Can I get a poll?

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costanzaPopcorn.gif
 
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OMG I leave town for two days, come back and this is STILL going on????
 
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My DD was mislead by a coach in 14U. She was told the she and his daughter (this isn't going where you are assuming it is...LOL) would be sharing the pitching duties and would be playing first base when not pitching. Well, then along comes pitcher #3 with a loud mouth dad who was in the coaches ear the whole season (actually tried calling her pitches from the bleachers over what the coach was calling from the dugout). Not only did my DD not get a lot of pitching time, neither did the coaches DD because he pitched #3 just to shut her dad up. #3 wasn't too bad, but very very few games were won with her in the circle. Most games won were with either my DD or coaches DD in the circle - they were truly the best 2 (coaches DD was a true #1 - she deserved the most pitching time).
So, what ended up with this team was a bunch of ticked off parents (except those of #3) who couldn't understand what the heck the coach was thinking. He wasn't used to dealing with parents like that and he honestly didn't know what to do.
When my DD expressed her displeasure with how things were going - we told her to talk to the coach - we stayed out of it (and still do - she scheduled her tryouts and we provided a little advice and assistance in the selection of a team, but the final decision was hers). At 14 years old, she was old enough to fight for herself and be responsible for herself. However, after the discussin with the coach, not a whole lot changed, like I said - this was a first year 14U coach who had been very fortunate to not have to deal with crappy parents before and he was lost. However, our DD never, even for a minute, considered quitting the team that she had committed to and who was counting on her to be there. It may not have been what she was "promised", but she gave 100% wherever and whenever asked and the next year, we moved on. The org. she plays for now is a smaller group, more local talent, great girls, great coach, great parents. No, she may not be on an "elite" team thats going to blow everybody away at tournaments, but she's on a team where she will learn, have fun, make new friends and play a lot of ball with this summer and as long as she is happy with that - I'm tickled to death.
 
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Feel yer pain was kinda wishing this one dies a quick and painless one
 
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I guarantee my players one thing and one thing only. That they will be better players by the end of the season.

This.

In my opinion spots in the order and positions on the field are earned, not given. My DD was pretty bummed when she wasn't starting every game after moving up from rec. level where she was used to being one of the best in the league. I told her, "Hey, if you want to play so bad then make it so your coach can't afford to take you out of the game" That little kick in the you know what certainly helped her regain her focus - specifically being: improving as a softball player rather than feeling "entitled" based on past accomplishment.
 
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All of our DDs teams since 12u have promised us sunshine and roses. Some kind of other player drama has been shown during the season. Late pick up 12u pitcher promised to be starting, (moved the other "starting" down), and as soon as she pitched a real tourney game and showed she couldn't was given my DDs spot and she got the bench. The organization sold their winter practice building so the new pitchers dad gave them his barn. They were teaching her how to play DDs spot during the tourney. My DD was 3rd all winter practice. At young 12u her heart was broken so we decided to back out rather than watch her cry. No 13u teams around here. 14u coach that she subbed for last year because not enough players, (asked her to play left field and she was happy to do so), promised her a spot the following season. We didn't care where on the team. It was a real good coach and a real good team. He dropped my DD and picked up a LOCAL player who had quit her team the season before for the same reason we are accused of, (she even got picked up by another team to finish that year as their starting pitcher). He promised us he wasn't going to do that because he wanted to pick up more than "local" girls. We came from an hour away. 14u coach our DD was playing for in that same season, (in the same organization), let his DD coach the games because she had gotten injured. We thought we'd try further away for THIS season with an organization that was playing under a well renowned organizations name. The team we were going to use the "no girl left behind" scholarship fund for. That 14u coach left his team during a winter team tourney standing on the field in the middle of a game. His wife threw a fit because he had promised his own daughter 2nd pitcher. When he put a substitute 12u left fielder in the spot instead, his wife grabbed her bawling DD off the field and left. He went right after them and never came back. You already know what this seasons 14u coach did. Are we naive? I don't know? After those coaches? All her other coaches, (college coach included), never move her except to the places she KNOWS how to play. She plays 1st, 3rd, & catch. I guess I'm naive about the way travel teams run. I guess rec, H.S.,ACME, all stars, & fall ball are enough experience. Maybe a camp is best for teaching her how to play different positions, (instead of a game). Her 12u team showed us that. If our DD plays on a teams spot that she doesn't know how to play, and take it from the player knowledgeable for that position, how would that player & their parents feel? Think of it this way, take the starting PITCHER out, (and bench her), and put my DD there instead. ;&

????????????????
 
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I've been reading this thread all along, and have refrained from jumping in, but feel I have to try a different approach to get through to you, mom, on what I think a lot of other people have been trying to say.

First of all, of course its not OK for coaches to lie, but I have a theory about what's actually happened in your case. There's clearly a pattern here, and it doesn't take a trained psychologist to piece this together. While your DD no doubt has some skills, it is clear that they are not as good as you think (pretty typical for most parents) and probably what you have told these prospective coaches over the years.

Once these coaches have seen your DD in action, they have moved her down in the lineup and/or put her in other positions ... and this has lots more to do with her abilities than some other "politics" because after all, most coaches do like to win, and do what they think is for the good of the team. In the meantime, it is also very clear that you are a "high maintenance" parent, and some coaches just don't want to put up with that and unfortunately that probably has cost your DD some teams and some playing time as well.

Please, please for the sake of your DD, try to just help her find a team, and then let the coaches do what they do, and you just sit back and let her enjoy and learn. I think you'll both be happier.
 
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mom,
will she playing softball past the age of 25? So, in the end, what are we, you, preparing her for, just to not take **** from anyone? there has to be more of a purpose for what, we as parents are doing with our lives. Don't let softball consume you.
 
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time for this to go away.. i think the poll went against you, forget it and move on..
 
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mom,
will she playing softball past the age of 25? So, in the end, what are we, you, preparing her for, just to not take **** from anyone? there has to be more of a purpose for what, we as parents are doing with our lives. Don't let softball consume you.

Beautiful way to end this thread. BEAR, PLEASE PUT A LOCK ON THIS NOW!
 
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Looks like a simple case of addition by subtraction. Congrats coach you saved yourself a ton of disruption down the road. The other players and parents on your team will be better for it.
 

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