The worst Place to Coach?

[sluggers]

Excellent post, Sparky.

 

[Ken Krause]

I like 14U

I'm surprised no one used this one yet: from the stands.

I must really be a glutton for punishment, because where I am I am the permanent 14U coach. What makes it kind of tough is often I don't get the girls until their second year in 14U, which means I only have a year to get to know them, build a relationship with them, learn how to coach them and then actually try to teach them something.

At 14U they're making the decision about how serious they are, and deciding whether to continue to play with their friends on the hometown team or move to a more competitive team. Our program is positioned as a more competitive team so it takes them a while to decide they need to move on to something better. Once they're in they tend to want to stay in so the 16U and 18U coaches get them longer.

But I love working with this age. To me, it's the point where they really become interested in learning the game and bettering themselves. I'm sometimes surprised at what they don't know coming in -- things like when to tag at third -- but it's all teachable. Generally speaking they're still very enthused about the game, and while they may think about playing in college it's not quite the obsession it becomes later. They're more focused on today than tomorrow. Not always today at the ballpark, but at least today.

For someone who loves to teach the game it's a great age. You can really make an impact on a player's career. Good example is one of our girls from last year (who is back again). She came in out of rec ball -- this is before I joined up with the program. Her skills were pretty weak, but she was a good kid and determined to get better. Since I wasn't head coach I asked the HC if I could work with her on fielding, more one-on-one, to get her caught up. HC agreed. Later in the season her parents asked me to start working with her on hitting, which we set up as before or after practice lessons. She continued to improve throughout the summer.

Fast forward to tryouts in August. As a safety she tried out with her local program, although her first choice was to come back with us. Her dad told me at the local travel tryouts it was night and day. She blew away kids who used to be ahead of her in skill level and ability. The coaches were shocked during the hitting portion when she asked if they'd like to see her slug bunt. None of the other girls had a clue how to do it, and I'm not sure the coaches did either.

So it was a great opportuity to really impact her softball career, and maybe her life. Who knows? You can do it somewhat at 12U, but a lot of the kids lack the focus still. Much tougher to do at 16U where they pretty much need to have a lot of it down already. But at 14U, you get to see them grow by leaps and bounds, and maybe give them a leg up when they get to HS too.

By the way, this particular girl is 3.0 fast, so I've turned her around to a slapper. It helped her make her JV team as a freshman -- one of only two to do so. If she was still where she was a year ago that wouldn't have happened.

 

[Sparky Guy]

So it was a great opportuity to really impact her softball career, and maybe her life. Who knows? You can do it somewhat at 12U, but a lot of the kids lack the focus still.

Ken,

You'll be surprised what you can get out of a 12U girl. What I tell my parents and the girls is I'm going to treat them like they are an 18U team. I make them responsible for themselves and to their teammates. They carry their own equipment bags and all the team equipment. My BIGGEST pet peeve is to see a perfectly healthy athlete running around while mom or dad looks like a pack mule carrying everything in. I tell them when it comes to the contents of their equipment bag. If something is missing the words "my dad or my mom" better not precede the excuse for the missing item. I tell them there is nothing in that bag their mom or dad uses. They are responsible for checking and making sure everything they need for the games or practice are in the bag.

When I have a girl who is goofing around I will stop the drill and address the player right then and there. Then I put it on them that I had to stop practice because of their actions and they are taking practice time away from the rest of their teammates. I always make everything about the team whenever I can. I make each one of them take a turn being captain of the team for a day. They have a list of things they are responsible for. This forces the shy kid to step up and it keeps some of the more dominant personalities in check.

What I have found is it takes about 8 months to knock the rec ball mentality out of a girl on average. Some less, some more. The biggest thing I found is there can be as much as a 2 year difference in the maturity and ability levels between the high and low end of girls who are only a couple of months apart in age. Having to adjust to those can be difficult as a coach. But it feels good to see the light bulb go from a struggling flicker to glowing brightly as they start to understand the game more as they play it.

I demand their best effort at all times. I ask them for perfection. I hope to see them succeed. I'm honest with them when they fail. I don't hold them accountable for something they haven't learned yet. Through the years I've found it takes treating them like adults and with respect has given me the best results.

