Coach Cheated!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as they are the same birth year or younger, it's "guesting" not cheating. It's normal for coaches to bring in players to help out when needed.

Now, if the coach didn't really need to do it but just brought them in to stack the deck, then I can fully understand why you would be upset. I might talk to the higher ups and get a sense if this is SOP. If so, you might decide to change clubs for next year.

Everyone showed up. We were able to sub out every player when needed. He was definitely stacking the deck.

But was it illegal? Was it cheating? If not you need to leave it alone.

Yes, you shouldn't assume that the coach did anything against the rules. Soccer is the sport I'm most familiar with, and virtually all tournaments permit teams to bring up to 3 guest players. A coach's decision to do so may not be popular with the kids and parents who are displaced by the guest players, but it absolutely 100% within the rules. Check whether the league allows this before you talk to the coach or his boss.

You may well still have a legitimate complaint about why he brought the players, how he handled the situation, and the effect on the regular team players, but don't go in there guns a blazin' making accusations if the coach did not actually "cheat".

How do I find the rules?

[Anonymous]

OP, I am assuming this is soccer? If so, this is absolutely NOT cheating. It's totally normal and commonplace when a coach decides he wants to win a game or tournament or whatever. The only failure here is the coach's failure to communicate his intentions/philosophy to parents. Our coach sends out emails and holds multiple meetings throughout the entire year to explain his intentions. Nearly all the games are for strictly for our kids' development, but tournaments are more about winning. He always tells us ahead of time what to expect, and if that may include guest players. You were simply underinformed.

[Anonymous]

I hear you OP. I didn't like it either when my DD's softball coach brought in ringers. Often it meant that the regular team members did not get a chance to play.

I doubt it is considered 'cheating' although it should be IMO.

Seems to me there are a lot of issues that arise with coaches or player's parents. A few ringers in a final important game is not so bad. You could move your child to a different team and find out the coach favors their child or screams at your kid.

Not sure moving to a different team will ensure no ringers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as they are the same birth year or younger, it's "guesting" not cheating. It's normal for coaches to bring in players to help out when needed.

Now, if the coach didn't really need to do it but just brought them in to stack the deck, then I can fully understand why you would be upset. I might talk to the higher ups and get a sense if this is SOP. If so, you might decide to change clubs for next year.

Everyone showed up. We were able to sub out every player when needed. He was definitely stacking the deck.

But was it illegal? Was it cheating? If not you need to leave it alone.

Yes, you shouldn't assume that the coach did anything against the rules. Soccer is the sport I'm most familiar with, and virtually all tournaments permit teams to bring up to 3 guest players. A coach's decision to do so may not be popular with the kids and parents who are displaced by the guest players, but it absolutely 100% within the rules. Check whether the league allows this before you talk to the coach or his boss.

You may well still have a legitimate complaint about why he brought the players, how he handled the situation, and the effect on the regular team players, but don't go in there guns a blazin' making accusations if the coach did not actually "cheat".

How do I find the rules?

If this was a tournament, the website for the host will post the rules and procedures. If it's a league playoff situation, you should be able to find the rules on the league site.

[Anonymous]

This is basketball, BTW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is basketball, BTW.

PPA basketball? We had a dreadful experience with a coach there who had zero interest in coaching less athletic players, and this was in their rec program!

[Anonymous]

My son's played travel soccer for years. This is normal and happens throughout the whole season. As long as the kids guesting are rostered in the league (i.e. have player cards with the league and have the right birthdays) it's common and not an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son's played travel soccer for years. This is normal and happens throughout the whole season. As long as the kids guesting are rostered in the league (i.e. have player cards with the league and have the right birthdays) it's common and not an issue.

Does that hold true for basketball?

[Anonymous]

If this was a rec league, this 100% was cheating.

[Anonymous]

It is not normal in basketball to bring in guest players. The rosters are much smaller. Only five kids can play at a time! If the coach brings in 3 guest players, that's more than half the kids on the court.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is not normal in basketball to bring in guest players. The rosters are much smaller. Only five kids can play at a time! If the coach brings in 3 guest players, that's more than half the kids on the court.

Yeah we had more than an entire extra team waiting to be swapped in.

[Anonymous]

OP google the tourney name and look up the rules to see what they say about guesting. I'm not familiar with basketball so no idea what is common, but I am sure there are rules about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There aren’t enough specifics here to make a judgment call. It’s common for soccer teams to enter tournaments but add players from off the team, because not everyone from the regular season team can play in the tournament, or there are some good players someone knows who could boost the team’s chances of success in the tournament. There’s nothing unusual about that, and it isn’t wrong unless rules are broken. If other parents looked at you like you have two heads when you used the team’s regular season name, this could be why. They aren’t necessarily playing as that team. Sometimes 2 teams merge and take on a new name for tournaments.

I would downshift considerably before jumping to conclusions about the coach’s behavior.

They looked at me blankly because they didn't even know the name of the team. Only the color. Because their kids was not a member of the team or invested in the team in any way -- had not practiced with them every week, joined in their wins and losses, etc.

Everyone from our team was available, healthy and showed up to play. Are you saying it's still okay to bring in kids who are at a higher skill level than the competition so they can win?

That's news to me. I'm not into sports other than as a parent, so if this is the case, I'm surprised.

Yes it is. Kids that can't make a higher level team will grow playing with better and faster kids. It's 6th grade, this is not world cup and while winning can feel good it is basically meaningless.

Sometimes coaches will pull a kid or two up to challenge them.

The rules limit the # of guest players but it is all legal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is not normal in basketball to bring in guest players. The rosters are much smaller. Only five kids can play at a time! If the coach brings in 3 guest players, that's more than half the kids on the court.

But in soccer it's normal to have 2 guest players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There aren’t enough specifics here to make a judgment call. It’s common for soccer teams to enter tournaments but add players from off the team, because not everyone from the regular season team can play in the tournament, or there are some good players someone knows who could boost the team’s chances of success in the tournament. There’s nothing unusual about that, and it isn’t wrong unless rules are broken. If other parents looked at you like you have two heads when you used the team’s regular season name, this could be why. They aren’t necessarily playing as that team. Sometimes 2 teams merge and take on a new name for tournaments.

I would downshift considerably before jumping to conclusions about the coach’s behavior.

They looked at me blankly because they didn't even know the name of the team. Only the color. Because their kids was not a member of the team or invested in the team in any way -- had not practiced with them every week, joined in their wins and losses, etc.

Everyone from our team was available, healthy and showed up to play. Are you saying it's still okay to bring in kids who are at a higher skill level than the competition so they can win?

That's news to me. I'm not into sports other than as a parent, so if this is the case, I'm surprised.

Yes it is. Kids that can't make a higher level team will grow playing with better and faster kids. It's 6th grade, this is not world cup and while winning can feel good it is basically meaningless.

Sometimes coaches will pull a kid or two up to challenge them.

The rules limit the # of guest players but it is all legal.

Why would they be challenging them during a championship game? I can see doing that during practices but these kids had a right to win or lose together as a team. I agree that winning is meaningless -- which is why my opinion of the couch has dropped to the floor.