Buying Into the Coaches Scheme

I have coached at the 17-18 level for many years, and one year of T-ball.

I was lucky in that I was coaching at a very successful high school program when our summer program started. I did things in the summer pretty much the same way we did things at the high school. Our summer team had 2 or 3 kids from the high school, so they were like additional coaches those first few years. Even though we didn't win much our first few years, the parents and players could see they were getting better. We were correcting lots of physical and mental things. Once we began to win more, it was much easier for newer players and parents to come in and "buy" in to what we were doing. Don't get me wrong, we would have the occasional All-American who thought their way was the only way. Those were the most difficult times. After a while, I'd simply have to give the players and parents an ultimatum (and this only happened a couple of times).

T-ball was much easier. I, along with my 6 assistant coaches, focused on three things:

1. Safety

2. Learn how to throw the ball properly

3. Learn how to hold the bat, take a stance, and let er fly!

Had to run off to attend to a melee involving the kids.

Anyway, I found with both age groups that if my coaching staff and I were prepared, and explained why we did what we did, then we pretty much had no problem with the players and parents buying in to our coaching scheme.

I find it surprising that no other coaches have offered input here

Believe in what you do and stay with it. Don't be stubborn about things and be open to learn but if you believe you are doing things in a way that works, keep doing it. Your job is not to defend what you do but to explain it if someone wants to ask. I feel that when others learn more, they seems to buy into things more (as long as it makes sense.) The other key is consistency. If people know what to expect, they buy into a plan easier.

TRhit,
I'm not a coach, but I am interested in this topic. I think it would help generate comment if you would give some examples of the "scheme" you have in mind.

It could mean your style of bunt defense. Or small ball versus big ball. Or perhaps the philosophy of allocating playing time. Or how the tournament/showcases are chosen. Maybe it could mean the goals of the team--win tournaments or provide exposure for all team members? Maybe required commitment from the players versus the commitment of the team to the player.

In my opinion, all of these things are significant to the functioning of a team. But from this parent's point of view, bunt defense isn't my concern-- as long as the team has discussed/practiced it. Playing time philosophy could be pretty important, and my buy-in would probably be dependent on my son's standing in the pecking order of the team.

There is no substitute for hard work. Getting kids to understand this not only makes your program better its a lesson they can use the rest of their lives.

This coming spring will be my 9th as head coach and 15th year in high school baseball as a coach. I got started coaching when I was 20 years old and will be 34 in a couple of weeks. I have had success as a player - pretty decent high school team and played two years in college. I wasn't the best but I could play a little. I have had success as an assistant - at one high school I was an asst. we were one game from the final four.

Now when I became head coach at the school I am at now (after being an asst. coach one year) I was pretty young and dumb.

I came to a school that had no real success in baseball and nobody at the school really cared either. I was the 4th head coach in 6 years and this was after the principal took it one year just to keep the program alive. When I took over the team was on life support.

Now all that considered I was coming into a situation where I thought I would be a savior and everyone would do what I said because of my prior success. I was a complete moron and had no idea what I was getting into.

My first couple of years were H*E*L*L. I got anonymous letters, bashed in the community (I had no ties so there weren't anyone to take my side), parents going to the principal and board of ed demanding that I be fired and all kinds of crazy stuff. We used to have the radio station broadcast a few of our games but the announcer had a brother on team and he made fun of me on the air (I am a pretty big guy and was in third base box and caught a foul ground ball - he said he was amazed someone as fat as me could bend over to catch a ball let alone be able to coach - I told the people at the radio station if he was the best they could get not to cover our games and they didn't until this past year).

Anywho - my first couple of years I wasn't trying to get anyone to buy into anything. I was just trying to survive. I didn't give in or compromise on anything I believed in and that contributed to some of my troubles.

Going into my 9th year as head coach I have won 3 district titles (according to the principal who hired me that matches what the school won in the previous 40 years before me), one regional runner up (never been done is school history), ranked 15th in the state (never been done), school record for consecutive wins (10 in a row) and have put 9 guys on college rosters.

Have people bought into my scheme and program? I'm not sure. I think it's "easier" now because I have been here so long now that I am "accepted" but I also think I have proven what I do does indeed work.

Like I said I was stupid when I thought I would be viewed as a savior or whatever. My program still has it's fair share of bashers and trouble makers. We won the district a couple of years ago when nobody picked us to (we were picked to finish third out of three teams) and some of the parents had to hold back one mom as the guys were on the field celebrating because I benched her senior son because he wasn't getting the job done.

I guess to answer your question you need to stick to what you believe in, teach the game the right way and show results with wins.

Some places are great with very supportive people and some places are terrible with idiots who like to hear their jaws flap.

