Attendance

[starsnuffer]

I don't expect great attendance during school holiday periods. I don't know your school schedule, but ours do not go back until the 7th. We've had about a 50% turnout rate for indoor practices over the holiday break, which is about what we expected. Once school is back in session next week our expectations will be higher and we insist that we're notified in advance of absences. Since we run hitting on multiple days during the week and encourage players to make a session with an alternate age division if they must miss their regularly scheduled days, they really don't have an excuse for missing. This time of year, Sunday practices are mandatory to set the tone through the HS season.

-W

 

[InsidePitch]

We are in NJ as well and can attest to the illness that's been going around this year. DD's school is small but has been averaging over 10% absence since Nov. Stomach flu, colds, bronchitis you name it.

As for Nov and Dec practices, DD, 14U makes them if she can. Her team does not make them mandatory but plays the best on Sunday so if you want to play on Sunday it's a good idea. They also carry 13 because while SB is great and important, life happens.

 

[mtnbama]

I agree -- downtime is a good thing -- and not just for the girls. Coaches need some downtime as well -- as hard to sustain the energy without some downtime.

 

[Ken Krause]

One thing you may want to ask yourself if you think players aren't making a real effort to make it to practice is why not? Maybe you have the wrong players, or maybe there is a problem with your practices.

I have found over the years if you structure your practices so players look forward to them -- in other words, they find a lot of value in them and are always learning -- they tend not to want to miss them.

Also, this is particularly bad flu season, so don't underestimate the long-term effects.

 

[Rmc1981]

Some great answers. Let me just say that we went through 3 hurricanes in 4 years in my city. It took a long time for everyone to get back to normal. At some point, you do have to get back to holding your normal standards, its just that from my experience, it takes longer than expected.

For me, it comes down to why you were having the issues in the first place...That's what I would be asking and working on.

Having been where you are, our prayers are with all the families affected by the storm.

 

[02Crush]

We are down for winter. Period. At some point a player and parent have to take ownership of getting better on their own. It is a time for me to work with my DD and I recommend it to others. I also recommend taking a break and not being over the top about it. However I coach 10U so age is a factor in my decision. Ultimately we see slightly rusty physical skills in mid January however the mental aspect of the players game is one that is well rested and ready to learn again. I would not worry to much about it until you are back into the formal start of the year.

 

[PA SB Dad]

I don't take attendance in the winter because I think it sets an unrealistic expectation that "attendance during the winter = playing time in the spring". My point of view has always been that I can only coach the kids that show up, and I can't worry about the kids that don't. Practices are an opportunity to improve and get better, and if a kid on the team is not showing up, they are losing out while the others are moving ahead. At the end of the day, while I try to develop all of the players on the team and use Saturday pool games to play them all, Sundays are for the best 9. It does not matter to me if one of those players never showed up for a winter work out. If the others on the bench did not improve enough to take that player's spot in the lineup, the kid who didn't show up during the winter still earns a spot on the field. The corollary is that if a weaker player skips winter workouts, and is not earning playing time because they are not one of the top 9, that is on them. Don't let parents think that if your weakest player makes every practice, that she will play ahead of your best players that missed practices.

 

[fastpitchthunder]

We use our winter workouts to gage growth in our players during the offseason. We concentrate a lot on hitting, and mechanics. We have girls who cannot make every practice because of winter sports, school functions and illness. We do not hold that against them. We offered to give our girls a month off this winter, and every single one of them had a fit saying they wanted to practice call winter. Guess I was lucky with that.