How many of you have cut a girl because of her parents after the Fall season?

[Lackawanna Lightning]

cmustangsfp....very well said...I go by the same principals with my TB team!

 

[splinterpicker]

I know some people that are the best parents in the world until they sit in the stands at a softball game. For me try outs are just as much about the parents ability as the kids ability. I have zero problem with getting rid of a trouble parents if it benefits the team.

 

[02Crush]

YES. You are volunteering your time and money. The families are as well. It is not fair that the majority of the families have to put up with the one of two. It ruins it for everyone.

 

[marriard]

Yep, I have cut players mid-season for their parents - or more specifically we have cut the parents and they can choose whether they want their DD on the team even if one or both of the parents are not allowed at the game or practices - the 'We love your DD, but you can't be here any more'. For the team it has always ended up being the right move. I am not going to let 1 family poison the team for the other 10-12 families. Unacceptable behavior from parents is just not accepted on our teams.

Funnily enough BECAUSE we aggressively got rid of the drama issues in the past and because we won't put known drama issues on the team (included some very talented players), we attracted a lot of great players and families and so we haven't had to do it for quite some time. A reputation as a team that doesn't put up with the BS is a good reputation to have. The softball community is small and extremely gossipy.

You can't let it fester. Travel teams spend a LOT of time together and if it isn't a good environment then it can go real bad, real quick. It isn't rec with one or two games per week plus a practice - it is several practices and a whole weekend often 2-3 times per month for several months.

 

[cuzmail]

The coach just quit notifying the player/parents about practice and games.

Well that is a different approach!
How did it work out?
Did they even notice for a while?

 

[fastpitch5]

I am here to teach and coach, not babysit (and that includes the parents!). Bad parents create drama, and in a lot of cases, that affects their daughter's performance on the field. I can't have a bad parent bringing everyone down, or working to tear my program down, in the stands.

I have released my #1 catcher in the middle of a tournament because her dad was upset I benched her for a game due to a major team rule violation. Really bad part - her dad was one of my best friends. Last summer I cancelled a significant part of my boys team's tournament schedule because I had 5 sets of parents creating too much drama. Unfortunately I couldn't get enough fill in players to finish the season. Luckily the families that were left supported my decision and was understanding and seemingly thankful. Again - one of the families was my Asst coach and good friend.

 

[medicpelle]

I will second the theory of having a reputation of not putting up with drama. It works while the bad apples that everyone knows about may bad mouth the respectable people understand and appreciate the stance.

 

[YOCOACH]

I have cut during Fall Ball as well as mid-season because of parental drama. I have also asked families not to come back for tryouts and have not offered or renewed offers at tryouts because of the drama or the reputation of the parents. We spend too much time together to allow even one person to make it miserable for us throughout the year.

 

[fusionmom]

DH didn't have to cut, but we had two girls get into in in the dugout over some drama and it spread to the parents getting into it outside the dugout! He had a discussion with the offending parents and then with the whole group and informed them that he would not put up with it and if they couldn't control themselves, they would be asked to leave. He then benched those two girls for the entire Sunday play and they were required to do everything together ~ play catch, warm-ups, get water, etc. He explained to them that they may not like everybody in life but they'd probably have to figure out how to get along and work with them so they might as well learn how. Those two families left at the end of the season, but we didn't have any more drama. Had it continued, the offending parties would have been asked to leave. Both girls were good players, but not worth dealing with.

 

[Left Hook]

Some are now saying that the problem will show through the kids attitude and performance and that IS different. You cut a kid because they aren't performing well, not because there parents are a pain.

I have seen nasty, horrible parents and no I would never cut a kid because of it. If that parent is acting this way in public, they are even worse in private. I would talk to that kid and if it is that bad, consider a call to children's services.

If you cut them, do you give them all their money back?

GG

Nice lady...but clueless.... so you would let a parent cause trouble but if the kid isn't performing you cut him or her.... well that's the dumbest thing I have ever heard of... And it's a real confidence killer to the kid...I have not picked up kids bcz of lack of talent... But if I have you on my team I'm sticking with you.. It's my job to make you better. Who in the hell cuts a kid bcz of their performance? Clueless... and IMO it's the parents that are the problem 99% of the time... SMH