Why would someone coach?

[rSquared]

I agree, FPFanatic, and so I salute you, motlowshortstop and SBCoach, both with good marks!

 

---rSquared

[bgmlrh]

I enjoyed reading what motlowshortstop had to say. It would be great if more young people are headed into education to make that kind of contribution to the classroom as well as the softball field. There are some out here in the mix, and I think time will see more to enter. Those of us who love the sport want to coach almost regardless of the conditions. What you were saying Neil about the high school and summer ball debate is a truly frustrating. I have very strong opinions about there even being a comparison, and I have written long threads in the past to express that. I will start here by saying that high school ball is more like college ball than summer ball is, and that parents should not want their daughters to play the sport looking for a scholarship-- they should want them to play for the love of the game.I am interested in seeing if anything arises about this "debate".

[CoachJ1217]

Why does someone coach? I will tell you why, it is fun and you just might have an impact on someone's life. I am a high school PE teacher, coach football and softball, and I do not make much money, but it is not about money, if that is why someone is in coaching and teaching than they are in it for the wrong reasons. I teach and coach because I love working with kids and hopefully can make a difference. My goal as a head coach is not to send all my players on a softball scholarship, but it is to make sure they are good people and try to do the right thing. Yes, there are the bad things that a coach has to deal with such as parents, not so good years, but that is part of coaching and growing as a person. The way a person handles those situations will make them a better coach or a worse coach. I am 26 and I know I still need to grow a lot. It is when I feel like I don't need to grow is when i will be done with teaching and coaching. My job is to work their butts off, and give them the best possible chance at being successful, on and off of the field. Why do we coach? because we love it.

[Neil]

Isn't it refreshing to see all these comments from coaches and coaches-in-training affirming their love of the game and their excitement in helping young people achieve and grow. Most have said it is not about the money. I am certainly glad to read those kinds of comments. All of these people coach for the right reasons---even if they have had negative experiences. I hope the readers of this board will remember some of these comments. High school coaches can certainly take all the negative comments made about them in stride, and usually do so. I appreciate every coach my children have played for. I would like to see more positive reinforcement given our coaches and much less negative bashing that sometimes appears on this site---even though I know that it's each person's right to say what's on his/her mind. Again, this was my motivation for posting this thread in the first place. Let's support our kids' coaches at all levels of competition.

[FPFanatic]

neil, you and all the other coaches that are responding

have your hearts and your heads in the right places.

You are all in it to help the girls by teaching and

coaching them in all the right things. I, for one

appreciate that, and I am sure many others do as well

that are touched by the work that your kind of coaching

represents. I also apologize if you misconstrued any of

my comments, as they were all general in nature, instead

of directly to you, personally.

I only want to repeat that most everyone appreciates

and supports good teaching and coaching, and we don't hear

enough about it on this board. By the same token, we all

need to support the teachers and coaches that do not have

their heads and hearts in the right places by helping

them to find some other line of work (lol), especially

the ones that have condescending or patronizing attitudes

about our girls softball.

 

Also bglmrh, I understand a lot of what you are saying

except your comparison of high school ball to college

ball. You have pointed this out as you said, but a lot

of us out here can not see those similarities, especially

over the last few years. What I see in colleges are good travel ball players, some of which played in weak high school programs. I see those college players working out and playing year round, unlike most high school players, but like most travel ball players. Also, the college player like the travel ball player will travel around the country playing ball, unlike most high school players. Finally, the college coach does softball only, like most travel ball coaches, but unlike most high school coaches. Maybe you can help explain your ideas again.

[Edited by FPFanatic on 1-15-03 6:20P]

 

[Neil]

FPFanatic,

Your comments were very good. I did not misunderstand you at all, but thanks for caring.

[cornpup]

How about a group hug? And smiley faces for all.

[jusluvsports]

There's probably very few jobs harder than coaching, that's for sure, but maybe it would help the coaches to understand the parents too since it seems to be a common thread among coaches to bash the parents (just as much as parents bashing coaches). bqmlrh said the parents should want their child to play for the love of the game - yeah!! Why do you think we transport them all over the country, spend all we've got to pay for the expenses associated with the game, and cheer with them and wipe their tears??? FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME !! NOT TO MENTION, THE LOVE OF OUR CHILDREN!! I have seen so many children gain so much in their overall development and maturity as a result of this game - it's not just about "softball", is it?? Hey, they love the game and we love the game - why do you think they get upset when they don't get to play - try to put a little understanding to that - it isn't the worst thing in the world that has happened to you coaches to have a full team of girls that really want to play! Is it? Because they, too, are hungry to learn - how do they learn? - try putting them in that game when you're 6 runs up or you're losing by a greater margin - give them a chance to learn - they are obviously hungry for that! I'm very lucky to have had a serious softball player that loves the game and does play because she works her duff off in a very hard program and spends all her summers and all her falls and springs (lucky if she gets December off) - for 12+ years!! But, yeah, I hope she gets rewarded for all of that with a scholarship!

"Hugs & kisses and smiley faces all around!!!!"

