Have you ever influenced a player to move on?

[Huskerdu]

Cut her and refund the money. Cleanest way for everyone to move on. But this also cracks me up - you're SURPRISED an 11/12 year old has attitude and is rebelling against authority?? Trying not to hard to read between the lines but it sounds like the real problem is somewhere in the middle between the rebellious pre-teen and team management/coaching. JMHO.

My assistant coach was her spring ball coach and he said she was pretty raw but had upside...and I agreed with that after watching her at tryouts. He also said she was emotional and that perhaps the move up to the competitive level might bring that competitiveness out. Instead what has happened, she somehow feels she is entitled to play because she has the best equipment and her dad helps once in a while at practice. She is not rebelling against authority, I have 11 other girls who would give their right arm for the team and will play any position or sit the bench, or bat at any number in the order, so we have 1/12 of our team that is YOUR typical 11/12 yo.

I have girls with less experience and even talent, however they have grit, they are coachable, and they don't have an attitude everytime they come into the dugout. Give me 11 girls like that any day.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Is the player aware of the coaches' concerns that she is not taking direction? It's our job as coaches to identify weaknesses and work on them. One of her weaknesses is that she does not take coaching. It's not uncommon. Is she aware of this weakness that's really holding her back? Has she been told this is a specific problem that she must improve on? Some girls need to be taught that one of the main differences between rec ball and travel ball is the willingness to change. In rec ball, if a kid wants to keep throwing side arm or lunging at the ball, that's really her choice ultimately. In travel ball, you are obligated to attempt to change your game if the coaches ask you. Does she understand this?

If not, I don't think it's fair to dump her.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Haskerdu - if you are aksing them to leave, you should refund the money. Prorate it if you have already played part of your season.

If they are leaving on their own because they are upset about playing time, no refund.

 

[Huskerdu]

Haskerdu - if you are aksing them to leave, you should refund the money. Prorate it if you have already played part of your season.

If they are leaving on their own because they are upset about playing time, no refund.

If I tell the dad there is no refund, it might compell them to stay, so I am prepared to give him a full refund.

 

[Coach JV]

I ALWAYS refund the balance owed regardless of circumstance. At the end of the day
she is being cut, whether the reason is lack of hustle, lack of ability/talent, uncoachable,
etc. who cares????? Take a step back, the refund under any conditions makes your organization
appear as fair to the player and family. Do not develop the reputation of no refunds, this will
never have a positive result

 

[YOCOACH]

For the last six years I've coached a slowpitch rec team. I am now taking a newly formed fastpitch rec team in 2012. Needless to say, I've been reading everything I can get my hands about strategies, drills, techniques, etc. etc. I have read some great books by some of the nation's publicly acknowledged top coaches. In offering advice in tryouts, they all put almost as much weight in attitude as they do skill level. From this viewpoint, I feel that it is something you should have caught in the tryout phase. Alas, we are only human and mistakes are made. However, even in rec league I hand out an expectations list to both parents and players. I also hand out codes of conduct for both with penalties clearly spelled out. One of those codes is that they

have a positive attittude, listen to instruction and implement said instruction to the best of thier abilities.

If you haven't done this also then again, it's on you. I, myself, have in the penalties section, posted that under no circumstances will there be a refund as it is league rules. Of course, both players and parents must sign this and I make copies for all three of us. As far as a refund goes, a common sense approach is best as each circumstance is unique.

 

[sluggers]

If I tell the dad there is no refund, it might compell them to stay, so I am prepared to give him a full refund.

You are an honorable person--and that is more important than winning any softball games.

 

[Quake Softball]

Cut her and refund the appropriate amount of her fee. Seems like the best thing to do.

 

[SoCalASABlue]

You are an honorable person--and that is more important than winning any softball games.

Wow - you and I have very different definitions of honorable for this particular situation...if this kid and her father is so bad, and there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with the quality of instruction being provided...need to sack up, cut her, and keep the money...there's no need to be sneaky about it and it sounds like someone is making it a lot more personal than it needs to be...