Recently finished a World Series with a new team (started fall 2014) and now is the time when most parents seem to vent their frustrations in my experience coaching. At the first team meeting, which included one parent minimum, the head coach made it clear that every effort would be made to get all players playing time in pool games but when it came to elimination games the 9 players that gave the team the best chance to win would play. Anyone that was not happy with that was encouraged to find another team - two did.
Everyone seemed to get along fine throughout the season but when it came to the World Series things blew up. Specifically two players that did not see much playing time during the elimination bracket, had parents that blew up. Naturally, Facebook got involved and some accusations of "daddy ball" were made by these two parents about how their children were "treated like dogs". Regardless of the fact that the two players in question had the lowest batting averages, lowest on base percentage, were two of the weakest defensive players (accounted for based on errors), and only played in elimination games sparingly during the season - coaches were playing daddy ball.
Long story to ask this: As a coach, do you guarantee playing time in elimination games in a World Series or other similar tournament at the end of the season? OR Do you play the players that give you the best opportunity to win?
Everyone seemed to get along fine throughout the season but when it came to the World Series things blew up. Specifically two players that did not see much playing time during the elimination bracket, had parents that blew up. Naturally, Facebook got involved and some accusations of "daddy ball" were made by these two parents about how their children were "treated like dogs". Regardless of the fact that the two players in question had the lowest batting averages, lowest on base percentage, were two of the weakest defensive players (accounted for based on errors), and only played in elimination games sparingly during the season - coaches were playing daddy ball.
Long story to ask this: As a coach, do you guarantee playing time in elimination games in a World Series or other similar tournament at the end of the season? OR Do you play the players that give you the best opportunity to win?