A Coach?????

And you call yourself a coach?
The definition of a coach: Someone who gives instruction and advise.
At a high school game last week our team played against a girl that we have played with and against for years. Since she is a senior and will be playing ball at college for four years she has decided to take off this summer. When her mother told us we said that's great! She needs a break! Alas, we were told "I wish her summer ball coach felt that way!" I know the coach and was quite surprised at how he handled the situation. I understand how a player can be missed but a player has to decide for herself what she can do without repercussions from a coach! Shouldn't coaches listen, perhaps disagree with but then embrace a player that has been an asset to the team? As a coach myself, I was very disappointed in how this coach has reacted and just wanted to see what others thought.

 

what is in the heart will always rise to the surface. sounds like this coach looking out for best interest of himself not what this young lady needs. I'm glad that she can see that she needs that time to prepare for college and get her ducks in a row and also having supportive parents and friends is great. Good Luck to her and her friends this summer. COACH GET A GRIP!!

 

Take the summer off and others will be sucessful while you relax! Think coach has the best interest in her developing player to encourage her to contiune to play and not just vacation, not play or whatever she decides this summer...............she will be Working for her college team ....not at Her leisure....if she receives the funds and must compete to PLAY! GoodLUCK though, hope you understand its just my opinion! As in any sport, their is no Time Off, if you want to be competitive and win or just play in some cases!!!

 

I have to agree with the girl's coach and CFBall .... Even if you are on a scholarship, if you take the summer off between HS and college, you may be cut and not make the squad. If you can't make the squad, say goodbye to that scholarship. It's renewable at the coaches option and he isn't going to waste a scholarship on someone who arrives at college out of playing shape.

For every spot on every roster, there is 100 people standing behind you ready to take if from you if you get lazy. They are spending the summer working on their game.

You hate to see someone fail because they thought that they "had it made".

The coach HAS A GRIP....it's the girl that doesn't. The coach knows the real world and DOES have her best interests at heart. Time to start smelling the roses - to look pretty, you got to spread the fertilizer. To play well, you have to do the work.

 

Interesting thoughts~
Perhaps I didn't include enough info
The girl's college coach recommended her and her other recruits to take the summer off. Since last week I have talked to two other girls headed for college ball and they too are taking the summer off. When my daughter thought about playing college ball but decided against, the coach at her college also agreed that playing softball non-stop is not a good thing. That coach said that professional athletes don't participate in their intended sport year round, they just stay in shape! Wise man! I think most girls who get an athletic scholarship try to stay in shape year round. And what about the college girls that are older? They don't play in the summer and are still top athletes!
Anyway, the actual root of my post was not to question the girls action, it was to question the response by the coach. He didn't let her offer to play in a couple of tournaments because he was too busy being angry. He never listened to her side of why she didn't want to play and that she had her college coaches permission. That is what I was talking about as far as being a coach. I have had girls leave my teams for various reasons, and have not been happy but NEVER have I shut a door and I don't know any other coaches that have either. That is extremely immature and is not in the true essence of being a coach!!
NCBallfan, you say this coach has a grip and has the girls best interest at heart? Then perhaps he should talk to her and find out the whole story? Wouldn't you as a coach do this and not shut the girl out?
You know, it isn't even my daughter or her coach but I am much more upset about his reactions than this family is!! Guess it is because I know how a coach can shape the rest of an athletes life and I want to do my very best for each one of my players.

 

Extracted from your message:
"NCBallfan, you say this coach has a grip and has the girls best interest at heart? Then perhaps he should talk to her and find out the whole story? Wouldn't you as a coach do this and not shut the girl out?"
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I will openly and freely admit that I made the assumption that the coach would have an open, complete conversation with the player. Softball is different from baseball. There are so many walk-ons in baseball that taking the summer of is not an option for anyone.

If the college coach said "chill", that's good enough for me. He/She will have to live with the consequences then, not the players.

 

I am not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to the transition to college ball but from what I have witnessed the girls going to college to play ball do not play summer ball but begin the rigorous workout schedule that has been given to them. which is a much harder workout than they are use to. then they report to college and play a couple of fall college tournaments to get a feel of what is to come. If I am not mistaken any person that plays summer ball then don't get to play again until the following spring is not going to have the edge they had during the summer. They are all going to be a little rusty, just in good shape from all of their workouts. I believe that spending the off season working on fundamentals and improving weaknesses pays off just as much as playing all the games. Don't get me wrong, games are essential to putting practice into action but games don't provide the focus on the individual aspects of THEIR game, the same game that the college coach recruited them to do, just do it better. I guess it all boils down to what the girl wants to do and sometimes it hard to accept they have a mind of their own.

 

I guess the one thing that runs through my head at this time is injury. I firmly believe that the ladies should play as near to year-round as possible. That is the only way that they can stay in optimum shape. While there is always the chance of injury, it really plagues the mind that you might lose it all in the summer before your college year and never get to play in college at all.

 

Hey NCBallfan!! Thought the extra info would make you understand the situation better and realize why I was so concerned! Thanks for responding.
And Stealin 2, I never thought about the possibilty of injuries, you are very right. If a girl gets injured prior to reporting to college the scholarship could be out the door but if an injury occurs at school that is different!
Something for all seniors with softball scholarships pending to think about!
Hope this turns out to be a surprise season. We won't be contenders, too many freshman, but went to the Independence-Butler game the other day and looked like some awfully surprised Butler fans. Indy pitcher and catcher were really strong, struck out first three batters. Don't know that Indy is strong enough to be a contender but was nice to see them and Butler play a great game. Butler won in 8th inning.

 

I WOULD AGREE THAT YOU NEED SOME TIME OFF.I COACHED STARTING IN JAN. AND DIDN'T GET THRU UNTIL NOV. SEVERAL YOUNG LADIES PLAYED OVER 30 GAMES IN SCHOOL,AND WE PLAYED 78 GAMES THRU SUMMER/FALL.BY THE END OF THE SEASON MOST WERE 'BURNED' OUT.[ INCLUDING ME] I LOVE THE GAME AND ENJOY COACHING,BUT SOMETIME'S YOU NEED A BREAK. WE HAVE A PITCHER THAT'S PROBLEY ONE OF THE BEST IN SOUTH CAROLINA.SHE COULD GET ANY SCHOLARSHIP TO PLAY.BUT SHE'S NOT.SHE PERSONALLY TOLD ME THAT SOFTBALL ISN'T 'FUN' NO MORE.WAS IT DUE TO PLAYING SO MUCH?OR DID HER PARENT'S PUT SO MUCH PRESSURE ON HER TO PREFORM AND TOOK THE FUN OUT OF IT?AS A COACH I HATE TO SEE HER TALANT GO TO WASTE,BUT I DO UNDERSTAND.MAYBE AFTER SPENDING A YEAR IN COLLEGE SHE WILL MISS IT AND TRY AND WALK ON. AFTER ALL IT IS A GAME