It's not the coaches job to get you to like him. It's the players job to get the coach to like him. How does a player do that? Well he can be the first guy there and the last one to leave. He can do more than everyone else. He can be coachable. He can work to be so good the coach has to put him in the line up. He can look for ways to stand out above everyone else. He can ignore those who would convince him the reason he is not playing is the coach. He can ignore the negative influences in his life. He can do all these things and more. And he can do all these things and more and maybe the coach still won't like him. So for that player what does he gain?
He knows he has done everything he could do. He knows he has been the best he could be. He takes that same attitude, work ethic and game plan to his next stop in baseball and life. He won't have this same coach, boss forever. Or he falls into the trap of finding excuses for his failure. He never develops the mentality that he owns his fate. No it's the coach. No it's the teacher. No it's the cop. No it's your fault. No there's no need to do anything special. No there's no need to do anything, it's out of my hands.
I mean what's the game plan when you relegate yourself to the Coach just doesn't like me option? When you don't play for the next coach what's the reason? The coach just doesn't like me again? Well that's all you know. Their all the same. How do you flip the switch when all you know is "The coach doesn't like me." So the coach is great guy and knows his stuff when your playing but the coach is a clown if I don't? It's the coach silly don't you get it?
Parents who spout this even when it might be true have no idea what they are doing. So these are the tools your going to give them to work with? Instead of saying "What difference does it make? You are who you are regardless of who he is. Make him like you. Don't let him stop you from being all you can be. Be so good he has no choice and if he still doesn't make him look stupid for not playing you. Never let anyone stop you from being the best you can be. Playing time or lack thereof should never change how you go about your business."
I often wonder about these comments about HS coaches. These blanket statements or these "percentages" of HS coaches people use. Just how many HS coaches has your son played for? How many HS coaches do you actually know? How many HS baseball coaching experiences have you actually had? Or are you just basing your opinion on the ONE HS coach your son has had and the numerous conversations you have had with other disgruntled parents of other HS coaches? You know birds of a feather flock together. We all know the reasons our son's don't play. It has nothing to do with his enormous undeniable ability. No the Coach just doesn't like him. We all know the best players routinely sit the pine.