It Finally Happened...

[fastpitchthunder]

I would have refused to engage in any conversation on game day and would have asked the parent to leave the facility. If she elected to take her daughters with her, that would be her choice.

She'd be invited to discuss matters the following day, but based on what you stated, I would've had to remove the parent from our team. With this sort of drama in February, the team most likely would not make it to May in good shape.

I must have told her 10 times this was not the time nor the place for this convo, she kept going on and on and on then started yelling at me. That's what finally got me to my breaking point.

 

[David Carter]

It is always hard because of the kids but as you stated given this was not the first issue and the calling around after the incident just re enforces you made the right call.

 

[Coach Fastpitch]

And the really bad part is this parent just made a reputation that will follow her kids around. Any coach that picks them up or even considers them will always have one more comment to put in the con category.

 

[blazer60]

Parents can absolutely ruin a team. When I was in 12u, we had a 'dream team'. Went to ASA nationals, won nationals, lost a total of 5 games that year, had awesome team bonding, but little did we know a few parents were behind the scenes ruining it for us. The year after that, everyone split up and our coach quit (who every girl on that team loved)....

Now that I am a coach, I will never let that happen to my team. I have one set of parents right now I have to be careful about... but thanks for sharing fastpitchthunder, it's great to see how other coaches deal with these situations.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I found this funny, from second year coach and former UofA pitcher - Taryne Mowatt
"Coaching this years team is going to make me age at least 10 years this season! #grayhair #wrinkles #goinginsane #youngteam"

 

[jdp29]

I started a 12/U TB team this year and recruited in this order 1) family 2) kids attitude 3) kids skill. There was no try out, no cuts, but invitation only. I would have given your parent everythig she wanted back and then told her to have a good season wherever she ended up.

 

[Ajaywill]

Come to the dark side, young Jedi.......

As an umpire, you only have to put up with idiot parents for about an hour and a half at a time...then you leave.....

 

[Pdiddy]

you call it "venting".....we call in "Dang".....I'm sure that whole situation was painful....but a great story and certainly entertaining for the rest of us....oh, and you did right by punting, as you can not put up with that type of behavior. That mother is not only going to have to live with her new combative reputation for the scene that she caused, but now will also have to live forever with her DD's account of "how our crazy arss mom got us kicked off a TB team becuase of her behavior....and we were playingin the game....and it was February!".....sure to be a Thanksgiving Day Classic! .....can't you see the girls at the table 15 years from now, all liquored up telling the whole family for the firth straight year that she could have been a softball somebody but her mother ruined her chances of a scholarship and good life...I'm sure those girls will have quite a few other stories to add to the holidays for years to come....

And I wouldn't give her any cash back, nor would I keep it....I would donate to a local charity, in her name, and send her the tax receipt....other than that, just move on...

 

[Rocketech1]

That mother is not only going to have to live with her new combative reputation for the scene that she caused, but now will also have to live forever with her DD's account of "how our crazy arss mom got us kicked off a TB team becuase of her behavior....and we were playingin the game....and it was February!".....sure to be a Thanksgiving Day Classic! .....can't you see the girls at the table 15 years from now, all liquored up telling the whole family for the firth straight year that she could have been a softball somebody but her mother ruined her chances of a scholarship and good life...I'm sure those girls will have quite a few other stories to add to the holidays for years to come.....

While we would wish that to be the case these crazy parents will rationalize their behavior that the coaching staff had it in for their daughters. You can't talk sense into these type of parents unfortunately. It's a real shame for these good kids that some of us parents have to ruin THEIR sport. As sluggers says all the time, there really is no future in softball and 99% of these girls want to have fun and be with their long time friends.

 

[02Crush]

I have had a similar situation where a parent rolled their eyes and complained about something I said while talking to the team after a game. After 2 minutes of distraction I finally addresssed her. All I can say is I now know I will NEVER adress issues on gameday. EVER! I have gotten to a point where I do not feel the need to explain my choices to everyone all the time. If someone is unhappy it would seem that they have a decision to make. Not me. So good for you for letting the cancer go. Not everyone is a personality match. I would only recommend that you just make a polite statement about having the discussion at a time more convenient to hear all of their concerns. Then walk away. When you meet later you will be able to cut them. And I always have a coach as a witness on this type of conversation as well. Nice to have secondary witness as many things have been said of coaches and you need to protect yourself and the kids.