Coaches - Allow Players to pickup?

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Dec 26, 2017
487
63
Oklahoma
I'm very curious about the communication piece. My rule was always simple. I will be open and honest with you. All I expect is the same in return. I am getting some mixed signals from this thread. We want coaches to tell us everything that is going on. Will there be pickup players? If so, why? How will playing time be distributed? Etc. Yet, some see no need to tell the coach about picking up for other teams. Doesn't that seem a bit hypocritical? Just trying to understand...

I'd say that in many cases, it's because families are paying for the "privilege" of having a spot on those teams. Because of that, the team has a different set of responsibilities to the players/parents than the players/parents have to the team. As a coach in an organization with dues, I've always felt that was fair.

That said- my kids' coaches have always known ahead of time if we were picking up (or even trying out for another team), but that's a personal thing that I prefer to do. I don't necessarily feel like it's an obligation.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
DD's coach doesn't like to pick up nor does he like it if his players pickup although I am not sure he has outright banned it. Personally I wouldn't have an issue with a kid on a team I coached picking up as long as it didn't interfere with any scheduled team activities. In terms of my DD pickup up I don't want her to. My life expectancy goes down by a day or so every time she plays so I guess it is a bit selfish on my part.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
I'd say that in many cases, it's because families are paying for the "privilege" of having a spot on those teams. Because of that, the team has a different set of responsibilities to the players/parents than the players/parents have to the team. As a coach in an organization with dues, I've always felt that was fair.

That said- my kids' coaches have always known ahead of time if we were picking up (or even trying out for another team), but that's a personal thing that I prefer to do. I don't necessarily feel like it's an obligation.

Thank you for the reply. And while I agree that both groups have slightly different responsibilities, I personally consider something like this as common courtesy. That said, I'm sure not everyone agrees.
 
Jul 1, 2019
172
43
Our team will pick up a player if we're short for some reason, but our schedule is pretty firmly set months in advance unless weather beats us up, so we rarely have that problem. Our coaches have no problem with our girls subbing in on other teams if it's not interfering with our schedule. We, as common courtesy, have let them know in advance if we were planning to sub but not because we had to. More because occasionally they've been asked for last minute friendly with a nearby team if we had enough to play, if we had a handful of girls subbing out that day it helps them to answer that question easily. Our coaches have even forwarded our players requests for subs on a couple occasions (usually for one of our sister teams that was short on a weekend we weren't playing).
 
Mar 28, 2016
164
18
One team in our league doesn't allow their girls to be picked up. Every other team is fine with it. The coaches call each other first to ask, and then the head coach gives the option to the girl that is being picked up. As long as it doesn't interfere.
 
Sep 19, 2018
928
93
I'm very curious about the communication piece. My rule was always simple. I will be open and honest with you. All I expect is the same in return. I am getting some mixed signals from this thread. We want coaches to tell us everything that is going on. Will there be pickup players? If so, why? How will playing time be distributed? Etc. Yet, some see no need to tell the coach about picking up for other teams. Doesn't that seem a bit hypocritical? Just trying to understand...
I’d say it is not hypocritical. I’d want to know everything about team. I don’t want the coach to check with me if it is ok if he goes bowling. Open and honest about team stuff.

Having said that, my dd left a travel team at the end of a fall season. In the spring she was asked to guest for another team at a tourney hosted by her old team. We asked if her old coach was ok with it.

I did not want any weirdness, or ruin the chance to go back to that org.
 

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