world record shortest private tryout

[coach james]

Threads like this kill me. The "coaches" on this site I think have lost what it is to be a "coach".

Sounds like a rec coach, who has never faced the challenge of getting through to nationals. At this level, we are interested in girls who add value to our team right now. Maybe at a lower B or C level, we're looking for potential that we can "teach"... but like said above, parents and coaches of elite caliber players are not interested in having protects on the roster.

 

[GatorGirl]

To save everyone time, require a video first. Everyone has phones with vid cameras or cameras with video in them. Might save a lot of awkward moments. I know they might try and fudge things, but you can set the parameters of the required video. Best of luck!

 

[JJsqueeze]

There are sooo many levels of softball. The humor here is not that a kid was not a good pitcher, it was that her dad's evaluation of her was so far out of line with the reality for the level she was trying out for. He just went about it the wrong way and it would up being funny in a fish out of water sense. Clearly the dad is new to TB and instead of taking the approach of talking his DD down a bit, he was talking her up....big mistake and that is where the funny part is. He'll find out soon enough that he is shopping the wrong level and hopefully will find her a home that fits her skill.

Just because you think its funny doesn't mean you are a bad coach, it just means that its funny. Imagine the same scenario in basketball..."my kid can do 360 dunks and can shoot from anywhere on the floor"....dad shows up...."Oh...I see you use a 10 ft rim and the big ball, he usually plays with a nerf ball and a 6 foot rim".

 

[chinamigarden]

I am a master at nothing but you used the word I was looking for "teaching". Seems like most coaches on this site get to pick from the ELITE players and leave the kids that actually could be refined into much better players get ridiculed. I see many post get cut down from the "experts" and it sure makes me and Im sure a lot more people less likley to say anything. I know Im gonna get flamed for this but so be it.

I see your point, but... The "ridicule" on this topic is not aimed at the child. Its aimed at the parent who lied to get his kid a private tryout. To say your dd pitches 60 when she throws 45 is dumb. Its not only easily measured but completely obvious to the naked eye. Heck 55 is obviously slower then 60. And yes the purpose of coaching is to make kids better. But you don't form a team to play at one level and then bring in a player that is 4 levels beneath everyone else. You will wind up either focusing all of your attention on the one trying to get her up to everyone else's level, which is unfair to everyone else, or you focus no attention on the one who is behind and that is unfair to her. Not to mention the headache and risk of having a struggling player who parents think she is the star.

 

[Coach JV]

Welcome to the forum anyways...

Originally Posted by coachkurtis

Threads like this kill me. The "coaches" on this site I think have lost what it is to be a "coach".

sarcasm |ˈsärˌkazəm|
noun
the use of irony to mock or convey contempt: his voice, hardened by sarcasm, could not hide his resentment.

 

[JAD]

Threads like this kill me. The "coaches" on this site I think have lost what it is to be a "coach".

 

[MsDinosaur]

There are sooo many levels of softball. The humor here is not that a kid was not a good pitcher, it was that her dad's evaluation of her was so far out of line with the reality for the level she was trying out for. He just went about it the wrong way and it would up being funny in a fish out of water sense. Clearly the dad is new to TB and instead of taking the approach of talking his DD down a bit, he was talking her up....big mistake and that is where the funny part is. He'll find out soon enough that he is shopping the wrong level and hopefully will find her a home that fits her skill.

Just because you think its funny doesn't mean you are a bad coach, it just means that its funny. Imagine the same scenario in basketball..."my kid can do 360 dunks and can shoot from anywhere on the floor"....dad shows up...."Oh...I see you use a 10 ft rim and the big ball, he usually plays with a nerf ball and a 6 foot rim".

There have been fascinating (to me anyway!) psychological studies about unconscious incompetence. This is where an individual doesn't know enough about a given skill or ability to even recognize that he/she is incompetent. If the father had known a little more, he wouldn't have placed his daughter in a situation she was not prepared for. The problem is, someone who is unconsciously incompetent and someone who is competent will both SAY that they are competent. In fact, the competent, even those quite confident in their ability, are less likely to extol their performance at a difficult skill because they likely know of someone who is even better and are aware that there is room for them to continue to improve.

 

[JJsqueeze]

There have been fascinating (to me anyway!) psychological studies about unconscious incompetence. This is where an individual doesn't know enough about a given skill or ability to even recognize that he/she is incompetent. If the father had known a little more, he wouldn't have placed his daughter in a situation she was not prepared for. The problem is, someone who is unconsciously incompetent and someone who is competent will both SAY that they are competent. In fact, the competent, even those quite confident in their ability, are less likely to extol their performance at a difficult skill because they likely know of someone who is even better and are aware that there is room for them to continue to improve.

sooooo true in all areas of life. If I had a dollar for every time an employee was in the weeds on a project and did not even know they were lost I would be a rich man....It's an interesting mindset that I don't understand. I have a simple term for it....stupidity.

 

[Perfect Circle]

I had the opposite happen... I got invited (FB Message) to bring DD to a private pitching tryout, in Nov. HC, his DD & org founder. I'm thinking 30-45 min. It went 2 hrs. He did the whole gam-it... At the end, he said can she catch too ? I said yes, isn't your DD a pitcher ? Have her pitch to her... he said no, your DD doesn't have her equipment... I said I know, you said pitching tryout.... I said she don't need it... I'll pitch to her, and you tell me if your DD can pitch as fast as me.... Of course she couldn't even get close, seeing that... with only a fielding glove sealed the deal... org guy said you got your choice... this 10u or she can get on the 12u... should have went 12u right then... :{((

I have put DD in some tough spots though....but she has always came up big JMHO !!! I got lots of stories, and video.... lol She will love them... when she is 30

 

[JAD]

There have been fascinating (to me anyway!) psychological studies about unconscious incompetence. This is where an individual doesn't know enough about a given skill or ability to even recognize that he/she is incompetent.

Is "unconscious incompetence" just a fancy word for ignorant? LOL