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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I coached softball. Here’s what I found and what I told parents:

This is travel ball. It is a select team. Yes, we are developmental, but playing time is neither even nor guaranteed.

In doubleheaders and pool play on Saturdays I bat the roster and rotate the defense evenly. Everyone gets an opportunity. That doesn’t mean your kid starts at their preferred position if there are other players better in that spot, but I will look for opportunities to put them there to give them a chance to prove themselves.

On elimination Sunday, however, only the best 9 are starting. And that “best 9” is situational — who worked hardest in practice that week, who produced on Saturday, who hits fast pitching better versus slow pitching (and vice versa). A lot of variables. And that “best 9” might change game-to-game if we advance, depending on the opponent. If your kid is on the bench, I will try to get them into the game, either as a courtesy runner or as a pinch hitter, but it’s entirely situational.

One time we lost our first game and were out of the tournament early. One kid didn’t play in that game. Parents start screaming at me. I looked at them evenly, told them they signed up for this and reminded them of the player contract they signed that, among other things, had a 24-hour rule.

I cut the kid the next day. [/quote]

So you're an a**hole who is incapable of properly assessing kids at tryouts and then gives offers to kids who don't play? [/quote]

I think we found the butt hurt parent who thinks their 10U player is Jennie Finch.

My teams had 11 or 12 girls. Some had more talent and ability than others. And some worked harder than others. And sometimes hard work beats talent that doesn’t work hard.

My policies were transparent and parents and kids explicitly agreed to them. What I learned through the years is some kids progress more quickly than others and those are the ones who get the opportunities in elimination game situations. And the kids who don’t progress who sit more — their parents tended to be the most aggressive and whiny.

I would cut this pp’s kid so fast their head would spin if they spoke to me IRL. Don’t come at me like that. You literally signed up for this.

[/quote]

You must feel like a big man putting 10 year old girls in their place [/quote]

The kids aren't the problem. I can talk to a 10 yo girl and explain what she needs to do to earn more playing time on Sunday. It's the parents I have zero tolerance for. The parents I absolutely will put in their place. And share what I know with other coaches when they come calling.[/quote]

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