Fastpitch Organization Heads Taking a Salary

[Coach_Tom]

22 years coaching from Rec to travel ball, 11 years of pitching instruction------this winter begins my 12th, coaching seminars, player clinics, NFCC classes, NFCA member, Master Coach Gold Star (need 1 more course to achieve my second gold star), 1 national term with the NFCA on the Player Recruitment Committee, ran 3 times unsuccessfully for the NFCA Rules and Ethics Committee, printed in Fastpitch Delivery, stayed and studied under Ernie Parker in Chattanooga, Tenn., certified by the IFPA as a pitching instructor.

Never have ever taken a dime----------------$0 income.

Sorry coach, your calculations are way off. Your salary is probably more like -$10,000 each year.

 

[cobb_of_fury]

There is this wide spread belief that the sport will be tainted if organizations made money - while on the contrary IF organizations were in the position to be for profit entities that would mean our sport was in a great place.

It is great that we all volunteer and give our time away - but how many of us would not jump at the chance to make a decent living doing what we already do for free -

There are a few for profit organizations out there and the ones I know of struggle to make a living

Does anyone have experience with other sports - I have to assume there are for profit soccer, hockey and volley ball organizations out there.

 

[crystlemc]

I have read all of the post on this subject and have a long winded opinion as well. However, I will keep it simple with one question that all can answer!

What is your current salary?

Actually, if an organization is a 501(c)(3), any salary paid must be disclosed as a matter of public record. Actually, all their books are to be public record and made available upon request. However, if it's not registered as a 501(c)(3), then nobody has to disclose anything.

I don't really care if someone is making money off a TB org, and I don't really care how much. If they can make a living doing something like that, then cool. I wish I could...lol My only thing is that I would want to know that is where part of my fees are going.

 

[Coach_Tom]

Almost all of my daughter's club soccer coaches were paid non-parents. I don't know exactly what their salaries were, but they were paid coaches. All of them also had other jobs such as high school coaches, teachers, etc. So they did not make a sole living off it, but it was part of their income. The organizations on the whole did not make profit that I am aware, so a little different, but the coaches definitely drew a small salary and had their travel expenses covered for away tournaments.

 

[trcyknny7]

I know it's pretty common in Soccer. And there are large travel baseball organizations where the head of the org is also paid. I could go either way on this. Knowing how many countless hours go into this, man, it sure would be nice to get something. A good coach/ good org will attract players/parents that want to pay for the instruction. But on the other hand, that would likely make this amazing sport out of reach for other talented players and no one wants that. As the saying goes "do what you love and you'll never have to work a day of your life". Just enjoy it and don't worry about the money.

 

[WalkOffHR]

This seems very odd to me. Nobody bats an eye that a high school coach earns a salary and a college coach earns a much larger salary, but somehow it's taboo that one of the most important people that bridges the gap between HS and college shouldn't earn a salary?

In my opinion $5,000 a year would be VERY modest for a good travel ball coach. That amounts to $5 an hour for a 20 hour work week for a year. Seems about right to me.

 

[Uber_jones]

I think it's fine if they are providing something to the organization. Those orgs like Outlaws, Bandits, Finesse, etc., the guys that run their orgs are connected and are getting kids real opportunities so I'm cool with it!

 

[CarMad]

My question would be: Why? How much do you need to spend from 10u to 18u to get that D1 partial? I know everyone jumps on here about full rides but the reality is only 12 total scholarships on a team of 22-24 or more - so why spend more than the education is worth? Do you think all those Cali girls come to the MAC for 25-50%? Elite pitchers are priceless so there is 2 or 3 alone - minimum. By the time you pay for your recruiting coordinator to travel to Cali, Colorado or Chicago on an all expense paid trip how much could you have put towards some lessons and regional camps? Only the top couple % can go BIG and they will be found...To each their own I suppose.