Non-Softball - Email from HC
- Thread starter James Smith
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When I read the op the first time my thought was, "we are talking about rec". Evidently my view of rec sports is substantially different than the coach that wrote the email. After reading it a second time I got the impression that the writer is searching for attention from the parents. The game is more about him than the players.
In our rec basketball league there are specific playing time rules:
-Teams capped at 10 players
-all players must play a full uninterrupted quarter in the first half
-no substitutions in first quarter unless its due to injury
-equivelant of a full quarter in the second half
-each player must sit one full uninterupted quarter over the course of the game
-if you have 6 or less players only for that game the above are off as its impossible to adhear to those rules. 7 or more players you must figure out how to make it work.
Failure to comply is cause for a forfeit.
We don't know what rules this municipality or league has in place... so its hard to judge. I do agree with fair play opportunities in rec.
-Teams capped at 10 players
-all players must play a full uninterrupted quarter in the first half
-no substitutions in first quarter unless its due to injury
-equivelant of a full quarter in the second half
-each player must sit one full uninterupted quarter over the course of the game
-if you have 6 or less players only for that game the above are off as its impossible to adhear to those rules. 7 or more players you must figure out how to make it work.
Failure to comply is cause for a forfeit.
We don't know what rules this municipality or league has in place... so its hard to judge. I do agree with fair play opportunities in rec.
- Jun 24, 2013
- 1,057
- 36
Playing time is always an interesting Issue, DD is on both sides every year. I was annoyed with the amount of playing time a player got on our team last year, saw their dad a couple weeks ago and we were discussing last year, out of the blue he said our HC was the best coach she has ever had in any sport, shows what I know.
I do not think playing time is the coach’s issue, if it was they could have stated it a lot better. I bet the 6’ player that never shows up to practice plays every minute of every game.
I do not have an update yet if there was any changes made.
I do not think playing time is the coach’s issue, if it was they could have stated it a lot better. I bet the 6’ player that never shows up to practice plays every minute of every game.
I do not have an update yet if there was any changes made.
Kinda surprised that so many here favor equal playing time in rec, but I'm glad to hear it. Too many coaches make winning too important and rationalize that it's teaching life's lessons, etc. (That doesn't mean I'm saying playing time must be equal, but if you are in a rec league and come and meet the basic requirements, you are entitled to a good share of playing time.)
I remember when I played youth football that the coaches played to win. Can't recall 8U that well, but I remember in 10U playing all the time when I was 10 but not playing much at all when I was 9.
What life lessons did I learn from that? One was that my value to my coaches was tied up in how well that I, as a 9-year-old, could block and tackle. Two is that there were other things I could be doing at that age that was more fun than watching my friends play football. So at age 11, when I was destined to be a first-year player again and ride the pine, I decided to do something else rather than practice hard all week for these hard-rear Lombardi wannabees to play a half-dozen plays in the game.
I remember when I played youth football that the coaches played to win. Can't recall 8U that well, but I remember in 10U playing all the time when I was 10 but not playing much at all when I was 9.
What life lessons did I learn from that? One was that my value to my coaches was tied up in how well that I, as a 9-year-old, could block and tackle. Two is that there were other things I could be doing at that age that was more fun than watching my friends play football. So at age 11, when I was destined to be a first-year player again and ride the pine, I decided to do something else rather than practice hard all week for these hard-rear Lombardi wannabees to play a half-dozen plays in the game.
When I coached at the rec level (basketball and softball) there were several ways that I rated my own coaching ability. One method was how many players returned to play the following season. And if a player decided to not return, was it because of anything I did or didn't do as the coach.
That's what rec should be all about. Granted not equal time at all positions but move them around a lot so they can experience it. If they want to get really serious and special in a position that's what travel is for. At least in our area anyway. It may be different in other parts of the country.
Not one of these kids is going to remember their teams record 20 years from now (unless they win or lose every single game, those are usually memorable) but every one of them is going to recall something from their season(s) playing softball. It is up to us coaches to make sure they memory is a good one.
What was your record? See you already proved my point. Hopefully whatever you chose to do at 11 was something more fun than watching your friends play football.
- Oct 24, 2012
- 75
- 6
They all say that's what they'd do. But find out what actually happens and you wouldnt be that surprised.
We all know what rec ball should be, but when you have 5 all stars and 7 girls that stink. You have 5 constant players and 7 girls that rotate.
For rec leagues and/or younger players, we've always favored keeping playing time relatively even instead of marginalizing the weaker players by only giving them the minimum. It was especially satisfying winning the LL season while having everyone scheduled to sit at least 1 inning and rotating everyone through the IF for at least 1 inning against a 'team' where half the players sat half the game and the other half played the whole game in the infield. It takes a lot more coaching to successfully operate this way, but it is very rewarding. If parents had trouble getting their kids to practices and/or games, we usually found another family to make it happen. The whole team, including parents, becomes a more cohesive group with this approach.
Over the years, I heard from some fellow coaches that were pulling their hair out from having to deal with a coach's nightmare. The player never made it to a preseason practice, including saturdays, despite repeated offers to help and parents promising they would show up for the next one. The player shows up for the first game 5 minutes before it starts and the coaches have no idea what the player can or can't do. They continue missing practices and show up for games right before or after they start with no calls to the coaches when they're going to be late or not there at all.
I agree with not penalizing the kid for having dysfunctional parents, but at some point it's not fair to the rest of the team to give them equal time. For me, it would really depend on the behavior of the kid when they were there. If they're trying their best and listening to the coaches, I would do my best for them.
Over the years, I heard from some fellow coaches that were pulling their hair out from having to deal with a coach's nightmare. The player never made it to a preseason practice, including saturdays, despite repeated offers to help and parents promising they would show up for the next one. The player shows up for the first game 5 minutes before it starts and the coaches have no idea what the player can or can't do. They continue missing practices and show up for games right before or after they start with no calls to the coaches when they're going to be late or not there at all.
I agree with not penalizing the kid for having dysfunctional parents, but at some point it's not fair to the rest of the team to give them equal time. For me, it would really depend on the behavior of the kid when they were there. If they're trying their best and listening to the coaches, I would do my best for them.
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Slappers
Don't like labels
Thanks for the generalization but we aren't all like that. I rotated everybody, the good, the bad and the beginners in a 16u rec league.
That is the problem that rec leagues are facing these days. My team consisted of 5 travel players, 3 girls that can't afford to play travel but are very competitive and can play, and 4 beginners. I could tell when the "good" players got annoyed when I sat them or put them in positions they didn't want to play because the other girls wanted to play there. I didn't care really. That isn't my job as a rec coach. My job is to give everyone a chance and hopefully bring out a passion for the game in these kids. The attitude amongst travel players is a bit obnoxious anyway. Like they are special. The rec league isn't catered to them, it is catered to the other players.
The only real complaint I got was that one girl always hit last. Well, when you show up to every game after it starts and the rule is to place those players last in the lineup that tends to happen.
