Coaches do you forget?

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The Impact of Coaches
An Adaptation Of Haim Ginot


I have come to a frightening conclusion.
I am the decisive element in the gym, on the field, or in the arena.
It is my personal approach that creates the climate.
It is my daily mood that makes the weather.
As a coach, I possess the tremendous power to make a child or athlete's life miserable or joyous.
I can be the tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.
I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child or athlete humanized or dehumanized.
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ready to play- so very true.

 

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Ready to play... awesome!! and very true!!

 

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Thank you for reminding us of this, because sometimes we need it! ?and Jonnies I enjoyed reading of your rules to live by... ?As a coach I try to live by many of those myself.. ?I will not lie to a player to keep them around and tell them something that I Don't truly belive. ?I will have to admit that on some rare occasion I Have told a player that they will be going in or pitching next inning and the game or the currnet pitcher changes that by some means... ?However, I will explain myself and try and not let that happen by not opening my mouth too soon.. ?Even coaches make errors.. ?

But back to the point of this thread, I do take pride in the feelings my players have about me and what they come away with.. I am always conscious of my impact on ?their lives beacuse I know it can be great at times... ?Success is not always noted in wins and losses... ?

Coach K.

I want to thank all for their kind words.

Folk, very few people start out as a "great" coach. It takes time, trial and error and a desire to continually learn the game and how to coach the game. I don't know how many times, after a game, I say to myself "If I could do it over I would have done things differently". I am not just referring to strategy - I am also referring to "how I coached". Did I do a good job? Was I fair? Did I conduct myself in a way that a coach should? I also watch other coaches during their games. I know I learn various game strategy by doing this - but I also saw good and bad examples of coaching. The good examples I remember. The bad ones provided the contrast between the two.

It has been 32 years since I first picked up the clipboard . I believe the above "habits" has helped me to be a better coach. I believe if you honest and objective with your performance in games AND your practices, you will end up being a better coach.

 

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I told you Johnnies was a great coach.
I want to be just like him when I grow up!! LOL

Keep up the great work Johnnies. I hope I can learn from you.

 

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lol.. don't ever grow up then.

I learned from the best..

JoeA is the best role model
Denton Fuller (deceased) Wooster, Oh

the list can go on and on......believe me.

 

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forgetting to put a player in is no excuse. > what kind of message does that send to the player. There's a lot of this going on now on my DDs team. Being told one thing and the actions don't follow. I agree with the previous post...players (and parents) will remember what they were told and DIDN'T happen even after the win. Too many of these instances causes the players not to believe what the coaches tell them. Don't break their spirit coaches, give them the opportunities, they just want to perform.

 

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I have a few unwritten rules when it comes to coaching...

10.) The only promise I will make to any player or parent is that I will do my best to teach their DD the game of softball and to be as fair as possible during practices and during games.

We have many of the same philosphies on coaching. I only have a slight addition to your number 10. I will not guarantee play time to any player. What I do guarantee is that during pool play all players will see some type of play time. I try to get players the chance to focus on a secondary postion in games situations that are not critical. However, I make it very clear to my parents that during Bracket play, we play to win. I select the best player for the situation to play a position and all positions are constantly being earned, not given. I feel this challenges the girls to always give 100% effort no matter how they are contributing to a team that day.

I have seen far to many coaches allow parents/politics to sway their standards. I believe as a coach you have to be up front from the start and stick with your stated commitment to the players and parents. All be it, there are times when you cannot always controll situations, but we should all remember for every action there is an equal reactions. At tryouts I state this very clearly and I follow this up during team meetings to ensure everyone is on the same page. No surprises equates to the ability for the parents and players to feel comfortable in discussing concerns and/or issues with a coach.

 

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Johnnies, excellent points . I have always had the attitude that every girl plays in every game , yet I constantly see girls who could be very good players on other teams only "Courtesy run" or only EH or DP for their team. I have to ask these parents " is playing on this team more important than your daughter learning the game ? Johnnies is also correct in stating you learn more with time . I am a firm believer that once you think you know it all , your done as a coach. I will miss Joe A. 's Coaching Clinics , a class act and a great teacher of the game !
Bruce- Heart of Ohio Xtreme 12u

 

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Over the four years of travel ball my daughter has had several coaches make promises and not follow through for various reasons...i feel that coaches have no excuse for this behavior. Don't make promises your not going to follow through on, be fair by never making those promises in the first place. If you are up front with players and parents from the beginning and follow through you as a coach will have far less problems.

 

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Unfortunately, these coaches are teaching a life lesson. When our daughters get into the work force later in life, they will find out that bosses are many times the same way. I can't tell you tell how many times, as an adult in the work force, I've had one of my bosses tell me one thing, and then less than a day later, completely reverse their position. As adults, we usually shrug it off and move on, telling ourselves, here they go again. Nothing in life is fair, and the sooner our girls learn that, the better. It doesn't make it right. It's just life. JMO :-?