Parents and Coaches....

[justaparent]

This one is about seniors paying their dues. This year we dressed out a Freshmen on the varsity level. He skipped a whole year of learning our system on the Freshmen level. The way we see things are if a Freshmen has the same or more talent than say Soph. Junior. or Senior then we are going to go with the Freshmen. We have got 3 more years to work with this player and he is just as good as the guys older than him. I think this is what killed our baseball team when i played in HS was because the coach thought they seniors should play when the younger talent was just as good or in our case better than the older guys. Like it was said earlier, coaches are out to win basketball games and keep their jobs not make parents happy. If we see a younger player is just as good or better than the older then we are taking our chances with the older player.

 

I agree that parents should have no input on playing time or the management of the team. However, I have seen several instances where high school coaches allow one or more parents to have an excessive influence on a team, and generally, other parents of players begin to jocky for position believing that they also can influence the coach. Coaches should take care not to let this type of situation develop because, in time, it will damage the team and their reputation.

 

One other brief point: While parents should not talk with the coach about playing time, etc., it is every parents duty and responsibility to ensure that their child is not in a compromising situation. Every parent should ensure that the person they have entrusted their child to for hundreds of hours per season is a person of good character. A parent should be very cautious if a coach will not communicate directly with the parent or try to control access to all practices. I know first hand of a situation where a younger team (7th and 8th grade) had a coach that would limit parental access to practice. While I will not go into any detail in this post, several children were emotionally and physically abused in (and after) practice. As parents, we each have a responsibility to ensure our child is safe.

[autkfan]

No. All parents think their child is better than they really are, no matter how good the kid is.

[keyreserve]

Absolutely not. Your son or daughter is a player on the coaches team, it is not your team, so unless you are the one calling the plays and running the practices you should let the coach run his/her team and they will let the best players play.

[kidnplay]

If parents want to coach they should get a degree and a whistle and go to it. The coach runs the team just like a ceo runs a company. What happens if someone dont like the wya the ceo runs his business? Quit, change jobs, dont do business with his company any more. Same principal.

[killtacular]

I think parents should stay up in the stands and watch the games. If there kid isnt getting to play or they dont think they are getting to play enough it isn't the coaches fault. I mean if there is better talent on the team the parent should be able to realize that there kid doesn't have the athletic ability that other kids have, but if their kid is better than the player(s) that is playing more than them i think they have the right to address the coach about it, but until that happens the parents should keep their butts in the bleachers and be a fan instead of yelling at the coach, coming in practices, and interrupting practices to speak to the coach about there kid not playing enough. Like they said earlier in the topic if you want your kid to play more become a coach or take him to a rec league. I mean parents want to see their kid play and excel in what they are doing, but dont get onto the coach for them not playing. The coach decides on who plays and who doesn't and if a coach let's a parent change their mind about the kid by chewing them out then that coach shouldn't even be a coach.

[bhscoach]

I think parents should stay up in the stands and watch the games. If there kid isnt getting to play or they dont think they are getting to play enough it isn't the coaches fault. I mean if there is better talent on the team the parent should be able to realize that there kid doesn't have the athletic ability that other kids have, but if their kid is better than the player(s) that is playing more than them i think they have the right to address the coach about it, but until that happens the parents should keep their butts in the bleachers and be a fan instead of yelling at the coach, coming in practices, and interrupting practices to speak to the coach about there kid not playing enough. Like they said earlier in the topic if you want your kid to play more become a coach or take him to a rec league. I mean parents want to see their kid play and excel in what they are doing, but dont get onto the coach for them not playing. The coach decides on who plays and who doesn't and if a coach let's a parent change their mind about the kid by chewing them out then that coach shouldn't even be a coach.

 

 

This is about the remark about a kid being better than the talent on the floor. Parents do not realize that yes at times you child is better than the people play but your child wants to play their kind of ball. If a better player can't play within the system then the player will not get as much playing time. We tell our kids to go out every night and play their game as long as it is in our system. This doesn't mean that every time you get the ball it's dribble to the hole but to work in the offense until you have the oppertunity to do what you can do.

