Winter practice attendance

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Thanks guys I just sent her an apology to her

 

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Coach Ferrigno, I feel your pain.Our 14u team is having a simular situation. We have practices on Sundays for 2-3 hours so we dont interfere with school sports. We still have trouble getting the kids in to practice. They just dont seem to understand that this isnt rec ball anymore. If you want to be good you have to practice year round. I have no problem with kids playing other sports and encourage it but i also believe you should make an honest effort to show up in the offseason to get better. We have 4 or 5 girls that show up for everything and they play other sports. I think it all revolves around one word and thats DEDICATION!

 

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Coach Ferrigno, I feel your pain.Our 14u team is having a simular situation. We have practices on Sundays for 2-3 hours so we dont interfere with school sports. We still have trouble getting the kids in to practice. They just dont seem to understand that this isnt rec ball anymore. If you want to be good you have to practice year round. I have no problem with kids playing other sports and encourage it but i also believe you should make an honest effort to show up in the offseason to get better. We have 4 or 5 girls that show up for everything and they play other sports. I think it all revolves around one word and thats DEDICATION!

I agree, and my DD gets better day by day from hard work. I cant force it as ive read here. So at some point my DD will offer a team a great player that loves the game and I will be a proud parent. The coaching politics is for the birds.

 

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These are some interesting responses.

I think, as a coach of 10u and if you plan to coach long-term, you are in a really good position to set your expectations with your team now when the kids and parents are just beginning to be introduced to travelball.

If you want/expect attendance at you winter practices then make that clear, sounds like you did and follow through on your expectations.

I'm not judging your coaching style at all. To each their own. You can't force parents to cooperate but you "force" them to make choices. If you've made it clear that each girl needs to participate at least once a week (via team practice or an extra practice with you or whatever) and parents/kids refuse then you have every right to limit playing time, etc come tournament time.

Obviously, I would recommend working with parents as much as you can but if you don't get cooperation then move on and work with those kids/families who meet your expectations.

Remember that for every multi-sport athlete, there is a girl who's primary sport is softball. Focus on those girls. They are the ones who will stay with you over the long haul.

Nothing drives me crazier than a coach who panders to kids/parents for reasons such as "we're close friends", so-and-so is the sponsors dd", "she's a great player even though she doesn't come to practice" and on and on.

If parents want to waste their money by not doing what you're asking and then having their dd sit, then so be it.

If you were asking your kids to come to practice every other day for 3 hours my response would be different. Stick to your guns and be honest with your parents. I'm sure you have girls that are dedicated and you'll see that pay off over time.

 

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I see what you are going through DD is 14u, old coach let the girls play other club sports. We got a new coach and then she had to live by the old rules, it gets old on a Sunday evening to have the same five or six girls at every practice with the occasional showing of the BB or ****** or Vball players hard to get in quality practices. Not saying if it's right or wrong but it didn't get any easier as they got older after the special treatment at early ages.

 

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Just finished my 3rd year coaching 10u and this was our expectations and will continue to be. If you have practice in another sport and we have practice, be at our practice. We only practice 1 day per week year round. If you have game in other sport and we have practice, go to game. If you have practice and we have game, be at game. If you have game and we have game, let us know ahead of time and go to other sport game. If you can make both, perfect. If you are going to miss a practice let us know ahead of time. We seemed to have pretty good years with this system and nobody got left behind. At the end of the day, the players will separate themselves with how hard they work and IF they work on there own at home. If they want to miss the entire Winter of softball, then they need to find another team. We carry 11 players will play several times during the Winter with 9 or even 8 and a pick up. We practice 11-15 times indoors and play 1 tournament per month indoors Nov-Mar. This year we have decided to cut that back a little to 7 practices with several optional in addition and 4 indoor tournaments. The great thing about our indoor tournaments is that we get a pseudo practice before each game when indoors. We start 1hr 1/2 before and run just like practice. My opinion, be flexible as long as they are willing as well.

Nick Carver
Indiana Gators 2001

 

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We are not taking about 1st year 10u kids here, theese girls have been playing ball for 4-5 years, travel for 3. Its never to early to teech dedication and hard work. I know a team and I wont mention names. On Christmas morning after they had the morning with their families. They had a team gift exchange at their indoor facility and then they had BP .....ON CHRISTMAS! Some will say they are crazy but the kids buy into it and claw to get on the team and they are 1 of the top 14u teams in the state

 

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anyone that "forces" a 10 year old to practice, is on an ego trip

 

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I don't see the point in making that rule at any age group. College's aren't looking for 1 dimensional softball robots untill they get to college. There certainly isn't any exposure at 10U. Well rounded athletes never hurt a team. The batting order and positions should be based on who is the best #3 hitter and shortstop you have at that time if you plan on winning. Practice is important but I have never batted someone leadoff over another based on who attended more hitting sessions in December.

