Commitment

[default]

You don't teach committment... you earn it.

 

[default]

This is kinda like what our Country is doing right now with all the Bail-outs! Rewarding those who have failed, at the cost of those who are committed and do all the work!

 

[default]

You have to let everyone know the expectations, and if they continue to miss, cut them loose. That's it.

If only this guy would have cut himself loose from a few of those big lunches at Wendys he might not take the shape of his avatar!

Back to the topic this can go many ways if your team is loaded with stiffs and your coaching can develop them then hold them accountable for showing up. But there are other situations such as a kid just wanting to let go for a month or two just to step away from the workouts. Sometimes its better to get quality in those workouts not just a kid showing up because her creep coach is insisting. If the player is good she can refocus her game and turn it on for the summer.

 

[default]

Hey i agree if the kid wants a month off, but what i dont like is at least they could call, email, or keep in contact. But also in retrospect they new of obligation, and expectations in august when they were asked to come aboard,

 

[default]

Cut em loose.

I agree! Give them an ultimatum, show up, and on time of find another team. No new Coach will put up with it.

 

[default]

Big Daddy

My dd plays varsity basketball. That is 6 days a week.

We do make most Sunday practice's and if we dont go, we call the coach in advance. We respect the coach to let him know what's going on before it starts.


I think what we do is reasonable.

How long does it take to pick up the phone or send an email?



Straightleg

 

[default]

I have never had a girl miss practice and not let me know. I have had girls miss, but thay gave me a poor excuse. I think they got the message when they were sitting on the bench. Their dad was my assistant and had no problem with it.

 

[default]

"I think once you start making concessions for big hitters who aren't acting responsibly, you're asking for trouble."

You're right, A.S.M., concessions should only be made for top pitchers!

Seriously, though, it's a lot easier for one-sport coaches and one-sport players to commit to a year-round softball schedule than it is for multi-sport coaches and players. Personally, I say leave the kids alone in the winter. Provide opportunities for them to work on things if they want to, but don't make a kid or her parents feel guilty for dedicating full attention to school (remember school?) and the sport that is IN-SEASON. You guys sound like premier ****** coaches. Their season NEVER ENDS either!

At the recent Heisman Trophy presentation show, the winner, Sam Bradford (Oklahoma QB, Sophomore), made a point of saying that playing a lot of sports is ABSOLUTELY the way to go. He said that he was a senior in high school before he decided that he'd go on to play football in college.

If you want a one-sport committment from MY daughter, then show me a full-ride guarantee for softball to a Division I school with a curriculum that will meet her educational needs. Either that, or just be glad she's willing to play for your team when the SEASON STARTS.

 

[default]

Obviously, unless specific rules were established up front, there is room for this chaos.

If I read this thread correctly, this is a 14U team???

However, what is being missed here is the blatant immaturity of the girls.

Yes, I said girls, not the parents. While the parents ultimately have to get her there, where is the responsibility being placed upon the players?

This is the problem with today's kids. We teach them no responsibilty for their actions. Certainly at 14U, they (not Mommy and/or Daddy) own the respsonsibilty of letting the coach know they will not be at a practice / team event. We let our DD's hide behind us, and do not arm them with the social skills to compete.

I started a policy with my girls when they started 12U. It was their responsibilty to call me when they could not make something, if I received a call from Mom or Dad, I asked them to have DD call as well.

In addition, they were not allowed to leave a voice mail, it had to be personal contact (I arm them with work, home, and cell numbers). You would be amazed at the reduction in missed activities.

 

[default]

dolara7, I understand what you're saying, but can't you see the other side - the other players and parents who have made it to practices, probably with their own battles of commitments? They somehow make it to practices for months, then the season starts, and another player shows up and starts?

There are a lot of factors here - are there team rules, is the player not there because of mandatory school practices, is she missing games as well as practices, with no excuse ... but "be glad she's willing to play for your team when the SEASON STARTS" doesn't sound like a team building attitude, but a sure-fire way to ruin the cohesiveness of a team.

I think 14U is the point at which most player/families make a choice amongst year-round sports. You don't have to be a one-sport player, but don't commit to something you can't follow through on.

 

[default]

Hey im not saying that we have 3 or 4 practices a week, we offer winterball for those who do not play winter sports, and had a few who did not want to play, but still attend practice and fundementals, and speed and agility, on our 1 practice a week, but some choose not to come and not to call, but still want starting positions, i find this hard to comprehend, i am not asking to stop everything for softball, but am asking for team unity and that comes with attending and gelling with the team, to make it so we play in unity. Does that make sense?

 

[default]

I am frustrated with missing players due to other sports.
It is great to play different sports for fun but it is getting ridiculous.
More and more I see girls that are playing travel clubs in ******, basketball, volleyball and who knows what else. They basically want to show up for each season and play.
In most cases these girls arent particulary impressive at any of their sports.

In my view if you make a commitment to a high level program in one of the sports that sport trumps all other activities whenever possible.

If you want to play every sport stick to recreation leagues. Your season will never intersect.

Parents seem to be hedging there bets on their little princess getting a scholarship by playing at the highest levels in as many sports they can hoping for the best.

I have parents that is obvious they think I am crazy for having practices in January.

Unfortunately - the organization supports this mentality so may consider quitting coaching the team after this year and move daughter to another team with more committed players if there is such a thing.

Is this a problem for other club teams and if so how are you handling it?

Multi sport may help a girl improve general athletic prowess but they are sure to be skill deficiant and not as good a player as they could be.

