Need HELP bringing Head coach into 21st century.

Serious question...with your level of frustration and not able to have input...why don't you look for another coaching job?

 

There's people I can work with...and people I cannot.  And its not about having differing opinions...I actually like that...its about whether we CAN have differing opinions and respect and learn from each other...or not.

 

I guess at my age, I do all I can in my power to work with those that I can.  Not interested in banging my head against a wall anymore.

Read 'Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'

Control only what you can control.  Relax.

Justbaseball:

Punch Line: I told the AD that I did not want the assistant job or the JV job. I did tell him that if NO ONE put in for it, that I would do it for him. Well......no one put in for it, which was expected. I've coached these kids from 7 yrs old to now. They are now NOT being taught anything, which in my eyes, they should be being polished and advanced. NOT happening. If you saw where I live...There are not many opportunities to coach other schools. I have been begged not to quit because I am the peace keeper. He's a screamer, pitch by pitch coach.

 

SultanofSwat:

I can't sit back and watch this talented group regress. Not my nature. Heck.....The AD's son lettered this year by courtesy running for kids that are half a second faster in the 60. It's a winnable battle, I just haven't found my road to success....and here I am looking for it. 

I think you'll need to work within the confines of what the head coach allows.  I doubt you'll be able to change any team approaches like bunt defense, but individually you might be able to accomplish some things.  So think about individually working with the kids on hitting or baserunning or whatever.  You'll need to respect what they guy says but maybe quietly offer the kids another approach.  Good luck.  You're going to need it. 

When you call a pitcher only bunt D and then watch your corners stay back on bunts down the line it's embarrassing. Then he yells at them for not charging directly after calling "555", his pitcher only bunt D. 

Kids hate him. It's sad. Right now I have all of them for travel and they are playing great. Of course we changed the bunt D and added the wheel play, double cuts, daylight picks etc....

It's tough to teach baserunning to one kid at a time. Hopefully it all sinks in by the time travel is over.

from your first post you sound a little bitter. Have you made suggestions about certain things? I will say one thing whatever you do do not bad mouth him to other people. that gets around.

Drew,

 

My two cents....Certainly there is more information about your situation.   From what you've shared it sounds like the only thing keeping you there is your bond with the kids.  Your heart is in the right place.   That loyalty is admirable, but it seems to be at a very high cost (your sanity).  Nothing is forever, and these kids will be moving on with their lives in a few years.

 

This may not necessarily apply to you as you are probably a part-time coach with a full time job elsewhere.  But at some point you have to wonder how long you can continue working for someone adding no value whatsoever.  My father advised me a long time ago that a job or career is like a three legged stool.  The stool legs are...recognition, compensation, and professional growth.  He told me that you can get by with a job or career with two legs of the stool but it won't work with just one.   He was a former VP of HR for a large multi-national, so I thought the advice was pretty good.  At best, I think you are down to one leg of that stool.  You may want to consider other part time options, because you will be "running against the wind" for the foreseeable future.

Will: I am bitter and BETTER! I like to learn new things about the game EVERY chance I get. I LOVE this game at EVERY level. It's more fun than pretending I know it all. BTW....I don't need to bad mouth him....everyone else calls me to do it and my answer is always, "call the AD". Besides.....badmouthing him doesn't do my son any favors, although he has to play my son if he wants a MI that can turn 2 and a pitcher that throws low 80's, but 3 pitches for strikes in any count.

 

Fenwaysouth:  My goal was to build a program from T-ball to high school. Our youth baseball BOD and high school coach had zero contact until I stepped in. These boys could win the AAA state title next year if someone can keep a mutiny from happening. I do think that after this year I will start coaching my 8 yr. olds team.

 

Thanks

badmouthing him doesn't do my son any favors

did not know this was part of the equation 

The AD is playing favorites. Honestly, the best course of action is to do nothing, because anything you do will look like a power grab. This is a bad situation that can only become worse. You may have to let the team lose in the short run in order to have it succeed in the long run.

 Just my 2 cents but there has to be a trust relationship between coaches.I was a head high school coach for 25 years. Unlike today I did not have assistants  running all over the place. I had the same JV coach for 20 of those years. We had success at the varsity level because of the job he did and I always made a point to let people know that. I actually only had one assistant with me. When he came I told him he was to always talk to me about anything regarding the team. I remember one time he asked me why I did a certain thing. My answer was because I was the head coach and he was not .May be not the answer he wanted but I made my point.  I am out of it for 15 years. He went on to coach at the high school level and now is head college coach. And guess what we still talk on the phone and I e mail or text him  him every game day wishing him good luck.

Will: Ya.....my bad. I should've stated that. Although it's not why I'm coaching. I really wanted to coach my younger son, but parents begged me to take the ass. job. 

 

Low Finish: The AD yells from the stands, "don't forget you have courtesy runners". Yeesh.

