The Day I Threw My Glove

Last nights practice was probably one of the worst I've been around in 10 years. I could get behind this kind of suckage in school ball, rec and C level TB but not this team. We have a 12U and 14U and they practice together based on distance they live away from the practice facility so that way everyone can make it to practice.

Yesterday my area got enough snow to make a footprint so naturally 5 girls didn't show because of the dangerous road conditions. I don't get too upset at this since all roads are different.

Conditioning was a disaster as a player decided she just didn't want to do what the rest of the team was doing. She felt that her effort was on par with the expectation. You know 15 girls doing burpees and she's the only one going to the pushup position from her knees.

Throwing was worse than conditioning. The same anti burpee player threw the ball sidearm about 20 times in a row (yes after the 2nd one she received more coaching) and managed to almost hit me in the face. I was 5 feet away from her target. It was as bad as .50 cent's opening pitch.

Defensive everyday's was like watching the bad news bears. 3 feet away from each other rolling the ball it goes right between a players legs and she tucks her head under her and looks at the ball rolling away.

After about an hour of just obvious lack of caring on their part I threw my glove. While this may not seem like a big deal to some, I am known as the coach that has patience. The girls quickly realized that I had seen enough but once you're in lazy mode (yes that's what it was because they have the talent) it's near impossible to pick it up.

We are 3 weeks from our first scrimmage and a month away from our first tournament and that tournament has some of the best teams in the area registered. After last night I'm wondering if there is a mercy rule after the top of the first.

Sometimes these players think they are where they need to be and have plenty of time. If that's the case it may do them good to take a couple of butt whoopins' against other teams. That may get their attention. You can teach work ethic, but you can't teach desire!

This is when practice becomes no balls, no gloves, no bats. Line it up for killers.

What level TB team? If it is B-level or above I would have a team meeting with the players and the parents letting everyone know that if the girls are not willing to work hard, you will find some new girls that are. The beauty of TB vs. REC is that playing time is earned, and if players are not working hard outside of practice they will be riding the pine, and there is nothing that prevents the coach from adding players to the roster.

Boys need to play good to feel good, but girls need to feel good to play good. How often do you practice? If it's once a week I bet next week will be better. Just chalk it up to it being a bad day, have a short memory, and get back at it next practice.

JAD said:

What level TB team?

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This is a competitive B team. I would be surprised if we were not above .500 vs B. We have a few A level talent players but not the pitching for A.

Lenski. We practice 3 days per week as a team plus an optional Pitcher/Catcher practice for a total of 4 days. It wasn't a bad day it was possibly the worst day I've seen in years.

We would have just stopped and played Duck, Duck, Goose. I feel your pain.

One player can swing the entire Team’s mood. She will take the Team to great heights or pull them all down with her.

One bad practice is OK, if it becomes a habit you need to identify the leaders and let them take charge.

Jquick823 said:

This is a competitive B team. I would be surprised if we were not above .500 vs B. We have a few A level talent players but not the pitching for A.

Lenski. We practice 3 days per week as a team plus an optional Pitcher/Catcher practice for a total of 4 days. It wasn't a bad day it was possibly the worst day I've seen in years.

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I would still go about it as an anomaly. Forget about it and see how they respond your next practice. If the practice is going horribly again, stop the practice and start asking questions as to why practice is not going well.

Sometimes there are days like that. Just be happy it doesn't happen very often.

As far as throwing the glove, I agree that should be a very rarely used tactic.

That sort of tactic is, IMO, only useful if it is completely unexpected.

I used to be a college professor. I almost never lost my temper. I remember once teaching a lab when things really got out of hand. I decided that would be a good time to lose my temper. (Yes, I planned it.) That was SO out of character, the students were completely shocked, and some of them rushed over to me to calm me down. Which I did, very quickly. I can't remember what led to the outburst, but it stopped, right then, and never happened again.

Now, suppose I had been a hot head, prone to outbursts. The students would've thought, oh, well, the professor is going off the deep end again, who cares?