better than others? Sure. Are there a few coaches that are in it for self-aggrandizement? A very few, maybe. Are the vast majority of high school and junior high coaches quality human beings who give of themselves way above and beyond all reasonable expectations? Without question!

I heard a great story recently. It really happened somewhere in Ohio. High school basketball coach hears the horn to start the game and sends out his entire team for the center jump. Ref yells over to get the extra players off the court. Coach kind of nods and does nothing. Ref comes over and says that if the coach doesn’t remove the extra players he’ll have to assess a technical to each girl. Coach acknowledges this, but refuses to remove the excess players. Ref blows the whistle and assesses the “T”. Coach turns to the parent section behind his bench, shrugs his shoulders and says, “See, I tried.”

Most of you who are making value judgements on coaching ability have no legitimate basis for making those judgements. You are not at practices, scouting trips, video sessions, clinics, coach’s meetings, team meetings, etc. with the coaches you criticize. Spend your time arguing whether some multi-millionaire quarterback should be starting or not and thank your lucky stars that we have so many selfless individuals that love the game and the kids so much that they endure the pettiness of ignorant, so called fans to earn a few bucks an hour. Some of their children, wives, parents and friends may also read what I have been reading. How would you like it if the coaches and players started a message board where they ripped-you-a-good-one without having ever met you and possessing only a passing knowledge of what you are so passionate about? Thought so.

 

Crazy

Good one!

 

WOW

Wow is all I can say, excellent timing and comments! U have hit it the best I have seen. Most of the people who find fault don't coach, don't volunteer, don't learn the game, are focused on their world and not in tune with the over all goals. Lastly, your last sentence is a good life lesson.

 

inexperienced PARENTS but it's always hopeful with time!

you my friend are a goodun.......thanks!!

 

Thank You

Thank You

 

amen

I enjoy this thread very much. It reminds me of the many trials and tribulations I have been through coaching myself over the years. I recall one situation in particular. I wasn't coaching rec league basketball that year and was in the stands watching my son play. The opposing coach was a well know physician in our small town and I sat behind a group of parents who were more interested in commenting on the good doctor's coaching style (which was quite animated) than watching the game. At one point one of the mommies turned back to me and said something along the lines of "you never acted like that did you?". I promptly responded no I never had to: we always won, everyone on the team got to play every minute of every game and they all scored! FYI, I was just if not more animated that the doctor was which was what prompted the question in the first place.

It goes to what I have come to call the Steve Spurrier complex. If you win and are animated everyone you beat hates your guts and those parents of kids on your team who don't play will also. If you loose, every parent of every child will question your coaching style and think they can do a better job than you. I have found though that winning will solve most of the problems and in the end its the best panacia for the myriad of problems which come with the "job".

As the JV girl's FP coach where I live I do want to put my two cents worth on the CC situation. I don't live near Charlotte. I have never met Sherrill. I only have had my daughters play with some kids who are or will be attending Central. Even from a distant vantage point I can ascertain some things concerning the situation and I want to come at it from the perspective of a coach in the public education system. I am not commenting on whether there was any wrongdoing.

It seems to me that Sherrill suffers mightily from the Spurrier complex I mentioned above. I know that its no fun getting your brains beaten out by a guy who not only beats you (as I said I have no personal experience with Sherrill) but comes across as rubbing your nose in it while he does win. The alternative is much worse, ie the coach who doesn't really care or perhaps better stated cannot afford to take the chance on really caring. It comes from a desire to stay under the radar screen with the administration. In our situation, our coaching staff wants to avoid (almost at all costs) any visits from what we affectionately call "the hill". They don't want phone calls from other teams coaches or parents nor do they want phone calls from umpires or your kids parents. In all honesty, we cannot coach they way we really want to because of the culture. This is a culture that is pervasive throughout public education... a culture which seeks the lowest common denominator and the median rather than having excellence as its goal.

Filming aside... don't hate Sherril because he has a passion for excellence. The girls who play for him will be better for it and the girls who play against CC will be as well because they will have to sacrfice and work harder to beat him.

 

Good, no, its a great response. Wish I had written this one....