Thoughts on team discipline for the actions of a few?

[KPower]

First - I am not a coach and I have no desire to be one....but I'd appreciate some thoughts on this situation...

What are your thoughts on disciplining the entire team for a small number of girls who consistently mess around and are disrespectful?

DD's team has 11 girls. 1st yr 12U. 1 girl has never attended practice (that is a whole other thread). 4 girls come and give 100% all the time. Then - there is one girl in particular who is lazy and disrespectful and pretty much a typical "mean" girl. For whatever reason the other 5 girls on the team seek her approval and will mess around and mouth off all while looking at the ringleader for approval. When it comes time for conditioning the ringleader will lag behind during running or lay flat on the ground while doing pushups or burpies. The coaches will get angry and force the entire team to start over. This will go on and on, over and over again. DD is very tired of it. She actually likes the conditioning but when she has to complete 75 burpies because of someone else's laziness or smart mouth she gets annoyed. This has been going on for weeks or even months. My opinion is - the whole team discipline thing is not working. I don't have an issue with trying that initially - DD and one of the other hard workers have tried to push their teammates to cooperate but its had no impact. At this point I think it is time for the coaches to recognize the girls who do give 100% and leave the extra reps to the ones who choose to screw around. Or they need to call out the ringleader (they all know who it is) and give her a consequence that means something...sitting her an extra inning for example.

So...thoughts?

 

[CJ D]

Does. Not. Work.

Let me clarify...it does not work in 99% of cases at that age, with girls.

I had to learn the hard way that a talented girl with a bad attitude is the first girl that should be cut. 11 girls with bad attitudes and lazy work ethic will get passed up time and time again by 11 girls of lesser talent who buy in and have respect for the coaches, parents, and process.

 

[grcsftbll]

I don't have a problem with the team paying for the behavior of a few, in general. It teaches them lessons about how their actions affect others. This sounds extreme though. I think he needs to deal with the problem children specifically at this point. JMO

 

[djcarter1966]

Problem won't fix itself unless the other girls stand up to the "ringleader" you have mentioned like 6 girls what is the other half of the team doing? is this Rec? or TB? The whole idea behind team punishment is peer pressure from girls who are giving full effort on the one slacker, if the other girls don't apply the peer pressure it's useless. Don't know why this is harder for girls...guys catch on really quickly, could also be an age thing by 14 and 16 this works much better.

If it's TB solution is easy just call out the one girl and let her know there are plenty of girls who would be happy to join the team if she does not want to participate.

If it's rec you just move on...sit that girl out the max possible let her know her attitude is not working, I'm not saying don't try but after you have tried don't give into her to the detriment of the whole team (and I'm not talking about winning and losing).

 

[CoogansBluff]

It's not the job of 12U players to coach their teammates. That's what coaches are for. The coaches are probably just as afraid of crossing this queen bee as the players, so they're trying to pass off their work on the kids.

 

[KPower]

This is TB. There are 4 girls who come to practice and give 100%. They bust their butts at every station, run around picking up all the balls, are the 1st ones out on the field during practice and games and always thank their coaches at the end of practice. There is 1 girl who stirs the pot and creates the problems and 5 little minions who either decide to follow the ringleader because they have a need to be liked by her (for whatever reason) or every once in a while actually do their best to respect the coaches. The problem is, these 5 will NEVER stand up to the ringleader and tell her to get her act together. The 4 girls who give 100% have all tried, to no avail. The coaches will "talk/yell" at the girls and tell them they will never make it at a higher level if they continue on the path of laziness and disrespect, but they really don't do anything that means anything. Even when they order an entire team punishment the only girls who complete the extra reps to the best of their ability are the 4 who give their all regularly. The others pretend to be sick, or tired or whatever.

 

[KPower]

It's not the job of 12U players to coach their teammates. That's what coaches are for. The coaches are probably just as afraid of crossing this queen bee as the players, so they're trying to pass off their work on the kids.


WHY???? That is what boggles my mind! Why are 4 grown men afraid of a 12 year old smart mouth brat. She is a decent player, but certainly not a game changer.

 

[CoogansBluff]

WHY???? That is what boggles my mind! Why are 4 grown men afraid of a 12 year old smart mouth brat. She is a decent player, but certainly not a game changer.

Some coaches want to be liked more than respected. Some don't like conflict. Some are afraid of parents' reaction. Lots of things.

Or it could just be that that coach thinks this will work. But in my experience, it doesn't. Too bad that the hard-working kids are in the minority.

 

[grcsftbll]

Is Miss Ringleader a good player? Maybe they like winning more than they like team harmony and a positive team culture?

 

[KPower]

Is Miss Ringleader a good player? Maybe they like winning more than they like team harmony and a positive team culture?

She is decent...not a gamechanger. This is a very strong team up and down the board. The entire line up can hit, and all the girls play well at more than one position.