Travel Coaches - Coaching Highschool

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Carol .... great point about making sure we let the gem families know that we appreciate them, and there definitely is still a lot of them out there.

I know high school coaches have to put up a lot with this issue as well. The ideal situation is telling problem families to take a hike as Martin suggests, but that's just not always possible in travel ball in order to have the rest of the team complete a season, or in school ball due to the threat of parents going to the administration thereby risking one's job. Joe may have a different view on this, but I envy college coaches some because they don't have to deal with parents, and are in a position that they can tell a player with attitude to take a hike.

It's a little funny to me how this thread has evolved some from parents complaining about coaches, to coaches complaining about parents. But we should not lose perspective that most girls and their parents really help make it all worthwhile.

 

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I agree with Carol and others who discussed the ones who make it worthwhile. Almost all of my best friends now are parents of ex-Heat players, so there is certainly much to be gained. As Martin and others who run an organization know, when you hear complaints not just about the your own coaching, but several teams and coaches, it becomes amazing.

jwb, it is nice in college that, for the most part, you don't have parents complaining directly to you. But it's still there, more than ever, since there are now more players on the roster and girls are likely sitting for the first time in their lives. As far as telling players to take a hike, you need to make sure you have an AD who is going to be supportive before you go down that road. Most ADs are good with that stuff. In my years of coaching high school and college, I've only run into one who wasn't, and he was an interim appointment who had no business being in the AD chair.

daboss, sad to hear you are about done with the game. We all get where you're coming from. Unfortunately, for the most part the people who come here to OFC probably don't need to be reminded of the things we're discussing. It's the ones who are disconnected from the softball world or aren't interested in learning who are usually the problems.

 

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I agree with Carol and others who discussed the ones who make it worthwhile. Almost all of my best friends now are parents of ex-Heat players, so there is certainly much to be gained. As Martin and others who run an organization know, when you hear complaints not just about the your own coaching, but several teams and coaches, it becomes amazing.

jwb, it is nice in college that, for the most part, you don't have parents complaining directly to you. But it's still there, more than ever, since there are now more players on the roster and girls are likely sitting for the first time in their lives. As far as telling players to take a hike, you need to make sure you have an AD who is going to be supportive before you go down that road. Most ADs are good with that stuff. In my years of coaching high school and college, I've only run into one who wasn't, and he was an interim appointment who had no business being in the AD chair.

daboss, sad to hear you are about done with the game. We all get where you're coming from. Unfortunately, for the most part the people who come here to OFC probably don't need to be reminded of the things we're discussing. It's the ones who are disconnected from the softball world or aren't interested in learning who are usually the problems.

Those wonderful people that make this game so much fun will never be forgotten by me. All of you are right, they remind me of the very reasons I have stayed in the game for so many years after my daughter left for college.

It was because of my desire to promote the game for women that I decided to dedicate myself to learn pitching from some of the greatest in the game. I enjoy teaching the kids a position that will hopefully give more teams a chance to form and compete. Different circumstances may change my mind and I don't want to lose sight of the big picture. This is for the kids and never been about me. I'm simply going to be more selective of the people that will be around me. I believe more time off will help.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. It means more coming from OFC participants and NFCA members that I have the utmost respect.

 

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I'd coach both if the opportunity presented itself ...my question is, how do y'all get off work to do this? Probably a flexible work environment, flex hours that arent held against you, or your significant others are the bread winners and you work part- time, or ...? Do tell.

 

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I'd coach both if the opportunity presented itself ...my question is, how do y'all get off work to do this? Probably a flexible work environment, flex hours that arent held against you, or your significant others are the bread winners and you work part- time, or ...? Do tell.

This will be my 10th year coaching HS ball. When I first started coaching I was in a factory where I spent most of my time on 3rd shift, which left me few hours of sleep, but plenty of time to coach. If I happen to be on another shift I was always able to transfer. If you are working a full-time day shift job your chances are not good of being able to coach at the HS level, as most days I need to be at the school by 2:30 for games or practice.

Now I am a college student and work my class schedule around softball. I am in my last quarter, and will be the most challenging time wise I have had in the last 3 years.