[DelTavian]

I'd like to sound off on many points.

 

First...teacher pay. Teachers make more than state employee's. State employees don't get snow days, spring breaks, 2 weeks at Christmas or 2 1/2 months off in the summer. So teachers...it could be worse. State employees also don't get a suppliment whenever we get extra duties thrust upon us.

 

Second....Motlowshortstop you're my hero. You sound like a great coach in the making.

 

Third....many parents are stupid or act stupid. But then again it's their kid we're talking about so what do you expect. They're the ones raising the funds, raising you know what with school boards and administrators to make sure softball girls even have a coach, a field, equipment or a program. Historically, softball in high school administrator's or school board member's minds are like third world nations at the United Nations. They throw you just enough rice to shut you up.

 

Fourth...It's usually the parents who mess up a kids chances at college more than any coach could. Parents today baby their kids. They also allow them to believe that they're the end-all-be-all and that everything should go their way. Then when they get to college on a scholarship or any kind and the first two weeks of practice don't go their way they come home crying to mama so she can pet them and tell them that the coach and the college are evil and stupid and everything is someone else's fault and not their poor little baby's.

 

Fifth...There are times schools just throw a head or assistant coach into "the minor sports" to give them a few extra dollars to keep them around for their "major sports." And that is a crock. Each sport deserves enough consideration that they should have a coach who actually knows the game. I don't care if it's from playing it, being a manager who did more than give out towels and water or being an umpire or ref. Sending an assistant football coach to be the assistant softball coach just so you can pad his pocket and keep him around for football is proof positive you don't actually care about softball. All sports should be treated fairly or you should do away with all sports at that school.

 

Sixth...Parents should step back when it comes to their kid. It's impossible to be objective when your child is involved. And for you to try and judge the talent or effort of other team members is also impossible. Almost always the best player or the one trying the hardest is on the field. ALMOST always. Now if several parents also agree and those parents have players who are starting then maybe the coach needs a whisper in their ear.

 

Del (who probably has more thoughts but hasn't made this long a post in some time.)

[catchman]

I hear this at a lot of games and pratices,starting in the 12u. Parents telling their daughters, you got to get a scholarship so it will help us send you to college.

If this is what a parent is after; Take all the money you spent on lessons, traveling, gas,motels, t shirts, equiptment,time off from work and put it the bank, This with intrest will almost put your child through college. Why at 12 would put this on a child. This is her growing up years, let her be 12. Dont make her think like an adult.

These coaches are here to help you with your daughters growing years and what life has to hold, Life is all about winning and losing. If a coach can teach you daughter how to be good at both, give him credit fot it, [ pat on the back or hand shake]. If you have ever coached you know it is a thankless job.

Parents dont be like mules with blinders on. there are more girls out there on the field than yours. Make a mule outa yourself and that is what these girls think you are. If you dont like whats going on with the line up or playing time, maybe you need to move on or get your daughter to work harder. Just because she is not getting the time you expect, dont mean you have a bad coach. Take off the blinders and look at the whole picture. Mule parents embarass there daughters to tears just because they are not playing ball as good as they wish they could have been in their younger years. Quit living your life through your daughter and let her have her own life.

My thanks to all the good coaches that help these girls in the hardest times of their lives. The girls will never forget you.

This should start some talk, just my feelings

[Edited by catchman on 1-19-03 10:26A]

 

[Neil]

You make some good points. I disagree with your assessment of teacher pay, however. My wife is a teacher. Teachers are usually paid for 200 days per school year. Sometimes school systems spread teacher salaries out over the year, sometimes not. But the dollar amount remains the same. Most teachers would be willing to work several more weeks per year if their pay reflected the increase in hours. The fact that they get time off during the year that they are not paid for anyway is irrelevant to the issue, in my opinion. Teachers are some of the lowest paid professionals of all--other professions that require a college degree pay more on the average per hour than school systems pay. With all that said, teacher salaries was never mentioned in my original post. I said that coaching supplements were very low for coaching softball. Most coaches do not coach for the money, but high school coaches are appreciative of the fact that they get a supplement. Actually, I do not know any high school head coaches that coach on a voluntary basis, and very few coach their own child. So I posed the question, "Why coach?" We all know that most coaches coach because they love the game and want to help young people. Consequently, parents and players should be a bit more reserved, in my opinion, in being so negative towards their high school coaches in a public forum such as this.

[DelTavian]

Neil,

 

On suppliments....Suppliments are a joke in most places. I know they are in Grundy with one exception. We have a state championship basketball coach who I think only gets $1500 or so, if that tells you how bad they are. Suppliments should be much better.

 

On teacher pay....What do most teachers start out at? Crappy systems start at $25,000.00. Again state employees get paid less, have to work all year and we both work for the same state. Should teachers get more...YES! But all I'm saying is it could be worse. Go to work for DHS if you want more responsiblity thrown on you right and left and no raise for it. Trust me teachers. There's worse out there. However mine doesn't bother me that much because I spent 3 years in the Army. Nothing is worse than that.

 

Del.

[Edited by DelTavian on 1-19-03 3:41P]