New TB coach's biggest lies this year: "this isn't Daddy Ball", "Every kid will earn their position". So hard for me to tell my kid to just play hard no matter what. My eye opener to this was when I asked why she's only playing 80% she says, "it doesn't matter how hard you play, he's going to do what he wants anyways". My reply..."play the game you love the way you love to play it".
What have you learned this season that might help the rest of us?
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New TB coach's biggest lies this year: "this isn't Daddy Ball", "Every kid will earn their position". So hard for me to tell my kid to just play hard no matter what. My eye opener to this was when I asked why she's only playing 80% she says, "it doesn't matter how hard you play, he's going to do what he wants anyways". My reply..."play the game you love the way you love to play it".
I learned to do research and spend time watching practices and with coaches before committing to a team. DD's first venture into TB...she went to one tryout (we had several we thought about going to), but she wanted a team that was drooling to have her. Walk-on/no tryout. She felt like she was accepted and would have a great team behind her. This wasn't the worst experience, but its been a rough one for her. Her coach is inexperienced, doesn't get along with his AC's (who are both experienced)...and coach's the team around his daughter.
It was a setback in skills. We should've spent this year really working on tough situations and pitches. HC has never called a CU and will let DD hang herself with FBs all day against a hitting team. I had to convince DD she's here to play a sport she loves. She knows that most of the time. But it gets tiring being that one player on that one team. She gets game balls from umps on losses. Umps tell her after games, "you did your job" "you're the best pitcher I saw all day", etc...fielders just are not solid and catcher is the manager's kid. She belongs on 1st but that's my opinion.
Next team...I'm checking on the coach. Points added for no kid on the team...and I'm sticking to my rule of sitting alone. I stepped out of the dugout for A couple of reasons. One was to let dd play her game, not mine...another was to not deal with parents. Neutral always works...
It was a setback in skills. We should've spent this year really working on tough situations and pitches. HC has never called a CU and will let DD hang herself with FBs all day against a hitting team. I had to convince DD she's here to play a sport she loves. She knows that most of the time. But it gets tiring being that one player on that one team. She gets game balls from umps on losses. Umps tell her after games, "you did your job" "you're the best pitcher I saw all day", etc...fielders just are not solid and catcher is the manager's kid. She belongs on 1st but that's my opinion.
Next team...I'm checking on the coach. Points added for no kid on the team...and I'm sticking to my rule of sitting alone. I stepped out of the dugout for A couple of reasons. One was to let dd play her game, not mine...another was to not deal with parents. Neutral always works...
I learned, just because you run ruled a team yesterday, it doesn't mean you will beat them today.
I've learned to trust my instincts. DD's coach said all of the right things at tryouts and in discussions after, but I always had that "feeling" that his message was just a little too polished. But the team was successful, the girls were great, and DD was excited to make the team, so I ignored that little voice that said, "watch out." In the end the voice was right...HC is only concerned about protecting his DD's spot at SS and putting 8 other girls on the field that are almost as good as his daughter. Anyone who gives her a run for her money gets plenty of bench time to watch her play.
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