Pest Management

You asked for it Braves you got it!

Ok. Im something of an expert in "pest" management if I may so to achieve the respect that this post should deserve. Geese or any other non human pest are easy to some degree to manage. I have nearly 22 years of experience in the area of pest management. So let me if I may use that experience and focus attention on "parents."

So I will exchange the terms "goose" for parent.

Let us begin:

Ive spoken about the use of a chemical retardent approach to pests. They(chemicals) are the least effective means to control pests. They are the easiest to use. Just go out there and spray away. The pests go away. No they don't. They evolve. They get resistant. Easiest method to use but least effective. (However I wouldn't mind using "methyl ethyl death" for some parents. DONT use chems to control parents. They just get more resilient!

Denial of habitat.

If you deny the "parent" of a habitat(the practice field or surrounding areas) they will typically not come back. You have to be aware that they will likely go to areas NEAR the original habitat SO you must cover down on the surrounding areas that are near the choice habitat.

Denial of a food source.

If a "parent" has access to a food source then they will come back. "Hot dogs! get your hot dogs right here!" NEVER try to raise funds for your team during practice!

Bottom line up front:

If you make it comfortable for the "parent=goose" to be at a practice the fault is on you.

 

I finally get it!!!!!

Ok, I'll bite!

Some of those so called Pest could be very beneficial to a coach that wants a real nice looking program. I have heard of pest that will come back when they don’t necessarily need your hotdog anymore and really cause serious damage. You just need to treat the pest with a little respect and teach them to go crap on the soccer field! You would be surprised how a little communication would help the pest become a mascot!

We always felt our son's coach wanted us around. Maybe it was just an act but if he called today needing something I would still try to help.

 

One more thing!

Have you ever had that parent come up to you during a game and complain about how his kid never gets in the game? “He is just as good as that kid” or “If the coach would just give him a chance he would show everyone”….. The first thing I always think is have you ever seen a practice? If so you probably would have seen little Dickey get his chance. You would have seen his work habit. You would have seen him strike out. You would have seen him throw pitch after pitch in the dirt. And you would have seen him get his shoot and would know why he is on the beach! I think Coaches should make practice mandatory for some pest!

 

Chord struck. Excellent.

To Itslife,

My attempt at humor has shown its ugly face. I don't tell jokes in public for this very reason.

But that is all it was. An attempt at humor.

I would rather be at my sons practices than anywhere else. I go as often as I can work allowing. I see what he does. Though I sympathize with him when he sits I don't one bit question the coach. It IMO is linked only to the player. Playing time is on the kid.

Im one of those PESTS!!

Last thing.

Mr Braves,

Could you delete this thread.

 

I love this post.... I have been coaching for 3 years now in Western NC. I am wondering how other coaches handle talking to parents? I have heard several ways...One is don't talk at all, then there is the I will talk to you after a game or the 48 hour rule. Then there is the coach that will talk at anytime other than game. I am just wanting to see what some other coaches say about this.

 

No please!! I knew it was humor and thought it was Braves trying to nudge the over sensitive parent like me. I think there really are coaches out there that believe that parents only bring problems when in truth all they want to do is help but don’t know how!

I am learning that everything I write comes off angry and that simply is not true. I am not as good at writing my feeling and expressing myself as I wish I was. I need to learn to use more of those smileyface things!!

 

Forging ahead

Perhaps then there is balance here with this thread and it won't top over and go astray.

The parent check is always a good topic.

Question then is:

What are some good ways to interact with parents at the HS level?

More interesting to me would be how college coaches have had to interact with parents at that level.

Parents to are also important here. How have they dealt with coaching, coaches, etc. What are their opinions?

For myself, as a parent, it has been difficult, though not impossible, to bite my tongue.

Admittedly there have been times that Id like to have ringed that coaches neck. Ive also been the coach where a parent wanted to ring my neck.

 

For many, many years my approach with my son's HS and college coaches has been one of standoffish during the season. I would always address them as "Coach" during the season, and found myself purposely distant to them. I did this simply because I didn't want unwarranted criticism by other parents thinking I had any influence with the coach. As it turned out, it didn't matter. There was one "dude" that would come on here slinging arrows at me because he thought I had some influence with the coach and it prevented his son from being a "star".

At first it was comical, then it got ugly. After going through that experience I learned that it doesn't matter what approach you take; just try to be helpful. Most coaches are dad's themselves. They understand they are temporary stewards of your kids. They love your kids as you do, but they are going to make decisions that are best for the team--not what's best for you or your son. You may not like their decisions or agree with them, but they don't take a poll of the other 14 parents to see what they think.

My suggestion in dealing with a coach is to let them know you support them by your actions. Let them know if there's something going on with your son that you believe he should know---call him up if you want to congratulate him. Call him up when he's down to encourage him. Call him up to offer help in any capacity. When a coach knows you support him, you would be surprised how the communication improves, too.

Practice should be open to everyone. There are simple rules to follow with the basic one being not to interfere, but most coaches understand that parents enjoy watching baseball in general and their kids specifically.

I would suggest to leave the coach alone after practice, too--unless it's information he needs to know about. They have families that are waiting for him to come home- don't delay him by lining up to ask him his opinion how practice went or how your son did.

Being a high school coach is arguably one of the toughest jobs. I certainly couldn't do it. If it was just managing the game, life would be more simple for them. A college coach has a trump card--they can fire your son and you--but in HS it doesn't work that way.

The bottom line is if the coach believes you support the program, the better the communication lines stay open.

 

That

is the best post on this subject I have ever read. Every coach is different in their approach with parents. Every parent wants their kid to have a great HS baseball experience. Some are more into the experience than others. I have never met a HS coach that did not truly care for his players. They might show it in different ways , be more approachable or less approachable but they all care. The best thing a parent can do is follow Braves example imo.