How would you have handled this situation?

[mike2]

I am a 10U coach in a softball league that has a spring rec program that feeds into summer TB teams.
I am an AC for the 10s TB team for my older daughter. I have a younger daughter playing 8u TB. I am friends with the coaches for the 8u team because they coached my younger daughter during the rec season. As a league, we have a warmup routine for throwing. 1. Thowing with wrist flicks. 2. Torso twist with the arm motion. 3. Figure 8, then throw. 4. Full motion throwing.

We had our second 8u practice of the season. I arrive 15 minutes early to get my daughter warmed up. 3 kids showed up 10 minutes early. I have two of the kids pair up. I have my daughter pair up with the other. I had them do the throwing warmup routine(listed above). The dad of the girl asks me "what are you doing?" I told him this is how we warm up for correct mechanics and warming up. He tells his daughter "just throw regular." Her throwing mechanics are not correct. She is also doing basket catches with balls that are at chest level. My daughter throws hard and flat.

I could have just kept my daddy role and continued with just warming up my daughter ignoring the other kids until practice time when the coaches arrive.
The team needs to improve as a whole because, a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link so, what would you have
done? Has anyone experienced something like this?

 

[sluggers]

what would you have done?

Smile and nod, keep my mouth shut, and then start a thread on this forum talking/complaining/laughing about the silly parent I met today

Oh...you did that already. Carry on.

 

[init4thegirls]

Its always the parents with the least amount of knowledge that are always telling their kids what to do on the field. Then the kid won't listen to you because my daddy/mommy said...

I tried physically showing a dad why what he said wasn't best for his daughter (worst swing on the team, I might add) He replied "all the power hitters do it that way." That told me all I needed to know.

That basket catch deal scares me to death, its just a matter of time till they catch one in the face and its a hard thing to break them from.

 

[starsnuffer]

Not much you can do right now.

Next year, make sure all of your rec COACHES attend a COACHES CLINIC where you have instructors (not TB coaches, pull in someone from the local college or someone unbiased) teach the coaches how to coach, how to throw, how to catch, how to swing, ect. Make them sign off on the training and have your division directors make sure the coaches are teaching the curriculum.

I've a big huge stinking pet peeve for basket catching. I see this taught in t-ball, because "the girls can feel successful this way", when some parent tosses the ball right into their glove. Problem is that this teaches really bad habits and results in a lot of bloody noses later on. I much prefer to teach them to catch properly, even if it means they're just stopping the ball with their glove (because they can't close it or get their free hand on top of the ball in time) and reaching down to pick it up each time.

However, I'm only the certified bucket carrier (AC) for my little ones 7u team this year so I do a lot of tongue biting. I go home every day with a bloody mouth, but that's part of life, the kids are still having fun even if they're not "doing it right".

-W

 

[rdbass]

When a girl catches using the ''basket catch" and the girl throwing with correct mechanics meet,you get the perfect storm (bloody nose).I have learned unless the dad,girl or boy ask me for help in a certain area I keep my mouth shut, unless I'm coaching.Parents will take notice that your DD is getting better and will seek you out for advice.Some people don't like unsolicited advice.

 

[Jesse]

I am a 10U coach in a softball league...

But you're not this girl's coach. In my opinion, even though you meant well, you overstepped your bounds here. Back off, Supercoach.

 

[Kaizen]

I have coached other people's kids for many years and I have also had my own kids coached by others. So I have experienced this issue from both sides.

There will often be differences of opinion on how to teach mechanics. If I am aware that a parent teaches something differently than I do, I will defer to the parent unless it is a safety issue. I will explain to them why I teach the way I do and let them decide for themselves which is best. I would expect the same respect from another coach.

 

[mike2]

Imagine an 8 on it's side or an infinity sign. A player follows that motion with holding the ball and glove hand together. On the pull back motion toward their throwing side, the player separates their throwing hand back to throw.

At the 8u level, some kids are still shot putting the ball so having elbow at shoulder level and flicking the ball is worthwhile for me.
At older ages, I agree with you.