Travel Coach vs Hitting Instructor

[BouldersDad]

Everyone knows me. Well most do that have been in the softball community for more than a day. I have always in the past tried to keep a dialogue between my self and TB coaches on the progress and training of kids that come to me for instruction and play for them. Now I don't know it all and I am sure there are better instructors out there and if they can show me more success in what they have accomplished then I will Learn from the feet of the Master take what I have learned transfer it to what I have learned and move on.

I watched about 20 kids that I have had the privilege to work with at Dayton Metro, some did good, some saw me and got so up tight you couldent squeeze a greased bb between their butt cheeks. All in all this weekend was a nice weekend hitting wise and it was great to see them on the field using what they work so hard with me to do.

My rant is this. If my kid on your team is hitting a 500 or better and you as a daddy coach cant get your OWN kid to hit those number why in the hell would you be little MY student and tell her that her swing and her instructor is worthless? I have no problem if you think that of me I will stack numbers against what you have accomplished any day of the week. Embarrass you and move on. But when you jump on a kid because of me that is a different story. Maybe just maybe you need to focus on the kids that cant hit week in and week out ( including your own ) and produce and show your team how good of an instructor you really are.

Tim Duncan

 

[FastBat]

It's sad, but I have seen this too. I can't understand why coaches do this with certain instructor's students.

 

[CoachB25]

Tim, nice vent. Problem is, it makes too much sense. I start Tuesday giving lessons again. Monday, if I get a young man to show up who asked for lessons but Tuesday will be softball. Anyway, I am going to break a young lady back down to basics. What I call a "fall back swing." She had developed some horrible habits and so, I think that is the best thing to do. The problem then is after her first TB practice, her coach doesn't want her to change anything. I know this. When a hitting coach works with a hitter, they have to coach both physical and mental. In this case, the mental portion of this player is destroyed. She doesn't have any confidence at all. So, with breaking down her swing to the basics, I'm hoping I can also rebuild confidence. We'll see how it goes. I hope you situation gets better.

Take care,

Darrell

 

[daboss]

I feel your pain Tim. Wish I could come up with a reason some people have egos that feel so threatened they are willing to go to any length to undermine the work of a trained professional. The only thing I can say is to warn parents this behavior is out there and ask ahead at tryouts what the club policy is about your daughter religeously taking private lessons in leu of recieving instruction from the coaching staff. At least you'll know if they plan to hold it against you or if your money is going to be wasted by continuing your lessons elsewhere.

Me? As a coach, I would never be narrow-minded enough to do such a thing but some coaches believe they have to have control and have their stamp on a player for them to be successful. I would welcome the insight and pick their training apart to see if there's anything there I could use and share with others. lol. I'm sneaky that way. Most of these Dad coaches have no formal training. Why challenge it people? There's more than 1 way to skin a cat. If I have a girl breaking the sound barrier with her hitting skills the last thing I want to do is make her change. Come on coaches!!!! Humble yourselves, watch, and possibly learn a thing or 2. Share the good stuff and improve your team effort. Help your team by working with your worst hitters first until you can get them to the same skill level as your 3-4 girls. That'll be your challenge diring the summer. Not destroying a kid's confidence that has a pro working on her game away from the dugout!

 

[CoachB25]

Tim, I had a phone call this morning. Brianna and I are going to give lessons as I mentioned. Apparently, a local TB coach or two are going around telling people at the local watering hole that the the HS staff doesn't know anything about hitting/coaching/softball. They said they won't let their players take lessons from these coaches. (Me and Brianna) These players are freshmen and incoming freshmen. Wonder how that is going to work out. LOL I've never been the type to talk behind someone's back and so, I'm expecting to have some fun in a day or two when I run into these guys. I'm approaching 60. Wonder if I can still get it done. LOL

 

[crystlemc]

Tim, I feel your pain. Not as an instructor, but as a parent. Maggie was picked up on her last TB team due in large part to her bat. She was a consistent HR hitter. Then, as soon as she was on the team, the coach proceeded to bad mouth her hitting instructor (Micaela Minner) and change the way she hit. Needless to say, her hitting went straight to the toilet and he sucked the love of the game right out of her. So much so, that she hung up her TB cleats. I don't understand why a coach would change something that was the reason they picked them up in the first place. Oh yes I do....EGO.

Another girl on that team who was going to Micaela as well, and was hitting well, had him mess her up, too. She stayed on the team and got almost no plate time. I'm sorry, but a coach needs to be able to check his/her ego at the door. They don't have to put their "stamp" on everything. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And when you do "fix it" and it breaks, own up.

 

[daboss]

There is a school coach from a district not that far away that is rumored to have told students of mine if they continue to take pitching lessons from me they will not play for him in school. One of the girls was picked by her current travel team as a primary pitcher. Her past teams have thrown her religiously, yet as a junior in high school she played outfield while a freshman with little to no formal training got the call every high school varsity game this spring. My answer to her was maybe that's the only thing the other girl can do and this is the best way for him to get the most out of his roster. Problem is, I don't believe it. Nobody has ever told me why this guy is this way but the grudge has been there for years now. I continue to work with any of the kids coming to me regardless. I do it for the kids---------it's not about me.

Another school coach actually told others that I had tried to recruit his high school players to play at my alma mater. I have no affiliation with my alma mater or any school district. I have no dog in the fight. These people must be simple-minded to believe I would ever do such a thing. lol. We do it for the kids! You do it for the kids! They should be doing it for the kids!

 

[CoachTEA]

Tim, personally I don't mess with a girl who is going to a hitting instructor. Now if she isn't getting results we will investigate, but more often than it is because she isn't putting in the work prescribed by the instructor or doing the work wrong. I am not a hitting instructor and I rely on you, Mary Ellen Bonner, and Bob Burlew to make them better hitters!

 

[DynastyFastpitch]

Tim,
Keep doing your thing! It's hard for people sometimes to realize that hitting takes time and also athleticism. A career hitter of .200 might end up at .290 or even .300 with time and instruction. She might not ever hit .400. Improvement is there though. There will always be those that try to drag you down. By the way, M. Noble is on fire with her hitting. You and I both see the same things in her swing. She is hitting around the .400 mark. Thanks for your time and commitment.