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

She is putting the 10 year old girl's [b]PARENTS[/b] in their place.[/quote]

I mean, not really. I'm not excusing the parent's behavior but, if this is the first time, I think some grace/conversation is warranted. Just referencing the "contract" is a dbag flex just b/c you can. Adults don't act that way, either.

There's a lot of focus on ahole parents here -and there are a lot of them- but there are just as many ahole coaches. They rule over their little kingdom with absolutes. THey don't like any questioning, even the respectful ones. And let's not pretend they don't play favorites. And in the situation noted above, "don't come at me like that"? ??? Adults do not react that way when they are in a place of authority over children, and their families who are paying a LOT of money to participate.

[/quote]

If I am reading it correctly the "player contract" is a common device used by coaches so that the players know what they can expect and what is expected of them.  The parent contract frequently has a rule that you can't talk to the coach about anything you're mad about until 24 hours have passed.  I assume that is what they are talking about when they mention a contract.  It's not the registration agreement.

And why are you paying a LOT of money to have your kid coached by an ahole?[/quote]

Correct. It's a behavior contract.

It's not the coach who's a glass bowl. It's usually the parents.

At least in our sport, the coaches aren't being paid. The money just pays for things like uniforms, tournaments, field fees, team equipment.[/quote]

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