I was never a league official of any kind, but I was a coach in several different sports when my sons were younger. Most parents were fine, but there was always a vocal minority who thought that THEIR kids should play the whole game, should play only the positions that they wanted to, and were full of advice to the coaching staff.
When my oldest son was ten I was an assistant track coach. On the first practice of each season the head coach would take all the parents into the bleachers while I had the kids stretch and warm up. He would ask if anyone wanted to volunteer to be an assistant coach. Anyone who volunteered was sent down to the track with me and the kids. The remainder were given a speech something like this:
"I am the coach. That means that *I* coach the kids. *I* decide what events that they will compete in, and what events they will not. *I* will determine how to best teach your children how to be runners. I expect you to back me up and not undermine me when you are home. If there is ANY reason why your child CAN NOT do what I ask him or her to do, I expect you to talk to me privately before practice or call me at home. If you want to volunteer to help, the offer is still open. Remember, however, that I'm STILL the coach if you volunteer, but I can use the help. If you do not want to volunteer, you can best help your child get the most out of this experience by sitting in the stands and cheering. If you cannot abide by these simple rules, you may withdraw your son or daughter and receive a full refund.
He delivered this all in a calm, quiet, reasonable voice. No one ever crossed him. The kids loved him, and learned to both enjoy and excel in track and field.
Another thing to remember is that most little league and YMCA coaches and officials are volunteers. This may not always be the case, and some officials recieve a small fee, but for the most part men and women volunteer because they love the game, and they love teaching kids.
My soon-to-be stepdaughter is playing basketball this year. It burns me to hear parents accusing the referees of favoritism game after game after game. And the coaches are sometimes just as bad. Personally, I usually make an effort to shake the officials hands and tell them "good job" after each game. It often surprises them. Umpires and referees are not perfect, they WILL miss calls. If "my" team loses by a close margin due to a perceived bad call, my answer is that you need to allow for that and score more points!
Recently I was drafted as a timekeeper for a middle school girls basketball game. It's a pretty simple job, but you have to pay attention. The clock was not displayed so that all could see, but was only visible from the officials table; I would give a verbal warnings of the time left to the coaches and the refs as the clock wore down.
At the end of the second half I yelled "time" just before one of the girls got off a shot, which then did not count. The girl's coach came charging at me and began to yell at me. I looked him right in the eye and said "I am a volunteer, do NOT mess with me - the call stands"!
another thing to remember is that some men do this thing because they are living vicariously through kids or realize THEIR kid is the only one making it to the pros
PITTSBURGH (June 16) - A T-ball coach allegedly paid one of his players $25 to hurt an 8-year-old mentally disabled teammate so he wouldn't have to put the boy in the game, police said Friday.
Mark R. Downs Jr., 27, of Dunbar, is accused of offering one of his players the money to hit the boy in the head with a baseball, police said. Witnesses told police Downs didn't want the boy to play in the game because of his disability.
Police said the boy was hit in the head and in the groin with a baseball just before a game, and didn't play, police said.
"The coach was very competitive," state police Trooper Thomas B. Broadwater said. "He wanted to win."
Downs has an unpublished telephone number and couldn't immediately be reached for comment Friday. It was unclear whether he had an attorney.
He was arrested and arraigned Friday on charges including criminal solicitation to commit aggravated assault and corruption of minors. He was released from jail on an unsecured bond.
The alleged assault happened June 27 in North Union Township, about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, authorities said.
The boy's mother asked state police to investigate her son's injuries because she suspected Downs wanted to keep the boy off the field, despite a league rule that required each player to participate in three innings a game, Broadwater said.
Eric Forsythe, the president of the R.W. Clark Youth Baseball League, said Downs had two daughters on the T-ball team.
League organizers investigated accusations against Downs before the T-ball season ended earlier this month but could not prove that he did anything wrong. If Downs is convicted of any crime, he won't be allowed to be a coach next year, Forsythe said. The league is not affiliated with Little League International.
