The article did what it was supposed to do.... Kick off a discussion......an a 13 year old did that.......
again Impressed......
WE need more female coaches~
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again Impressed......
radness
Possibilities & Opportunities!
- Dec 13, 2019
- 7,270
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(14 yr. old)
I'm happy to report that my DD has had 2 female head coaches in her 3 years of travel ball. I happily served as AC under one of them.
Our current team has 3 coaches, all females. Two of them are also AC at nearby high schools. They are young, ex-college players, energetic and love the game and love the girls.
If you can find that or help make that happen, do it. It's really good for the girls, good for the team. I think it's very important for our young daughters to see women in positions of authority, especially in traditionally male-dominated roles. And I think there's a certain bonding that can happen, as well as the fact that these coaches have gone through the exact experience these girls are going through or will go through (travel ball, high school ball, college ball).
Our current team has 3 coaches, all females. Two of them are also AC at nearby high schools. They are young, ex-college players, energetic and love the game and love the girls.
If you can find that or help make that happen, do it. It's really good for the girls, good for the team. I think it's very important for our young daughters to see women in positions of authority, especially in traditionally male-dominated roles. And I think there's a certain bonding that can happen, as well as the fact that these coaches have gone through the exact experience these girls are going through or will go through (travel ball, high school ball, college ball).
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Exactly. As we all know, parents ruin the game.
Some of these really young female coaches simply aren't prepared for dealing with parents, and the drama and non-sense that they bring. As a much older person, I wasn't prepared either. The levels of crazy around their 10 year old's softball career is insane.
... and as someone said earlier, coaches seem to be one of two types:
1. Older man (50ish)
2. Younger woman (23ish)
The issue with our coach at 12s was that she was not prepared for the job from a work life balance. She recently graduated college, secured a great but time consuming job. During our first team meeting she shared the schedule that had us as a newly formed second year 12u group traveling to 5 overnight tournaments and all but one weekend from April 1st to July 23rd was booked with tournaments.
After the meeting I pulled her aside to ask if she felt the schedule was too intense. She took offense and thought that I was unaware of the rigors of travel ball. But my concern wasn't me or DD it was her time and was she really willing to give up every weekend of her life for the team. She laughed at me and said "sure".
Needless to say the season was a train wreck marked with tournaments where she would show up a minute before first pitch after a long evening. She was a great coach of the game but imo not ready for the demands of coaching a team where most of the parents (wrong at the time) thought the team was good enough to win, get this, Pony Nationals. Lol that was the prize back then.
A better role for her would have been an assistant for a year or two to see if she wanted to make that commitment. That goes for men and women.
There are so many factors as to why there aren't more women coaches. I just wish there were more.
Never too many positive role models.
After the meeting I pulled her aside to ask if she felt the schedule was too intense. She took offense and thought that I was unaware of the rigors of travel ball. But my concern wasn't me or DD it was her time and was she really willing to give up every weekend of her life for the team. She laughed at me and said "sure".
Needless to say the season was a train wreck marked with tournaments where she would show up a minute before first pitch after a long evening. She was a great coach of the game but imo not ready for the demands of coaching a team where most of the parents (wrong at the time) thought the team was good enough to win, get this, Pony Nationals. Lol that was the prize back then.
A better role for her would have been an assistant for a year or two to see if she wanted to make that commitment. That goes for men and women.
There are so many factors as to why there aren't more women coaches. I just wish there were more.
Never too many positive role models.
radness
Possibilities & Opportunities!
- Dec 13, 2019
- 7,270
- 113
Hmmm i just recognized this similarity of just out of college players involvement ...
Feedback from players needing a new instructor~
At times its because they came from someone just out of college.
Where the instructor was either inconsistant about the lessons schedule. Or then took a 'real job' fulltime stopping lessons.
Feedback from players needing a new instructor~
At times its because they came from someone just out of college.
Where the instructor was either inconsistant about the lessons schedule. Or then took a 'real job' fulltime stopping lessons.
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DD has a young lady that is coaching her team. She just graduated from a D3 college. Was a great catcher and has a JUCO national championship ring. She is officially the coach of the team, but she is working with an older male/dad who is the "Team Manager". He handles the scheduling of tournaments, dealing with parents, fundraisers, dealing with parents, and all of the other time consuming things, and dealing with parents. She handles the field and the young ladies on the team LOVE her.
I think this a good model for teams to look at for bringing young women into the coaching of teams. These young women have budding careers, relationships, and unlike most of us old folks, a social life.
There is a lot of pressure on the coaches in youth sports. IMO, older males who have made it thru the starting of a career may be more equipped to handle the pressures. Does it make them more qualified to coach? Probably not, but I think that most of us know or understand that X's and O's is only a tiny part of running a team. Let's find ways to ease these young women into coaching a team. Maybe set them up for success instead of throwing them to the sharks and seeing if they can swim fast enough.
Side Note:
It amazes me sometimes when I think about how my feelings and opinions have changed since I've had a DD. The idea of what her world will look like when she gets there, motivates me to make to try it better today for her tomorrow.
I think this a good model for teams to look at for bringing young women into the coaching of teams. These young women have budding careers, relationships, and unlike most of us old folks, a social life.
There is a lot of pressure on the coaches in youth sports. IMO, older males who have made it thru the starting of a career may be more equipped to handle the pressures. Does it make them more qualified to coach? Probably not, but I think that most of us know or understand that X's and O's is only a tiny part of running a team. Let's find ways to ease these young women into coaching a team. Maybe set them up for success instead of throwing them to the sharks and seeing if they can swim fast enough.
Side Note:
It amazes me sometimes when I think about how my feelings and opinions have changed since I've had a DD. The idea of what her world will look like when she gets there, motivates me to make to try it better today for her tomorrow.
Like the Farrah Fawcett one?
1976.....a banner year!
Schmick's Gloves
Banned
- Nov 8, 2020
- 402
- 43
Any time you look to fulfill roles based on gender or race and not ability to perform at the role, you're being sexist and racist.
Not saying that there shouldn't be more female coaches, but if you pick a coach based on their gender and not their ability, that's sexist.
I coached travel baseball for nearly 20 years, I had to fill in and help out with travel softball for 2 months and that was more than enough for me. Anybody who wants to coach girls, has my respect, doesn't mean I'm going to put my kid on their team but they have my respect.
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