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Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
In HS we enforce a rule that behind the backstop is only for scorekeepers and other officials.

I like sitting behind the plate!!!!!!!
Well actually just to the left batter's box side. I like to see the pitches and movement.
Yes, I can sit there and be quiet - even when DD is pitching.

Understand that this is how public sector schools and to a lesser degree private schools handle any issue. If 100 hundred people are watching a game and 1 person causes an issue, instead of dealing with the issue head on you ban, restrict, prohibit the actions of the other 99 people.
 
May 4, 2014
200
28
So Cal
So a bit of background before my question: my fall ball team asst coaches are still learning to not coach too much, and to coach not at all during games, but to instead manage the game and the players. We had a come-to-Jesus 2 weeks ago and they've been great. This has gotten me several encouraging emails from parents.

.........

Thoughts?

Is your fall ball competitive? Ours is intended to prep girls moving up divisions and for girls to try positions outside of their comfort so there is no win loss record kept, no trophies, and the skill level from team to team will vary greatly... as such there is a lot of "scrimmage" mentality - if yours is that way then Im surprised with the "dont coach too much and not coach at all during games" comment

As far as parents coaching - on that front I agree - no coaching from bleachers... I had to explain to an upset parent why our catcher was "eating" the throws to second with a runner on 3rd and no outs and a 0-0 score not to mention short/second basemen who normally played 1st and 3rd
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
I guess I am not sure what is coaching and what is cheering. I know I have sent runners home from 3rd base accidently by yelling “Go home!” or something like that from the stands. It just comes out sometimes.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
I guess I am not sure what is coaching and what is cheering. I know I have sent runners home from 3rd base accidently by yelling “Go home!” or something like that from the stands. It just comes out sometimes.

IMO If a parent yelling "go home" or anything else from the stands some how impacts a players performance either negatively or positively there has been an epic fail with respect to coaching.
 
Jul 10, 2014
1,283
0
C-bus Ohio
Is your fall ball competitive? Ours is intended to prep girls moving up divisions and for girls to try positions outside of their comfort so there is no win loss record kept, no trophies, and the skill level from team to team will vary greatly... as such there is a lot of "scrimmage" mentality - if yours is that way then Im surprised with the "dont coach too much and not coach at all during games" comment

It is all too easy to over coach, even during practices. What was happening was they were trying to correct 4 or 5 things on every repetition at practice and coach something on every swing or pitch. Too much info being thrown at the girls. We changed it up to try and correct 1 thing per rep in practice, and to work on softball "smarts" during games.
 
Jul 10, 2014
1,283
0
C-bus Ohio
IMO If a parent yelling "go home" or anything else from the stands some how impacts a players performance either negatively or positively there has been an epic fail with respect to coaching.

I will respectfully disagree. Some kids listen to their parents almost exclusively, and have been doing so for years. To break them of the habit is not an overnight endeavor. If there is a failure somewhere, I submit that it is occurring in the bleachers, not the dugout.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
...In HS we enforce a rule that behind the backstop is only for scorekeepers and other officials. This has helped us a lot because parents want to call pitches on defense, coach the batters on offense, and yell at the ump. Some schools and even regional park fields have placed green tarps there so fans can't see. By moving the folks down to the third and first stands (and further down if they have chairs), it is amazing how the bigger and more compressed the group is, the less they coach...

FYI: They need room for the tables for the scorekeepers back there behind the back stop, the controls for the scoreboard, and some have announcers, lockers that house equipment, photographers, videographers, etc. I am not sure why this rule is any different than saying 'you can't stand on the foul line' or 'block the concession stand."

The rules for where fans sit are in all sports (you can't just stand where you want at the football game, either.)

Seemed pretty clear from your first post above that the intention of the rule was to regulate the behavior of parents and fans. Now in the second post it is all about game logistics?
 
May 4, 2014
200
28
So Cal
It is all too easy to over coach, even during practices. What was happening was they were trying to correct 4 or 5 things on every repetition at practice and coach something on every swing or pitch. Too much info being thrown at the girls. We changed it up to try and correct 1 thing per rep in practice, and to work on softball "smarts" during games.

AH! Ok thanks for clarifying what you meant - I see your point now... I agree with you that its easy to overcoach.. one way our team is trying to solve this is each coach is responsible for different things in a game... 1 deals with outfield and placement (and any correction/coaching comes from him/her only), one with infield, one with pitcher/catcher, on offense its the same: 3rd/1st base coaches focus on base runners and signals - dugout coach works with batter (not something we would normally do in competitive season) - other coaches can point out things but they cant holler or correct girls on it - manager is only one allowed to give instruction to all girls directly and usually ends up not giving them to any of them and instead relaying through positional coaches.. he/she is managing the game through the coaches
 
Aug 12, 2014
644
43
I guess I am not sure what is coaching and what is cheering. I know I have sent runners home from 3rd base accidently by yelling “Go home!” or something like that from the stands. It just comes out sometimes.

Coaching is telling the players what to do: "Move up in the box." "Play deeper." "Throw to third!" "Run!" Etc. Cheering is supporting the players; "Nice play!" "Good hit!" "You'll get it next time!"

I agree that sometimes it can be tough not to do it.
 
Aug 12, 2014
644
43
Understand that this is how public sector schools and to a lesser degree private schools handle any issue. If 100 hundred people are watching a game and 1 person causes an issue, instead of dealing with the issue head on you ban, restrict, prohibit the actions of the other 99 people.

Because, for better or worse, it is often easier to make a blanket rule than to deal with someone who is being completely unreasonable.
 

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