How to handle almost entire team showing up late for game?

[Chris8]

Nope. If you aren't there 15 minutes early, you're late.

To be early is to be on time

To be on time is to be late

To be late is punishable by death.

That is/was my saying when coaching. No one was killed....but the point got across and every girl on my team could recite this (with an occasional eyeroll)...but you know what....we they were there early to ontime, every time and anyone who was late had a reasonable issue (car breakdown, parent held late at work etc). To this day they can recite the saying...and well....even though they aren't on my team anymore...they still are on time.

 

[Eric F]

To be early is to be on time

To be on time is to be late

To be late is punishable by death.

That is/was my saying when coaching. No one was killed....but the point got across and every girl on my team could recite this (with an occasional eyeroll)...but you know what....we they were there early to ontime, every time and anyone who was late had a reasonable issue (car breakdown, parent held late at work etc). To this day they can recite the saying...and well....even though they aren't on my team anymore...they still are on time.

You instilled in them an ethic that will continue to serve them well for their future, both in and out of the game. Well done, Coach.

 

[lancer360]

To be early is to be on time,
To be on time is to be late,
To be late is to be running.

My band director in high school beat that into ours heads and I ran laps occasionally, but I'm rarely ever late as an adult. Drives me nuts and stresses me out trying to get out the door as my wife and daughter just don't seem to get it. My wife is fine with walking in the door wherever right as the clock chimes or 1 or 2 minutes late. Usually have to haul rear trying to make up time. She and my DD know that with softball practice I don't mess around. Working from home, I rarely get to socialize with other adults. Getting there 10-15 minutes early let's me chat with the other coach(s). One time I drove off to practice and left them both at the house when they weren't ready on time. My wife had to drive to practice in her own car with DD. She was a little upset at me, but she got the point.

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[krazykat]

Something is very wrong with team culture. My daughter never played on a team where being on time was optional at any age group. You need to take a look at the personality/culture/tone that you as the HC have created. Your team will not last long.

 

[whiporee]

Just out of curiosity, how late was everyone? By 7:30 you had nine -- were they rolling in for the whole half-hour, or were some five minutes late, others ten and so on?

How much of your pre-game time is spent warming up or doing drills, and how much is spent sitting around or tossing between players? If the HC's pre-game is limited to hanging out for an hour, I can see how parents might not put a premium on being exactly on time. And even in your description, the HC said he wanted them within range at 7 -- it doesn't seem as though he's made on-the-dot arrival a priority, either.

Was the Sunday facility about the same distance as the Saturday one? Before the coaching staff gets too angry, I'd look at all the circumstances and make sure everyone was being irresponsible and not just late. There can be a difference.

While I think 12s should be able to pressure their parents to get ready and go, punishing girls for their parents' behavior seems inappropriate at best. A well-worded and intended email to the team about the importance of on-time arrival could do a lot. I think the fastest way for your team to fall apart is for someone to come out lecturing parents who are paying good money abut how irresponsible they're being, or by making girls pay any kind of price for their parents' sins. So I'd be very aware of the consequences of taking this particular event too seriously before anyone decided to take a hard stand.

 

[Nimrod]

Is making them run laps, etc the only option left?

Yes.

Round up the parents, and run them.

 

[Eric F]

Just out of curiosity, how late was everyone? By 7:30 you had nine -- were they rolling in for the whole half-hour, or were some five minutes late, others ten and so on?

How much of your pre-game time is spent warming up or doing drills, and how much is spent sitting around or tossing between players? If the HC's pre-game is limited to hanging out for an hour, I can see how parents might not put a premium on being exactly on time. And even in your description, the HC said he wanted them within range at 7 -- it doesn't seem as though he's made on-the-dot arrival a priority, either.

Was the Sunday facility about the same distance as the Saturday one? Before the coaching staff gets too angry, I'd look at all the circumstances and make sure everyone was being irresponsible and not just late. There can be a difference.

While I think 12s should be able to pressure their parents to get ready and go, punishing girls for their parents' behavior seems inappropriate at best. A well-worded and intended email to the team about the importance of on-time arrival could do a lot. I think the fastest way for your team to fall apart is for someone to come out lecturing parents who are paying good money abut how irresponsible they're being, or by making girls pay any kind of price for their parents' sins. So I'd be very aware of the consequences of taking this particular event too seriously before anyone decided to take a hard stand.

HC didn't say he wanted them "within range" at 7. He was talking about parents who were within listening range. From the OP...

Head coach told all the girls and the parents that were within range to be on the field reqdy to practice at 7am Sunday for our 8am game.

lancer360 has given more info about why they were late. All of the reasons fall into the category of "crap that can't happen any more", and needs to be addressed primarily with the parents. This ain't happy-happy rec ball any more, folks. It's time to get a little more serious about things. One of which is do your job to get your kid to team events on time (early!). If it's a longer drive, leave earlier. If you need to feed your DD before the game/practice, plan things early enough to get it done and still get the field on time.

 

[FP26]

I cant help but wonder what this group of parents would say or do if they showed up on time but the coaches were late. I'm pretty sure I know the answer to that one. And that is just one reason why this type of behavior is unacceptable.

 

[lancer360]

Yes.

Round up the parents, and run them.

LOL! I like it!

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[Orange Socks]

I cant help but wonder what this group of parents would say or do if they showed up on time but the coaches were late. I'm pretty sure I know the answer to that one. And that is just one reason why this type of behavior is unacceptable.

One fall tourney we had the 8am game. Of course, we had to be there no later than 6:45am. The girls were waiting at their designated spot at the front of the park. Coach is no where to found. It's still dark outside and the lights on the fields aren't even on yet. Girls figured out that coach is on her way. Girls go to their dugout and not one girl stepped up to lead to start their warm up routine. They were very happy to just there. Parents were a little perturbed. Coach is 26 years old. We gave her a pass on that one.