"Class" of teams going up as classification does

[#7sDad]

Great to hear that you had a nice experience!

I agree with the previous comments about weeding out a lot of the nonsense by 14U. Our 12U coaches were a bit insane last year, this year at 14U they are no longer coaching for the club. Additionally, DD's of insane parents usually find themselves without an offer from any of the teams in the club, weeding them out as well. So this year, we have a better mix of coaches, players and parents, and those remaining are another season wiser.

You never want to be one of "those" teams and our club is pretty adamant about how everyone represents themselves and the brand. By the time they get to showcase, they don't want anything happening that will be a detriment to the kids' recruitment opportunities. In many cases, that's us parents learning how to act just as much as it is the players!

 

[PA SB Dad]

I may be cynical, but I have been doing this a long time. People are always going to be nice to you when you are not a threat to beat them. In fact, I'm sure some of those coaches and teams saw some good players on your roster they were looking to get, either now or at the end of the year. Happens all the time.

 

[KCPRK]

I may be cynical, but I have been doing this a long time. People are always going to be nice to you when you are not a threat to beat them. In fact, I'm sure some of those coaches and teams saw some good players on your roster they were looking to get, either now or at the end of the year. Happens all the time.

A lot of truth here. Coached a team that placed in every tourney they played in the last 2 years. I didn't have any coach that was reasonably nice to me. I don't coach that team or age div anymore and those same coaches are the nicest people to me now.

Some competitors love the competition itself and play for the challenge/fight. Some competitors play for personal reasons and only feel success in victory. Ive experienced both.

 

[grcsftbll]

A lot of truth here. Coached a team that placed in every tourney they played in the last 2 years. I didn't have any coach that was reasonably nice to me. I don't coach that team or age div anymore and those same coaches are the nicest people to me now.

Some competitors love the competition itself and play for the challenge/fight. Some competitors play for personal reasons and only feel success in victory. Ive experienced both.

I watched a video about Lisa Fernandez recently and her husband said, "I now know the difference between a true competitor and someone who just wants to win." I love that quote, and there is definitely a big difference.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

A lot of weeding out occurs as girls get older. Problem parents find that their DDs no longer get offers from top programs or if they do, it comes with a stipulation that the parents have to be on their absolute best behavior and never say a word or else DD gets booted.

Top programs don't want anybody jeopardizing their ability to place girls in college. Crazy parents and jerk coaches can be a big obstacle, so the best orgs usually get rid of them.

Some jerk coaches might survive if they have the resume to show great success. Maybe. Problem parents hardly ever survive.

Really classy teams will be nice and respectful all the time .... not just when they beat you.

Fairly classy teams might be disturbed enough by being beat that they forget their manners for a short while, but it isn't personal. The competitive nature of high-end teams is such that the coaches and girls are already trying to figure out what happened in the loss and are anxious to go talk about it and might appear that they are less than enthusiastic about the post-game pleasantries. Rest assured that they are just wanting to fix it and get past it .... it's all about them and no reflection on how they feel about you.

Teams without class will show it, win or lose.

 

[Jquick823]

I wonder if the reason it gets better as you move up in Age and Level is due to the fact that those people "GET IT". I'm not saying college recruitment, but they understand what Softball is to their family at that point. I know at the 16U level everyone I've been around minds their manners because theirs coaches everywhere at these tournaments watching. 12U was by far the worst experience for me as a coach. It was like every parent knew their kid was going to Florida on a full ride already whether it was my parents or the other parents.

 

[let it be fun]

A lot of truth here. Coached a team that placed in every tourney they played in the last 2 years. I didn't have any coach that was reasonably nice to me. I don't coach that team or age div anymore and those same coaches are the nicest people to me now.

Some competitors love the competition itself and play for the challenge/fight. Some competitors play for personal reasons and only feel success in victory. I've experienced both.

We are always friendly coaches. I think some folks have this idea that in order to be competitive you need to be ultra stern and serious and maybe friendliness is a sign that you are not taking the game seriously.

 

[CMMom1740]

I had an experience at our most recent tournament. They were two "ladies" from the other team who hooted and hollered (that's Southern-ese for you Yankees) so loudly that literally everyone within earshot wanted to throttle them. I'm talking "Ay-Yi-Yi-Yi-Yi" and "Soooooooeeeeeyyyyyy" at the top of their ever-lovin' lungs. For. Every. Single. Play. It was aggravating and obnoxious as H*ll IMHO. Just tacky and classless.

Hours later, DH and I briefly left the park to go pick up some food. We were walking back in and could hear that same woman all the way across the dang park. "Soooooeeeyyyy!" Unbelievable.

This was 12U BTW. Hope this nonsense stops next year at 14U.