The team will win the region and district on talent alone. When we get to states we WILL be out coached. We will see delayed steals, back door pick moves, etc.....stuff we just don't practice or teach. We're teaching them in travel right now, but they all fear the wrath of doing something that HE does not give his blessing too. 

Will: That's all fine, but were you willing to listen and adjust if his ideas were good? To me....any coach that is not willing to take criticism and learn from it is not a good coach. If a coach answered me the way you answered him, "because I'm the head coach", I would just think that you must've read it or didn't really know why you were doing it. 

If someone asks me a question, I try to answer it and make sure they know WHY I'm doing it. If they have a suggestion.......I'm all ears. You can never know too much or stop learning. 

Originally Posted by Drew:

…My goal was to build a program from T-ball to high school.

 

I’m not quite sure what’s going on. When you say “The team will win the region and district on talent alone”, it sounds like you’re talking about Little League rather than HS.

Drew, I coach HS baseball and have coached with my son on the team in the past (as an assistant).  I am usually here defending that there can be good coaching with parents involved.  That said, you are describing a very bad situation.

 

You can disagree with the HC's actions but at the end of the day, as an assistant, you must support him on and off the field.  You can try to coax him into the next levels of instruction and the new generation but he is the HC.  The final decisions are his.  Same with the AD.  Creating mutiny, even if you think is justified, will not help the program or the players you claim to be looking out for.  If you wish to continue in this position, you have to have the discipline to work within the parameters that exist and try to influence things only in a positive manner.  You may be the sharpest baseball guy in the world and the kids may love you but you are not helping unless you are showing support and doing the best you can with what you have in place.  Do not create more of a wedge between the boys and the HC and AD.  Instead, figure out a way to bridge the gap or get out.  And if you do get out, support EVERYONE from the stands.

 

BTW, if your goal was to build a program from T-ball to HS, that usually translates to (while intentions are good) too much of a selfish motivation (your own kids and their friends) instead of general love of coaching.  An AD will certainly be inclined to choose a non-parent over a parent, even if not as qualified, for the HC position.

 

How to communicate?  Everyone responds to different aproaches.  Find out what he responds favorably to.  I'm sure part of the equation would include staying positive and supportive.

 

Sorry, I've seen this situation play out badly far too often.

Best of luck.  

Do either one of you guys work on campus?

Stats4Gnats: It may sound as such. We play to win the region in Pennsylvania. If we win the region it's an automatic into the District playoffs where we play the other region winners and runner ups. Hope that clarifies.

 

Cabbagedad: I can NOT support the belittling of kids and be passive about it. He does not teach, but yet expects the kids to do what he pictures in his head. It's embarrassing. I look at it like a business. Being candid is my only avenue. I've called him out a couple of times on doing things wrong. Some of these kids want to play at college and can't look like LLers. They need to be taught. There isn't a company in the world that would just let someone keep going, while knowing, they are doing a poor job. The AD KNOWS he's doing a poor job of coaching. When past players write letters to the AD expressing how much they were held back in high school by his coaching and now have learned so much at college......you can't deny it.I mean I would settle on teaching the kids a real rund down where you close the gap, NOT stand on the dang bag waiting for the throw. That's what 8-9 year olds do.

 

Lefthookdad: No....We are both employed elsewhere.

OK, now I blame him.  There are very few bosses in the world who would not fire an employee who cannot support him and who call him out regularly.

 

Seriously, you need to step down at least until things change.  You will only hurt yourself by staying and remaining defiant.

I am on board with Low Finish on this one, if you are serious about being in it for the long haul, as painful as it will be, you may want to think about stepping aside and letting this coach completely flop...maybe then the parents will go to the AD and demand changes....you have the kids on your summer team right?  That is where it's all at right now anyway

cabbagedad: He's not my boss. The AD would be considered that. That's who signs the check. There's a book called "Unbundle it" by Elliott Haverlack. Read that and how seniority is bad for business and people who follow blindly in fear of their job only perpetuate the problems and are held back from solving them. Just because a man is in charge, does not make him the man for the job. Good book and this philosophy has made our business boom.

 

Lefthookdad: I tried to bow out last year and was blown away by the parent and player phone calls I received to please stay. I do agree if I can get enough changed over the summer, where I still am the assistant, that it will carry over. A buddy of mine is a JUCO coach and he agreed to coach the team for me.......or rather for the boys. He looked at our bunt Defenses and said he would NOT let anyone see him running them due to the high level of stupity of the plays.

I am watching my son(s) school go through the same situation, we have  V HC who is not a teacher, many think he does it just for the stipend, we had a new V Asst come in last year who is very progressive, much more passionate about the game, and is willing to put in the time and effort to build a Program, not just Coach a team.  I know the AD personally and finally had to speak to him at the end of the last school year about the the situation, since I now have an in coming freshman......so, I can feel your pain...good luck

Drew,

 

Calling him out and telling parents to take it up with the AD will get you nowhere.  The AD made his choice,  my personal feeling is if you are going to coach do it with a guy you want to work with.  It maybe in everyones best interest for you to move on, even the parents asking you to stay on.

