What percentage of coaches (Rec, HS, TB, College) are great, good, fair, bad, absolutely horrible

[daywalkerdad]

Hmmm...I didn't see umpire in there...

I wander what % of coaches umpires think know the rules?
Great
Good
Fair
Poor
I think I know for parents.
Softball seems to create a lot of unusual plays where the ump is the only one who knows the rule and everyone else needs to spend 5 min on google before arguing.

 

[Cannonball]

Isn't this all relative to what the expectations are and the level of play? My dd had exceptional coaches all the way through and I know that we are fortunate. The first coach wasn't a person who was adept at coaching skills or mechanics. Instead, he was adamant about players having fun and playing multiple positions. Her second coach was both a skills coach and very good at game strategy. The third coach was a well-known TB coach who took the team all over the country and was good at getting players exposure.

In high school, her first HS coach was well known, had won hundreds of games, and was very positive with the players. The second coach was me. At every level, you could find parents whose opinions varied greatly about these coach's abilities. One expected the team to only pitch his daughter and play in tournaments where the team was sure to win. LOL He didn't keep his dd on the team very long. IMO, it takes all kinds of coaches for your child to develop.

In college, my dd's coach served in Special Forces and was a great motivator. I would wish for you all to have this variety of coaches in your dd's journey.

 

[lynx]

Good/great coaches teach the fundamentals.....ex. you don't just hit, you hit with a purpose...work on their stance, swing, etc. Throwing is the same...mechanics and getting girls to keep feet moving (footwork) and proper arm ready to throw postition. Teach baserunning, leads, tagging up, etc. Main thing is teaching how to play the game and be a softball player not just a OF, INF, P, etc. The work ethic and being efficient with your practices...no wasted time...kids standing around. And of course have fun!

 

[lynx]

Sometimes coaches need to watch another coach practice with these characteristics and learn themselves...great players don't always make great coaches

 

[uncdrew]

Hmmm...I didn't see umpire in there...

I still toy with the idea. I do love the game, and love to give back. And I watch good umps and appreciate them and as I watch them ump a good game, get thanked by parents and coaches and watch things go down the way they should... and I think "I'd like to be part of that".

And then some jerkwad dad yells about called strike three on his sweet DD and I think "nope."

 

[daywalkerdad]

And then some jerkwad dad yells about called strike three on his sweet DD and I think "nope."

Without a doubt they are sitting at an angle they cannot tell anyhow.

 

[uncdrew]

Without a doubt they are sitting at an angle they cannot tell anyhow.

Absolutely.

I laugh (on the inside) at all the parents questioning calls.

"Hahhaaha. So from your lawn chair down the right field line you could tell that pitch was inside. Wow!"

 

[Nuwin]

"Hahhaaha. So from your lawn chair down the right field line you could tell that pitch was inside. Wow!"

I'll take you up on this challenge. lol. There is usually enough lag in the game changer video to make it a valid competition too!

Being a catcher parent, I've started watching the pitches differently. I'm at my best when my DD is catching as I'm most familiar with her setup and movement. Once you get a feel for how the catcher sets up and moves, you can figure out in and out on your own.

I don't envy single umpires. I'd never bark at them unless they created a player safety issue. But the further away from their eyes, the more leniency they get from me.

There was one occasion last season where some of our parents were getting pretty restless with the single umpire saying they cost us a game. I went back to the video and had plenty of screenshots to show that as much as the bad calls hurt us, they also kept us from getting blown out. It was a rough day at the office for sure. But strange how only half of the bad calls were deemed bad. lol

 

[uncdrew]

I'll take you up on this challenge. lol. There is usually enough lag in the game changer video to make it a valid competition too!

Being a catcher parent, I've started watching the pitches differently. I'm at my best when my DD is catching as I'm most familiar with her setup and movement. Once you get a feel for how the catcher sets up and moves, you can figure out in and out on your own.

I don't envy single umpires. I'd never bark at them unless they created a player safety issue. But the further away from their eyes, the more leniency they get from me.

There was one occasion last season where some of our parents were getting pretty restless with the single umpire saying they cost us a game. I went back to the video and had plenty of screenshots to show that as much as the bad calls hurt us, they also kept us from getting blown out. It was a rough day at the office for sure. But strange how only half of the bad calls were deemed bad. lol

Yes, watching the catcher is a trick I learned here. It works well. One caveat below.

My DD is a pitcher and while she says it doesn't bother her, I never stand behind the plate. In my head I just can't imagine a kid wants their biggest supporter (and potentially biggest critic) hovering like that. When I do, it's excellent. I love watching her location and spin from that spot.

So yes, I watch our catchers and see how much they move to help me know where the pitch was (from my vantage point down the right field line).


We have a pitcher on the high school team who kind of ignores location or just decides on her own. It crosses up our catchers a lot. Sometimes the catcher sets up outside and then practically jumps to get an inside pitch. Thing is, sometimes they are still strikes. I imagine umps don't like when that happens, but it completely throws off the catchers and many of us fans.

 

[Nuwin]

I'm glad to hear others have mastered this wizardry. I try to explain it, but I figure I am just a bad teacher.

To get back on track to the OP, I simplified this a bit when I make my observations.

Could your team at the end of the season beat the team at the beginning of the season? Seems to weed out a lot of managers, even if they had a stellar win/loss record.