HS coach In need of Advice

[JJsqueeze]

If a kid misses a practice, then they sit out the next game.

Make a habit of playing kids that don't show up to practice and you'll deal with resentment issues that will have a significant negative impact on a "team" sport.

It's a pretty simple policy ... no practice = no play.

Seems easy enough for you to follow. Glad it is working for you. I'm equally glad that our local HS coach takes a little wider view of things with his team.

 

[Cannonball]

I typed a long response here and deleted it.

Carry on.

 

[riseball]

If a kid misses a practice, then they sit out the next game.

Make a habit of playing kids that don't show up to practice and you'll deal with resentment issues that will have a significant negative impact on a "team" sport.

It's a pretty simple policy ... no practice = no play.

Sounds pretty cut and dried, which is a problem in and of itself. Team rules that include specific sanctions to be imposed are a really bad idea. It does not provide the coach with any flexibility or discretion when the policy comes back and bites them in the butt.

 

[Rocketech1]

Some things to think about:

I know of plenty of travel ball teams that have a roster of players from all over the region / state and the players are expected to practice a lot on their own, away from team practice. Many only attend weekend practices while the local players will also practice during the week as a team. The schedule is flexible to accommodate the different situations of each player. I see nothing wrong with this. These teams win plenty of games (to Cannonball's point that having his team intact for every HS practice got him many championships). I know TB is a little different from HS ball, but we are still dealing with teenage softball players with many demands and responsibilities in their everyday life.

We talk about softball teaching "life lessons" like dedication and hard work to win championships but what are the other lessons being taught from a HS player who can juggle a part-time job, attends most practices, and is a big contributor to the success of the team on game day? Work, life, school, friendships all have aspects of compromise based on individual circumstances. For example, in college at the end of the semester in a Biology class I missed the final exam because they changed the date of the exam when I was out sick the last regular class of the session. A week later I get a call from my professor on the day I thought I was taking the exam. He asked me why I didn't take the exam the previous week? I told him what happened. He said "if you can get to my office right now, I will let you take the exam late". I quickly got on my bike and rode as fast as I could to get to his office. I took the exam and he called later that day to tell me that I got an "A" on the exam and an "A" in the class. He could have been a hard rear and not called me and let me fail the exam but he used some common sense and compassion, he knew I was a good student in his class, and he wanted to give me the benefit of the doubt. I learned my lesson that day to double check the final exam schedule and make sure to receive any information when I miss a class. I also learned the lesson that life isn't perfect and things are not always black and white but we can make a difference in people's lives by doing the little things to make their life better and having kindness. BTW, one year later I asked for and received a letter of recommendation from this same professor for a graduate program I wanted to attend.

So my point is that "in the real world" we make accommodations all the time, under the right circumstances, and there is nothing wrong with trying to work out a reasonable compromise in special circumstances.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

I typed a long response here and deleted it.

Carry on.

You aren't helping any by remaining silent.

Clearly you've been there .... and clearly others have not.

I hope it works out well for all these parents. Hopefully resentment won't build as some of the more talented players, that feel they aren't getting a lot out of the practices, find an excuse to bail on team practices ... knowing that they will be played regardless of whether or not they were at practice.

Of course as team plays aren't executed correctly during games ... because certain players didn't make the practices ... that won't bother them. They'll sit there and say good things about the coaches ... because the coaches are accepting of players not being at the practices. That's okay that we ran into a double play ... because Sally-Sue missed practice yesterday and didn't know the baserunning play.

And of course it won't bother them that the team practices aren't advancing far on team concepts, because they have to repeat the training of team plays for the players that weren't at the prior practices. So while other teams are playing at a higher level, and their team is not, then they'll be just fine with it ... because practices are optional anyway. They will sit their quietly in the stands and bite their tongue.

And that's what they want to teach their daughters ... that "team" commitment is optional ... that there are no penalties for missing team practices.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Sounds pretty cut and dried, which is a problem in and of itself. Team rules that include specific sanctions to be imposed are a really bad idea. It does not provide the coach with any flexibility or discretion when the policy comes back and bites them in the butt.

Right ... it doesn't allow showing favoritism to the stronger players.

It's almost as if everyone is being treated equally as a "team member". The horror!

 

[Cannonball]

FFS, I've made my position clear and you are right, the instant one player gets special treatment, the whole team will take advantage of it. I often speak in terms of program and not just team. For my programs, the rules are set and everyone knows what to expect. You are expected to commit to the team/program over all other things when we are in season. JJ wants an exception for the job because of what he thinks that teaches the player. I want commitment from the player because of what I believe that they gain from the experience and that it is far more important that a job. When I was in HS, I too had to work. As I've mentioned several times we were beyond poor. So, I helped load box cars in the morning at National Vinegar Company starting early in the morning so that I could get my work in and get to school. I would have never dreamed of putting myself before my team.

FFS, you know this, the HS experience is so much different that TB because you have to coach the kids in your school district. You don't get the luxury of getting to pick and choose. When you have a collective group of young people working toward a common goal while making all of the sacrifices along the way, when they win something like state, it is a feeling beyond comprehension. I could never explain that feeling. For my first teams at my present school, just having a winning season was beyond their wildest dreams. Then, we not only had a winning record but became the talk of the area in multiple sports as our school changed its climate from losing to winning.

Still, there are those that don't understand because they place little regard to the HS experience. I can't change their opinions. Finally, I had a golfer come to me last night at our parent/player meeting and said that she is not going to make tryouts or practices because she is working. She assumed that because she lettered last year, she was making the team and traveling. (We can only have 6 players travel due to conference rules.) I told her and her parents that she needs to make a choice. That tells me a lot about parents and this player to think that she doesn't have to attend practices and will instantly travel because she lettered last year. Not in my program.

 

[riseball]

Right ... it doesn't allow showing favoritism to the stronger players.

It's almost as if everyone is being treated equally as a "team member". The horror!

So there is a lack of trust within the coaching staff? One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a coach is to treat everyone equally instead of fairly. Equal has nothing to do with fair. You need to understand the difference. Absolutes and zero tolerance are only needed when you lack the ability to exercise common sense and proper judgement. Great coaches have that ability.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Right ... it doesn't allow showing favoritism to the stronger players.

It's almost as if everyone is being treated equally as a "team member". The horror!

So the coaching staff does not trust each other? One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a coach is to treat everyone equally instead of fairly. Equal has nothing to do with fair. You need to understand the difference. Absolutes and zero tolerance are only needed when you lack the ability to exercise common sense and proper judgement. Great coaches have that ability.

If it makes you feel better then substitute the word "fairly" for "equally" in my post.

An example of a time that I made an exception was when a kid attended a funeral.

 

[Cannonball]

Robert, you have a lot of opinions here. Read them and make a choice. After all, life is about choices. However, you'd better know the expectations your AD and Principal have for your program. If you make the wrong choice, you'll be out the door. I was/am fortunate to be in a school system where is the coach doesn't win, they get the boot. Beware that most ADs don't appreciate a lot of complaints about players have special privileges. If you let one go, let them all go. Have a one hour team bonding and go get you brains kicked in by coaches like me who do pay attention to detail and demand commitment and excellence. The baseball team motto when I coach was, "Excellence is Expected!"

For all of you others, I think it is great that you have found someone out there that fits your bill. I'm sure that they have found various ways to win their conference, regional, sectionals, super sectional and state championship that I haven't figured out yet. I am, after all a troglodyte. LOL