If he is a convicted of a crime "he won't be allowed to be a coach next year?" He'd better not be allowed to coach any kid in any sport for the rest of his life.
I've been involved with kid sports teams for only three years - working with teams my own children played on. Thankfully, I've had very good experiences and the parents and most fellow coaches. My kids started in a local police youth league playing T-ball - did that for 4 seasons, two seasons I was head coach. Now, I coach my daughters softball team, and assist on my son's "single A" little league team. Again, parents on both those teams are very helpful.
I have seen some of what I'd call bad behavoir on the part of coaches - such as a play just last week. I was coaching first base and the baserunner took off at the crack of the bat, and even though the ball was caught, he didn't listen to me telling him to get back to first. I yelled to the boy twice and then left it at that - would discuss the matter with him between innings. That's not my point though - what is, is the other team's asst coach was out in the outfield one came running in literally screaming several times at his players to THROW the ball back to first - and then coming up to the first baseman and yelling at him to "touch the base, TOUCH THE BASE!!!" It was quite a scene and, I'm not exaggerating when I said this guy was screaming. (Folks that know me, know I tend to minimize and not exaggerate situations like this.)
My point is that some coaches tend to be more excited than the players - which is fine up to a point. They just have to be a little sensible, and not expect the players to act like experts out there - it's a teaching experience. I think I have more fun working with the team, than the players themselves sometimes have. I just love it when the kids make a good play, or attempt to anyway. I do get "tough" on my players at times, making sure they throw the ball properly and catch the ball properly. But you MUST treat your players with respect and it's also good to congratulate the opposing team players for making a good play.
Before I completely derail my own post, I think parents and coaches need to act like real people - treat players like real people, and not expect perfection - but applaud them big time when they do good things, and when they give a good effort. One thing I also appreciate is coaches that can do physically what they tell the players to do, and not just are all mouth.
One thing I also appreciate is coaches that can do physically what they tell the players to do, and not just are all mouth.
Hmm, I know a guy who has been in a wheel chair for ten years. he coaches a highschool age rec league team. and assistant coaches for the highschool JV team. he can't steal second, but he knows the game, knows the mechanics, and can outcoach many an able bodied cheerleader.
Hmm, I know a guy who has been in a wheel chair for ten years. he coaches a highschool age rec league team. and assistant coaches for the highschool JV team. he can't steal second, but he knows the game, knows the mechanics, and can outcoach many an able bodied cheerleader.
~HAP
Good point HAP. Sounds like the guy you mention is very committed and loves what he does and knows what he's doing. That certainly should connect with the players - such that they'll listen with respect, especially when they do what he says and it works. That's what, IMO, is what is important - that the players respect the coach so they are willing to listen and learn, and the coach also loves to teach them.
There are plenty of good little league coaches who can't do (or do well) what they coach. Attitude, knowledge of game, desire to teach, etc. are what are important.
Heck, quite a few coaches in junior high, high school, college, and professional sports never played the game they coach and many weren't very good at it. Some have been very successful coaches, though.
cast came off. dear orthopedic said hand healed beautifully. but then he said you can't play baseball or do gym for another couple of weeks. x-ray shows your broken FINGER on the hand that was in a cast. he broke it playing basketball while wearing the cast.
5 broken bones in the last 5 years.
i need to get my roots touched up again. they got gray so fast.
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Oakspear
I was never a league official of any kind, but I was a coach in several different sports when my sons were younger. Most parents were fine, but there was always a vocal minority who thought that THEIR kids should play the whole game, should play only the positions that they wanted to, and were full of advice to the coaching staff.
