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13 replies

Perspective????

catcher09catcher091,000+ posts
Perspective????

I’m no Fungo and my son knows more about baseball now then I ever will. For certain reasons he will have an uphill battle through out high school.

An opposing coach called for a man on second to steal with two outs – gunned him down – inning over. Our coach called for my son to bunt – I nearly had a heart attack – he hadn’t bunted in a game since he was 8 or so – perfect bunt advancing runner.

What would have happened if the results were different? First case runner is successful in getting to third putting extra pressure on pitcher and catcher – he eventually scores on a wild pitch (my son is a catcher – I have never seen a pass ball (lol)*. The coach is brilliant, aggressive, etc.

2nd scenario, son pops up bunt leading to a double play – inning over - what was the coach thinking – he took the bat out of his hands…..lets have a meeting with the AD.

We have our share of complainers but as I told my son, at this level its all up to you. I also mentioned that during the course of the year I have not struck out even once and I have committed absolutely no errors.

We have had several posts recently about unfair/incompetent coaches and they may be valid. In truth it just mirrors life – I will never forget my first “real” boss – I have no idea how this lady made it to work everyday – she was clueless – but also helped me get my first promotion.

I have no doubt that there is a small number of coaches out there with a god complex but I have $10 that says they are unapproachable – I have worked with that kind as well.

The best thing about HS ball is players are playing/practicing almost every day. If our guys take the opportunity just to practice very well I believe good things will come.

With the exception of a blown call by one of the men in blue *I have never made a bad call from the stands as well* I really try to keep quiet and enjoy some of the most inexpensive entertainment I have ever seen.

Our kids are old enough to fend for themselves and we can help them plan for the future – we have very little and most probably no control. We can, however, help keep our sons positive and help them find good summer/fall teams that will help them far more then playing time at HS.

But look out – all it takes for a college to bypass your son is a word from your HS coach that YOU or your son has some attitude problems. At the HS and above level, as parents we have a greater chance of hurting our sons as opposed to helping them/

IMHO
To our military men, women and families - You are all awesome - that flag is yours and I thank you for the opportunity for giving me the honor of removing my cap prior to every baseball game I see.
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quillgirlquillgirl100+ posts
so true. Don't make the coach mad. Suck it up and be a team player in HS. Period.

I had a couple of players in my car the other day, one not a starter, complaining about how the coach was ineffective, practices were not helpful, the bad attitude of one team captain, etc.

I tried to stay out of it, let boys be boys, but finally I told them it wasn't the coach out in the field dropping balls. "But if we had more/different drills in practice that would stop," 2nd string whines. <I am ready to make him walk to the game now.> "If it's in your glove, it is fieldable. If it then falls out of your glove, it's because you let it fall. The first step to improving the team is to take personal responsibility for your errors and do what YOU can to stop making them. Don't blame the coach or your teammates."

It was quiet the rest of the ride. Guess I'm a mean mom.
Last edited by quillgirl
shortstopmomshortstopmom1,000+ posts
quote:
Guess I'm a mean mom.


Not exactly Quillgirl,...there was just no point for the boys to argue with common sense,... and oh my goodness, not only common sense, but common sense that came from a Mom!! ha!
Smart cookies those boys were,..smart cookies indeed. Everyone ( who's smarter than a turnip ), knows there's really no sense in ever arguing with a Mom, and theres really no point to it, cause somehow us Moms always seem to mysteriously get the last word in, no if's, and's, or but's about it. Wink Big Grin

House motto: There's no babying/excuse making allowed in baseball!!!

Rock on Quillgirl!!!
Last edited by shortstopmom
tasmittasmit1,000+ posts
Want to speak to some of our team members Quillgirl?

I have seen this happen all too much this season. One player yell at another because he dropped a ball, wasn't in the right position to make a play, or swung and missed for a strike out with runners on base and 2 outs. This past weekend, this certain co-captain had plenty to shut up about with 8 total errors and only getting one hit.

It's OK to correct a player or give him constructive criticism, but giving him heck time after time comes back at you tenfold.
Last edited by tasmit
catcher09catcher091,000+ posts
Years ago, my son was about 12 or so and had just pitched a great game but had no support behing him. Error after Error and he was bad mouthing his teammates on the way home. We finally got to the front of our (fairly) large neighborhood and we live all the way in the back. He finally put me over the edge and I pulled the car over and told him to get out – he looked at me like I was nuts….I repeated, GET OUT – no son of mine will ever talk that way about teammates. He got out and I drove away.

In truth I circled the block, turned my light off and watched him walk towards are home. After a few minutes, I did go and pick him up and we drove home in silence. I think (and he thinks) it was the best lesson he has ever learned.

Nowadays, he does most of the driving with me in the passenger seat. There have been a couple of occasions where I was bad mouthing a teammate and he pulled to the side of the road and said GET OUT. We usually have some good laughs and I correct MY behavior.

One thing he doesn’t understand is when my daughter makes me mad why don’t I make her get out of the car………
StyleMismatchStyleMismatch100+ posts
Man, I gotta laugh at this thread - I'm trying to figure out a tactful way to show it to one of the dad's on my youth team. I take his kid off the mound after a hit and 3 walks in an inning late in a game which is still winnable. Next day he gets in my face for being too quick to pull his kid. Next game his kid lets a fly ball in the outfield bounce off his head, it's because I put his kid in left field and he's not used to the angle of the ball coming to him in left field. Then the kid makes a throw to third that's in the dirt and lets a run score, somehow (according to him) it's the third baseman's fault. I can't wait to hear the excuses when he doesn't make his freshman team next year.
CM Coach May1,000+ posts
You know the parents that take this approach end up having the kids that take the same approach. Personal responsibility is something that is lacking so much in our society today. Its the teachers fault , its the policemans fault , its the coaches fault , on and on we go. Its just too easy to blame someone else or look for excuses. Of course it just may be someone elses fault. But what good does it do to lay the blame on someone else. Does that fix the problem? Is that a solution or just a complaint? When you personally take responsibility for your situation you are in controll of the outcome. Regardless of how incompetant the coach is or anyone one else. My hat is off to all of you who teach your kids to deal with situations this way.
55mom55mom1,000+ posts
My neighbor's son quit the HS team because - it wasn't fun! whaaaaat? Same kid thought practice last year was so much fun. The team was 3-7 and our son was disgusted with practices - "They all goof off and nobody takes it seriously, and they always have excuses."

This year is better, but the new coach is inexperienced and it shows! The kids are serious and practices are productive. Our son has more fun when players practice with purpose. you know? Smile

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