Sane Coach search for 2021.

In my experience the coaches get calmer each year.  By 14u, it is pretty relaxed for the most part.  The baseball academy teams in our area are mostly coached by young former baseball players who are just out of college.  I have seen those guys make coaching blunder after coaching blunder.  They have preached to the parents over and over about how you don't want your kid playing daddy ball and the parents have eaten it hook line and sinker.  Give me a dad with a good understanding of the game and one that doesn't play favorites to his kid and that is who I would pick.  He has skin in the game and will usually spend a lot of extra time with the players on the side, free of charge.   We had a big tourney in our area this weekend.  The two teams in the finals are both top 30 teams nationally and both are coached by dads that know their stuff.

I can tell you a couple of coaches I watched a bit and thought were jacka$$es ended up being two of the best coaches any of my kids ever had.  And two of the nicer people I know today.

I'd just talk to coaches/operators of a program - interview them - and make your decision off that.  It woulda worked better for me if I would have started there.

No particular wisdom to share, but it sounds like you need to start with a list. Looks like you're in GA. If near Atlanta, you will have dozens of teams to evaluate. Start with the characteristics that are easy to quantify: cost, location, practice schedule, tournaments attended, talent fit, etc. Eliminate the ones that don't work for you. If the coach's demeanor is a top priority, this is the perfect time of year to go see the teams that are still on the list. (I assume you're looking to make a change in the fall.)

Another trait that I look for is continuity. How much of the roster turns over every year? That isn't a guarantee that the coach's style will work for you, but those kids/families are sticking together for a reason.

The youth coach who taught my son the most about the game was also the biggest jacka$$. In hindsight, it wasn't worth it.

I'm guessing that your son is currently playing 13U and will be looking to play 14U in the fall. If that is the case, one thing to keep in mind while you are looking is that the transition for a team from 13U to 14U can be very weird -- I have seen situations in which an extremely strong 13U team essentially falls apart (or is far less competitive) because half the 13U kids were 8th graders, and by the following year they have moved on to high school baseball. 

d-mac posted:

In my experience the coaches get calmer each year.  By 14u, it is pretty relaxed for the most part.  The baseball academy teams in our area are mostly coached by young former baseball players who are just out of college.  I have seen those guys make coaching blunder after coaching blunder.  They have preached to the parents over and over about how you don't want your kid playing daddy ball and the parents have eaten it hook line and sinker.  Give me a dad with a good understanding of the game and one that doesn't play favorites to his kid and that is who I would pick.  He has skin in the game and will usually spend a lot of extra time with the players on the side, free of charge.   We had a big tourney in our area this weekend.  The two teams in the finals are both top 30 teams nationally and both are coached by dads that know their stuff.

I agree 100%.  My son was coached by a dad, and it turned out great.  Truly one of the best things, but I would definitely say it had a lot to do with the fact that his kid is a complete stud.  Plays a lot for a Top 25 D-1 Program this year as a Freshman. 

We experienced it the other way too, though.  Dad coach who's kid wouldn't even have made the All Star Team, played his son all the time.

Bottom line to me is that it can be bad either way, you just have to keep working to get your kid in the best spot for him. 

Best advise I was given was to talk to as many parents about the team/program/coaches as possible.  Looking back, my son played for a team that many parents warned me about. We were gone in 6 months, I should have listened to the parents I spoke with rather than being "sold the snake oil" by the organization.  

My appraoch since then is to listen to others opinions as well as formulate my own.  I don't worry about win/loss records with a team. I look for quality coaching and someone who can continue to develope my son.  If that's a former pro guy or a dad, I don't care.  As long as they know what they are doing and suit my needs (not theirs). 

Oldest son: spent lots of $ on teams that didn't matter and didn't really make him better.  Played a whole lot of games that never really mattered.  

Younger son: spent a very small amount on teams and much more emphasis on lessons and development/fundamentals.  Game time is used to refine the skills learned. 

