Keep Everybody Happy with playing time?

I bet the answer to this is , they can't. Someone is always going to feel slighted.

"Keeping people happy" not even a consideration. Coach puts his best team on the field, end of story. The only people who think the coach is trying to please people are those who's kids don't play.

I have noticed that throughout the tournaments, my HS team seems to be on the smaller side in terms of amounts of players. How many kids are some of your (being anyone) teams carrying, and do they carry that many on varsity for district? It seems like it'd be tough to keep everyone happy, but it also seems less effective if younger kids aren't getting playing time that could be on JV. Maybe these numbers are bigger because of seniors?

I guess I have a different perspective on this issue than most people. The great part about baseball is the number of games a team gets to play that don't really count in the standings. All of the pre-district and non-district games gives a coach a great opportunity to get guys in that won't play a lot of innings during district. Now I do believe you need to have your "starters" ready for district, but I also believe that you give everyone on your bench some time on the field. The guys that sit the bench go to practice everyday like the starters and for the most part work just as hard. By doing this, you keep up the morale of the entire team. You never know when you might need that backup during district play and you need him to be ready. And you guys are right, no matter what, someone will feel slighted.

Lamar,

Not to be difficult here, but I have to disagree about the amount of games you get before district. I think the starters need all the reps they can get because you never know what might happen. For instance, we lost one of our tournaments due to weather, if we would have been playing everyone our starters might have only had five or six games before district. We only got 9 games in before we played our first district game. I think a good coach has probably had one on ones with all his players and let them know what to expect. I know in McKinney we don't ever cut a player, that is, once you make the team as a freshman you never lose a spot on the team. Thus, we always have some seniors that don't get much if any playing time. Kids are usually far more aware and acceptable to their situation than the parents. JMO.

Of course if they don't like it, they can move for non-athletic purposes.

How much does everyone intersquad? In terms of keeping people ready (especially pitchers once district gets going).

Robert S.

I agree starters need plenty of reps. What I am saying is that you can interchange some starters and bench players here and there during non-district games and keep players and parents a little more satisfied with how things are going.

I do know when my kid was playing HS ball there were twenty guys on the Varsity and only eleven had playing time. Two of the eleven logged very few innings compared to the other nine. My question is, If there is that much talent in the Metroplex, Why don't these parents look to other communities for opportunity for there sons? I understand the UIL rules governing moves, but if you are a frosh and you look at the players ahead of you why not make a move to let say, , Wylie, Frisco, Lovejoy, Richardson, Melissa, Princeton, Little Elm, etc, etc...

As a player, if a kid is ahead of me, that would make me work even harder. I think competition at positions is one thing that can seperate a team from the pack.

Understand that but what if you are the number three guy?

sounds like my question of a few weeks ago is coming back - which model is better for the student-ball player

5-A schools with mega size - PLANO - ALLEN
5-A schools with minimal # of students - McKinney
4-A FRISCO model

quote:

Originally posted by Robert S.:
Coach puts his best team on the field, end of story. The only people who think the coach is trying to please people are those who's kids don't play.

Sorry but this is not always true. I have examples but will not express them here. Coach's have reasons they play players that only the coach knows why they are out there but the player on the field does not have the stats to explain why they are out there. Not all HS play their top nine. Just a fact. Its just something that the player on the bench must learn to live with.

I have heard our coach say that he will play the "best 9" that might not be the "9 best" but together he thinks they are the "best 9".

Glad it's not my job!

It does not matter what sport is being played
or how small or large the school team is
NEVER will everybody, players and parents be happy
about playing time. Sorry that is life.

quote:

Originally posted by threeboysdad:

quote:

Originally posted by Robert S.:
Coach puts his best team on the field, end of story. The only people who think the coach is trying to please people are those who's kids don't play.

Sorry but this is not always true. I have examples but will not express them here. Coach's have reasons they play players that only the coach knows why they are out there but the player on the field does not have the stats to explain why they are out there. Not all HS play their top nine. Just a fact. Its just something that the player on the bench must learn to live with.

___________________________________________________

You are correct, we don't need to go here: I will just say the number of good, hardworking, better players on the bench in high school are few and far between.

The playing time problem is not unique to the large schools. It's caused by there being 18-20 kids and 9 positions. At least football has 22 positions and special teams.

Coaches that often play lesser players over more talented ones typically don't last long in the profession.

What about at the freshmen level? Our 5A frosh team has around 22 kids and about 14 of them get a majority of the playing time, even when we have double headers, blowout wins or losses.