High School Politics

[softballguy]

What is the best way to deal with High School Politics. Example: Coach playing a buddy's daughter ahead of others. Coach bringing in players, he has ties to and committing playing time to them. High School season is very short, but frustrating. Daughter plays on a strong travel team and four colleges have asked for her travel schedule. Daughter has talked to coach, who has been school's coach for years. Know this happens all the time but wondering what forum thinks.

 

[Nimrod]

Not sure if anything can be done unless you want to have a polite conversation with the athletic director or principal and send a letter if they won't talk with you. My daughter plays on JV at a school where the main assistant coach runs a local travel team. About 5 of his players are on varsity and hitting about 180 in over 100 atbats total among these 5. Three start, and a 4th also did until injured. Stats are online so not just guessing on how poorly they are hitting. Plain for all to see and a couple of people are talking about it. JV coach who is in dugout for all varsity games even told my daughter that she and 2 others on JV should be starting on varsity and I agree with her. I actually don't think this varsity-travel coach was intentionally biased toward his players as much as the coaches didn't want to deal with freshman making varsity and having to tell sophomores they were JV again, or telling juniors they were cut. They didn't have outdoor tryouts and didn't realize how good some of the freshmen were. But it is certainly a conflict of interest that a travel coach is the main assistant and has influence over who makes the team or not and has to live with their parents all summer after telling them they're still on JV or out altogether. But what do you do about it? I DK.

 

[RetiredCoach]

I learned over the weekend that the HC for the high school team is trying to recruit a pitcher to move into our district. This is quite upsetting for my DD and the other two JV pitchers who have been busting their butts in order to be able to pitch varsity next year. Not feeling so good about this coach, anymore.

 

[sluggers]

Kids and parents want to focus on the problem rather than on the solution. The problem is the HS coach...so, there will be 20 posts railing about the stupidity of HS coaches. And, some HS coaches are bad. So, your DD can sit around and mope about it or she can double down.

The solution to get PT in HS and college is pretty simple:

1) Be so much better than every other player on the team that the coach has no choice but to play you.
2) Every time you get a chance at practice or in a game, prove you are better than everyone else.
3) Be easy to work with on and off the field (In other words, no drama and don't get into trouble away from softball.)

RetiredCoach: Tell your DD she better get her rear in gear and plan to fight for spot.

Again, and sometimes I feel like I'm beating a dead horse, but this stuff happens all the time in business. The boss/company/customer is always bringing someone in who is supposed to be better than you.

BY THE WAY, parents also don't like it when "the best player plays". They think their DD's past performance should guarantee her a spot.

 

[RetiredCoach]

Kids and parents want to focus on the problem rather than on the solution. The problem is the HS coach...so, there will be 20 posts railing about the stupidity of HS coaches. And, some HS coaches are bad. So, your DD can "take her marbles and go home" or she can double down.

The solution to get PT in HS and college is pretty simple:

1) Be so much better than every other player on the team that the coach has no choice but to play you.
2) Every time you get a chance at practice or in a game, prove you are better than everyone else.
3) Be easy to work with on and off the field (In other words, no drama and don't get into trouble away from softball.)

RetiredCoach: Tell your DD she better get her rear in gear and plan to fight for spot.

Again, and sometimes I feel like I'm beating a dead horse, but this stuff happens all the time in business. The boss/company/customer is always bringing someone in who is supposed to be better than you.

BY THE WAY, parents also don't like it when "the best player plays". They think their DD's past performance should guarantee her a spot.

I think that you hit the nail on the head! I will give my DD that advice.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

BY THE WAY, parents also don't like it when "the best player plays". They think their DD's past performance should guarantee her a spot.

Ahhhh - the joys of our "entitlement" society.

 

[Nimrod]

Kids and parents want to focus on the problem rather than on the solution. The problem is the HS coach...so, there will be 20 posts railing about the stupidity of HS coaches. And, some HS coaches are bad. So, your DD can sit around and mope about it or she can double down.

The solution to get PT in HS and college is pretty simple:

1) Be so much better than every other player on the team that the coach has no choice but to play you.
2) Every time you get a chance at practice or in a game, prove you are better than everyone else.
3) Be easy to work with on and off the field (In other words, no drama and don't get into trouble away from softball.)

RetiredCoach: Tell your DD she better get her rear in gear and plan to fight for spot.

Again, and sometimes I feel like I'm beating a dead horse, but this stuff happens all the time in business. The boss/company/customer is always bringing someone in who is supposed to be better than you.

BY THE WAY, parents also don't like it when "the best player plays". They think their DD's past performance should guarantee her a spot.

I agree. Even though I described a political situation on my daughter's team, her response to it has been positive. As you said, it's just life. Have to deal with it in a positive way. If the coach wants me to be the JV shortstop, that's what I'll do.

 

[CoogansBluff]

I learned over the weekend that the HC for the high school team is trying to recruit a pitcher to move into our district. This is quite upsetting for my DD and the other two JV pitchers who have been busting their butts in order to be able to pitch varsity next year. Not feeling so good about this coach, anymore.

This is an interesting situation. In many states, it is illegal for a coach to attempt to persuade players to transfer like that.

But, let me ask you this - What if this player being recruited was not a pitcher, but a great-hitting shortstop or catcher that could help your daughter's team win more games, maybe win a conference title or make a run at state. Would you still object? Or what if your daughter's friend was looking to move and she was the best hitter in the county. Would it be wrong of your daughter to try to talk her into moving into your district, 'our team is really good, we could win conference, we could be teammates ....''

 

[1696]

Answer to OP: you do nothing but support your DD. Quietly. Repeat after me: "HS ball is spring training. The season starts in 2 weeks."

 

[RetiredCoach]

This is an interesting situation. In many states, it is illegal for a coach to attempt to persuade players to transfer like that.

But, let me ask you this - What if this player being recruited was not a pitcher, but a great-hitting shortstop or catcher that could help your daughter's team win more games, maybe win a conference title or make a run at state. Would you still object? Or what if your daughter's friend was looking to move and she was the best hitter in the county. Would it be wrong of your daughter to try to talk her into moving into your district, 'our team is really good, we could win conference, we could be teammates ....''

Point duly noted.