High School Baseball Parents

[Vegas24]

Should parents be able to control the future of high school coaches by complaining to principals and athletic directors about playing time?

[MavDad]

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

[Guest Oakland]

well somebody needs to tell blackman's parents and boosters, cuz they probably think otherwise

[illpete23]

well...there are those occasions when a player is being treated in an innappropriate manner. I have witnessed this, but only once. However, lobbying against a coach because YOU don't like that person is wrong. If there is a GOOD reason, then make a decision, but things won't usually get that bad...

[LCborn]

No, parents of athletes shouldn't be able to complain about coaches any more than they should be able to complain about any other member of the faculty or staff. After all, these folks (coaches, faculty, and administrators) are employees of the community, so members of the community shouldn't complain about them, right? Right? Hmmmm.

 

It is also important to remember that coaches (like other members of the faculty and the administration) control kids' futures. I don't think that power should be granted to anyone without allowing for redress of grievances.

Edited May 25, 2004 by LCborn

[18Catcher]

No, No, No. That would be asking for trouble the coaches, other parents that try to cooperate and the boosters do not need.

[coachfl22]

I’ve been coaching for almost 20 years now, and I think that parents should talk to the coach if they have a question about playing time.

But I don’t agree with the parents who never talk to the coach. These parents who would rather set in the stands and talk behind the coaches back and talk bad about the program. or go to the school board. They think that their kid is the next Chipper Jones, but he is 0 for 20 and has 4 errors in 2 games. I know it’s the coach’s fault.

I’ve been lucky, this has happened to me only once.

These types of parents will hurt any program!

[LCborn]

I think there are a couple of issues getting intertwined, here. First, there are those parents of the next Chipper Jones, as coachfl22 calls them, who have no perspective on their kid--and often no knowledge of the game, either. They just know that their boy was heck on wheels in the local youth league, so he must obviously have a major league future ahead of him. I agree, that type of parent is nothing but a drag on a team and a coach. Second, though, there are parents who do have a decent perspective (you can tell them, they are the ones who are tough on their kids but also work with them after practice) who know what they are talking about, aren't getting satisfactory communication from the coach, and have a legitimate beef. And it isn't always about playing time, either.

 

So, the two issues might be called the "dumb whiners" one and the "smart critics" one. I think that it is a serious mistake to treat every parent like a dumb whiner. I also think it is a mistake to condemn every complaint about coaches because some complaints come from dumb whiners.

[coachfl22]

Will put LCborn! I enjoy talking to the parents who do know what they are talking about. In the heat of a game I have had parents catch my Asst coach between innings and let us know that they have picked up the other teams signs.

[illpete23]

well...I have a somewhat funny story about my high school. There was a parent that complained to our coach that I wasn't getting enough playing time. The funny thing was that it was this guy's son that was playing over me that was talking to the coach about it. His son wasn't hustling, and basically just wasn't playing his game. I've never been the best, but I have ALWAYS went 110% everywhere I went, and this other player's dad loved that kind of player. So the coach put me in, and stayed at that position all through high school.

 

I'm glad that that parent went to the coach...

 

However, these people that are parents of future "studs". I wish that they would get out of the coaches' back pocket, and stop coming to practice. It's lie Remember the Titans when the dad yells out "Why are you taking out my son!?!?!?"

[LCborn]

Nice story, illpete. I definitely think a parent who talks to a coach about some other kid getting playing time over his own qualifies as a "smart critic," don't you? That is not someone who is just out to get as much for his kid as he can, regardless of ability or performance.

 

But, hey, easy on the parents going to practice! LOL, I know what you mean, and I didn't attend every practice. But I did go to a lot. Not to criticize the coach, but to watch my kids and help them with their mechanics. A baseball coach has a lot of kids to worry about and can't give each one all the attention needed. There just isn't enough time. I was lucky, my kids love the game and wanted to work to get better, so we'd often hang around for 30-45 minutes after practice and work on specific things they needed help with. Coaches were gracious enough to leave the lights on and let us work. Heck, I've got a kid playing in college and coach lets him hit in the HS batting cages even now, once the HS team is finished with practice.

[bleachercoach]

what irritates me is the parents that think that because they are booster club members that, that gives them the right to tell the coach that he owes them! I have heard this statement more than once coming from a parent. These parents should stay at home. The only thing a coach owes the player, parent, or the booster club, is to help his player be the best baseball player he can possibly be. At times, the coach will put himself in a position to where he will need to show his talent(game management) during a game, in order to help his team win. Manufacturing runs, as most of us call it. The coach doesn't catch the ball or hit the ball, but he is responsible for preparing his team and managing his team during the game.

I have seen and heard parents complain about a coach due to there child not getting enough, or any playing time. Some have gone to the principal and/or the school super.. Should they? I have been to alot of h.s. baseball games in the past few years and have seen very few principals, a.d.'s, or school super.'s, in attendance. I know some programs that have had the same problems for years and the same complaints from different parents, with no changes. Who is responsible for insuring that the baseball coach is doing his job? Is it still determined by his win/loss record? Shouldn't the baseball coach be evaluated by his superior's, just as I am at my job? Would any of us still be employed if you had complaints year after year, being brought to your supervisor?

What is the responsibility of a H.S. baseball coach? Who is responsible for evaluating his performance? What standard do we as parents hold the baseball coach to? Do we expect too much?