QUESTION

My favorite thing to do is go to practice, lean against the fence, and give my son instructions, while quietly pointing out all the mistakes the coach makes.

At the end of practice I get together with the other parents and we grade the coaches performance.

Hey it is my tax dollar!

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

Coach,

If you want to take some hacks every once in a while, I'll throw. No biggie. 3 or 4 days in a row for two buckets each, sorta got the kids down a bit when nuttin' else is happening. Thats all. I'll admit it was a little funny.

http://www.ragincajuns.com/Baseball/baseball.htm

Bighit, you bad.

You pay taxes? Suckah!!

http://www.ragincajuns.com/Baseball/baseball.htm

Can't speak for everyone else, but I can't ever remember going to a practice to watch the coach. Let alone to critique his performance.

As far as critiquing Math or English teachers, I wouldn't know a good one from a bad one. I would be better at critiquing a study hall teacher, but it's not really very interesting to watch a bunch of kids study.

TR somehow I'm surprised that you didn't watch any of your sons practices. I'm not sure I believe you Seems someone who would stop to watch the LLers would enjoy even more watching his sons practice. I too have stopped to watch young people play, but never once stopped to watch the coach, coach.

Gator,

"I am an public educator"

Sorry I just couldn't let that one go by!!!!
I'm guessing you are a science teacher,not AN english teacher

Hit and run,

Science it is!! Good thing, huh? LOL

TR, this might seem as unbelievable to you as it was to me but here goes. My wife works in the career development office of a major university. A recent and significant topic of discussion in the office and the subject of numerous articles is the phenomenon of parents showing up with their college graduate child for job interviews, being involved in negotiating salaries, benefits, job conditions, etc. Not my cup of tea but obviously there are parents who think that type of involvement to be fine. Not sure I see a difference between the job situation and some of the views listed here. If it is done in professional sports why not at IBM? Only question is where do things end for the parent involvement in the life of their children?

I AM an educator............what used to be a respected profession. However, it has almost gotten to the point where it is embarrassing to admit it in public anymore....
People always have something negative to say about teachers, buy rarely anything postive to share!..
I would love to challenge any of the most critical parents who cannot be pleased no matter how much you go the extra mile with their son or daughter to walk in my shoes for just a day...!!!! I have a feeling they would be singing a different tune when you picked them up off the floor! Any teachers out there who can relate?
Back to the orginal intent of the post...
Have watched many of my son's practices. Usually tried to show up about five or ten minutes early just to watch cuz I love the game, not because I was insecure or didn't trust the coach, etc. I was his chauffer for 16 years after all. I am sorry now I don't have the opportunity to do that anymore. I don't think the college coach would find that just a little strange!

luvthgame,

I am not an educator--but I volunteered in my kids school when they were young. I don't know what they pay teachers in VA, but I am sure it is not enough! Here in Fla. the janitors probably get a higher salary than our teachers--thanks to Jeb! Anyway, my hats off to you for choosing and staying in your profession.
(sorry to go off topic---but i had to give credit where it is due)

bighit,
i know you are just pulling our leg (i hope), by the way you guys in florida don't pay state income taxes do you??

quote:

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by the way you guys in florida don't pay state income taxes do you??

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Why do that when you can charge resort taxes, have a lottery, overcharge on property taxes, and have hanging chads.

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

PG

Honest Injun--I never went to my sons practices--never saw the need to--besides one can only leave work early so many times, especially with the job I had during his HS career

Actually the real reason I saw no need to was that I ran all the rec programs in town, knew all the JV and HS coaches in nearly every sport, knew real well my sons Varsity BB coach and knew where my son stood in the baseball seen.

The man who coached my son as a 12 year old in LL ended up being his JV coach as well.

He was in good hands with both his HS coaches, both of whom I greatly trusted.

I never missed a baseball , basketball or s o c c e r game in his four years of HS.



Infield coach

I dont know where the parent involvment will end-- I have even had parents show up at my door wanting to know why a kid who
wasnt even theirs wasnt selected to the travel team--mind you--the boy wasnt even theirs.

If you want a shock ask some of the college coaches about the calls the AD's get from parents about their Johnny College Boy not getting enough playing time or why he isnt starting . It is some scary stuff.

BIG

I am not quite sre that you arent serious, taxes or no taxes

Some great responses in this thread---very interesting

By the way I did attend classes every now and them and sat in the back of the room--with the approval of the principal and teachers of course. I do think my son had a great situation at his HS--- all people involved where truly involved with his well being and future-- as I have noted many times his AD is now at another school and we still talk every now and then about our sons and players in his program.

TRhit

TR - having the knowledge of who was going to be working and influencing your son both academically and atheletically gave you a comfort level that most parents desire.

Thats why I monitor every outside situation my boys are in that I can. Once I get that comfort level, I back off. BTW, I've never had to say a thing to any coach ever. But I would if I thought something was out of control. Teachers, well yes I've had to straighten a few things out.

Right now, as you know, I'm looking very closely at the universities my oldest is considering and have told each coach that after working, coaching and being with him since he started playing, I'm **** well making sure he is going to be in good hands.

You know what? EVERY coach commended that position and told me they only wished all parents felt the same way.

