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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

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And you still dismiss talking to the coach. Some perspective [/quote]

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Well, since you apparently came late to the thread, I did suggest talking to the coach and the  relavent director, but I do agree with the earlier poster who said that such conversations were basically worthless.  What is it that you think will get accomplished by such a discussion -- do tell.

I'll start things off:

Coach, thanks for taking a few minutes to talk to us about little Joey.  As you obviously know, the last few games Joey has played about 50 percent of the games while all the other kids on the team play at least 3/4s of the game and most play the entire game.  Now, when I look at the club's player policy on line it says that player development is the most important thing for the club and the players.  It also says that players will play multiple positions and play as much time as possible in each game.  These were very important to us when we had Joey try out for the team, because it was going to be a reach for Joey.  We were expressly assured by Sam, the club's youth director, that the club held by these rules and Joey would be fine working with this team.  As you know, Joey is at every practice and every game on time, and I confirmed with the team manager that he works hard and demonstrates a good attitude at every practice and game.  I also confirmed with the team manager that he has no disciplinary problems at all and Joey is well liked by his teammates.  And, of course, we have paid the team and club fees in full.  So, given all of that, can you explain to me why Joey is only playing half a game when everyone else on the team is playing at least 3/4s of a game, and most of the kids play the full game?  Please also explain to me how Joey is going to continue to get better as a player in game situations when he is sitting on the bench.

Thanks

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Until the conversation happens you don’t know. But based on how you act here iris of no surprise that such conversations have not gone as you expected. There is no give or take with you and certainly no humility.

Frankly, the kid may just not be that good and the coach was wrong in the selection.

It is also possible that the parent is overreacting and exaggerating the problem online. 
But there is no reason to go into such a conversation in an adversarial way. [/quote]

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Now you are running for cover and that cover does not exist.

That statement above is pretty much what any parent is going to say to a coach who is not playing their kid.  Your response as the "coach" could be "I made a mistake putting your kid on the team".  As I said before I have seen that situation once in the past, and I thought the club handled it about as good as you could expect though it came only a couple of weeks after tryouts.  It did cost the club a few thousand dollars as they picked up the uniform costs for the kid's new club and ate the uniform costs for their team, and the club paid a $1000 of the new club's fees.  The kid did keep playing for a few more years and he also played for his high school team so that is good.  But, do tell me what the response is of the coach to a parent of a kid on the team who says the above.  You know, the response that puts in to perspective.  It will obviously (a) justify not playing the kid nearly as much as all his teammates and (b) explain all the positives of a family paying a few grand to the club so that their kid and his/her parents can be embarassed weekly as the kid.  Don't forget to explain why winning a game at 10 years old is key (and by the way you had better be winning tournament and league titles because otherwise no justification at all).   After all, its apparently always good for 9 and 10 year olds to learn.  Heck, apparently every parent should be signing their kids up for things that cost a few thousand dollars and require big family time commitments so that they and their kids can be embarrassed weekly.  Maybe dance, or singing lessons, or art lessons.  The key is to find things where they and their kid can learn the benefits of doing an activity a few days a week for a year, not as good as everyone else in their class so we can continually point that out to them and their parents at least weekly.  Sounds like this can be fun. I can't wait to hear about 9 or 10 year olds humiliated weekly all while charging their parents a few thousand for the pleasure.

Do keep in mind that every parent on the kid's team is watching closely how this plays out.  As the teams get bigger with age over the next couple of years parents can see how the club will handle players in the future.  Do keep in mind the positive PR that will come from relating the negative experiences of this kid and his/her parents to other parents with kids on other teams in the club.  And, don't forget, there are lots of potential future customers who get to hear about it as well.  Obviously, the parents of that kid will be talking to parents of other kids in their school, church and social groups.

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