What are the goals for Fall Ball for a brand new team?

[Bob516]

No offense, but it doesn't matter what either you or the other father thinks. Neither of you are coaches. Every parent sitting on the sidelines has an opinion on how a team should be run. Regardless of how either of you feel, it is up to the coaches to decide on how to choose positions/batting order. It is not an easy task to truly do what is best for the team AND keep 12 players and their parents happy.


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No offense taken because I don't know anything about coaching, and so I have no opinion about how to coach a team. When other parents start talking to me about the decisions the coaches have made I just shrug my shoulders. As I said, the coaches have played college ball, they know more than any parent on the sidelines.

I asked the originally asked the question hoping to be able to find a way of tell this guy to shut up. I think that is probably a fool's errand.

 

[Cyder517]

Oh, you are on a team with one of those Quickest way to shut them up is to excuse yourself and head to the restroom. Good luck!


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[Bob516]

Oh, you are on a team with one of those Quickest way to shut them up is to excuse yourself and head to the restroom. Good luck!

The problem is he and I were friends when both of our daughters were on the same town team. He was the assistant coach on that team, and we would talk before and after practices and games, and those were usually good talks. He said out right last spring that he thought of me as a friend. He would seek me out to talk. Now that we are TB parents his behavior has change. Its more than just heading to the bathroom. I guess I am not going to be able to change this guy's new behavior and will have to find a way to subtly distance myself. I feel like I am back in high school.

 

[canyonjoe]

It never hurts to play some different positions. It amazes me how many players have no idea how to play other positions. How can you play SS from age 8 to 14 and have no idea what the 2B or 3B does. I don't expect them to know all the nuances of the position but it's worth learning. It's great to have a team where on Sunday for a big game you can put out 9 good hitters and not suffer on D.

The fall is a great time to learn this. Play some OF which is much more important at 14U and up. Give your Catchers a little break and let them play somewhere else,etc

 

[Bob516]

It never hurts to play some different positions. It amazes me how many players have no idea how to play other positions. How can you play SS from age 8 to 14 and have no idea what the 2B or 3B does. I don't expect them to know all the nuances of the position but it's worth learning. It's great to have a team where on Sunday for a big game you can put out 9 good hitters and not suffer on D.

The fall is a great time to learn this. Play some OF which is much more important at 14U and up. Give your Catchers a little break and let them play somewhere else,etc

Canyonjoe, again, good to know, and thanks.

 

[Classof2020]

I would suggest something a bit more direct the next time he gets going - so that it potentially helps the next person he moves along to. After he starts to say all the changes he wants to make etc you might try something like "I'm really going to try to start out being positive towards this new team and these coaches and give them a shot to do their best. I don't want to start criticizing them. Because once I start to focus on the negative it's hard to see the positives." Then maybe follow that up with something you like about the new coaches "I really appreciate how they run warm ups" "or are willing to work so hard for our girls" or "my daughter really loves playing for them". It might show him you're not interested in a gripe fest but you're not really calling him out as much as stating your plan/opinion.

 

[Bob516]

I would suggest something a bit more direct the next time he gets going - so that it potentially helps the next person he moves along to.

Very wise words, thank you.

 

[CoogansBluff]

As I said, the coaches have played college ball, they know more than any parent on the sidelines.

Not necessarily, but they are the coaches, and they get to decide. (Not saying that you are suggesting otherwise, but just giving my view of the job of coaches vs. job of parents.)

Parents like the one you describe are dangerous because he might get a following among the other parents.

I admit that I have had these discussions w/ other parents myself, but I really make sure that I'm talking w/ another parent that I trust understands that we're having the discussion because we love softball and like to discuss and debate it, and not to complain and criticize. Those things need to go to the coach, not other parents.

 

[Bob516]

Not necessarily, but they are the coaches

Granted, I should have not made such a blanket statement, but based on the parents I have talked to from my girls' team, I would say it is a fair statement. No parent I talked to had more experience beyond coaching CYO and Little League.

 

[Rocketech1]

Find a chair in right field if you don't like to listen to all the drama. I can't think of a single team that DD or DS are/were on where at least a few of the parents had strong feelings about how the team was run or coached. You can either choose to be part of it or not. Really up to you. When I coached I tried to do the right thing for the team but always knew I wasn't going to please all families involved. Took me a while to get comfortable with that fact.