How to deal with a political coach

Perhaps the coach sees something in the player that you don't-----

You don't say whether or not you are a player on the team or a parent

Obviously, in looking at the record, there does nto seem to a load of overall talent on the team

TRhit

I agree with TRHIT When you are 4-22 it is time to address more than what you perceive in this situation

eye

With all due respect a 4-22 record tells me the talent is the problem to be addressed before the "coach"

TRhit

TRHits

This is always the difficult decision since it can be viewed as the chicken-or-the-egg problem.

Which comes first the coach who sets the plan and coaching techniques, drills, etc, hires his assistants and set the pace and tempo of the team. He establishes everything associated with the success or failure of the program...

Or the players who are the ones executing those techniques, drills and plans and living under the tempo and pace of the coach's knowledge.

If a coach is blaming his players for a season at 4-22 he is not looking in the mirror.

Players are a direct reflection of what their coach's knowledge is of how to teach, and their response to what they do with it, and how they are taught to implement the lesson plan.

"eye...said it"

I coach makes the decision who plays and that is based on more than just talent. Parents that care about the teams success are and should be concerned. But no parent should go to the coach about a kid other than there own. This is just not right. I as a coach have no problem talking to a parent about their son. But I would have a problem with a parent coming to me about someone elses. Wouldnt you as a parent have a problem with another parent going to the coach about your son?

You cannot complain to a coach about a player on
a team other than your own son.When I first read
this post,I thought I had written it!!We have a
lot of problems with our program,the bottom line
being problems with a coach that only cares about the parents that kiss his ......In our school,the son of the head of the baseball booster club was put on the varsity football team(he hadn't played since 7th grade) and the
son of the head of the football booster club was
put on the baseball varsity,even though he had not played any baseball since he was a freshman,
now a senior.Looking forward to a fun year!!Last
year,there were similar posts about coach problems,parents were wondering what to do.The
advice from the board was that any complaining
to the coach would only make things worse for your son-I believe that they are exactly right.
If the coach is mad at you,he will surely take it out on your son.Bite your tongue and bite the
bullet.

eagledad...have you been snooping around at our school...story sounds too familiar...

Eagle Dad

Coaches that respond to parents kissing up, Booster club activities. Interesting

Funny thing--my son played three years of HS varsity ball on a team that never won more than 6 games in the season--never once did I think about trying to remove the coach or even blame him--the baseball talent in our town was never the strongest--lacrosse was the big sport in the spring and we lost many good athletes to it--keep in mind a public school HS coach gets what he gets from the town in terms of talent. He cannot go pick his players and bring them into town

EYE

As for the egg and the chicken I respectfully offer that you cannot blame the coach for everything as you adn others are trying to do-- there simply may not be any talent in the HS at the present time.

TRhit

TRhit...at our high school our talent pool is shallow to say the least, at least currently..some good ones coming up...

political arena can and does impact the sports at schools...but even at that we must consider all part of this picture to assess ...

My son's team has lost every year...but, it didn't stop him from pursuing his dream...

maybe this year will be the one....we can only go up...

The good thing about baseball is that even though it is a team sport the individual can excel within the team framework regardless of the team winning or losing-- take A-Rod for an example-- the coach, good , bad or indifferent, cannot hit, field or throw for the player.

TRhit

TR makes a superb point. On a team that is 4-22, you have to ask yourself, what did I do to make the team better? Or did I have as much to do with the 4-22 record as everyone else. It is a team game made up of individual's trying to succeed with each at bat, each inning pitched, etc. Go out and do your best to make it better regardless of your record, success is accomplished 1 inning at a time. Sooner or later, with a great attitude from the coaches on down to the stat keeper and parents, and that record will turn around.

I've seen coaches put kids on teams that really don't belong and the kids are not likely to play, but the coach wants the kid on the team to improve the gpa of the baseball team.

Since 99% of AD's don't care about wins and losses, it really doesn't matter who the coach selects to be on the baseball team.

Doesn't matter what the record is, the coach will not be fired, because he is also a teacher at the school and while you might get rid of him as a coach, you can't get rid of him as a teacher. Almost impossible to fire a teacher in Illinois, unless the guy is a *** pervert.

Deleted because it was too inflammatory

Play every game as if it were your last

Wi

I guess we should address those who do not have the )(*& to stand up to those who try to throw their weight around. Can we also add administrators of schools who cave into outside influences. If you do go down the path of fund raising and boosters you have to keep an eye out for those who would try to take advantage of their position.

Will,

First of all I apologize for getting carried away. I deleted my message and was hoping I did so before anyone had a chance to read it.

I agree with you 100% there are those without the guts to stand up to pushy parents and Booster clubs. Even more distrubing are the parents who think they can buy their kids playing time etc. My problem is that you appeared willing to throw the baby out with the bath water and since there are some abuses then all booster clubs are evil.

I would venture to say that MOST booster clubs do it for the program and kids in general and not to control the coaches.

Play every game as if it were your last

eye,
where are you from where the high school coach gets to hire his assistants??? (i need to move there).
usually the parents that complain about politics (not all), are the parents of kids not getting the playing time they think they should. make sure you are not looking through rose colored glasses about your own son's abilities.
i remember as a senior not being slated as a starter for the football team, after starting the previous three years. i went home to complain to my dad. his answer was... well show the coach in practice that he is wrong. things worked out with out any parental involvement.

Coach May and anyone else who would like to chime in. I have stated before that parents should stay out of the coaches ear unless something drastic is taking place(verbal/physical abuse) and should never discuss another player but help me out with this situation. Say some very reliable information has come forth about a few players on the team using drugs or alcohol and
has been verified beyond doubt. Would you want that parent to come to you and let you know? Let's also say that these same boys are influencing other players to partake, would you want the players to come to you?

I know this thread is about playing time and players of lesser ability making the team but it still is about what parents should do with this information.

Appreciate your thoughts.

Moc1

Some posters here are correct. It is truly none of the parents' business who is kept on the roster and who is not. When parents think it is their business, that is when I would recommend them to apply for the coaching position the next time it becomes available. Otherwise, be the supportive parents.