Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber)

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

No different than parents taking their kid on vacation during the season. Which many do and some take them twice!

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

I guess it all depends on the coach and the expectations you set prior to the season. Obviously isn't that big of a deal or I doubt he would be airing it out for all to see. .

I couldn't believe it either when I heard the story, and then to hear how it factored into the loss. 3-0 in pool play against some good teams and to bow out in the first bracket game was quite shocking.

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

I've had a huge issue this year with girls going to camps and such. One (and only one) girl told me when I selected her that she would miss part of a weekend and would that be OK. I asked countless times if anyone else was going to miss that or any other weekends. Two injuries and 3 camps later (2 of which I was told about at the last minute), and I have been scrambling to have enough to play two consecutive weekends now. Just not very considerate to rest of team in my opinion. Meanwhile, a couple of girls have stepped forward and will be getting some more playing time at the expense of some of the others. My daughter is co-coaching with me, and is just shocked about the commitment level we are seeing now vs. when she played a few years back.

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

so, now what? any consequences?

Cool for sharing this kind of news and not making it go south with complaints or a long diatribe about commitment. we plan on missing a few weekends for church camp and other such goings ons next year at 18u

Not exactly. The org policy is that if you miss a game as unexcused you sit the next game. The parent came to me last week and said that back in March when I had this tourney as tentative - she missed it and bought the tickets. We locked this tourney down in late March after we decided to be off July 4th. I did not make it certain online (we keep our schedule online) until May.

When we talked about it last week - I left it to the families to make the decision - hoping they would sell the tickets and go in August when we comes to Columbus.

Teams blow -up over things like this all the time - or less. I talked to my parents and it is a done issue - but it will not happen again. But, I choose to handle it as I did and not blow up the team with a bunch of ultimatums. Sometimes diplomacy is the best course.

Just last week I talked to the kids and parents that tryouts for next year start now - they have a leg up on everyone and their play and effort can earn them a spot in advance of the Aug tryouts. One of the girls that went is frankly on the bubble for next years team - this did not help her cause to say the least.

One last point ..coaching is not black and white - it is all grays. We have a very special 11u team - they are very good, we have little to no drama on the team and their future is bright - esp. next year at 12u. They have played over 200 games together since their first year of 10u. Seven have played since the beginning.

Last week at noon on Monday I called an optional practice for 6pm THAT NIGHT. Every girl showed up for the 3 hr practice. Tuesday was scheduled optional extra hitting from 6-9 - again every girl showed up. Wednesday - our normal practice 6-9pm. Every girl made it. No complaints, no excuses, they show up to practice without miss every time.

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

Took my daughter to see Adam Lambert a few weeks ago. Although she didn't miss a travel team game, she did miss a summer HS team game. To me, it was way more important for her to go to this concert than play in that game. It was her present for her 16th birthday and she had the time of her life. I have no regrets. I understand that this wasn't her travel team and I've had issues with her summer HS team, that being said, it's still a commitment. The concert was still more important. She's got enough commitment in her for 10 girls and she deserved it!

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

I was suprised when I heard about this last night. I will say you have an awesome team with a ton of talent. Your girls have a ton of wins in the past they will have to remember. In the sands of time those 8 girls will remember that game for many years to come and the 3 girls that went to the concert , well I have to say that will be something they will probably never forget. Take it from someone that works with women that still talk about seeing New Kids on the Block in concert when they were young girls. It is crazy the way they still talk about it. You did the right thing even though it probably cost your team a strong finish in this weekends tournament.

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

The most disturbing thing to me in this whole escapade is not the fact that they let the team down, but that their parents dropped $500!!!!!!!!!!! That's the real shocker to me. 500 samolians, makes me sick and it wasn't even my money.

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

Took my daughter to see Adam Lambert a few weeks ago. Although she didn't miss a travel team game, she did miss a summer HS team game. To me, it was way more important for her to go to this concert than play in that game. It was her present for her 16th birthday and she had the time of her life. I have no regrets. I understand that this wasn't her travel team and I've had issues with her summer HS team, that being said, it's still a commitment. The concert was still more important. She's got enough commitment in her for 10 girls and she deserved it!

adam lambert? i would drop you from the team

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

I asked my dd if she would rather see beebert or go play in a game. She choose the game and she's in love with beebert.