3 Fingered

First of all it depends on the level you are coaching

We are a Travel/Showcase team so what we look for is a bit differentthan a HS team

01-- Come to the field in your uniform--no shorts
02-- Hats are worn properly
03-- Understand your role on the team---not every kid who hits in the 3 hole on HS team will bat third in our lineup
04-- If you pitch you do not play position the day you pitch or the day after unless you are a 1B===you may DH
05-- Leave the ego at the door---we have no time for that nonsense--we are all here to help each other get to the next level
06-- Get ready to work hard--we get to the field prior to a game some 2 hours ahead of time to stretch, throw and hit and talk---with a bad game we may be in the cages right after the loss
07-- Once you commit--you commit--there are no ifs and s or buts---if you decided to not to play after we explain things then we part as friends and we wish you the best
08-- PARENTS---they cheer and cheer and cheer---that is their role
09-- Our goal is exposure to college and pro scouts but yes we play to win
10-- as for our game plan we do it all--bunt, steal, look to take extra bases---we abhor playing the infield in --we trust our players---we have been known to have our #4 hitter bunt in the proper situation


Bottom line is that we have fun and get exposure--the wins take care of themselves

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
How do you go about getting players and parents to buy into your coaching scheme?
Please designate the age level that you coach at
Thanx

22 years MS, HS, Travel, Member of Legion Executive committee, Coodinator of the largest all-volunteer coaches clinic in NE published several coaching books for new coaches and several papers. M.Ed. in adult edication and distant learning.

1. Know what you are doing (educate yourself) This is the number one reason you lose players and parent respect
2. Respect each player and demand respect from them - Never assume you can become their friends. You are either their coach or their friend - not both.
3. Keep parents at a distance
4. Keep practices organized and fun
5. Set expectations
6. Don't compromise your standard
7. Focus on basics not winning - If you do your job properly winning will follow.
8. Never stop learning. If you are not doing something everyday to increase your knowlege of the game then you're not doing enough.
9. Work hard for the players and expect hard work from them.
10. Communicate with parents I find letters home the best.
11. Esablish goals
12. Establish roles
13. Treat every as a key member of the team.
14. Admit your mistakes.

Always Remember:
"He who dares to teach must never cease to learn."
and
"The measure of a good coach is not how well he knows the game, it's how well he can teach it."

Those are all pretty good,but that last quote doesn't make a whole lot of sense. How could one teach the game if they don't know it? Pretty hard to "teach" something if you know nothing about it.

quote:

Originally posted by scissorbill:
Those are all pretty good,but that last quote doesn't make a whole lot of sense. How could one teach the game if they don't know it? Pretty hard to "teach" something if you know nothing about it.

The point of the quote is it doesn't matter how well you know the game. We have all seen the former pro or college players who played the game well come back as terrible coaches. And we have seen those who never play beyond LL come back as great coaches. The bottom line is not what you know it's how much the player learns.

A good coach not does not have to have played the game to "know" it.


Actually many of the your MLB managers and coaches are guys who sat the bench much of their career--can we say RALPH HOUK

quote:

y first couple of years were H*E*L*L. I got anonymous letters, bashed in the community (I had no ties so there weren't anyone to take my side), parents going to the principal and board of ed demanding that I be fired and all kinds of crazy stuff.

Then they wonder why coaches leave. who wants to be bothered with that stuff. I did it for 30 years. I was lucky but could see the landscape changing. As far.

How do you go about getting players and parents to buy into your coaching scheme?

I coached the players not the parents. The parents did not have to perform on the field. when I decided to bunt hit and run etc etc it was the players talent that dictated what I did. I did not care what they thought about "my scheme" I dealt with my players and their strenghts and weaknesses.

TR - are your 2 comments - we abhor playing the infield in and we trust our players - related or separate? Curious to hear more if they are related.
Coaching a competitive 15u team for 4 years teaching and winning are the most important part of the scheme. As a coach teaching comes first but ultimate judgment, by the parents, is based on winning way more than losing. Playing time on a 14 player roster was shared (fairly but not equally - lol) except for elimination rounds of tournaments.

The answer to that question is easy for me. Take each player, and make them better at one thing and make sure they notice the improvement. It's a philosphy developed over the past 30 years of coaching basketball. If the players understand you can make them better, they buy in. Once the parents see their kids improving, they love you.

I know it sounds simplistic, but it has worked for me without fail for years. It's the first impression that you give the kid, and it lasts a good long time.

I use to do this with the youth teams I coached. In the first practice first thing I would time them to 1B without any other instruction. I would tell them their times as they passed. Then I would instruct them on running form, have them practice in place and I would have them run to first again. Their times always got better (most of the time Legitimately!). We practed running form again, and the times got even better! Running is something that can show immediate results.


I would then talk about the power of practicing and how some changes follow a learning curve. I use the example of the baby learning to walk. "He crawls really fast at some point, and could get around like that just fine, but must learn to walk. As he trys this new technique(walking ) he falls, sometimes alot and sometimes it hurts, but he continues until he accomplishes walking". This way they are ready when set backs happen. Without telling them this they would revert back to their t-Ball swings because "it worked then".

Now with the big dudes in High School, I think knowing your stuff helps them buy in. Of course having had most of them as little dudes helps.

i think this is getting harder to do each year i continue to coach. the biggest problem i am seeing is "we pay the travel coach: therefore he is the one i need to listen to" this is not the fault of the travel coach, and actually not usually the fault of the player. this is what a lot of them are hearing at home. i have been very successful/lucky as a high school head coach. (9 yrs= 6 conference championships, 8 trips to the state playoffs, 3 final fours and 1 runner-up and 35+ kids go to play college) however i am starting to see more and more players/parents putting their emphasis/concerns into the showcase ball. not wanting to come to preseason workouts because the have "lessons" at the showcase site etc. it is a concern of mine of how less and less emphasis is being placed on the high school teams. starting to make me wonder if all the time and effort of keeping up the field, making improvements on the facilities etc is worth it. alot more headaches involved now than when i started 26 years ago.