Looking for input on Coach problem

[stickemup]

My Daughter's JV coach is new to coaching this year. Sometimes her emotions get the best of her. Well the other day she pulled a move that was totally outta line. Practice was due to start at 3:30. My kid was at the field at 3:00. However, she forgot her indoor shoes because they've been practicing outdoors for 2 months now. My wife had the shoes to my daughter by 3:20. Ten minutes before practice begins. Well, before my wife made it back the coach decided to pull a power move and made my kid run around the outside of the building with no shoes. Luckily she was not injured. But there was definitely the opportunity for an injury. I have people telling me that it's child abuse and that she needs reported. I am not really sure I wanna take it that far. I feel like talking to her and explaining the error in her ways. She's young and this is all new to her. We all make mistakes.

What are your thoughts? Hang her out to dry or just chew on her a little bit.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Barefoot? I would be in the ADs office, tomorrow morning.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I understand your anger, cause I've been there. But let's also remember girls run around all summer in the yard, parks, ballfields, neighborhoods in bare feet. I also know how she could have stepped on broken glass and that would have been a mess.*

Our MS coach would make the girls run around the ballfield barefoot if they forgot shoes. I don't ever remember anyone forgetting them twice.*

I'd talk with the coach, and offer if any punishment it needs to be run around the inside of the field, instead of the unknown grounds of the school. *

If she does it again, I'd get as nasty as you desire!!

I think this country has gone way off on child abuse, 30 years ago this would have been normal punishment and maybe 1 out of 10000 would have been hurt at all. My old school 2 cents

 

[starsnuffer]

It's only child abuse if he had her running through the woods to find a switch, and then the team took turns hitting her with it. Even 30 years ago that wouldn't even be abuse.

Was it out of line? Yes. Was it something many of us probably had to do in our own lifetimes? Yes. Would I do it? No. Would I expect my kid to do it? No, but I wouldn't scold her if she chose to or chose not to. Should your report it? I don't know, do you have it out for the coach, it's a good way to get what you want if you do.

-W

 

[Amy in AZ.]

But, she wasn't late. She had her shoes. In AZ. we don't run around anywhere, barefooted. The young lady should have refused and should be encouraged to refuse goofy punishment, in the future. What next? (if this is normal punishment - for something that didn't even happen.)

 

[chinamigarden]

I remember the gym teacher using this big paddle on the kids who got out of line. the board of education it was called. And of course if you had it used on you, you probably got the belt once you got home.

Running barefoot because you forgot your shoes and mommy had to rescue you by bringing them from home, is not abuse. Its preventative medicine. Suck it up, your kid screwed up accept it as a punishment that perhaps you wouldn't have done but it created no harm. if you want to make sure your child avoids all "opportunity" for injury have her quit softball. There is more "opportunity" for injury in the game then there is in running around a school barefoot.

 

[coachtucc]

Talk to her 1st..then go to AD if you feel that your discussion wasn't satisfying. If you go
straight to AD, she could be fired and her carrer finished.

 

[stickemup]

I remember the gym teacher using this big paddle on the kids who got out of line. the board of education it was called. And of course if you had it used on you, you probably got the belt once you got home.

Running barefoot because you forgot your shoes and mommy had to rescue you by bringing them from home, is not abuse. Its preventative medicine. Suck it up, your kid screwed up accept it as a punishment that perhaps you wouldn't have done but it created no harm. if you want to make sure your child avoids all "opportunity" for injury have her quit softball. There is more "opportunity" for injury in the game then there is in running around a school barefoot.

Well, I guess I asked for this. I came on a public forum looking for advice. And with that comes the risk of having to deal with people that were never taught to have any social grace.

I have to wonder... did that gym teacher happen to hit you in the head with that paddle? A few too many times?

I don't need or appreciate your condescending attitude. No person on this planet walks on water. My kid did forget her shoes. Something that I have seen happen to many, many kids in the past. I assure that my children are taught that actions have consequences in life. And we would have had a stern talk with her since we were the ones that paid the price for her lack of organization. With that in mind, this coach also needs to realize the same thing. My kid could have stepped on a piece of glass, a nail or even stubbed her toe. If that were to occur, and my daughter ended up missing games or even the rest of the season, would that ultimately have the team at best interest? If she were to end up with an infection, who knows where that could end up. Would the consequence fit the action? Or would the coach's poor decision making had a bad and unnecessary consequence for the whole team? Another thing to consider is that really, my kid had no effect on practice by forgetting her shoes. She wasn't even running late. We had her there 1/2 hr early which allowed us time to adjust and correct the situation before practice began.

I do understand that by playing the game of softball that you assume a certain level of risk. Sports are dangerous by nature. However your point does not hold any water with me. Using your logic we should remove seat belts, windshields, headlights and any other safety oriented gear from automobiles. Because no matter what you do, driving a car is always going to be dangerous anyway.

This coach made an unnecessary move in making her run without shoes. There are many other safe methods of getting a point across (ever heard of push ups?). Shoes are essentially a piece of safety equipment. Are they not? So, in your logic, the lesson that should be learned here is that it's ok to ignore safety in order to teach a lesson in organization. That the punishment does not really need to fit the crime. And that really we don't have to do what is best for the team. Really as a coach shouldn't you ultimately have safety as your #1 priority?

I am far from a liberal dishrag of a parent. And my kids are testament to that fact. They are straight A students. They hold doors open for strangers. They just know about old school respect. Because they know that there is heck to pay if they start acting up. They are taught to think before they act. And this coach should be taught to do the same.

If you disagree, that's fine. Suck it up.

Thanks,
Jack

 

[stickemup]

Thanks for all the input everybody. I have come to the conclusion that I am going to talk to the coach to explain my concern. I don't feel like this was something that warrants losing a job. We're all human and all make mistakes. She's new to coaching and this can be a way for her to improve upon her craft rather than losing the opportunity.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Your original post stated that you were seeking input. You received some - some maybe good, some maybe bad. Now it sounds like you and Charles Bronson were simply looking for volunteers and advice on how much rope to use.