- Jun 1, 2015
- 501
- 43
Semi-long post, but I'll get to the gist of it. I've been both an AC and HC of a 16U summer rec-league softball team in my town (most recently the HC). In the past 2 years, we've gone 0-for both seasons, but the girls have progressed and learned quite a bit, and I am excited for this upcoming season.
In Sept. I was hired as a teacher in a school district about 30 minutes away - they are state finalists in softball multiple times over the past half-dozen years, and softball is a MAJOR deal here once that rolls around. In recent years, the school has not had a JV softball team due to low numbers (the same situation has happened with other sports - the school is around 500 K-12). The AD is the Varsity HC, and another coach does Modified. I had the chance to teach some JV-level students this past fall, and many indicated they would play softball if there was a JV team made available.
Problem - the AD is VERY adamant about having a JV softball team for many reasons:
a.) He's afraid of taking numbers (potentially) away from his Varsity team,
b.) He's afraid of the team basically sucking eggs all season,
c.) He doesn't seem to think the girls will have any progression to be ready for the Varsity level.
In past years, he's been taking 9th graders (even some 8th graders) up to Varsity while the modified program suffers. I'm technically the only other coach for softball interested in coaching at the school aside from the Modified/Varsity coaches, and my hope is to get enough interest for a JV team. I'm low man on the totem pole (if the mod. coach wants to move to JV if the team was created, she has the option to do so, which makes no difference to me.) This coach (modified) is also aware of my thoughts and agrees with me very strongly.
In talking to the Varsity HC, he has said they'll approach the idea of softball around January/February or so. In the mean time, even though it's now basketball season (of which I'm coaching for that - mod. boys level), what do I do to keep the engagement level up for the idea of a JV softball team? As a teacher, I have the idea that coaching IS teaching, just different students and a different classroom. A coach IS a teacher, and I feel like our AD not giving the opportunity for a JV team sends a message that both the girls AND/OR the coaches are good enough to be trusted. Help!
In Sept. I was hired as a teacher in a school district about 30 minutes away - they are state finalists in softball multiple times over the past half-dozen years, and softball is a MAJOR deal here once that rolls around. In recent years, the school has not had a JV softball team due to low numbers (the same situation has happened with other sports - the school is around 500 K-12). The AD is the Varsity HC, and another coach does Modified. I had the chance to teach some JV-level students this past fall, and many indicated they would play softball if there was a JV team made available.
Problem - the AD is VERY adamant about having a JV softball team for many reasons:
a.) He's afraid of taking numbers (potentially) away from his Varsity team,
b.) He's afraid of the team basically sucking eggs all season,
c.) He doesn't seem to think the girls will have any progression to be ready for the Varsity level.
In past years, he's been taking 9th graders (even some 8th graders) up to Varsity while the modified program suffers. I'm technically the only other coach for softball interested in coaching at the school aside from the Modified/Varsity coaches, and my hope is to get enough interest for a JV team. I'm low man on the totem pole (if the mod. coach wants to move to JV if the team was created, she has the option to do so, which makes no difference to me.) This coach (modified) is also aware of my thoughts and agrees with me very strongly.
In talking to the Varsity HC, he has said they'll approach the idea of softball around January/February or so. In the mean time, even though it's now basketball season (of which I'm coaching for that - mod. boys level), what do I do to keep the engagement level up for the idea of a JV softball team? As a teacher, I have the idea that coaching IS teaching, just different students and a different classroom. A coach IS a teacher, and I feel like our AD not giving the opportunity for a JV team sends a message that both the girls AND/OR the coaches are good enough to be trusted. Help!