Do you ever wonder how organizations choose their HC's?

[Softballmom2008]

In our league someone becomes a coach and they are a coach until they quit. They are not elected each year like in some other leagues, so if you dint like the coach at your kids level, you find another team. What I do is supplement with camps and private coaches so I don’t have to drive out of the area to find better team coaching; however, not my daughter is going into 12u, we might consider it. Would like to hold out till 14u, but worry her skills won’t develop enough with the level of coaching she has on her current team. I really wish coaches would do their own clinics to learn better game strategies.

 

[Gags]

The amount of resources that are available to coaches today is incredible. At some point, it just becomes a matter of willful ignorance if a coach isn't trying to get better. Podcasts, blogs, message boards, (carefully screened) YouTube videos, ABCA / NFCA coaching conventions, etc.

Generally, few people would think it's OK for a player to go through a whole season and not improve some aspect of their game, So why are we not holding coaches to a similar standard?

 

[NBECoach]

I have waited to get several replies and points of view so I can learn from others experiences.

In this area there are differences in levels of TB teams no matter the age group. There are those teams who cost several thousand dollars to join (after a real tryout and recommendation). You are required to practice multiple times a week out of season and softball is likely your only sport. National tournaments with out of state travel is the norm. Those teams always seem to have good coaching because the organization has a reputation and the parents expect development and performance.

Then their are those who are steps below this ranging from very good but only travel a limited area, to OK teams that are mostly local tournaments, to one step above rec ball. Tryouts are not needed for all spots. The coaching for the most part (but NOT ALL cases) reflects the level of team. I have seen great coaches on the lowest level teams because they are great teachers of the game, and well less than that for older ages.

As for HS coaching the same experiences apply, but you are limited in roster construction to whomever attends the school and chooses to tryout.

I realize that coaching is a thankless job, where vacation time given up, and spare time is virtually non-existent. I did not post it what I observed to be critical of the coaches personally. Anyone who volunteers to coach at any level is at least to be thanked. But they need to understand coaching comes with expectations that goes beyond the field. Seek out experienced coaches in your organization or area. Attend off season clinics. Ask questions on this site. We need as many good coaches as possible at all levels to move the sport forward.

 

[Westwind]

We spend time money and effort developing players. We also need to develop coaches.

The long term health of the sport is going to turn on developing pitchers and coaches. The rest takes care of itself.

 

[_MIA_]

The amount of resources that are available to coaches today is incredible. At some point, it just becomes a matter of willful ignorance if a coach isn't trying to get better. Podcasts, blogs, message boards, (carefully screened) YouTube videos, ABCA / NFCA coaching conventions, etc.

Generally, few people would think it's OK for a player to go through a whole season and not improve some aspect of their game, So why are we not holding coaches to a similar standard?

This is a very good point.

 

[FP26]

When my DD was 6 we wanted her to experience as many things as she could. She expressed interest in softball, basketball, and soccer at the time. I volunteered to coach softball (it was actually tee ball) because I had some knowledge/experience with the sport. My opinion at that time was "I will coach this. Hopefully some other parent will step up and coach something else". What actually happened is the HC in basketball needed some help, and she knew I played basketball in high school. So I became an AC (later an HC) in that sport. Then I get a call from the local AYSO registrar. I was told that they didn't have enough coaching volunteers, and if I didn't take a team, some players were going to be turned away. I didn't know anything at all about soccer, but I decided to take the position to help the kids. Luckily for me, they played 6 on 6 at that age, so I essentially taught my players how to play hockey on a soccer field I was perfectly honest with the parents that I didn't know what I was doing, but I would try to learn. And so I did. For a 4 year period, I was a HC for rec teams in 3 different sports. Unfortunately we just have very little interest in coaching in this area...

But this seems to be the common scenario. Rec leagues practically need to beg for coaches. Travel teams are slightly better, but unless you are in a high level org, it is doubtful that there is any type of interview process. Just hoping for volunteers... At high school there is at least an interview process, but that doesn't guarantee anything either. DD's old high school recently fired their softball coach and hired a new one. My understanding is that the person they hired was the only person that applied for the job. I'm not sure what they would have done if they did not feel he was qualified for the job... College is a completely different animal. Much depends on the college's goals; athletic excellence, supporting the academic goals of the school, revenue generation, etc. As hard as it may be to believe, not every school has "conference championship" as their primary goal.

Added: The AD at DD's old high school actually called me about the open position. He more or less told me the position would be mine if I wanted it. I thanked him for the offer, but explained that DD is playing in college, and I don't want to miss her games. While true, that is only part of the story. I know the parents at this school. And honestly, the salary offered doesn't even come close to paying for the aggravation that the coach will have to endure. It just isn't worth it.

 

[The Man In Blue]

FP26, your story is becoming all too common. I mentioned earlier my experience with finding volunteer rec coaches and that process is starting to happen all the way up to the high school varsity and even college levels in my area.

I’ll try to withhold my bias in this story ... but our local high school cannot keep coaches in most sports (except our softball coach who they need to get rid of ... another story for another day).

Our volleyball team has become a joke. Our school board fired an excellent variety coach (story withheld, but the board’s behavior was enough to disgust almost anyone). After their intended plan fell through (friend of a board member turned them down after he heard what happened) ...

They posted the position for district teachers to apply for. None did.

They went to specific teachers with coaching/volleyball experience and offered them the job. None took it.

They went to teachers without experience. None wanted it.

They tried to recruit other schools’ coaches to apply. None would take their call. The tried just offering the job without a process. Still no.

They posted the position for other districts’ teachers. No interest.

They posted the job on the street. No applicants.

They approached local youth program coaches to apply. Nobody had any desire to step in.

By this point, the summer leagues were starting and our girls could not compete without a coach. I offered to go be the adult, but said I would not coach. The girls would run the team. The AD declined and said he would do that.

We ended up with a disgraced coach from another school who lasted a season. Then a young coach trying to start a coaching career; she lasted two seasons. By that point they were down to a parent whose daughter was playing (how could that be a mistake?). That lasted two years. Now my girls are done, so I don’t know what they are doing.

This is the state of things. As FP26 pointed out, the pay is not worth the time, aggravation, and potential career fallout that a teacher is no longer willing to stick his/her neck out.

Even smaller colleges are starting to see this trickle down effect.