I was attacked by parents at practice tonight!

[3'sDad]

To take on the responsibility of coaching youth sports, you need to have thick skin. It took some mentoring from folks who had been around the block once or twice for me to realizer this. You get better the more you stick with it.

My greatest successes are not wins or losses. It comes from seeing the kid we worked with all year make a catch that pushed their ability or get a timely hit in a game. Kid smiles, parents are smiling and proud taking pictures. That's what it's all about.

 

[lewma]

You can please most people some of the time, and some people most of the time. Not most people most of the time Also remember, you stepped up to coach. That's way harder than sitting back in the bleachers pointing fingers. Good for you for doing this!

 

[init4thegirls]

I wish you could make problem parents run one practice, it would clear up so many issues

 

[Jesse]

I haven’t read all the responses, but you said it yourself…you’re a first year coach. New (i.e. inexperienced) coaches invite a lot more of this type of behavior from parents. They can tell you’re still figuring things out and they want to influence you…to put it nicely. I went through the same thing the first few years I coached, although for me it was my assistants that gave me the most problems.

Bottom line, if you establish control of the team (including the assistants) early, and you’re organized, confident, and sure of your coaching ability, and you treat the kids fairly, most parents will back off and let you do your thing, even if they don’t agree with your methods 100%. If not…there’s blood in the water. And experience is a tough thing to fake, unfortunately. You just have to put in the time.

Hang in there, it’ll get better.

 

[Atlantabell]

That person needs to go. I know it's not the kid's fault, but they need to go....

 

[soxsfan09]

Its not the kids fault Atlanta the way the two parents are acting. Our president is making us have a coach's meeting. I don't no if its going to help any. But we are at least going to try it. I am so ready to be a bleacher parent next yr. LOL No more head coaching for me!

 

[Atlantabell]

I hear you. After all thee years of coaching, I have found that sometimes the parent and the kid have to go to save your sanity and the sanity of your team. But, I understand your point. This is why it is hard to find people who want to coach.

 

[obbay]

I have a lot I could say on this subject so hopefully I say something that makes sense.
First of all, the season is short. The off-season is when you can develop the player, during the season you develop the team.

1 - returning players get preference over 1st years (unless you have some 1st years that are undeniably better players)

2 - players that just plain lack the skills (or motivation) to play their desired position need to play where you need them whether they are rookies or returning players.. You are responsible for the whole team. I will try out players in different positions in practice (especially if they want to) and sometimes in a game to see how they do. sometimes both player and coach learn that the player shouldn't be at that position. I find that there are usually a couple kids that aren't quick enough or strong enough to play the left side of the IF but can play ok at 2B. I also have some kids who just don't get it and need to learn OF before they can learn IF.

3- I had a U12 team last summer where the idea was that players would get to play different positions and move around a bit. I found that at U12 they generally don't have enough basic skills to play multiple positions. So for the 2nd half of the season we minimized the moving around and everyone was happy.

4- parents want to win more than the kids do. this spring season I started off experimenting with positions in our first two games (we lost) and have found the parents to be much happier now that we are winning- I have set an infield and outfield with a couple players moving back and forth between OF and IF.

 

[Country Boy]

I'm really not a nice person. If I was coaching 12U and had a parent do that, well I would probably make sure their child was front and center next game. I would have her as my new starting pitcher. Especially if she had never pitched! Let her walk 23 players or so. Look over at Mom and shrug.

Some might say that there is no reason to punish the child. I say that you might as well start punishing the child now. With an egg donor that stupid, that child is in for a hard life anyway. Might as well get her used to it.

As to the OP, you're not doing a good enough job. And you never will. Neither do any of us. But if you let parents get to you, your career as a coach will be short.

 

[Jr10234]

It's 12u rec. Kiss your record goodbye. Ask the girls if they want to win or play equally. Right there is your answer. Have the parents around the circle after a team meeting and they can hear it for themselves.

If the girls are learning good mechanics and understanding the game they're better off then most. We have many dad volunteers who skip mechanics because they dont know any better but rack up a winning season by controlling the play and running the bases.

My season was a success, not because of our losing record but because every girl returned the next season and four moved up to tb.