[nohope]

If parents want to coach they should get a degree and a whistle and go to it. The coach runs the team just like a ceo runs a company. What happens if someone dont like the wya the ceo runs his business? Quit, change jobs, dont do business with his company any more. Same principal.

Actually, the CEO/Coach analogy isn't bad. Just keep in mind, CEO's get replaced all the time, often because the company Stockholders become disgruntled about the way he/she's taking their company. Same with Coaches.

[natenica]

I would have to say yes. My daughter plays for Northside high in memphis. Now I never questioned Playing time cause she started since 9th grade. My prob is how he was and still sometime play her. He does not let her shoot 3s. All he want her to do is drive the ball 100% of the time. Most these coaches only care about winning and not developing the kids skills. She even scored 40 one night just on drives. My daughter 5"9 and play foward and center way too much. She got her college looks not for what she did in high school but on the AAU circuit. Because she has a AAU coach that is concerned about them going to college and developing their weakness. Colleges saw her shoot the 3 play the point and all that stuff they are looking for. Now she has signed with Colorado and every other day they calling asking about is she running the point, how is her 3 looking., how many assist. Just sad I cant say anything. Cant say anything cause we 26 - 2. So yes as a parent we have to look out for our kids. We have the most investment in them than any coach. I played in college so I know what it takes to make it to D1. And I would not sacrafice a kids development for 20 wins a year in high school. And yes some of our parents go too far but that is the nature of the beast u dont like it quite and do something else.

[volunteerfan23]

No a parent should not question playing time, whether they like it or not. I have coached travel baseball and coached in elementary school and I am a parent as well so I have seen it both ways. Our high school coaches in a meeting before the season started told everyone that their door was always open, anything you want to discuss or bring up will be discussed, anything to help the children or anything about any problems the children may be having to what kind of work they may need to progress. BUT there will be no discussion about playing time. That was clear simple and that is the coaches decision. To me it was upfront honest and quite clear. I appreciated the way they handled it.

[kidnplay]

Actually, the CEO/Coach analogy isn't bad. Just keep in mind, CEO's get replaced all the time, often because the company Stockholders become disgruntled about the way he/she's taking their company. Same with Coaches.

 

You are correct but in the case of HS basketball, its more like a private company where the only stockholders are the adminstrators. Parents and players are only customers and have no control. It the customers dont like the company, they can stop buying the product. The administration/stockholders can releive the ceo/coach of his duties.

[nohope]

You are correct but in the case of HS basketball, its more like a private company where the only stockholders are the adminstrators. Parents and players are only customers and have no control. It the customers dont like the company, they can stop buying the product. The administration/stockholders can releive the ceo/coach of his duties.

"$$$ rules and those that have it are in power. It's a shame that money and politics can ruin a good man's life the way ____boosters have ruined ______."

 

Well, I can't disagree with your point, at least in Private Schools. But in Public Schools I still believe parents are something like stockholders. Incidentally, I agree with the vast majority of what's been posted on this thread, from both sides. My point is, in those rare instances where a coach is wrong, a parent should never be hesitant to take appropriate actions.

Edited February 24, 2006 by nohope

[gicu812]

I would have to say yes. My daughter plays for Northside high in memphis. Now I never questioned Playing time cause she started since 9th grade. My prob is how he was and still sometime play her. He does not let her shoot 3s. All he want her to do is drive the ball 100% of the time. Most these coaches only care about winning and not developing the kids skills. She even scored 40 one night just on drives. My daughter 5"9 and play foward and center way too much. She got her college looks not for what she did in high school but on the AAU circuit. Because she has a AAU coach that is concerned about them going to college and developing their weakness. Colleges saw her shoot the 3 play the point and all that stuff they are looking for. Now she has signed with Colorado and every other day they calling asking about is she running the point, how is her 3 looking., how many assist. Just sad I cant say anything. Cant say anything cause we 26 - 2. So yes as a parent we have to look out for our kids. We have the most investment in them than any coach. I played in college so I know what it takes to make it to D1. And I would not sacrafice a kids development for 20 wins a year in high school. And yes some of our parents go too far but that is the nature of the beast u dont like it quite and do something else.

A coach does what is best for the team, not one player.