I quit MJHS Softball heres my story!

[3ANDOUT]

Melissa, I think that you can tell that you have a lot of support for your actions. The consequences of those actions terminated your senior year from playing the sport you love. That in itself is quite a sacrifice, one that not many would make. You seem to be okay though and what you have done is very courageous and noble. Doing what is right is always what matters in the end. I know it hurts. I don't know you, I do know the other two girls that left the team. Lousy things sometimes happen in life. Sometimes people/coaches will do things that are very disappointing. It's not fair, but you learn from those situations as well and move on. Who knows, maybe you have helped things for the girls following behind you. All we can do is work on ourselves and try to be the best person that we can be. We can't change others, but we can show them by being a good example and trying to do the right things in life. Good luck.

[CCHSJets2002]

I think that a bunch of crap that coach did, I say Fire the Coach

[redbaron515]

I do agree. If what was said is true, the school board needs to take charge. This is horrible behavior, and the girls shouldnt have to deal with it. I am sorry you have had to deal with such behavior from a coach, who players should look up to. Unbelivable.

[bonero23]

melissa u know i love u grl and i dont blame u for leaving u did what u felt was right and thats all u should hae to say!!! ur still my sis!!! i love ya

[melissa200403]

I just want to say thank you for all the support!!!! You all have know idea how much I needed that! I do want to say though that my team mates did send me flowers, but I never got so much as a visit or a phone call from the coach.

Thanks! And I think that I will take the advice about sending it to the local newspapers!

If anyone is looking for a left handed first baseman I'd love to help out during the summer! HaHa! Or even so much as helping out the little girls travel teams! Anything to get back on the feild!

Thank you so much

Melissa

[Pardon The Interuption Fan]

Melissa, I DO know your coach and his wife that coaches at Wilson Central. I commend you for doing what SO many other girls wish that they could do!!!!!!! You finally took a stand for what you believe in. Your coach is very narrow minded and is only out for the WIN.............he could careless about the players feelings (his wife is the same way). I pray that the other girls will learn a lesson and stand up for themselves. In your post you made chills go up my spine and my heart goes out to you. Your a great softball player as are the other girls that chose to leave. May God be with you and the tough choices you will face in the future, from what I can tell you have a level head on your shoulders and I think the choices that you make will lead you on the right path. We ALL could learn a lesson from you!

STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE!!!!!!

[redbaron515]

Was the Mt. Juliet coach present at the Wilson Cetnrail-Hendersonville matchup? I wasnt looking, but i didnt notice if he was or not.

[fastballbaker]

Melissa is sounds like coach made some bad comments..

But quitting is not always the answer. If you play sports and more than one

you are going to play for many different types of coaches. I didn't play sports because I like a "coach"...I played because I love the game and the competition.

I understand that family issues should come 1st, but don't quit....

I'll always remember what my dad told me.."son if you quit how much are you going to get to play then"...

I disagree that quitting was the right chose...You made two people very happy..

1) The coach

2) The new first baseman...

[redbaron515]

In some cases, you are right fastball, but i think in this situation, melissa made the right decision. If it was the state championship game, and I get a call that my grandfather wasnt going to make it through the night, or any part of my family, I would drop everything to be with them, if the coach liked it or not. He/she has to respect the family issues. She made the attempt to call her coach to let him know what was going on, even if she said "grandmother" instead of "grandfather", its still family. If a comment was made towards me that I cost the team the season because i was with my family, where i needed to be in the first place, I would probably do something i would regret.(probably not, but thats how i would feel).

 

Melissa, you have my total support in your decision. Good luck to you in the future.

[right]

Excuse me fastballbaker, but when you say that it "sounds like coach made some bad comments" you're overlooking way too much of what Melissa said.

 

Does it make a difference that he was talking about her behind her back?

Or that he was accusing her of not being truthful?

Or that he was talking to her teammates like that?

What kind of person does that to an 18-year-old girl?

 

What kind of "coach" refuses to talk to a girl until her parents leave the room?

Why would that have been necessary?

If someone is telling the truth, why should it matter who is listening?

 

And don't forget, there was another person in that "private" meeting... Mt. Juliet's Athletic Director. That makes TWO adults who didn't think it was anything out of the ordinary to isolate Melissa from her parents and then blame her personally for the miserable season Mt. Juliet's having. Give me a break!

 

Go back and read Melissa's post again and think about what she went through.

 

In her own words... "I asked him why he said what he did about me supposedly going to Florida he said he never said it and I knew he was lying because he blamed it on my best friend."

 

Does it make a difference that he was lying?

What kind of person won't accept responsibility for their own actions and then tries to lay the blame on a kid?

 

Melissa also says, "I took a lot from him. I took all the remarks and being blamed and disrespect and being cussed at and being called cancer".

 

What she didn't mention is that he told her she was "a cancer on this team" last fall, in front of her teammates, before he had "coached" a single game. (He was an "assistant coach" last year under a strong coach who understood the game, who had coached Melissa for three years, and who would never have said that to ANY high school girl.)

 

What kind of person treats kids like that? Where is it written that these kids should have to put up with stuff like this just to play softball for Mt. Juliet?

 

And don't forget... the way Melissa was treated is bad enough.

Rational people find it repulsive.

But it's only ONE example of this kind of behavior. There are dozens more.

 

I'll end with a simple question. It's become obvious that Mt. Juliet's softball team has not lived up to the expectations for this season. Not even close. It's obvious that there is a serious problem with the way this individual treats the girls and their parents. There are talented players leaving out of disgust for the way he behaves.

 

My question... Will the girls who want to play softball for their high school team next year be subjected to this person AGAIN?

[redbaron515]

To answer your question...Yes, they will, unless something is done about him. I have a question also...Did this coach come from McGavock? He sounds familiar to me.

[lpmarlowe]

im not goin to take sides on this matter but a couple of weeks ago we were in the same position. we were bashing the players who quit the team. we all were saying that it was wrong for them to do this. now we are here bashing the coach. there is only 3 people who know the truth on what happened in the meeting between the coach and melissa. none of us know the full extent of the conversation that took place between the three of them and i am sure we probably wont. im just saying that it would be nice to know the full extent on the conversation they had on this topic before we all make a decision. im not saying what melissa is saying is false. it could possibly have been said. it would just be nice for everyone to not come to a hasty generalization.

Edited May 5, 2004 by lpmarlowe