I'll try to keep it short, although I'm sure some of you have been through what we are going through and might offer some advice or experience. We're hoping to take action on this before we're stuck in the middle of the spring league with this coach.
Local TB organization held tryouts for one 14U team but had enough players to create a 2nd team. This was my DD's first TB team. They assign a previous AC to be the new HC of the new team. She's 22, gives last minute notice for hour-long practices, has an AC that does nothing but give opposite direction on the field as the HC, etc. This HC is not committed. A few of the parents, myself included, have been mostly responsible for setting up scrimmages and tournaments, setting up extra practices (we barely had one a week during the Fall), organizing fundraisers, getting to the fields early and getting everything set up, and me basically doing all the "administrative" duties including sending out ALL text messages about practices, games, workouts and directions to venues. The HC did manage to set up winter workouts two nights a week but even then the clinics are one hour each and end at 9:30 on a school night. Basically, there were a lot of promises and big talk at the first team meeting but the majority of it has gone unfulfilled.
I set up an indoor batting cage rental for consecutive Sundays at an insanely low price thanks to a connection I have with another organization, for which I had gotten permission to do from the HC, and she declared that we were to do that on our own without her help. This past Monday night at clinic the HC lectured the players about not giving 100% and being lazy during the clinic. I wonder if it's because of the example the coaches are setting? Ironically during the clinic, the AC was laying down taking it easy for a half hour on the turf doing nothing. Some of the parents have nicknamed that AC "Driftwood." Me, I try not to get personal, but it's to the point where something has to be done. I should add that all the parents seem to feel the same way. To make matters worse, the President of the organization doesn't return emails or phone calls, and is actually in the process of stepping down. Basically, there's not even anyone to take our complaints to.
So...this coming weekend the parents are going to have a meeting. We may wind up having a sit-down with the coaches which may end with them up and quitting. Fine by me, we just want the players to stay together because they all like each other a lot and get along great. The last thing we want is players to be split up and parents to get all pissed. I should note that the parents all get along very well. I am not convinced that the situation will get better with the current coaches, but we are willing to give them a chance, which we will probably give them a certain time frame to show improvement.
In case we have to go rogue, with the help of a friend who is like a damn travel ball guru, I put together some costs if we have to take over the team. I would probably run the team with the help of two of the dads. I would organize professional instructors for the facility I've locked down for as many Sundays in a row that we want. I looked at securing the upcoming spring, summer and fall leagues (36 games total) with NJBL, added the cost of umpires and new uniforms, and the cost of 6 summer tournaments. Suffice to say it is a very reasonable cost, MUCH less then what we're paying now (for getting so little), and all of the money would go towards the team instead of lining any coaches' or organization's pockets.
I should add that I've coached rec ball for about 12 years and while I still have a lot to learn I make up for in my passion and dedication to the players.
Have you been there? What happened? What would you have done differently? Am I crazy? (Don't answer that!)
Local TB organization held tryouts for one 14U team but had enough players to create a 2nd team. This was my DD's first TB team. They assign a previous AC to be the new HC of the new team. She's 22, gives last minute notice for hour-long practices, has an AC that does nothing but give opposite direction on the field as the HC, etc. This HC is not committed. A few of the parents, myself included, have been mostly responsible for setting up scrimmages and tournaments, setting up extra practices (we barely had one a week during the Fall), organizing fundraisers, getting to the fields early and getting everything set up, and me basically doing all the "administrative" duties including sending out ALL text messages about practices, games, workouts and directions to venues. The HC did manage to set up winter workouts two nights a week but even then the clinics are one hour each and end at 9:30 on a school night. Basically, there were a lot of promises and big talk at the first team meeting but the majority of it has gone unfulfilled.
I set up an indoor batting cage rental for consecutive Sundays at an insanely low price thanks to a connection I have with another organization, for which I had gotten permission to do from the HC, and she declared that we were to do that on our own without her help. This past Monday night at clinic the HC lectured the players about not giving 100% and being lazy during the clinic. I wonder if it's because of the example the coaches are setting? Ironically during the clinic, the AC was laying down taking it easy for a half hour on the turf doing nothing. Some of the parents have nicknamed that AC "Driftwood." Me, I try not to get personal, but it's to the point where something has to be done. I should add that all the parents seem to feel the same way. To make matters worse, the President of the organization doesn't return emails or phone calls, and is actually in the process of stepping down. Basically, there's not even anyone to take our complaints to.
So...this coming weekend the parents are going to have a meeting. We may wind up having a sit-down with the coaches which may end with them up and quitting. Fine by me, we just want the players to stay together because they all like each other a lot and get along great. The last thing we want is players to be split up and parents to get all pissed. I should note that the parents all get along very well. I am not convinced that the situation will get better with the current coaches, but we are willing to give them a chance, which we will probably give them a certain time frame to show improvement.
In case we have to go rogue, with the help of a friend who is like a damn travel ball guru, I put together some costs if we have to take over the team. I would probably run the team with the help of two of the dads. I would organize professional instructors for the facility I've locked down for as many Sundays in a row that we want. I looked at securing the upcoming spring, summer and fall leagues (36 games total) with NJBL, added the cost of umpires and new uniforms, and the cost of 6 summer tournaments. Suffice to say it is a very reasonable cost, MUCH less then what we're paying now (for getting so little), and all of the money would go towards the team instead of lining any coaches' or organization's pockets.
I should add that I've coached rec ball for about 12 years and while I still have a lot to learn I make up for in my passion and dedication to the players.
Have you been there? What happened? What would you have done differently? Am I crazy? (Don't answer that!)