When my oldest son was ten I was an assistant track coach. On the first practice of each season the head coach would take all the parents into the bleachers while I had the kids stretch and warm up. He would ask if anyone wanted to volunteer to be an assistant coach. Anyone who volunteered was sent down to the track with me and the kids. The remainder were given a speech something like this:
"I am the coach. That means that *I* coach the kids. *I* decide what events that they will compete in, and what events they will not. *I* will determine how to best teach your children how to be runners. I expect you to back me up and not undermine me when you are home. If there is ANY reason why your child CAN NOT do what I ask him or her to do, I expect you to talk to me privately before practice or call me at home. If you want to volunteer to help, the offer is still open. Remember, however, that I'm STILL the coach if you volunteer, but I can use the help. If you do not want to volunteer, you can best help your child get the most out of this experience by sitting in the stands and cheering. If you cannot abide by these simple rules, you may withdraw your son or daughter and receive a full refund.
He delivered this all in a calm, quiet, reasonable voice. No one ever crossed him. The kids loved him, and learned to both enjoy and excel in track and field.
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Oakspear
Another thing to remember is that most little league and YMCA coaches and officials are volunteers. This may not always be the case, and some officials recieve a small fee, but for the most part men and women volunteer because they love the game, and they love teaching kids.
My soon-to-be stepdaughter is playing basketball this year. It burns me to hear parents accusing the referees of favoritism game after game after game. And the coaches are sometimes just as bad. Personally, I usually make an effort to shake the officials hands and tell them "good job" after each game. It often surprises them. Umpires and referees are not perfect, they WILL miss calls. If "my" team loses by a close margin due to a perceived bad call, my answer is that you need to allow for that and score more points!
Recently I was drafted as a timekeeper for a middle school girls basketball game. It's a pretty simple job, but you have to pay attention. The clock was not displayed so that all could see, but was only visible from the officials table; I would give a verbal warnings of the time left to the coaches and the refs as the clock wore down.
At the end of the second half I yelled "time" just before one of the girls got off a shot, which then did not count. The girl's coach came charging at me and began to yell at me. I looked him right in the eye and said "I am a volunteer, do NOT mess with me - the call stands"!
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excathedra
another thing to remember is that some men do this thing because they are living vicariously through kids or realize THEIR kid is the only one making it to the pros
and they can be major league a s s h o l e s
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Pirate1974
If this incident turns out to be true, this guy needs to do some hard time.
***************************************************************************
PITTSBURGH (June 16) - A T-ball coach allegedly paid one of his players $25 to hurt an 8-year-old mentally disabled teammate so he wouldn't have to put the boy in the game, police said Friday.
Mark R. Downs Jr., 27, of Dunbar, is accused of offering one of his players the money to hit the boy in the head with a baseball, police said. Witnesses told police Downs didn't want the boy to play in the game because of his disability.
Police said the boy was hit in the head and in the groin with a baseball just before a game, and didn't play, police said.
"The coach was very competitive," state police Trooper Thomas B. Broadwater said. "He wanted to win."
Downs has an unpublished telephone number and couldn't immediately be reached for comment Friday. It was unclear whether he had an attorney.
He was arrested and arraigned Friday on charges including criminal solicitation to commit aggravated assault and corruption of minors. He was released from jail on an unsecured bond.
The alleged assault happened June 27 in North Union Township, about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, authorities said.
The boy's mother asked state police to investigate her son's injuries because she suspected Downs wanted to keep the boy off the field, despite a league rule that required each player to participate in three innings a game, Broadwater said.
Eric Forsythe, the president of the R.W. Clark Youth Baseball League, said Downs had two daughters on the T-ball team.
League organizers investigated accusations against Downs before the T-ball season ended earlier this month but could not prove that he did anything wrong. If Downs is convicted of any crime, he won't be allowed to be a coach next year, Forsythe said. The league is not affiliated with Little League International.
***************************************************************************
This is T-ball, for God's sake.
If he is a convicted of a crime "he won't be allowed to be a coach next year?" He'd better not be allowed to coach any kid in any sport for the rest of his life.
