When is it okay to show excitement as a coach?

[mmeece]

I experienced a moment (as a Dad-coach) where I expressed excitement at a time I probably shouldn't have. We were up 11-0 on a team and my DD was pitching. To start, she was pitching the best I've ever seen her throw up to that point. The light bulb has turned on for her and she's made some significant forward progress in her pitching. So I was already excited for her. Then, on a 0-1 count and no base runners, I asked her to throw a changeup. Little damage could be done and she had been cruising all game. She's been working on it but is afraid to throw it because she's far from consistent with it. She threw as perfect as you could ask and was her first true successful changeup. Her body showed fastball, it kept the same plane during travel, and then just died right before the plate. I verbally cheered and might have fist pumped. Our other AC (who knows how much she's worked on pitching) did similar. The other team's 1B coach.....wasn't so happy with us and understandably so. I apologized and explained why our reaction was the way it was.

But....it brought up the question....what situations (outside of the obvious like winning a tight game or a total tournament) is it okay for a coach to show true excitement? I get really amped up when one of our girls makes a great individual play or finally has success in something she's struggled with. I know in that moment the score shouldn't matter, but I try to keep in mind the optics of it. Definitely understanding that opposing coaches/players don't know the background of our players. Thoughts?

As long as the cheering is FOR you players and not AGAINST the other team then show excitement whenever you want. As long as the other team is still trying, I'm going to cheer my girls. Sure, act like you've been there and don't rub the other team's nose in it, but being excited for your players is never wrong.

 

[HunterMO]

As long as the cheering is FOR you players and not AGAINST the other team then show excitement whenever you want. As long as the other team is still trying, I'm going to cheer my girls. Sure, act like you've been there and don't rub the other team's nose in it, but being excited for your players is never wrong.

A great point. I will often stay pretty reserved when another team ends up in a comedy of errors and it benefits us (just as an example). Yes, great that we could take advantage of it and errors are part of the game. But, definitely don't want to be perceived as cheering for the failures of the other team.

 

[CoachJD]

A great point. I will often stay pretty reserved when another team ends up in a comedy of errors and it benefits us (just as an example). Yes, great that we could take advantage of it and errors are part of the game. But, definitely don't want to be perceived as cheering for the failures of the other team.

Last year our 10u team won the championship on a coach-pitch strikeout. I never get too excited for those since our players did literally nothing to get the out (in our league, it's coach pitch on a walk; our 10u is like 8u in most places), so it was weird when players and parents were cheering like crazy and for me it was just "oh, well, I guess that's a way to win it."

 

[EdLovrich]

There is a difference between cheering a particularly nasty pitch, especially if it the first of its kind, and cheering a stolen base when up 11-0

 

[HunterMO]

There is a difference between cheering a particularly nasty pitch, especially if it the first of its kind, and cheering a stolen base when up 11-0

Agreed. We actually stopped stealing bases shortly after as the game was so in hand.

 

[_MIA_]

 

[Orange Socks]

Nothing wrong with cheering for the kids. That's what we are taught to do, right? But let's be respectful at the same time. I always will talk with the other coaches when a kid does something out of the ordinary.

Two weeks ago, DD college team was playing an away game, and I positioned myself down the left field line behind the bull pen area. The opposing pitcher who started the game played with DD in 16U, and her parents were sitting next me. Secretly, I was glad that she was starting. Shhh!! Well, we start hitting her pretty good and our 2nd hitter(slapper) hit a rocket shot over the CF with a one bouncer to the fence. Dad was barking about why are they playing her in so close. I turned to him and said, your coach did the right thing as that kid has never hit the ball that far since I've been watching her. I don't know if he was upset that she hit her first rocket shot off his DD or the fact that it happened at all. Btw, DD got a nice hit off her too. I golf clapped. There is a time and place and we can be respectful and civil.

 

[bmakj]

I recently made both HC (3rd base coach at time) and DD turn and laugh at me when I yelled "YES" so loud when DD "stole" 3B (not certain how it was scored, not a clean catch, and DD saw that and took off, and got under the throw). so loud about because DD does not get to run bases a whole lot (she is a catcher primarily), just loved that with having done very little BR this spring, she was alert enough to pull this off and had a perfect slide into 3rd. think some of the opposing parents turned to look at me as well, kinda outsized reaction to a SB if you did not know backstory (we were all on one side of field primarly, 3rd base line, other side backed up on woods, buggy)

I make no apologies for cheering DD on. one game, when she ended game on a K/CS double play, think it was the highest I ever jumped in my life. but I never cheer for mistakes for the other team, beyond possibly a "way to hustle" to acknowledge our girls payiing attention and taking advantage. and I will also comment/cheer on great plays by the opposition.

 

[NBECoach]

I experienced a moment (as a Dad-coach) where I expressed excitement at a time I probably shouldn't have. We were up 11-0 on a team and my DD was pitching. To start, she was pitching the best I've ever seen her throw up to that point. The light bulb has turned on for her and she's made some significant forward progress in her pitching. So I was already excited for her. Then, on a 0-1 count and no base runners, I asked her to throw a changeup. Little damage could be done and she had been cruising all game. She's been working on it but is afraid to throw it because she's far from consistent with it. She threw as perfect as you could ask and was her first true successful changeup. Her body showed fastball, it kept the same plane during travel, and then just died right before the plate. I verbally cheered and might have fist pumped. Our other AC (who knows how much she's worked on pitching) did similar. The other team's 1B coach.....wasn't so happy with us and understandably so. I apologized and explained why our reaction was the way it was.

But....it brought up the question....what situations (outside of the obvious like winning a tight game or a total tournament) is it okay for a coach to show true excitement? I get really amped up when one of our girls makes a great individual play or finally has success in something she's struggled with. I know in that moment the score shouldn't matter, but I try to keep in mind the optics of it. Definitely understanding that opposing coaches/players don't know the background of our players. Thoughts?

When the game is out of hand celebrating an on-field accomplishment is a bit different than a close game. Congratulate her when the inning is over off the playing field. How would you have felt if the opposition had hit the change up for HR and the coach reacted as you had?

 

[jdint]

When the game is out of hand celebrating an on-field accomplishment is a bit different than a close game. Congratulate her when the inning is over off the playing field. How would you have felt if the opposition had hit the change up for HR and the coach reacted as you had?

Can't speak for the OP, but I would feel fine. I would expect the other coach to be excited if his player hit a home run. I'd probably tell her nice hit as she ran by.