High School Daddy Ball

[daywalkerdad]

Why should he? He's a valued member of the staff?

Gives the appearance of nepotism weather real or not. Causes problems on the team. He is volunteer so technically not staff. Did he coach before his daughter and will he coach after?
What controls did the school put in when he volunteer to ensure no favoritism?

 

[Lemond]

Gives the appearance of nepotism weather real or not. Causes problems on the team. He is volunteer so technically not staff. Did he coach before his daughter and will he coach after?
What controls did the school put in when he volunteer to ensure no favoritism?

Actually, as a volunteer coach, at least in Cali, they are technically employees of the school (go through a “interview” with HR, background check, etc) though their pay = $0. So, technically, they are staff.

As for vetting against favoritism, you can’t do that with any coach, no matter how much they are paid. Unless there is a team made entirely of unicorns, equally skilled and equally coachable with equally great attitudes and effort 100% of the time, there will always be discriminators. Some of them will be called “fair”, some of them will be called favoritism. Some of those labels will be correct.

I’m sure we have all seen favoritism the we have agreed with, and that we have not. The latter is the only one that ever gets called out.

 

[daywalkerdad]

Actually, as a volunteer coach, at least in Cali, they are technically employees of the school (go through a “interview” with HR, background check, etc) though their pay = $0. So, technically, they are staff.

If they are employees they must be paid a min wage under federal law. Many orgs if you Volunteer you must be vetted with an interview that does not make you staff.

As for vetting against favoritism, you can’t do that with any coach, no matter how much they are paid. Unless there is a team made entirely of unicorns, equally skilled and equally coachable with equally great attitudes and effort 100% of the time, there will always be discriminators. Some of them will be called “fair”, some of them will be called favoritism. Some of those labels will be correct.

I’m sure we have all seen favoritism the we have agreed with, and that we have not. The latter is the only one that ever gets called out.

Controls are fairly common, with relatives and co-workers. In the OP you would not be allowed to coach your daughters position. The reason for that question was the school brought in a conflict of interest issue and I doubt anything was put into place or attempted to control the conflict.
In these cases Daddy volunteering is the discriminating factor. This does not have to be and requires no unicorns.
I want to say I have no issue with travel ball parents, the players know ahead of time and have a choice in the matter.
It is best for schools not to have parents involved in the coaching of their kids.

 

[Lemond]

If they are employees they must be paid a min wage under federal law. Many orgs if you Volunteer you must be vetted with an interview that does not make you staff.

Not trying to get into a battle of semantics, but the volunteer coaches are subject to all of the same rules as employees of the district, just receive no pay and no benefits. If you don’t want to call it an “employee“, I’m not going to argue with that. But “volunteer” coaches are subject to termination, as well.

Controls are fairly common, with relatives and co-workers. In the OP you would not be allowed to coach your daughters position. The reason for that question was the school brought in a conflict of interest issue and I doubt anything was put into place or attempted to control the conflict.
In these cases Daddy volunteering is the discriminating factor. This does not have to be and requires no unicorns.
I want to say I have no issue with travel ball parents, the players know ahead of time and have a choice in the matter.
It is best for schools not to have parents involved in the coaching of their kids.

This (bold) is a new one for me. Never heard of such a thing. I can guarantee if that were a limitation, thousands of high schools would be without sports programs of all kinds! Maybe you’re in an area where money is bountiful, but most places are not. Especially at the JV levels!

It’s best for schools to have good coaches, and sometimes, those are someone’s mom or dad on the team. I agree that when it becomes an issue, it sucks for all.

 

[Cannonball]

I am a volunteer now that I have retired and I am considered staff. I don't get paid a dime. I show up when I want. I have all the keys that any head coach in the district has since I was the HC. I have to keep up with all of the laws of the state including any training required of coaches. The district pays for me to keep up with my training. As an FYI, one of my previous posts was a joke since the daddy ball coach who coached my dd was me. The kid was pretty good and we had daddy-ball complaints. I too have never heard of a state regulation where a volunteer coach could not coach their child in a specific position.

 

[daywalkerdad]

Not trying to get into a battle of semantics, but the volunteer coaches are subject to all of the same rules as employees of the district, just receive no pay and no benefits. If you don’t want to call it an “employee“, I’m not going to argue with that. But “volunteer” coaches are subject to termination, as well.

This (bold) is a new one for me. Never heard of such a thing. I can guarantee if that were a limitation, thousands of high schools would be without sports programs of all kinds! Maybe you’re in an area where money is bountiful, but most places are not. Especially at the JV levels!

It’s best for schools to have good coaches, and sometimes, those are someone’s mom or dad on the team. I agree that when it becomes an issue, it sucks for all.

The bold is from most companies hr policies. A surprising number of marriages start as coworkers. Inevitably one would get promoted, when this happens the spouse usually cannot be a direct report to the other spouse. Even if fair it causes problems.
If it is needed to have the sport I see no issue.
I doubt that is the case very often.
If most volunteer parents would quit if they cannot have influence on their kids; then why are they coaching?

 

[Lemond]

Agree that there are nepotism laws (or at least policies) that regulate adult relationships in the workplace. I don’t think any such guidance is there for coach and child relationships. Obviously, it’s a problem at any level where a parent coaches, but not in all cases. I would like to say not in most cases, but I really have no feel for if that is true or not.

 

[Lemond]

Not to start a different debate, but what would be worse, a HS coach that knows what she or he is doing, but plays favorites with a kid or three every year, or the that are sometimes all but forced to take on the role as extra duty from being a teacher (or a teacher that only wants to do it for the albeit little extra money)? Hopefully, there are very few of those altogether!

 

[tim_s]

Gives the appearance of nepotism weather real or not. Causes problems on the team. He is volunteer so technically not staff. Did he coach before his daughter and will he coach after?
What controls did the school put in when he volunteer to ensure no favoritism?

there is no favoritism, and we don't manage illusion

the only one causing problems is one parent.....and yes, he IS a member of the staff, volunteer or not.....

controls? the head coach runs his program.....the AD oversees it

it's maine......if we didn't have parents involved in coaching, we'd have no coaching at any level.......

 

[daywalkerdad]

Agree that there are nepotism laws (or at least policies) that regulate adult relationships in the workplace. I don’t think any such guidance is there for coach and child relationships. Obviously, it’s a problem at any level where a parent coaches, but not in all cases. I would like to say not in most cases, but I really have no feel for if that is true or not.

I never said those policies were in place. I was giving that policy as an example of a control that could or should be in place. I have no doubt that it is not even thought about 90% of the time. This was my point parents as coaches are largely unchecked in any way.

It is always a problem. Even if the coach 100% fair it will cause problems.