Travel Ball vs. HS Sports vs. other club sports

[daywalkerdad]

It's interesting that you mentioned prom and homecoming. My daughter used to play for a very successful former player. When a parent asked how they handled those events she stated flatly that she never went to a prom, and playing time is earned. It doesn't mean you'll never see the field if you miss something to go to a dance, but the people who didn't miss it will be rewarded for their hard work and sacrifice.

I'd be interested to hear what you all think of that.

Still bitter over not being asked?

 

[daywalkerdad]

You know why a coach never misses practice?
They schedule the practice.
They also schedule tournaments. If the coach has a sibling getting married I doubt they schedule that weekend.

 

[CoachCeetar]

You know why a coach never misses practice?
They schedule the practice.
They also schedule tournaments. If the coach has a sibling getting married I doubt they schedule that weekend.

yup.

So when she says you need to make sacrifices to reach the highest level, she says it because she knows from a personal level. She also knows that the second string catcher who works her rear off may not be better than the first string at 14U, but at 16U or 18U that kid will be running circles around the number one. And she knows that because she has witnessed it happen time and time again.

And those second string players wouldn't have gotten the chance without someone else having a conflict.

on top of that, how many more talented athletes just flat out quit before 18U because you tried to make 'em miss their vacation, their grandma's 80th birthday, their prom? ESPECIALLY for kids, these people are actual people, not automatons to fill into a roster. Coaches should be working their hardest to avoid making their players sacrifice because happy, healthy players are more likely to put in the work, to play hard for you, to just generally LIKE softball.

 

[angispeds]

But is it fair to the players that never miss. I would have a hard time playing a player that misses half of the practices over a player that is always there.

Life isn’t fair there’s a difference between occasionally missing and missing a lot. Attitude issues are where I draw the line.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cannonball]

I'm amazed people don't get hurt patting themselves on the back more as a means of justifying whatever they want.

So yeah, I'm in camp as long as it is agreed upon upfront, whatever you want to do is fine.

I have not posted in this thread! (Oops)

 

[Rolling Hard]

Asking kids to miss prom to attend a sports practice is absolutely bonkers. Hopefully I'm misreading that.

I don't think a kid should miss prom but if there are games at 8:00, 10:00 and noon, I like to see her there.

 

[Rolling Hard]

This thread originally was about how a coach would handle a player missing Saturdays pool games because she was in a HS volleyball or flag football tourney. Do you alter her normal playing time?
I say, yes. I not suggesting she sit the whole day but probably not starting the first game.

 

[_MIA_]

This thread originally was about how a coach would handle a player missing Saturdays pool games because she was in a HS volleyball or flag football tourney. Do you alter her normal playing time?
I say, yes. I not suggesting she sit the whole day but probably not starting the first game.

I am fine with that but there might secondary "punishments" to every other player (with possible exception being the kid who plays in her place) if sitting her effects how the rest of the tournament goes.. .

Personally I wouldn't punish kids for missing games (or practices) if given fair warning but if it became a pattern I would sit down
with her and talk about what she would like to get out of softball and the team and see where things stood. I am assuming this is a "serious" 14U+ team. If you like softball you are not going to want to miss too many softball events..if you don't you really shouldn't be playing on such a team.

Like I said before, the main thing as a TB coach is to be transparent with the rules early on and then let the player and her parent's decide whether the rule is going to work with their priorities/schedule.

 

[tim_s]

This thread originally was about how a coach would handle a player missing Saturdays pool games because she was in a HS volleyball or flag football tourney. Do you alter her normal playing time?
I say, yes. I not suggesting she sit the whole day but probably not starting the first game.

HS sport in season/travel "out of season" - for me, if I know ahead of time....no penalty

 

[LEsoftballdad]

My daughter's HS field hockey coach told her that her playing time is being impacted by her missing a game today. It's for a family wedding...