hsbaseball101 posted:Steve A. posted:hsbaseball101 posted:My first season we had 24 kids and I always started the best nine. There wasn't a game where a single kid didn't play and rarely did any kid not get to hit. The kids who worked hard in practice but lacked talent were still very jealous of the ones who seemed to put in less work yet got to start. I had to see where we were at and how to approach everyone. I wasn't the best coach as it was my first time. My practices were boring and I didn't communicate with the kids that much, but I tried to make everyone happy. I set up a pizza party at the end of the season with some trophies for some, kept hidden for a speech. All went in, grabbed a pizza or two and left without even sitting down. I decided to dump all of the trophies in the trash. I demoted myself to an assistant last year but was asked to return as the HC this year. I decided to make this year school first. We have 20 D's and F's in grades of our squad of 15 this year. The kids with good grades will start and I hope to make very few subs. If they don't like it, they can demote themselves to JV.
Please do not take offense to my view on this as I assure you none is intended. I am not a HS coach, nor am I likely to ever be so let's start with that baseline.
Season #1: "Try to make everyone happy." Clearly a formula for disaster & never works, not just in baseball, but in virtually any scenario. You have recognized this & made an adjustment.
Season #2: "Grades First."??? Where are we going here? You are a baseball coach. If the kid is eligible to play, he should play, based upon his merit as a player, as determined by you with his performances at practices, workouts, attitude & game results. If kid X gets virtually all innings over kid Z (who is a better player), because kid X has a B+ in Algebra & the better player has a C etc. Are you kidding me? Is this the debate club or a freakin baseball team? You wanna talk about a disaster, go ahead & roll with that plan.....
It is well intended. I get it, but you are trying to apply formulas based upon the wrong metrics to determine who plays. The better player plays. Everyone can follow this one, whether they like it or not.
PS: Try to shed all thought of being liked by any of these parents. You are wasting your time here. Be firm, fair & decisive.
The NFHS that certifies HS coaches requests that we be more like mentors to students than simply athletic coaches.
Then be a mentor and understand that not all brains are created equal. Johnny might not study but gets 85-95% on his tests because he got what the teacher was saying. Timmy listens in class and studies for hours and gets a 74%.
I wasn't diagnosed with dyslexia until college, it doesn't mean I wasn't trying in school. My coaches didn't penalize me. Kids have IEP's to assist them, you going to take those into account? How about the 30-40% of baseball players that take ADHD meds....just forget that they space out through no fault of their own?
Being a mentor doesn't mean you reward kids who have better developed brains, heck they probably need less building up than the kid who is honestly struggling to make it through high school. You want to get reports from teachers on who is trying and who is asleep in class, go for it, but please rethink your plan of best grades play. School is not cut and dry for MANY kids.