My bet is there was an 'incident' in the past and they now want a female adult presence on every team. I don't know if this is the right way to go about it, but I can certainly see how they could rationalize this.
Bizarre Coaching Situation - Could use some advice
- Thread starter CoyoteCoach
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My bet is there was an 'incident' in the past and they now want a female adult presence on every team. I don't know if this is the right way to go about it, but I can certainly see how they could rationalize this.
I'd ask the "manager" what her qualifications are. Has she ever played softball? What level? From my dealings 8-10 years ago in rec, the board members and league leaders/managers were all idiots. They like to throw their power around, but back them in a corner/stand up to them they tuck their tails and run.
You are the coach. You should not be pressured to change anything unless you are abusive, or breaking the league rules.
Sounds like to me she is "upset" about the record. Now she is going to step in and win the World Series. Let's face it, in rec you pretty much get a few decent players and the rest are mighty sad.
I use to run our batting order one of two ways, stagger my best hitters ( one bad one good all through the line ) hoping for a walk on the bad ones and then someone to drive them in. Or put all my best 1-4 and score 2-4 runs every time we got to the top of the order. ( depended on who we were playing )
Defense, dude you just gotta play the best in the best positions. Pretty simple.
Good luck with this nut, hope we don't see you on the news or read about you in the paper.
You are the coach. You should not be pressured to change anything unless you are abusive, or breaking the league rules.
Sounds like to me she is "upset" about the record. Now she is going to step in and win the World Series. Let's face it, in rec you pretty much get a few decent players and the rest are mighty sad.
I use to run our batting order one of two ways, stagger my best hitters ( one bad one good all through the line ) hoping for a walk on the bad ones and then someone to drive them in. Or put all my best 1-4 and score 2-4 runs every time we got to the top of the order. ( depended on who we were playing )
Defense, dude you just gotta play the best in the best positions. Pretty simple.
Good luck with this nut, hope we don't see you on the news or read about you in the paper.
2 DD Coach - my post was intended to point out that a coach should NOT be 'coaching to win' in 10U rec ball! Rec ball is about learning the game and having fun. I remember my DD's last year of rec ball (8U), when we played a team who kept the same three girls at 1st, P (coach pitch), and 3rd. Those three positions fielded 95% of the balls put in play. Their team went 8-0 on the season, but only those three girls had fun and got better. Everyone else was taking up space.......
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How do you coach, if not to win? I don't get it?
I'm coaching my pitchers to get strike outs. I'm coaching my hitters to get on base/hit. I'm coaching my fielders to make the plays and get the outs. I'm teaching the fundamentals of the game with the goal of them getting better and winning. It's a goal, just like studying for a school test to get an A. Without the "grade", why even bother?
It's pretty hard for kids to grasp "we are getting better" if the team is always losing. When they can turn around and see a 10 spot on the scoreboard, "yea, we're getting better".
Goingdeep - there is a difference between 'coaching to win' and 'playing to win'. TB is for 'coach to win' - best players in the field, bat best 9, throw your best pitchers. Rec ball is for player development, is usually equal playing time, bat everyone, and let different girls pitch. Rec league players should give 100% and 'play to win'.
In his original post, on which my comments were based, CoyoteCoach stated that his team is in a "non-competitive" league, which is rec ball in my mind.
In his original post, on which my comments were based, CoyoteCoach stated that his team is in a "non-competitive" league, which is rec ball in my mind.
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I have limited input here since I never coached kids. But I have a thought. Not once in my career have I ever yelled at a player on the field. I have never shown emotion over an error. And I have always privately discussed on field issues with the player. When I corrected a girl, it was only in front of the team if it applied to "the team". Some kids are hyper sensitive. I got in trouble once for taking my LF out of a game between innings because she dropped her 3rd fly ball in just the fifth game of the season. She was too good for that, but she had this Barry Bond's one-handed glove flip. Her mother went ballistic! I never yelled at her. I just sat her down. The next practice she was catching soft rubber balls without a glove. Doing foot work set-ups for a catch and throw with a crow-hop without a glove, and then finally doing half scale fly balls doing the same drills. Then fly balls off the bat. She never caught another fly ball with one hand the rest of the season, but I was a jerk according to her nurse, pot-head mom!
What is your voice like? When you raise it, do people assume anger? If I was a jerk, are you going to be? Some coaches can get away with it some can't. I am not a believer that even older girls can fix throwing with a dropped elbow with a splayed foot position during a game. But they can be asked to think! So, "girls where is the runner(s)? Where are you going to make the throw?" "Choose a pitch you can hit hard!" From there over time you can go to, "What do you see girls?" Then, "Where's the play?" Then they answer with less and less information and stimulus.
That type of instruction I think is essential. Do you have specific practice drills for kids to help with skills?
JAD,
Okay, so I somewhat agree with you, we just consider "coaching to win" two different things. I consider coaching to win as coaching the girls to play the game the correct way. By taking your weakest players and improving them, while not expecting your best players to just sit around and do the same basic drills over and over, you coach a team to win. By 10u, at least in our league, there isnt a spot to "hide" your worst players, so the coaches that do that start to realize they should have been helping these girls rather then manipulating the game to win. I dont consider that coaching.
Okay, so I somewhat agree with you, we just consider "coaching to win" two different things. I consider coaching to win as coaching the girls to play the game the correct way. By taking your weakest players and improving them, while not expecting your best players to just sit around and do the same basic drills over and over, you coach a team to win. By 10u, at least in our league, there isnt a spot to "hide" your worst players, so the coaches that do that start to realize they should have been helping these girls rather then manipulating the game to win. I dont consider that coaching.
Non "competitive" and softball? Sluggers,
have this man arrested!! Jad, seriously I agree with alot of your posts. You seem to have a pretty good grasp on things. I've never coached or played in non-competitive ball. I'm even having trouble saying those words. ( non-competitive )
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2 DD Coach - teaching girls to play the game the correct way and improving their skills is "coaching", 'coaching to win' is game day management in my book.