Concerning vacations, we schedule in August, unless we are playing. We atttend try-outs first, then leave and come back early for the next round.

Perfect example, we have plans on hold because we haven't received our schedule yet for the 4th. Every year, we watch the Fire-in-the-Sky tournament, have a cookout with my parents since they live very close to Orrville, then the fireworks after the championship game. Well, everyone is on hold and wait. I have great parents. .

Now, if a player goes to a softball camp that is out of state and misses a Friday gamw, is that excusable?

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

Took my daughter to see Adam Lambert a few weeks ago. Although she didn't miss a travel team game, she did miss a summer HS team game. To me, it was way more important for her to go to this concert than play in that game. It was her present for her 16th birthday and she had the time of her life. I have no regrets. I understand that this wasn't her travel team and I've had issues with her summer HS team, that being said, it's still a commitment. The concert was still more important. She's got enough commitment in her for 10 girls and she deserved it!

She may have very well have deserved it but did the other girls on the HS team deserve her walking away from her commitment to them? No "I" in team.

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

The most disturbing thing to me in this whole escapade is not the fact that they let the team down, but that their parents dropped $500!!!!!!!!!!! That's the real shocker to me. 500 samolians, makes me sick and it wasn't even my money.

No kidding. Hope they got to meet this singer for that kind of money. Lol. More money than common sense is what I say)

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

$42 a ticket to see a 14 yr old ... that is just crazy ...

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

Really funny to see this at the Select level.......
We were in a REC Tourney this weekend......
We had one player go last night........But the team we were scheduled to play at 5 pm had 3 players out of only 9 available go & they forfeited a tourney game to us !!!!!!!!!

Pretty funny..........

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

I thought vacation is softball. Two of my three weeks of vacation this year will be to attend the USFA World Series in Panama City and USA Nationals in Bloomington, IN.

And I've used my floating holidays for a couple of weekend tourneys that have begun play on Fridays. It's something that I highly enjoy though, and it's also something that I hope my daughter is able to look back on later in life with many fond memories.

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

adam lambert? i would drop you from the team

Mom liked it too!

MustOhio...I know there's no "I" in team, but you only turn 16 once and this is all she'd been wanting. Plus...at least we gave him notice...many of the other girls just don't show up!

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

This is just my 2 cents worth, but I would think about having Bear closing this thread down. The parents have been raked over the coals enough and you probably made your point. You said you have zero drama and good chemistry. That is hard to come by. I would hate to see a continual public floggin ruin what you have built over 200+ games. The parents will probably carry some animosity around if they read this thread fair or not. It's probably best to continue this privately internally. Just my 2 cents. You have a nice team that has a bright future if you can keep everthing going.

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

we had several that went to the Bieber concert after the game. Would rather play Doug at full strength. Not the same team but they did very well considering.

Have to agree... they are kids, let'em do their thing. Coulda been the best move to keep the harmony and one loss versus weeks/months of drama... pick and choose...

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

no-one under the age of 18 should see this guy (lambert) he's gross and his music ****s

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

Coulda been the best move to keep the harmony and one loss versus weeks/months of drama...

That is how I saw it... for me it is done/over, I talked to the parents and players, heck one family even stayed all day to watch the 6pm game even though their DD went to the concert. That was very much apprecaited by me.

My intent was not to rake the families or kids over the coals, for us it is over and past .. a bump in the road. And I hope a learning for all the families involved.

I was curious how many other teams were affected - it seems like there were more than a few.

As I said, we look at our team in the long run, sometimes they will not be happy with me, sometimes I won't be happy with them but we share a common vision and it is a give and take relationship that will keep this group of kids together .. we are not playing this weekend so I told all the families to take a week off from softball, enjoy the 4th and be ready to finish the season strong.

 

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Re: Addition by Subtraction (or I hate Justin Bieber?)

we had two kids go to the concert and then turn around and play an 8AM game on Sunday...

...all for the love of a no talent butt clown.