Parents just don't understand!!

[fannerj]

You know, parents are always the ones who change everything. They are the ones who run to the coach when their kid isn't getting the amount of playing time they think their kids deserve. And they are the ones that want a shot clock because they don't think the game is hard enough as it is.

I know a whole bunch of angry parents are going to read this and say it isn't true... but first of all before you do get mad... walk a mile in your son or daughters shoes.

[Guest 32pif1]

I couldn't agree with you more. Parent's always want to jump in the situation and go straight to the coach before they even talk it over with their kid. They should at least ask the player for their input but a lot of times they think their's is enough. For that post, you get a good mark

[Guest aaudad1224]

wwwho careessss...cream will rise to the top

..

[smalltown]

Most parents don't care about the team, only their son or daughter. The day has passed that the team comes first, and that's too bad. To top it all off, most parents think they know something about the game because they coached rec league or something of the sort. Parents can be the strongest asset to a program if they support the coach. But they can destroy a program if they aren't behind the coach. And contrary to what seems to be a popular belief these days, most coaches know what they are doing and care about their players.

[parrothead14]

He (or she) is called "coach". It is a difficult job, and there is no clear way to succeed in it. One cannot copy another who is a winner, for there seems to be some subtle, secret chemistry of personality that enables a person to lead successfully and no, no one really knows what it is. Those who have succeeded and those who have failed represent all kids-young and old, experienced and inexperienced, hard and soft, tough and gentle, good natured and foul tempered, proud and profane, articulate and inarticulate, even dedicated and casual. Most ARE dedicated, some more than others, but dedication alone is not enough. All want to win, but some want to win more than others, and just wanting to win is not enough in any event. Even winning is often not enough. Losers always get fired, but winners get fired too.

 

The coach is out in the open judged publically almost every day or night for six, seven or eight months of the year (year round now)by those who may not be qualified to judge them. And every victory or every defeat is recorded constantly in print or on the air and periodically totaled up.

 

The coach has no place to hide. The coach cannot just let the job go for a while or do a bad job and assume no one will notice asmost people can. The coach cannot satisfy everyone. Seldom can the coach even satisfy any at all. Rarely can the coach even satisfy themselves. If the coach wins once, they must win the next time too.

 

They plot victories, suffer defeats, and endure criticism from within and without. They neglect their families, travel endlessly and live alone in a spotlight surrounded by others. Theirs (ours)must be the worst profession-unreasonably demanding and insecure and full of unrelenting pressures. Why do they put up with it? Why do they do it? Having seen them hired and hailed as geniuses at gaudy-like press conferences and having seen them fired at these same conferences with pat pareses such as "fool" or "incompetent", I have wondered about them. Having seen them exultant in victory and depressed by defeat, I have sympathized with them. Having seen some broken by the job and others die from it, one is moved to admire them and to hope to someday the world will learn to understand them.

 

----a few years ago during my 23 years as a coach a friend sent this to me and I have carried it with me ever since...most of the time this makes sense...

Coach C

[Antwan]

Coach C, Great post. How do you handle overzealous parents?

What would be your advice to a young coach just starting out?

[parrothead14]

Don't try to be like anyone else, but see what works for other coaches and use parts and adapt to your situation and players...don't ever be afraid to share information with others who seek it...go to as many clinics as you can...love your kids...and remember a couple of things to live by...."Coaches that listen to the parents usually end up sitting in the stands with them"...and "Love many, but trust few, and always paddle your own canoe"...

 

Best of Luck and God Bless

Coach C

[callmeSir]

as a parent we just know from experience, and want our kids to enjoy this time to its fullest. Don't hate us for being crazy about our kids

[deputydog]

Parrothead14 or coachc I couldn't have said it better. I really enjoyed reading your post and I hope that a whole lot of other people read it and "understand" it. Thanks...A good mark for you.

[Tide70]

The coach can't win. Parents always know more than the coach, at times. A parent can ruin a child's joy of playing faster than any with the cry My kids the best, why isn't he/she starting/ playing more, etc, etc. Yet on the other hand the best supporters are parents who suport the team/coach and cheer/encourage the kids. A ###### if you do, ###### if you don't deal. But i truly feel for a coach that is constatly nagged by all-knowing parents.

[Guest BigCountry05]

It seems to me that it is always the players who skip practice and make excuses not to come to practice are the ones complaining. I think the bottom line here is that if a player is really trying busting his or her butt and giving it all they've got in practice and or games then they will get what they deserve because unless a coach is completely dumb and stupid they are not gonna play someone who has been passed up by another player, in practice with noticeable slack! you get what you put in, law of harvest, you reap what you sow!!

[QueenBee]

Parents SHOULD be crazy about their kids...I feel sorry for those children that don't have parents at bat for them...I agree that we should all let the coaches coach... that's why they get hired...and beyond any abuse...I think everyone should stand behind the coach...The coach just has to learn to listen...nod...smile...and go on about the business of coaching...If you're a parent...and you're not able to say good things about your kid...or go to bat for your kid...then you're hurting...the kid is hurting... and sometimes...sometimes...maybe the parent does know their kid a little better than anyone else...if ya listen...you learn things...