 

[Carty]

Right now I am thinking HS is the toughest so far. Rec was fun, I enjoy helping at the local leagues clinics and watching their games. They have so much enthusiam. Last year 14U and first year 16 TB were more dealing with parents. I think because of the level, the girls came to practice with the intent to work hard, and carried that to game time. But there is always a small group of parents that were troubles. 18U TB, everyone was enjoying the time either playing or watching. However HS has a varied talent level of players with different commitments, and the same with the parents.

 

[mkral]

BB875 - "I personally would start another 10U TB team in a few years if mama would do it all over again."

IF you do BB you better plan on still coaching 2 teams!! You guys have done a lot for my DD and I appreciate it. She really loves playing for you.

My wife and I coach a 14U TB team and I fully agree with Slugger. In fact this will be it for us. We had some parent issues before this past weekends tourney and we had to have a sit down with the parents after we were done yesterday. Unfortunately the instigator of the whole problem elected to walk away and leave without staying for the meeting. The team won all 3 games but some parents are not happy if their DD is not on the field every inning of every game. The problem I have is I love coaching and some of these girls I have had for 5 years and we have great relationships. I am just tired of the parental BS that goes on and I am ready to watch both of my DD's without coaching either of them.

 

[BB875]

BB875 - "I personally would start another 10U TB team in a few years if mama would do it all over again."

IF you do BB you better plan on still coaching 2 teams!! You guys have done a lot for my DD and I appreciate it. She really loves playing for you.

My wife and I coach a 14U TB team and I fully agree with Slugger. In fact this will be it for us. We had some parent issues before this past weekends tourney and we had to have a sit down with the parents after we were done yesterday. Unfortunately the instigator of the whole problem elected to walk away and leave without staying for the meeting. The team won all 3 games but some parents are not happy if their DD is not on the field every inning of every game. The problem I have is I love coaching and some of these girls I have had for 5 years and we have great relationships. I am just tired of the parental BS that goes on and I am ready to watch both of my DD's without coaching either of them.

Thanks man. Your DD is a great kid & You know there is always room on our coaching staff for you. Seriously.

 

[BB875]

Ken,

You'll be surprised what you can get out of a 12U girl. What I tell my parents and the girls is I'm going to treat them like they are an 18U team. I make them responsible for themselves and to their teammates. They carry their own equipment bags and all the team equipment. My BIGGEST pet peeve is to see a perfectly healthy athlete running around while mom or dad looks like a pack mule carrying everything in. I tell them when it comes to the contents of their equipment bag. If something is missing the words "my dad or my mom" better not precede the excuse for the missing item. I tell them there is nothing in that bag their mom or dad uses. They are responsible for checking and making sure everything they need for the games or practice are in the bag.

When I have a girl who is goofing around I will stop the drill and address the player right then and there. Then I put it on them that I had to stop practice because of their actions and they are taking practice time away from the rest of their teammates. I always make everything about the team whenever I can. I make each one of them take a turn being captain of the team for a day. They have a list of things they are responsible for. This forces the shy kid to step up and it keeps some of the more dominant personalities in check.

What I have found is it takes about 8 months to knock the rec ball mentality out of a girl on average. Some less, some more. The biggest thing I found is there can be as much as a 2 year difference in the maturity and ability levels between the high and low end of girls who are only a couple of months apart in age. Having to adjust to those can be difficult as a coach. But it feels good to see the light bulb go from a struggling flicker to glowing brightly as they start to understand the game more as they play it.

I demand their best effort at all times. I ask them for perfection. I hope to see them succeed. I'm honest with them when they fail. I don't hold them accountable for something they haven't learned yet. Through the years I've found it takes treating them like adults and with respect has given me the best results.

Very good post, sparky.

 

[chinamigarden]

Worst place to coach. Apparently its the San Diego LL all stars. They seem to have a high standard of commitment

 

[EP Dad]

Worst place to coach. Apparently its the San Diego LL all stars. They seem to have a high standard of commitment

I admit it. I busted out laughing.

 

[3'sDad]

you guys are brutal! LOL !