I would like to thank all you public educators for doing a wonderful job of educating my children. I only have one in college so far but he carried a 3.28 gpa in his first semester in engineering. Our parental involvement is pretty much behind the scene. We expect our children to make A's or prove to us that they are working extremely hard for that B. Not liking a teacher or a teacher not liking them is not an excuse for poor grades. We don't care what everybody else in the class made. Work hard, figure out what it takes to be successful, and don't make excuses for not succeeding. The most important thing is to hug them and tell them you love them every day and let them know you are always there if they are in a situation that they can't handle. Hopefully someday the kids will appreciate all the free advise whether they asked for it or not. Parental involvement is great in almost any form as long as you don't smother your kids or become the French Olympic ice skating judge.

TR,

quote:

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BIG

I am not quite sre that you arent serious, taxes or no taxes

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Insert tongue in cheek here! _____

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

TR Please don't think I am picking on you but at least two or three times you have stated that you don't/didn't feel the "need"
to attend your son's practices. Respectfully, IT'S NOT ABOUT NEED! Our sons don't NEED to play baseball. I don't NEED to go to
a movie. I don't NEED that second bowl of ice cream after the rest of the family has gone to bed(but I DID need the first one)!

It's just about desire and wanting to be a part of your kid's life for as long as you can, and about being around the game of baseball. Nothing more, nothing less. Not every one has the same level of desire and there are extremes at both ends. Most of us are right in the middle.

Moc1

BIG

With you one never know where the tongue is being inserted at times!!!

MOC1

NEED means different things to a lot of people

YES --I never felt the NEED to attend tryouts or practices

As for my desire and wanting to be part of my sons life it is perhaps quite different than yours-- would you allow your two teens to go to NYC alone for the Stanley Cup Finals when the Rangers won !!! I think they felt I was a great part of their life because I allowed them take a train to the city on their own to be there for the win.

I can be around the game of baseball as much as I want--I don't need to attend their practices--while they were practicing with the varsity I can be watching younger kids practice

As I have said many times before it is differents strokes for different folks-- whatever floats your boat--


ENJOY!!!!

TRhit

quote:

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I'm looking very closely at the universities my oldest is considering and have told each coach that after working, coaching and being with him since he started playing, I'm **** well making sure he is going to be in good hands.

You know what? EVERY coach commended that position and told me they only wished all parents felt the same way.

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I'm curious: what did you expect them to say?

"Darn! We don't have any good hands here. We recruit exclusively kids whose parents really don't care one way or another. Maybe you should try State U. instead. I hear they've got some guys over there who actually know what they're doing. We just have the English Lit. professor make out a lineup and hope for the best..."



D'oh!

TRit...
I found it interesting tht you felt comfortable with your son's coaches he was involved with... and therefore felt no need to ever watch or hang out at a practice..However, you DID feel the need to on occasion sit in and observe a classroom . Is that because you didn't know all the teachers as you did the coaches ... Did you feel the need to check up on them to see if they were "up to speed?"
Don't mean to pluck a nerve.. Just curious.. I'm a teacher .. and I always wonder what leads a parent into a teacher's classroom to check things out...
Now I guess I understand more clearly how some coaches must feel when parents hang out. No different than teachers I guess.
Personally, I have watched a practice on occasion, but not to check out a coach... just to hang out, kill time, and talk the game of baseball with friends.

luv

no plucked nerves here

It was not a matter of checking up on the teachers at all--- I had a relationship with all his teachers and guidance counselor which allowed me to drop by any time I wanted-- he had a guidance counselor who in my book was second to none--he turned around transcripts and info to schools during the recruiting process in less than 24 hours.

The school appreciated my interest and my dropping in every now and then was not to check but more to say hello-- I also did the same with the AD and the principal-- we had a great family that aided my son thru his HS years and family effort bore fruit in his getting a Division I scholarship.

I daresay, luv, that you would not mind parents dropping by in a friendly fashion just to say hello and see how their child is doing in class.

TRhit

i think we all tend to agree. if it is done because of love for the game, kill a little time, not an every day thing, there is no problem. if it is because the parents have a control problem (wanting to cvontrol everything their kid is involved in, or overprotecting the kid)then this is where the problem arises. as far as getting them involved in practice, as someone suggested, i think this would be a monumental mistake.

Mittman:

The thing is: Parents who actually are the biggest control freaks will never, ever admit that there's anything "off" about what they're doing.

D'oh!

I'll give that a big Amen, P-Dog. Those rose-colored glasses also work when looking in the mirror.

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From 'Nice Guys Finish Last' by Leo Durocher:

Baseball lives at the center of a never-flagging whirl of irreconcilable opinions.

i agree 100%. my point was that most coaches don't have a problem with 99% of the parents that stop by. but that 1% is why some coaches are leery (sp?) about letting ANY parents to watch practice etc. i know of many coaches that have closed practices to the public, including the parents. i have thought about this myself. not because i have anything to hide (except to hide the kid from that parent for a few hours)but just to avoid those situations.

Bump...

I do go to practices sometimes because I actually get to watch those. :-)

During games, I'm in the concession stand, working the gate, cooking burgers, running across town to pick up kids from the Freshman or JV game cause their parents won't. On the phone trying to get somebody in the concession stand so we can watch a few minutes of our son's playing. Running to Sam's Club, etc., etc.

Away games aren't much easier, cause if the Varsity is away, that means we've got JV or Freshman going on at home and that field doesn't run itself.