Choosing a new team

Kaceysoftball

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I was asked if my daughter wanted to play for a travel team my only concern is the team has 5 parent coaches. It is a good organization but I just feel as though that is too many coaches. We recently moved to the Akron area and I just feel that it has the potential for daddy ball
 

JanSkiz

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I was asked if my daughter wanted to play for a travel team my only concern is the team has 5 parent coaches. It is a good organization but I just feel as though that is too many coaches. We recently moved to the Akron area and I just feel that it has the potential for daddy ball
My advice from personal experience, don’t do it. I guarantee it will be daddy ball. Look elsewhere. Hard to get away from one coach with a player which is doable. Anything more than one, don’t waste your time. Good luck!
 

Farmdad

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We just came from a team like that and it was the worst experience. The HC, if you could call him that, didn't really know what he was doing and thought it would be a good idea to have as much "help" for the team as he could get. Maybe well-intentioned, but there were so many voices "coaching" that the girls learned very little and there was no visible improvement for the team from start to finish. RUN AWAY!
 

daboss

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My comments may stir some feelings. I hope some read them and see the need to change their approach on how to be on staff of any team.

Dad coaching is everywhere in Rec and travel ball. It's how many Moms and Dads get started coaching. Many school coaches are products of observing Mom and Dad coaches in their own past. Not every parent has the skills to be a coach. There are many facets of being a coach, especially a head coach. Let's talk about a head coach because we all know they are "Pilot in Command" and it all falls into their lap--------good or bad.

Head coaches need the knowledge of all facets of the game. You can be a teacher but if you are showing the kids the wrong ways to do things, doing it for years doesn't make it the right way. Maybe the coach learned it wrong back in their day. If you truly want to be a mentor, learn from the best how to do the simplest things.

The game breaks down into simple categories. Catch ball, throw ball, and hit ball. Depending on the position the girls are playing, they'll fall into 1 of these 3 categories. It's your responsibility as a coach to know how this needs to happen------right down to the intricate details.

There is always more than 1 way to skin a cat. Some players may need guidance to find the best mechanics and fundamentals to execute as efficiently as they possibly can. This game requires quick reflexes and for players to adapt. Coaches need to be prepared and understand they cannot "cookie cutter" instruct kids how to play positions including hitting. I still know coaches telling girls to quit slapping from the left side. Learning how to do this may be the only way they ever earn their way onto base. Roll with it and adapt, coaches. Don't leave a girl to fail just because you don't know any other way.

Lastly, to keep my post short; coaches need to teach their helping staff how to do things so everyone is on the same page. Weed out those helping parents that refuse to accept your concept. There's a saying "It takes a community to raise a child" and this rings loudly when it comes to coaching our game. More help can be beneficial if your help buys in and sticks to the head coach's leadership. Mutiny will always break down the chain of command so don't keep help that ventures in the wrong direction. I spend time teaching staff first before working with the kids. They learn the importance of discussing issues behind closed doors and presenting a unified front. Helpers need to know to address things in this manner as confusion with leadership creates doubt and leaves the troops wondering what's going on.

More help doing things the right way can be a Godsend. Different personalities will give the girls different approaches and improve the chances they'll understand the right way of doing something. I never cared who got thru to a player as long as what they understood was the proper way to do something. Teachers have personalities that the players may or may not relate to. Check your egos at the door and work in unity. With so much to learn and the multiple positions to play, the more qualified help you can get the more the girls will benefit from the experience.
 

Long Baller

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I was asked if my daughter wanted to play for a travel team my only concern is the team has 5 parent coaches. It is a good organization but I just feel as though that is too many coaches. We recently moved to the Akron area and I just feel that it has the potential for daddy ball
I say talk to the coach, and tell him that your daughter will play but only if he lets you coach as well. After all, two is better than one, three is better than two, six is better than five......

What age group are you talking about? If it's a bunch of 8 year olds running around, then eh, whatever.....You really run into problems when the kids get older (especially recruiting age), and it becomes obvious that the parent "coaches" only have their kid's interest in mind. You'll notice that some of them don't really do anything except hover over their kid, and there will be a lot of bickering between the coaching "staff" as the year goes on. We lived through that for a season, and it was awful. Five parent coaches....I'd have to decline on that one.
 

BigBaller06

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Daddy ball sucks unless coaches DD's are dudes! As we all know, that's usually not the case. We left a team years ago with 3 Daddy's, a Mommy and another daddy that kept the book. Coaches kids would miss practice/tournaments, show up late etc. because of other sports. However, other kids were asked to give up their other sports to be committed to the team. This was U11 where kids are still figuring things out. My DD was also asked to just hit clean up and not play the field since daddy's DD played her position. The writing was on the wall...we bounced.

I have no problem with a parent coach, as long as said parent A.) knows the game and in it for the right reasons. B.) is realistic with their DD. I've coached, my kids, in all sports, but by 10, 11, 12, it's time for them to play for someone else. And this is coming from a 20 yr high school and college head coach.
 

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