 

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In season (summer) practice should be required. Out of season there should be reasonable reasons allowed for missing. If it's practice in another sport that is their season it should be allowed (missing).

 

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anyone that "forces" a 10 year old to practice, is on an ego trip

Your right, come and go as u please. No rules just show up at tournies and i'll put u at top if the order and ill put u at ss while im at it.. Give me a break!!

 

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I don't see the point in making that rule at any age group. College's aren't looking for 1 dimensional softball robots untill they get to college. There certainly isn't any exposure at 10U. Well rounded athletes never hurt a team. The batting order and positions should be based on who is the best #3 hitter and shortstop you have at that time if you plan on winning. Practice is important but I have never batted someone leadoff over another based on who attended more hitting sessions in December.

And it was said missing all winter could effect ur spot not as punishment but from girls that are getting better then u from working all winter while u missed

 

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The girls are 10 and 11 get a grip on yourself. At that age it's about learning fundamentals and having fun. Dude ease up.

 

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We are not taking about 1st year 10u kids here, theese girls have been playing ball for 4-5 years, travel for 3. Its never to early to teech dedication and hard work. I know a team and I wont mention names. On Christmas morning after they had the morning with their families. They had a team gift exchange at their indoor facility and then they had BP .....ON CHRISTMAS! Some will say they are crazy but the kids buy into it and claw to get on the team and they are 1 of the top 14u teams in the state

I thought this was ridiculous when i heard it the first time, and its still ridiculous.

anyone that "forces" a 10 year old to practice, is on an ego trip

Amen, to this. At 10 they are babies, they have no idea what sport they will like to stick with and shouldnt be forced to pick at this age. "Elite 10u" ? Ive heard everything.

 

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In season (summer) practice should be required. Out of season there should be reasonable reasons allowed for missing. If it's practice in another sport that is their season it should be allowed (missing).

Exactly. You are wanting to impose on these sports time of the year, maybe some consideration might be in order.

 

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Let's flip the coin here a bit and I do I completely understand both sides of the coin. But what about those girls who practice through the winter while the other girls play other sports. For example, you have a team of 12 and 7 are always at practice while the other 5 are playing other sports, which you don't see until February. You are asking those girls who practice to slow down so the others can catch up. Those 7 players through winter knew the throwing tendencies of the other girls and were able to make adjustments.

I coached a 9U select team and had to deal with these issues. It hurt our team chemistry some.

Anyway, at 10U it's a tough call. As parents, we want girls to be multi-sport athletes if that is what the girls want. As a coach, we want to develop a good team to compete with teams that have only girls who only play softball and not get run-ruled every tournament. There has to be a balance and unfortunately in today's age, there is no compromise (or so it seems).

 

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Good point. I think the key is to set the policy when you offer them a spot on the team. Be in agreement then and let them decide if that works for them. Not something that should be sprung on them after joining the team.

 

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Good point. I think the key is to set the policy when you offer them a spot on the team. Be in agreement then and let them decide if that works for them. Not something that should be sprung on them after joining the team.

It was 100% talked about and in the contract that they signed

 

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Agree with brownsfan and musty. You as the coach set the rules and parents decide whether or not they want to abide by them.

Even though it's 10u, kids are not onlty learning fundamentals but also committment and discipline. Ask people about about "team jumping" and the word commitment usually shows up in the first sentence.

Asking for a once a week practice in my opinion is not unreasonable, it's also not an ego trip. Everyone misses a practice from time to time and I don't think anyone has a problem with that. But if a coach has had clear and honest communication with parents at try-outs and/or before they sign a contract with the team about weekly practices then I can see how this could present a problem.

What is it exactly that people think they sign-up for when they agree to join a team? (Emphasis on team).

 

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I thought this was ridiculous when i heard it the first time, and its still ridiculous.



Amen, to this. At 10 they are babies, they have no idea what sport they will like to stick with and shouldn't be forced to pick at this age. "Elite 10u" ? Ive heard everything.

In case you missed it in school

Elite
noun 1. ( often used with a plural verb ) the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons.





So you cant be an elite team in the country in the 10u division? Why because your 10 and you should only be doing fundamentals?

I treat these girls like my own DD. If your not gonna strive to be your best at what your doing then why are you doing it.

I didn't force these girls to do anything. Didn't force then to sign up to try out, or force them to pay the $700 they paid or force them to sign the player/parent contract.

Don't degrade the effort or ability to preform at a top level just because they are so called "Babies"

Do you mean the gymnast that practice 300 day a year from age 6 and are winning gold at the Olympics as you cheer them on from your couch are not elite athletes? Why because you say they are to young to be elite in your eyes?

Its pretty simple are only as good as the effort you put into something, your never too young to perfect your craft. My only down fall is mandating practice. I should of just waited till spring and say your sitting because your rusty from no practice all winter. I should give them the opportunity to fail on their own.

I guess a TEAM means more to me then others. Its not fair to the other kids that put in the work to have a player that slacks and gets to play.