Quitting isn't an option for me. The AD sees it and has talked to him. I just need to be politically correct in my approach, but candor is more my style. Candor can be taken the wrong way and usually is.
I thought maybe someone has dealt with and solved this issue maybe.

Drew, be prepared to lose everything.  I once did.  I was fortunate that I had another school district that needed a coach and so, landed on my feet.  I can't imagine what would have happened if that position was not available. 

Last year there was a senior that would have team huddles and say out loud, "do NOT let him bring us down, win for us!". This was when he was the assistant.
I don't worry about being let go. Parents would be up the ADs butt to an unbearable proportion. Kids would be unruly. The kids already disrespect him face to face, but yet still start if deemed irreplaceable.

If you KNOW you're going to be out coached, I would respectfully bring up the things you know you'll see at states. I would say something along the lines of "I know this isn't what you believe, but we may see xyz against the best teams, so I think we should at least let the players become familiar with it. They can defend against stuff they're familiar with."

 

For example, "Coach, I know you don't believe in the delayed steal, but I've heard that the best teams in the state are doing it, and we're probably going to play against them at states. I think we should introduce it to the players so we can work on defending against it."

 

I guess I don't know, but reading some of your posts Drew gives me the impression that while your HC may not be a good one...possibly a very bad one...that you have kind of anointed yourself as the fixer/savior...for the kids, the AD and the parents.

 

Maybe I'm wrong?  You'll have to think about that one yourself.

 

But if you have...at least to some degree...I think you should reconsider.

 

Truth...I manage a very large team of engineers.  Over 200 of them.  I feel I get along with them quite well and many come to see me privately to get advice/encouragement.  Yet every once in a while (and yesterday was one of those days)...one of them quietly taps me on the shoulders to explain why "my way" or "my method" isn't the best for him/her.  I have to listen to that and realize that "my way" doesn't work with everyone.

 

Somehow, "your way" isn't resonating with the HC.  I don't necessarily think its your job to "rescue" the kids.  I think you can help most by finding a way to work with (positively) and support the HC.  Right now, it doesn't sound like he trusts you.  Why is that?  You need to ask yourself and try and figure that out.  It may(?) just boil down to he's an idiot and cannot work with anyone who knows more than him...I've seen that many times in the 'real world.'  But if I were you...and I wasn't gonna move on to somewhere else...I'd do a fair amount of self-evaluation and try and figure out how I can change (within my comfort zone) to gain the HC's confidence in order to make the real changes I wanted.

 

I dunno...probably a useless post by me.  But maybe something to think about.

Drew,

Sorry to take this off track a bit. But How do you know he will start all four years at the D3? Most coaches I know, at the D3 level as well as others, are trying to find better players than they currently have each year. Each year their job is to replace their current players with better players. I am sure he is a very good player, but so are most of the other players at D3.My son is at a D3. He is going into his Junior year. While we had hoped he would start and was told he would have an opportunity, it was never guaranteed. He has started his Freshman and Sophomore year, but that is no guarantee the coach will not find a player he likes better and relegate my son to the bench.

Good teams try and get better every year.

 

In my opinion from reading this thread I think the advice that Justbaseball gave you some very good. You may want to re-read your comments from an objective point of view and try and see how they might sound to an outsider.

 

 

When you've reached a point in your job when you think your boss is not your boss, and the team/school/company can't function without you and your irreplaceable skills, it's time to move on.  That's your sign.

 

You'll wake up each morning and love going to work again. Well, like, anyway.

Ummmmm. My wife could replace him. Heck, My mother could too. I want replaced, AGAIN, I was asked to do this, I did NOT apply.

IDK......I guess that could be short sighted. My intent was to say his odds of playing for four years is much greater at D3 than it would be at D1. 

Seems like that would have been the most appropriate time to tell the AD, thanks, but I just can't do it for these reasons: 1,2,3,4...etc.....sometimes you just got to let it go bro

If you think you can't fix stupid and the guy won't change then what is the point of the post.   Seems like your true option is to go to the AD and tell him the guy has got to go and this is why.  And if that doesn't work push to get the AD removed.  Just be prepared to accept the consequences of failure.  Good luck.  

I believe I've got it now.  Thanks!

It doesn't matter to me if the coach is really an idiot or not, or if every person on the field and in the stands wants you there.  If the situation is truly as you've described, it is an unhealthy one for you and you need to leave.  Leaving will be the most effective and expedient way to get the ball rolling in the right direction. If you leave, from what you've written about the parents, fans, etc., they will take action.  Right now they are using you as a crutch and frankly that's not working. 

 

If you stay, you will be feeding and admitting to a different need of your own.

Bingo!  Now we're cookin' with peanut oil!