Don't Lie to me, Coach

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Dec 15, 2018
809
93
CT
Some needless coaching drama for a Friday...

10u, game on the schedule for weeks…Friday night under the lights (a slot we have to fight for with 12u, 14u, and women’s league) because it’s pretty popular and it’s the only field in town with lights).

On Wednesday, opposing coach (team X) asks us what rules we’re playing by, because he prefers to play with “gated third base” (i.e. no stealing home - I suspect he doesn't have a very strong catcher). Not an unusual question – seems like every field / tournament we go to has differences. We tell him at our field, we play standard Babe Ruth rules (plus dropped 3rd strike), everything open. We let him know, if it’s a deal breaker we’ll play whatever rules you want, even though it’s our field. He sends a long email about why he prefers his rules, and…we might not have enough players on Friday, but we’ll let you know.

Next message from them on Thursday, acknowledging our field / our rules, and we’re all set for Friday.

Get message this morning that, sorry, he doesn’t have enough players.

Scrambling, we reach out to other local teams that we have an open slot tonight. Get message back from one that says, “we’d love to, but we’re playing Team X tonight, he reached out to us yesterday to schedule.”

While I am upset at the cancellation, I’m livid at the lie.

We’re not rescheduling them.

And I really, really hope we draw them at a tournament in July I know we're both in...
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
Didn’t see that twist coming ...

This was always a frustration of mine back when I ran the local league ... no accountability, especially if they are outside your organization. Sure, you could blacklist them for next year’s schedule, but then you end up with nobody to play against.

Rather than just show up with your team to watch, you should have got there early and set up in the dugout. “Oh, I thought we had agreed to play?”
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
I am going to agree somewhat with your advice but take a different direction. Here is exactly how I would handle it. I would send him an email letting him know that you are disappointed that your players are left without a game but more disappointed that you talked to the coach of the team he is going to play instead and now know that this guy misled you and instead is going to play a game against another team. I would mention that you had gone out of your way to be a good host and disappointed that this was not enough for him and so he dropped your team to play another team. Then, I'd mention that you thought more highly of him and don't understand why the deception. I would say that you aren't angry. You will know better the next time when dealing with this guy. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Then, I'd wish him and his team the best.
 

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