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mstar1
Jesus ****ing Christ--
I have no words for this one----doesn't little league have a screening process to get morons, idiots and imbeciles out of the picture?
When did common sense and decency for adults leave??
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Tom Strange
that's a sad story...
myseestorEx! that's exciting!
(and how about that Lance Armstrong?!!)
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Peruser
I've been involved with kid sports teams for only three years - working with teams my own children played on. Thankfully, I've had very good experiences and the parents and most fellow coaches. My kids started in a local police youth league playing T-ball - did that for 4 seasons, two seasons I was head coach. Now, I coach my daughters softball team, and assist on my son's "single A" little league team. Again, parents on both those teams are very helpful.
I have seen some of what I'd call bad behavoir on the part of coaches - such as a play just last week. I was coaching first base and the baserunner took off at the crack of the bat, and even though the ball was caught, he didn't listen to me telling him to get back to first. I yelled to the boy twice and then left it at that - would discuss the matter with him between innings. That's not my point though - what is, is the other team's asst coach was out in the outfield one came running in literally screaming several times at his players to THROW the ball back to first - and then coming up to the first baseman and yelling at him to "touch the base, TOUCH THE BASE!!!" It was quite a scene and, I'm not exaggerating when I said this guy was screaming. (Folks that know me, know I tend to minimize and not exaggerate situations like this.)
My point is that some coaches tend to be more excited than the players - which is fine up to a point. They just have to be a little sensible, and not expect the players to act like experts out there - it's a teaching experience. I think I have more fun working with the team, than the players themselves sometimes have. I just love it when the kids make a good play, or attempt to anyway. I do get "tough" on my players at times, making sure they throw the ball properly and catch the ball properly. But you MUST treat your players with respect and it's also good to congratulate the opposing team players for making a good play.
Before I completely derail my own post, I think parents and coaches need to act like real people - treat players like real people, and not expect perfection - but applaud them big time when they do good things, and when they give a good effort. One thing I also appreciate is coaches that can do physically what they tell the players to do, and not just are all mouth.
:)
Per
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HAPe4me
Hmm, I know a guy who has been in a wheel chair for ten years. he coaches a highschool age rec league team. and assistant coaches for the highschool JV team. he can't steal second, but he knows the game, knows the mechanics, and can outcoach many an able bodied cheerleader.
~HAP
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Peruser
Good point HAP. Sounds like the guy you mention is very committed and loves what he does and knows what he's doing. That certainly should connect with the players - such that they'll listen with respect, especially when they do what he says and it works. That's what, IMO, is what is important - that the players respect the coach so they are willing to listen and learn, and the coach also loves to teach them.
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LG
There are plenty of good little league coaches who can't do (or do well) what they coach. Attitude, knowledge of game, desire to teach, etc. are what are important.
Heck, quite a few coaches in junior high, high school, college, and professional sports never played the game they coach and many weren't very good at it. Some have been very successful coaches, though.
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Lifted Up
Hey Peruser, where does that leave us umpires???
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excathedra
i was first on line to sign him up this year
he's on a great team, ready to pitch, etc. etc.
he just broke his hand
so whoever was mean to me on this thread about signing him up late, maybe i deserve this huh ?
ha
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justloafing
Oh man Exie. That just stinks. How bad of a break? Will he be able to play at all?
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rhino
yeah, what loafing said ...
did he do that playing hockey?
hope he is OK ... I guess don't rush it though, don't want to reinjure the thing ...
mother knows best :)
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excathedra
thanks you guys
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excathedra
cast came off. dear orthopedic said hand healed beautifully. but then he said you can't play baseball or do gym for another couple of weeks. x-ray shows your broken FINGER on the hand that was in a cast. he broke it playing basketball while wearing the cast.
5 broken bones in the last 5 years.
i need to get my roots touched up again. they got gray so fast.
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Tom Strange
THAT'S MY BOY!!!
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excathedra
YOU raise him just kidding mwah ((((((( tommy )))))))
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