Thanks, probably why I was invited as most of these were my observations from 10+ of recreation league administration.
A couple can’t be fixed, people are not just going to have more kids and raising kids gets more expensive each year. It is off subject but it starts with coaches/parents. We focus so much on where we are going or what scholarship we are chasing we forget to enjoy the ride. Kids learn failing is bad from parents/coaches instead of taking it as a growth opportunity. A simple approach that includes fun with core fundamentals along with a focus on effort over results is my MO. We have heard enough here to realize life can change in an instant. My heart still breaks for some DFP folks.
IMO life is a marathon so teaching kids to get up and dust themselves off is my goal. Softball is a good sport for that.
CoC
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30 years of youth coaching.....seen all that and a shift as well. It's about RIGHT now and winning...more than development. It's partly why REC is suffering, imho. Parents want to win and if their DD is average or above in REC, many see TB as a way to up the competition and chase "dreams". That coupled with lack of skill development, in the form of having fun, at the younger ages also hurts the sport. Part of that is what Marriard alluded to when dedicated coaches/parents leave rec for TB, often no one is left to run the rec program in a overall productive way.
Something I've reminded parents every year, especially the 12u and down... "Relax, enjoy the game, cheer loudly and positively for your player. Oh and by the way.....No one's getting recruited today and there's no big time scouts at our games to sign contracts...so don't sweat it if you DD/DS doesn't make the play perfectly. No one's getting signed today." That usually elicits a laugh, sometimes an uncomfortable one....and only occasionally have I had to remind a parent their kid wasn't getting recruited that day. Usually it's a soft word through the fence and the light bulb comes on back to the first time I mentioned it. Now at 14's it still applies but the players are responsible for their success...no amount of yelling through the fence will help them succeed any more...or not. Well it can lead to not.
"IMO life is a marathon so teaching kids to get up and dust themselves off is my goal. Softball is a good sport for that." Yes as long has you have the right parents supporting that.