What are parents thinking.

[hummingbird]

Then proceeds to tell me how I should start them with wrist flicks. Nod and smile. Just nod and smile.

What is wrong with wrist flicks? Serious question.

 

[joe720]

I'm pretty knowledgeable about softball. I will never, ever give any advice to anyone unless they ask. Sometimes it kills me as i do coach but it is not my place. I am more than willing to help anyone that asks, but they have to ask.

 

[Gags]

I've seen this child throw a rocket from SS to 1st, and she's a very good player, so I was trying to mention a bad habit she'd picked up before it became ingrained. I felt bad about saying anything at the time, and I probably shouldn't have spoken up, but if someone spotted something that my daughter was doing, I'd want to know. I also wouldn't have said anything had I not felt the girl was one of the better players on the team.

Chardrok - I would have done the same. And what you described is also a much different way of approaching things than the parent clemenslee described. You knew the family, and seems like you presented it as "she's very good, so I wonder if she realizes she's been short-arming the ball".

Maybe the other parent had the best of intentions at heart (to give them the benefit of the doubt), but as described, it came off as - "Yeah, she's not bad. But she's NEVER going to amount to anything (like when she turns 10!) if she doesn't do [this]. You can thank me later... oooh - gotta run, my daughter's up, and if I don't remind her about what we've been working on in the back yard between every pitch, she gets really nervous..."

 

[CoachJD]

What is wrong with wrist flicks? Serious question.

They have nothing to do with correct throwing movement patterns. You're also not warming up anything doing them. At best, they're a waste of time, and that's if your players don't pick up bad throwing habits while doing them.

 

[uncdrew]

Confession time:
I ran into this a couple of practices ago. Unfortunately, I was the interloper. I did not say anything to the player, and I approached the parent who I am acquainted with as quietly, privately, and as unassumingly as I know how. Her daughter short armed the ball all through practice, and the coaches didn't address it. I've seen this child throw a rocket from SS to 1st, and she's a very good player, so I was trying to mention a bad habit she'd picked up before it became ingrained. I felt bad about saying anything at the time, and I probably shouldn't have spoken up, but if someone spotted something that my daughter was doing, I'd want to know. I also wouldn't have said anything had I not felt the girl was one of the better players on the team. The parent's reaction was subdued, but she's hard to read anyway, so I don't know what she thought. I'll never mention it again, and I don't normally do anything but compliment the kids and parents. During the games I'm just there to cheer lead and fetch drinks to the dugout.

So there you go. Guilty as charged, and now you know everything that I was thinking at the time. I don't feel good about saying anything, but I would have felt worse not saying anything.

Perhaps you tell the coach. Then the coach tells the girl.

I know it's hard to always know what to do, and of course your heart is in the right place and I hope the parent took it that way.

 

[uncdrew]

I am trying very hard to bite my tongue this season. I constantly see (in rec and travel) girls pulling their heads out / not tracking the ball all the way in (ie trying to see where they hit it before they make contact), been trying with mostly success not to say anything. In rec, also several of the girls are late against anything approaching fast pitching, resisting urge to tell them to move to back of box.

should I share insights with HC? I think part of the issue is he insists on doing book himself, is particular about it, so I think some things just are not noticed.

My approach is you either coach or keep your mouth shut. With the exception of quietly, kindly, when no one else is around and the coach is free... giving them observations on what you see.

Even some coaches are touchy and defensive. I have a bit of that character fault myself.

 

[uncdrew]

Sounds like you may have a mealy mouth! They know better than the coaches and they’ll start generating negativity amongst the team. I’ve seen it often! Watch him!

Yup. That's why we have parents sign contracts and we document this behavior. Sad for the girl that they might not be on the team long, but parents like that kill the joy of the game for everyone but themselves.

 

[uncdrew]

YESSSSSS!!!

Love this movie so much we bought the DVD.....

What movie?

 

[Chris8]

What movie?

It's called ALLSTARS. It's a faux documentary of a 10U softball team, families through rec league ending in Allstar team.

Just about every character you run into on the fields in real life is in it....the well meaning coach, the stat dad, the LL board members, the Dad who can't go near the fields, win at all costs coach....

It was on Showtime and Netflix as well.

 

[grcsftbll]

It's called ALLSTARS. It's a faux documentary of a 10U softball team, families through rec league ending in Allstar team.

Just about every character you run into on the fields in real life is in it....the well meaning coach, the stat dad, the LL board members, the Dad who can't go near the fields, win at all costs coach....

It was on Showtime and Netflix as well.

Don't forget the parent complaining about playing time, who never brings her kid to practice. IIRC, she has flute at the same time. lol It's a great movie, perhaps a bit too close to reality for comfort sometimes.