got informed by our softball administrator today (This is LL softball) that as it looks as though I will only be managing a team if they get enough additional girls to form a third team in minors softball. I am only one of two returning managers for this division (I managed two years in coach pitch softball, one in minors softball, the other returner managed one year in minors in our league, was also a coach pitch manager for at least one year in neighboring league).
Apparently the new manager for minors softball this year is our treasurer (his girl is moving up from coach pitch baseball, we had to disband coach pitch softball because of low numbers and complaints about distance of inter-league games for girls many of whom's bedtime was 830 or 9 (I know for interleague games, I normally did not get home until 830 or 9 most nights). He also coaches his daughter's travel soccer team. No offense, but I know from personal experience that there is a learning curve for coaching softball, it is a different game then baseball, not just a larger ball. Different rules, etc. would having be AC coach for a year make sense?
We just got out of a situation where a softball manager and his travel soccer team all basically insisted they be on same softball team (for four years running) to accommodate the soccer schedule (he is out for other reasons, used unacceptable language towards a child). Last year ended up with horribly unbalanced league (they lost one game, our run differential against them in 3 games was -27, for rest of league (like 9 or 10 games) was -3). Seems we are going right back to there (or he just wants to control his daughter's team schedule so as not to conflict with soccer).
Second note, apparently our BOD has not yet voted on managers yet! Typical of our softball administrator, he basically assumes the board will rubber stamp whatever he wants (I also believe there are decisions he makes unilaterally without seeking BOD approval because he figures no one will call him on it).
Now I know that there are no "returning" managers. But I have been working on things assuming I was managing for past few months, was also going to put out about $200 (assuming I could convince DW) of my money for things I felt the team needed for practices. Research and reading a lot (like on here(). Putting together practice plans (I already have rough drafts of the first four). Thinking of signals (want to introduce that this year). tweaking welcome letter and team rules. I probably keep better stats than any other minor coach in our district (hence I know our run differential last year vs individual teams in our group, and vs whole, OBP of my girls, innings pitched, BBs and Ks for each of my Ps, % of time each girl put ball in play (some of my stats are a little unconventional, but at this level depending on Vol scorekeepers, so wanted a stat that eliminated the hit vs E vs sac question).
These organizations wonder why they have trouble getting volunteers, here is prime example. Volunteers are desperately needed, that is until they are in the way of a high muckety-muck, then it is don't let the door hit you on the way out. When I first came to this league 4 years ago (our league basically went defunct due to lack of numbers, we basically did combined play with this league, but it was really just our kids being absorbed, good thing overall), was told my daughter, who had two years of tball, but was softball league age 5, could not play coach pitch softball unless I coached.
Am I wrong to feel like the softball admin is trying to say thanks, don't let the door hit you in rear on way out? took me a while but I have come to enjoy coaching the girls (I think 2 years of tball kind of put me off, but it gets better as they get older).
Now all this being said, if it ends up I don't manage, I will still probably be AC, as this is about girls (and big problem on softball side of our league is lack of asst coaches).
BOD meeting tonight (where they will be voting on managers), will be there, will be interesting. will advise.
Apparently the new manager for minors softball this year is our treasurer (his girl is moving up from coach pitch baseball, we had to disband coach pitch softball because of low numbers and complaints about distance of inter-league games for girls many of whom's bedtime was 830 or 9 (I know for interleague games, I normally did not get home until 830 or 9 most nights). He also coaches his daughter's travel soccer team. No offense, but I know from personal experience that there is a learning curve for coaching softball, it is a different game then baseball, not just a larger ball. Different rules, etc. would having be AC coach for a year make sense?
We just got out of a situation where a softball manager and his travel soccer team all basically insisted they be on same softball team (for four years running) to accommodate the soccer schedule (he is out for other reasons, used unacceptable language towards a child). Last year ended up with horribly unbalanced league (they lost one game, our run differential against them in 3 games was -27, for rest of league (like 9 or 10 games) was -3). Seems we are going right back to there (or he just wants to control his daughter's team schedule so as not to conflict with soccer).
Second note, apparently our BOD has not yet voted on managers yet! Typical of our softball administrator, he basically assumes the board will rubber stamp whatever he wants (I also believe there are decisions he makes unilaterally without seeking BOD approval because he figures no one will call him on it).
Now I know that there are no "returning" managers. But I have been working on things assuming I was managing for past few months, was also going to put out about $200 (assuming I could convince DW) of my money for things I felt the team needed for practices. Research and reading a lot (like on here(). Putting together practice plans (I already have rough drafts of the first four). Thinking of signals (want to introduce that this year). tweaking welcome letter and team rules. I probably keep better stats than any other minor coach in our district (hence I know our run differential last year vs individual teams in our group, and vs whole, OBP of my girls, innings pitched, BBs and Ks for each of my Ps, % of time each girl put ball in play (some of my stats are a little unconventional, but at this level depending on Vol scorekeepers, so wanted a stat that eliminated the hit vs E vs sac question).
These organizations wonder why they have trouble getting volunteers, here is prime example. Volunteers are desperately needed, that is until they are in the way of a high muckety-muck, then it is don't let the door hit you on the way out. When I first came to this league 4 years ago (our league basically went defunct due to lack of numbers, we basically did combined play with this league, but it was really just our kids being absorbed, good thing overall), was told my daughter, who had two years of tball, but was softball league age 5, could not play coach pitch softball unless I coached.
Am I wrong to feel like the softball admin is trying to say thanks, don't let the door hit you in rear on way out? took me a while but I have come to enjoy coaching the girls (I think 2 years of tball kind of put me off, but it gets better as they get older).
Now all this being said, if it ends up I don't manage, I will still probably be AC, as this is about girls (and big problem on softball side of our league is lack of asst coaches).
BOD meeting tonight (where they will be voting on managers), will be there, will be interesting. will advise.