 

[default]

One of the great things about playing with the Lasers for a few years was this very situation, multiple sports & practice time. With some exceptions, we never saw each other until it was "show time", but still everyone was required to work out alone or with instructors and show up ready to perform. We knew what was expected and we did it, to the best of our abilities, or else!

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are teams that practice 5-6 times a week (choo! choo!). Again, do what is expected, or else!

Either style "can" work. What they both have in common is what has been stated here several times ... have a team philosophy, rules, and expectations that "work" for your situation & needs (goals), and also have consequences for non-conformance.

There is room for MANY variations in-between obviously, as well. Rules/expectations and clear communication is a key though.

 

[default]

14 is NOT the age at which an athlete should commit to a single sport-- unless that athlete is very average at every sport but one. An athlete with potential to earn a scholarship in multiple sports should keep her options open. After all, with the exception of tennis and golf, there isn't a lot of money to be made in women's sports -- so the free education is the thing. That being the case, as a parent I find it extremely selfish of a softball coach to make off season demands on a player that would tend to compromise her ability to do her best in the IN season sport. In the end, I'm afraid, it's NOT about the TEAM. It's about the INDIVIDUAL'S goal to get help paying for an expensive education. In late Spring and Summer, the club team softball coach has every right to make demands on players. In Fall and Winter? No way. If you don't want multiple-sport players on your team, then don't pick any. It's not brain surgery.

 

[default]

I disagree dolara, if she wants to play rec ball, play rec ball, softball is quickly becoming a year round sport we have played last 18 months straight between school, rec, travel, if you are good enough to get on a travel team, and you commit, then you commit to those rules the coach puts out. If you play other sports in school that is different than not participating and sitting on your duff at home. If you excell at softball and have little hope of playing other sports in high school/college due to physic, or height, or weight, then i think you should stick to what your good at and have the best chance of getting a scholarship or being a walk on somewhere.

 

[default]

When you join a travel team, you should be aware of the committment. If you can't honor that committment, don't play. I say whether she is the big stick, the #1 pitcher, the cannon behind the plate, or the best defensive player you have, if she can't make it to practices without a good reason, GOODBYE!! It will kill your team unity and show everyone that they don't have to work hard for their positions. If you start her in the games, that is just a slap in the face to all the players who showed up all winter long and busted their butts to earn a spot. They have to BE THERE, have a GOOD REASON, or GOODBYE!! Let her be someone else's problem. NO talent is worth the trouble that will cause down the road. I don't think it is a multi-sport problem, I think it is a committment problem. Alot of my players play other sports and that is not a problem. It is when they are doing nothing and still don't show up to practices, that sends a bad message to everyone on your team.

 

[default]

Just watching this topic it makes me think of when we were younger. Gone are the days of the true two or three sport athlete. Is it almost sad in some sences that a kid can't compete and letter in multiple sports these days because every kid now has is own personal trainer as well as a Lindsey Lohan type parent that believes his or her kid is destin to play college ball so they stress all this comitment **** and this never ending season of any one sport. Pitching on Monday core training on Tuesday team practice on Wednsday Friday more core training Saturday another team practice Sunday sleep!

DADDY will tell you this my friend gone are the days of Micky Mantle a hick that just has natural ability and becomes a super star. Makes DADDY wonder how good the Mick would have been if he had the same schedule as DADDY described above when he was 12 years old?

Its funny as great as he was DADDY doesnt see any of the so called hitting instructors teach kids to finish like this. I guess theres no substitute for raw talent. This guy was great he could go three for three with the ladys and the booze at night and the next morning go three for four with two doubles a homer and 3 rbi's

 

[default]

Its funny as great as he was DADDY doesnt see any of the so called hitting instructors teach kids to finish like this. I guess theres no substitute for raw talent. This guy was great he could go three for three with the ladys and the booze at night and the next morning go three for four with two doubles a homer and 3 rbi's

That picture is well after the point of contact, look at the whole swing...

http://www.rightviewpro.com/how-rvp-works/concept/mantle

 

[default]

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3795996

Interesting to hear about commitment form someone considered the best who just quit !!!!!!

 

[default]

Wow! This IS an interesting post! As a coach, I can understand the frustration when you have kids missing practice....you have to ask them "Do you want to play or not?" As a parent of a kid who plays multiple sports, I can't emphasize enough how important it is to have a coach who understands and gives the kids enough flexibility to play the sport they love, but also have time to excel in other aspects of life. Along with that, however, it takes a real commitment from parents to juggle multiple sports, especially at the travel level. I can honestly say that even though my DD plays several sports, she misses VERY few practices/games, and when she does, we make sure the coaches know as early in the process as possible. Now if the kids are simply not showing up, and not maintaining open communication (I have had those) then you must take swift action. But if the girls are truly doing their best to balance their lives, you have to be pretty cold-hearted to penalize them. Communication is key...both the coach and the parent/kid must communicate to each other, right from the start, what their situation is and what their intentions are for the season. If either party has a problem with that, then get it out in the open and deal with it right away. Now, I must add, that every sport has it's season, and if it is the summer tournament season, I have to be able to count on the kids being there, but in the winter??? Dolara is exactly right...Age 14 is not a time when a kid should be expected to limit themself to a single sport/activity. Dady Dice is right also... It is truly sad that a kid can't play multiple sports any more. Everyone thinks they are the most important thing in the world... Including Softball coaches, Math teachers, Music instructors, etc. I will say this: In my experience, my DD's softball coaches have been FAR more understanding and accomodating than her coaches in other sports. I think that's a big part of why I love the whole fastpitch environment. Truly good poeple.