When a "Coach" shouldn't be a Coach

[1tuffmum]

When a Coach bounces from one organization to another, is abusive to players, can't keep a team together for a full season, lies to parents, bullies kids, and carries the mindset that if you aren't with him you must be against him. After its too late, you find out the reputation this coach had before you joined. Is there a place to check out potential coaches?

 

[Lenski65]

The place is the internet and the tool to use is Google.

 

[1tuffmum]

Thanks so much for that useful answer? I was hoping for something more, like a parent/ player experience forum etc., kind of like an Angies list for sports. No need to be a jerk.

 

[jpkeating]

Could you imagine the war of words that would get started in that forum. It would be entertaining thou.

 

[CARDS]

I don?t think Len was trying to be a jerk?
GOOGLE is a resourced used by many companies, schools to get information on perspective employees, students etc. Now it will not rate a coach like you are asking with an Angies list but it will pull up social media activities and professional website info like coachbook, linkedin etc so one can have a better idea on the coach.
If the coach is active in the Fastpitch coaching community it is generally not that hard to find out if they are NFCA members, how long they have coached and for who and any other coaching related or other activities.

 

[Admin]

I think that something we could add to the forum, if done right it would be a great tool.

 

[Admin]

Getting ready to add that to the tournament list.

 

[crystlemc]

I think its a bad idea. Good coach/bad coach is such a subjective thing. You may have one or two unhappy families and the other 10 LOVED their experience. Those two unhappy families may very well overestimate their daughter's abilities. Any number of things could be a factor.

 

[crystlemc]

However, if you do something like this, please add a section where coaches can rate the parents/players.

*said tongue in cheek as I know this would also be a bad idea.

 

[flarays]

Really, really, really, really bad idea. Those of us that were around when the site first started will remember the horrible war of words that ran this site for almost a year.

If new families do some research they will be able to find out what is good and what isn't. Airing personal opinions about coaches would get ugly. I wonder what this site would come to if the following categories were added.

* Coaches to avoid or recommend...
* Organizations to avoid or recommend...
* Parents to avoid or recommend...
* players to avoid or recommend...

Self promotion and personal negative agendas would rule the site.

Just my opinion though.

 

[FastBat]

I can see the good and bad. Is there is a way to honestly post things, without loopholes???

 

[Ri-domination]

Bad idea, terrible. I have personally heard parents talk bad about coaches for simple disagreements, dd's lack of playing preferred position, ect. I would hate to see good coaches turned away from helping these young girls play the game they love, because they are sick of having there name drug through the mud. The softball community is small, if there are bad coaches, sketchy situations, ect., that info will make its way out there. IMO there is no reason to dedicate a forum to bashing people, enough of that happens anyways. I say take the high road, no bashing forum, if you need to learn about a coach or organization be discreet, ask around, the information is out there.

 

[lewam3]

Thanks so much for that useful answer? I was hoping for something more, like a parent/ player experience forum etc., kind of like an Angies list for sports. No need to be a jerk.

Not being a jerk at all. It wasn't too long ago that a certain northern ohio based softball coach was accused of not paying tournament fees on multiple occasions leaving parents hanging on Friday. He was essentially bashed and called out etc on this very forum (well OFC 1.0). Next year he pulled the same crap (allegedly) but was still able to draw enough talent to win 18u ASA states, I believe.
So what I am saying is that you can post whatever you want on this forum, but people will do what they want to do, others will do their research (google, internet) and make their mind up that way.

 

[BuckeyeLeaf]

I agree with FlaRays on this one. Although I guess we could set it up so that there was a button to contact law firm X to file a defamation lawsuit and collect a referral fee. Could fund the site indefinitely.

 

[Admin]

LoL, I like the fact that everyone freaking out. It would be a Disaster if we put up a section to rate coaches. Or even for Coaches to rate parents.

 

[Admin]

The tournament ranking system was nice, but didn't get much feed back or usage. That about the only way it would be fair on any type of feed back.

 

[FastBat]

I know, I think it's kind of a funny idea...ranking coaches! You ask two different people what happened in anything, and you get two different answers, almost always. Views are different.

Most of the time, you will never make all parents happy, if only one parent is complaining, ok the parent is unrealistic. But, if the entire team is unhappy, then yes there's a problem. You could easily tell this, if you posted or ranked coaches. I.E- one complaint, no prob; 11 from the same team, problem!

I'm just playing devils advocate. It would never happen!

 

[Rebel]

Horrible idea. It's a 2 way street people. All you have to do is talk to people and get a good sampling.

 

[Lenski65]

Thanks so much for that useful answer? I was hoping for something more, like a parent/ player experience forum etc., kind of like an Angies list for sports. No need to be a jerk.

Don't be so salty. I'm not being a jerk. Google is a great resource that lists tons of information, if information exists for what you're looking for. If Google can't find it, the information does not exist electronically. I really don't understand why it is so hard to look something up........

 

[wow]

Can we all agree it is like opening Pandoras box? You really want to do it to see what would happen but what craziness would come out of it! We have all seen the good, bad, and ugly. I think when you talk, one on one with other parents and coaches, you can have those kinds of "open" conversations. Let the other person make their own judgement. I try to take other opinions with a grain of salt. Listen and file it away. You never know when the ah huh moment will strike!