Almost kept my mouth shut all HS season but..

[SoCalDad]

... couldn't after last night. I can tell you this was a season wasted. Prior to this season the HS had one coach in the prior 30 years. He retired and a new coach was hired. The new coach is a local legend. Dominated rec ball, lead HS team to 3 consecutive region titles and 1 appearance in state, scholarship to D1 school and then returned to town to teach. Being a great softball player does not always mean being a good coach. This was very much the case this year. She is very nice, approachable and also very subject to parental influence.

The problem with this season started with her coaching staff. The previous coach never had parents on his staff. His assistants all came from the local school district staff. This coach took the opposite approach and looked immediately to the parents of the players for her assistants. End of day the team was not selected by the best talent avaialble. The 5 parents (all of seniors) formed a tight clique that ensured their precious DDs got the best positions and play time. Let's go down the list of the five:

1. First Base - aka Bill Buckner. Enough said
2. Third Base - aka Lead Glove. Girl could not glove a ball if she had a Velcro glove and ball
3. Short Stop - aka Molasses. She worked all season on her speed and finally improved to the point she was only slow and not really really slow
4. Center Field - aka Statue of Liberty. Light up her glove and she would have been a perfect replica when fielding fly balls
5. Pitcher - aka Whiplash. Don't know how she didn't break her neck tracking all those balls hit to the fence.

Season ended last night with a 17 - 1 beat down in round 1 of playoffs. Whiplash got the start which was just perfect considering she was 1 - 17 in 28 games. DD, #2 pitcher, was 9 - 1 and accounted for the only wins. The one win Whiplash was created for was a forfeit.

After the game I couldn't keep my season long frustrations in check and confronted the coach. I asked her why she would go with Whiplash over my DD. I always thought that the goal of playoffs was to win. Her response?

"Well, being a senior Whiplash (she used the real name) earned the right to the start. This may be her last game ever and I didn't want her to sit the bench."

The only silver lining is the AD has already stated that the softball head coaching position will be re-interviewed for next season. I can only hope that she doesn't get the job again.

 

[joemcq51]

That does suck. Come playoffs, the best should get the start. But hey, 9-1 doesn't sound like a wasted season. Build on that for next year. Good luck

 

[SoftSocDad]

... couldn't after last night. I can tell you this was a season wasted. Prior to this season the HS had one coach in the prior 30 years. He retired and a new coach was hired. The new coach is a local legend. Dominated rec ball, lead HS team to 3 consecutive region titles and 1 appearance in state, scholarship to D1 school and then returned to town to teach. Being a great softball player does not always mean being a good coach. This was very much the case this year. She is very nice, approachable and also very subject to parental influence.

The problem with this season started with her coaching staff. The previous coach never had parents on his staff. His assistants all came from the local school district staff. This coach took the opposite approach and looked immediately to the parents of the players for her assistants. End of day the team was not selected by the best talent avaialble. The 5 parents (all of seniors) formed a tight clique that ensured their precious DDs got the best positions and play time. Let's go down the list of the five:

1. First Base - aka Bill Buckner. Enough said
2. Third Base - aka Lead Glove. Girl could not glove a ball if she had a Velcro glove and ball
3. Short Stop - aka Molasses. She worked all season on her speed and finally improved to the point she was only slow and not really really slow
4. Center Field - aka Statue of Liberty. Light up her glove and she would have been a perfect replica when fielding fly balls
5. Pitcher - aka Whiplash. Don't know how she didn't break her neck tracking all those balls hit to the fence.

Season ended last night with a 17 - 1 beat down in round 1 of playoffs. Whiplash got the start which was just perfect considering she was 1 - 17 in 28 games. DD, #2 pitcher, was 9 - 1 and accounted for the only wins. The one win Whiplash was created for was a forfeit.

After the game I couldn't keep my season long frustrations in check and confronted the coach. I asked her why she would go with Whiplash over my DD. I always thought that the goal of playoffs was to win. Her response?

"Well, being a senior Whiplash (she used the real name) earned the right to the start. This may be her last game ever and I didn't want her to sit the bench."

The only silver lining is the AD has already stated that the softball head coaching position will be re-interviewed for next season. I can only hope that she doesn't get the job again.

I know they're only HS girls, but your nicknames *are* funny.

So, um, let's see..."Well, at least you made the playoffs" is all I can think of to say. Terrific post, SCD.

 

[SoCalDad]

..."Well, at least you made the playoffs"...

Sort of. Top 8 teams in each division make the playoffs. We only had 7 teams...

 

[SoCalDad]

That does suck. Come playoffs, the best should get the start. But hey, 9-1 doesn't sound like a wasted season. Build on that for next year. Good luck

For DD no but for the other 10 girls on the team who spent time rotating between the three remaining positions LF, 2nd and catcher (DD and Whiplash played RF when not pitching), yes it was wasted. Especially since a couple of the girls who were riding pine were far superior to any of the Senior 4 position players. One of the girls comes from a three year running top 10 team at ASA nationals who is regarded as one of the top Junior infield prospects in Socal. She played no more than 2 consecutive innings all season. Coach rotated the girls so everyone had play time, rec ball mentality at the HS level.

 

[Screwball]

I also read posts where the parents of seniors complain their kids don't get in, even on senior day.

 

[SoCalDad]

I also read posts where the parents of seniors complain their kids don't get in, even on senior day.

Senior Day <> Playoffs. Playoffs are 1 and out. You field your best team, playoffs are not the time to make sure the seniors have an opportunity to play our of fairness. You do that during the regular season.

 

[softballphreak]

Bummer! That's what senior day is for.

Some coaches don't understand sport. It's about competition, working to be the best you can be, earning what you work for. Fair does not necessarily mean equal.

Our principal doesn't interfere with the teams but she has said that players should be chosen for their ability or potential, not for extenuating circumstances.

 

[Sparky Guy]

I also read posts where the parents of seniors complain their kids don't get in, even on senior day.

As a coach you know the schedule when the season starts. If a coach really wants to play the seniors on senior day you make it for a day against a weak opponent. Let them start the game. If it looks like it's getting out of hand you put the best players on the field.

I firmly believe a coach is doing the team a disservice if they do not put the best team possible on the field. The whole seniors play first political BS is the coach's fault. It starts at the very first day of tryouts. The coach needs to make it known the best players will start regardless of class year. Then they have to follow through with what they said.

I was watching a game a couple of years ago. Very competitive conference game between two good teams. It was senior day for the home team. The coach did not start or even play some of the seniors. There were daddies barking towards the dugout for most of the game. One daddy of a bench sitter got louder near the end of the game. Tie game in the bottom of 7th runner on 2nd. Coach goes to the bench and puts a speedy soph on 2nd to run. Then puts in a freshman to pinch hit for another senior. The daddies were really barking then. At about the 8th or 9th pitch of the at bat the freshy pokes on down the RF line 3 ft fair to bring in the winning run. The cheering of all the fans silenced the barking daddies.

 

[nanotech14]

Who cares if it is senior day.Wait till they get a job.Are local HS team is so bad that my dd's u-12TB team could beat them,my be these daddies should of taught thier little senior princess how to play. My dd and I went to two of the HS games .The girls are out walking around , petting the puppy that was there, running to mommy and daddy or boyfriends while the game is going on.DD says to me we stopped doing that after t-ball.Now if my dd was a freshmen and was sitting so some senior that cares less about the game plays I would also have a problem too.