The "Hissy-Quit"

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May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Most often, parents wait until the end of the season, and either let the coaches know they will be looking for another team for their DD, or just disappear without a word. The classy ones will will thank the coaches for the opportunity for their DD to play with the team.

Then, there is the "hissy-quit".

Every time I've seen it happen, the common thread is parents unhappy with their DD's playing time. At some point, they just can't take it any more. In my experience it's always tournaments that gets parents' panties all bunched up. I've seen it happen immediately after the last game. I've seen it happen between games - even in tournaments many hours from home.

What I saw last week set a new low "hissy-quit" bar for me...

In the middle of a game, two parents walk to the dugout, tell their DDs to pack up, and leave. On the way out, one of the parents proceeds to yell at the coach from about 20-30 feet away. This wasn't a random low-level tournament. This was PGF Premier, with D1 coaches watching the game...including Patty-gawdamn-Gasso!!!

It was stunning - vividly selfish and low-class.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
This wasn't a random low-level tournament. This was PGF Premier, with D1 coaches watching the game...including Patty-gawdamn-Gasso!!!
I would guess that the odds of this happening if it WASN'T PGF Premier with Patty Gasso watching would actually probably be lower.

Think about it. The parents spends all kind of money on lessons,TB,etc. etc. under the illusion that it will be their ticket to a scholarship at a P5 school. Well now the opportunity to play in front of all kinds of D1 coaches is there but little Susie is sitting on the bench and said P5 coaches cannot see how great Susie is and it causes them to flip.

I am surprised it doesn't happen more often tbh (or maybe it does and we are just flip your lid novices :LOL: ).
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
Saw a team implode at TCS East this year. Not mid-game, but in the team meeting after. Involved most of the teams parents and coaches - including swearing, pushing, accusations of theft, questioning of coaching methods, favortism, lots of yelling and barroom level threats of harm. Made the game break way more interesting.

Every so often around here a 2nd year 12U or a 14U first year team will form which has ALL the problem families on it because they have run out of decent teams to play for. As you would expect it is total car wreck.
 

TMD

Feb 18, 2016
433
43
HA! Love the phrase "hissy-quit". Didn't even have to read the thread to picture exactly what this is. I've had the pleasure of being close to a couple of these over the years, and can't think of any where the consensus reaction by the rest of the team wasn't "good f'ing riddance".

but really..."hissy-quit"...great phrase. A+.
 
Apr 24, 2017
203
28
Georgia
Most often, parents wait until the end of the season, and either let the coaches know they will be looking for another team for their DD, or just disappear without a word. The classy ones will will thank the coaches for the opportunity for their DD to play with the team.

Then, there is the "hissy-quit".

Every time I've seen it happen, the common thread is parents unhappy with their DD's playing time. At some point, they just can't take it any more. In my experience it's always tournaments that gets parents' panties all bunched up. I've seen it happen immediately after the last game. I've seen it happen between games - even in tournaments many hours from home.

What I saw last week set a new low "hissy-quit" bar for me...

In the middle of a game, two parents walk to the dugout, tell their DDs to pack up, and leave. On the way out, one of the parents proceeds to yell at the coach from about 20-30 feet away. This wasn't a random low-level tournament. This was PGF Premier, with D1 coaches watching the game...including Patty-gawdamn-Gasso!!!

It was stunning - vividly selfish and low-class.
WOW. Just WOW. Chances are that team had 15-18 players on the roster and you know the coach was playing to win. It is PGF nationals! So yeah, you are going to have some kids that get a lot less playing time during bracket play. Everyone on your team should get an opportunity in pool play. But by that point in the season, the coach knows who his best 9 are to put on the field. Parents should have bowed out before nationals if they were that frustrated and saved themselves thousands of dollars on the trip. I mean, it is not like their kid was going to get much playing time anyway, right? I hate it for those kids. What are their parents' teaching them? And now they have that reputation.
 

sjw62000

just cleaning the dugout
Sep 1, 2018
93
33
North Carolina
Every so often around here a 2nd year 12U or a 14U first year team will form which has ALL the problem families on it because they have run out of decent teams to play for. As you would expect it is total car wreck.
The reality of this is one of the things that scare parents off TB. I say that because in all likelihood these parents managed to convince one or two new TB families to join the organization. It brings sadness to my heart.
but really..."hissy-quit"...great phrase. A+.
This phrase allows me to expand my vocabulary and that brings joy to my heart.
 
Jan 28, 2017
1,661
83
As a HS player about 35 years ago. I was on deck and this guy came walking around the corner of the fence and punched the opponents coach. The coach was squatting down and leaning against the fence calling pitches. He never saw the guy and the guy never said a word. The coach after gathering himself said he didn't have a clue why he hit him. His son was playing SS. I guess he left. We just kept playing. Parents are crazy.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,409
113
Texas
Heard about a "hissy-quit" in Colorado. Player gets pulled after a few errors and a mental mistake. Mom goes to the dugout, pulls kid out of the game and left the fields. Then I hear she is at the team event that evening and shows up the next day and plays. Very curious to hear how that coach/player conversation went down.
 
Sep 17, 2009
1,637
83
Every time I've seen it happen, the common thread is parents unhappy with their DD's playing time. At some point, they just can't take it any more.

While what happened in your story was horrible, and I don't know what kind of team-parents these people were overall, imagine what people are going through when they get to the point where, as you put it, 'they just can't take it anymore.' Not only are you seeing your kids suffer (and more likely getting a significant hit to your own ego), but you are paying thousands upon thousands of dollars (especially on a traveling PGF team) to have it happen. It can be tough. And this from someone who's spent more time on the coach side than the parent side of the fence.
 
Aug 19, 2015
1,118
113
Atlanta, GA
Yeah, we had a girl on our team whose grandparents DROVE an RV from FL to CO to be with her for the week (parents had to work). She pitched 1 and 2/3 of an inning and that was it for the week. Never batted, never played in the field at all the rest of the time. That would be enough to make me go postal, but they were remarkably chill about it (Grandpa used to coach his daughters in TB, so I guess he understood).
 

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