Coach needs suggestion on dealing with Parent

[ktm rider]

I am the head coach of our U10 Rec league team. I am also an assist. coach for our Travel ball U10 team.
I have 17 girls on my rec rec league team. One of these girls is only 10 days over age to play on U8. She ended up on the U8 roster But practiced with my U10 team twice. I then got with the U8 coach to order jerseys and we figured out she was on his roster but playing with us. She is a first year player and Since I had so many players already I thought it would be in her best interest to keep her down at U8. She needs A LOT of attention.( if you know what I mean) Our league doesn't mind keeping a 9 yr old girl in U8 if she needs a "Bit More instruction".

So, her father calls me right when I was stepping on the practice field for the travel ball team. I told him to call the U8 coach. He did I guess, then 30 minutes later he is asking for me at travel ball practice. He actually drove down to my travel ball practice to discuss why his daughter was sent to U8. He wasn't happy. He was insistent on her playing U10. I explained to him that I have 17 girls and her playing time would be greatly reduced if she stayed U10. If she went coach pitch U8 she would be on the filed the whole game and get the instruction she needed. Nope he wanted her up in U10. He was not too nice about it either. So, I told him that pitching at the U10 level was pretty fast and I thought she would be better off at coach pitch this year. He was having none of it.SO , I agreed but let him know I wasn't too happy about being pulled off the travel ball practice field to discuss this a rec league matter.

So today at Rec practice we were playing an inner squad game. My daughter was pitching ( she also pitches travel ball) She is one of the fastest pitchers in our rec league.. I wanted the girls to get used to seeing some live pitching. So multiple girls came to the plate and most was struck out in 3-5 pitches. a few fouled off the ball first and I believe she walked two. Then this guys daughter came up and in 3 pitches she was struck out. next time she was up
three and out again.

Then after practice this guy decided to meet me at my car and accuse me of planning the whole thing to make him look bad and to make my point that his daughter needed to be in U8. I simply told him that all the girls seen the same pitching. he was not happy and I can tell he is gonna be a pain in my backside the whole season. Any advice on how to handle this guy?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

You have handled him just fine. Institute a 24 hour no talk after games, rule and stick to it. His daughter's failure is his failure, for not working with her. I know you won't take it out on the little girl. I bet that she is mortified.

 

[ktm rider]

You have handled him just fine. Institute a 24 hour no talk after games, rule and stick to it. His daughter's failure is his failure, for not working with her. I know you won't take it out on the little girl. I bet that she is mortified.

yeah I was praying my DD wouldn't hit her. That would have been really bad ! But I was not going to take my DD out because all the other girls had to hit off of her and that was the point really, to get used to live game speed pitching.

 

[Bill S]

The first couple of real games should help set him straight. 8 or 9 Kc in a row should help make the point. He clearly has too much ego invested here to be reasoned with, he needs to see it. A shame for the player, however. It's gonna be a long season for her.

 

[ktm rider]

I really don't want the little girl to fail and get frustrated. But I just don't see her succeeding at this level. Atleast not this year. I will coach her up the best I can but I'm sure at the end of the season her dad will not be happy with the results and it will most likely be my fault.... Oh well, can't please everyone I guess.

 

[coach james]

You handled it fine. The fact you forewarned him about her lack of playing time will serve you well at mid season when he's asking why she's riding pine. 18 kids on a roster means a lot of pine time for a lot of kids.

 

[packhand]

I have the same problem at 12u. I have a girl that barely makes the age cut off for majors (12u) and its her 2nd year in softball. Meanwhile the rest of the team has been playing since tee-ball and most are 12 if not turning 13 soon. She is in way above her head and shes struggling. I warned the dad she would struggle but she has a friend on the team and only wants to be on this team because her friend is. So he asks me after the last game why shes sitting and playing mostly OF??? I told him that she's unable to protect herself in the IF and OF is just as important. We have girls hitting a 200' fence in this league. When we play a weaker team, she plays some IF but against stronger teams she will play OF and rotate with other girls. I told the dad he will have to work with her at home to start getting her caught up. There simply isn't enough time for me to get her up to speed in practices... This is a case where just showing up is not enough and I wont sacrifice the team to make 1 girl happy.

 

[BrianMonk]

It will most liekly be my fault....

If that's the only one, consider yourself lucky. Or good

 

[ktm rider]

If that's the only one, consider yourself lucky. Or good

Ha ! Certainly luck if anything..
I just feel bad for this girl. She would have much more fun in U8 and learn the fundamentals that she is severely lacking right now.

BTW- my spelling is terrible tonight.

 

[marriard]

He was insistent on her playing U10. I explained to him that I have 17 girls and her playing time would be greatly reduced if she stayed U10. ?

You have 17 players (and possibly this girl makes 18)???? That is way too many already - find two more and make two teams!

On the girl - where are the people in charge of your rec league in all this? I expect our rec coaches to come to me (as the person responsible for the league) to help resolve issues like this.