some people need some real issues to deal with

[Greenmonsters]

Remind the complaining, non-volunteering parents that 15 games and 5 practices, each totaling approximately 2 hrs, for the $50 registration fee makes you by far the most economical babysitting option they have and the free T-shirt and anything you happen to teach their kid are the cherry on top.

 

[Terror Coach]

The hardest part of coaching is dealing with parents that treat you like you owe them something. I'm a one man team with my team. I handle fundraising, hotels, uniforms, scheduling, field grooming and I feel like I do a good job as a coach. I still have to deal with parents who are never happy. Some days I feel like I could give these people a million dollars and they would complain that I didn't give then two. It drives me nuts. But I love teaching these kids a game I love. I guess it could be worse.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Here's what I did with a 1st year 10U travel team. The organization's policy was returning players had first option on keeping their number unless they were moving up an age group and there was a returning player with the same number. The older player decided if she wanted to keep her number or not.

The organization had some very expensive and nice uniforms for Sunday games. All of the uniforms were numbered and sized already. All of the players were new to the team. I laid the uniforms out by size. I had 12 kids on the roster. I put 12 pieces of paper in a hat with the numbers from 1-12. The girls reached in the hat and drew a piece of paper. I would not let them look at the number until all of them had been picked. I told them that was the order they were going to pick the uniform number they wanted by size. The kids had no problem with it. It was fair in their minds. Immediately I had a daddy who just wanted the kids to pick their numbers and "work it out" afterwards. That was met with a big NOPE from me. In the end the kids worked it out among themselves without ANY help from the parents. It was great to watch them be more adult than the parents.

As for the OP. I know it's a little late. But, what I do when I'm talking to a parent on the phone while driving or in the middle of something is to tell them to email or text me. That way I have it in front of me when I sit down at my desk to work on team business. It stops a lot of the nonsense over stupid things. And as others have said. If you cater to one set of parents you'll end up having to try and do it for all of them. In the end you need to do what is easiest for YOU. Otherwise you'll drive yourself crazy trying to please them all. Tell them up front you do what you feel is best for the TEAM above anything else.

Kinda like this. The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey. Aesop. 1909-14. Fables. The Harvard Classics

 

[JAD]

The hardest part of coaching is dealing with parents that treat you like you owe them something. I'm a one man team with my team. I handle fundraising, hotels, uniforms, scheduling, field grooming and I feel like I do a good job as a coach. I still have to deal with parents who are never happy. Some days I feel like I could give these people a million dollars and they would complain that I didn't give then two. It drives me nuts. But I love teaching these kids a game I love. I guess it could be worse.

You need to find a good team mom!

 

[#7sDad]

The fun part is that many of the DD's discussed in these threads still play. We played against one of the 'stars' in the top 10 list last year...

The internet is forever.

I couldn't believe how long some of those strings went! Ray Ray. lmao!

 

[BobInMadison]

Can any of our SoCal folks answer the burning question in everyone's mind:

Is Ray Ray still pitching?

 

[bleacher coach]

I am glad i live in the country and even happier i saw this thread. My DD is only 7 so i have year to setup my pole barn i just bought online. Thanks peeps for the valueable knowledge i get here. I only thought it hardwork, skill or a RV to be on a travel team. Maybe with our pole barn my DD can pick number 100.

 

[chinamigarden]

I am glad i live in the country and even happier i saw this thread. My DD is only 7 so i have year to setup my pole barn i just bought online. Thanks peeps for the valueable knowledge i get here. I only thought it hardwork, skill or a RV to be on a travel team. Maybe with our pole barn my DD can pick number 100.

Careful that you plan properly. I have a pole barn but wound up on a team with a family with a much nicer and heated barn.

 

[bmakj]

Remind the complaining, non-volunteering parents that 15 games and 5 practices, each totaling approximately 2 hrs, for the $50 registration fee makes you by far the most economical babysitting option they have and the free T-shirt and anything you happen to teach their kid are the cherry on top.

more like 15-20 practices, we have already had 9, will have two more before OD, then will try to squeeze in one peer week during season (only 2 games a week scheduled). registration is more like $125, and there is a mandatory fundrasier ($5 per kid, each team puts together basket (or $50 buyout) for chinese auction at our beef n beer fundraiser (no mandatory tickets to buy for this).

 

[softball50]

you are doing a great job
kids get a uniform i think thats what is important
parents are the same with our team, they do absolutely nothing but love to complain
hopefully you do better than myself, out $58 banner , no team parent