I would say at 13/14u, development is still very needed.  I would look for a coach/team that can develope your son at his pace (don't try to keep up with the jones) while getting one on one instruction at the same time.  

bballdad2016 posted:

Best advise I was given was to talk to as many parents about the team/program/coaches as possible.  Looking back, my son played for a team that many parents warned me about. We were gone in 6 months, I should have listened to the parents I spoke with rather than being "sold the snake oil" by the organization.  

My appraoch since then is to listen to others opinions as well as formulate my own.  I don't worry about win/loss records with a team. I look for quality coaching and someone who can continue to develope my son.  If that's a former pro guy or a dad, I don't care.  As long as they know what they are doing and suit my needs (not theirs). 

Oldest son: spent lots of $ on teams that didn't matter and didn't really make him better.  Played a whole lot of games that never really mattered.  

Younger son: spent a very small amount on teams and much more emphasis on lessons and development/fundamentals.  Game time is used to refine the skills learned. 

I would say at 13/14u, development is still very needed.  I would look for a coach/team that can develope your son at his pace (don't try to keep up with the jones) while getting one on one instruction at the same time.  

You need to be careful with parents "opinions" though.  A lot of time they wouldn't know good coaching from bad.  Or they may be biased for/against based on their experience.  My kid joined a team and the coach was a raving nut job.  You either liked him or hated him.  But he was an excellent teacher of the game.  He demanded a lot, but gave a lot as well. 

This is true Golfman. I should have been more specific.  I meant to talk to many, many parents.  Former and current team parents and/or parents of players that have played against an organization/team you are looking into.  But do take the time to formulate your own opinion based on what you see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears.  

Daddy Ball is when someone unfair and lacking knowledge is coaching his sons team. It isn't good but in some cases necessary.

I have to say, some of the very best youth coaches I have ever run across, are dads that know the game.  Latest example would be watching Mike Matheny coaching for his sons team last fall.  Nobody bitching about Mike coaching their kids. Then again, he has written a message to parents that has become fairly well known.

For some reason baseball is a sport where so many think they know the game when they really don't.  They call themselves coaches, but they really aren't coaching.  When I see that, I always hope the kids are enjoying baseball rather than getting turned off.

At the end of the day, many that turn out to be great players credit their dad for teaching or guiding them. It always amazes me how many former players end up with sons that can really play.

PGStaff posted:

Daddy Ball is when someone unfair and lacking knowledge is coaching his sons team. It isn't good but in some cases necessary.

I have to say, some of the very best youth coaches I have ever run across, are dads that know the game.  Latest example would be watching Mike Matheny coaching for his sons team last fall.  Nobody bitching about Mike coaching their kids. Then again, he has written a message to parents that has become fairly well known.

For some reason baseball is a sport where so many think they know the game when they really don't.  They call themselves coaches, but they really aren't coaching.  When I see that, I always hope the kids are enjoying baseball rather than getting turned off.

At the end of the day, many that turn out to be great players credit their dad for teaching or guiding them. It always amazes me how many former players end up with sons that can really play.

 

My kid's first travel coach was this guy.  He played in college.  Coached as an assistant for a few years, then got married, kids and a real job.  Once his kids become old enough, he got back into coaching.  He knew a ton, put in a lot of time and ran an organized team.  Unfortunately, while his kids where decent players and loved the game, they didn't have the gene.  There was a touch of "daddy" ball.  But it was tolerable because he really developed all of the kids.  Turned my kid into a baseball player.     

Elijah - In my son's age group there was a particular dad coach who many opposing parents would regularly compliment about how he treated his kids and theirs. He would routinely have parents inquire about tryouts for the following year. 

My point is to take the remainder of the year and look for qualities in a coach that you'd like to see.  I would grab his info and express interest when appropriate. 

I started coaching HS ball soon after college. Just as an assistant. I learned a lot about baseball and coaching from a hall of fame HS coach. I got married and quit coaching but I got back into it when my son started playing at the local park. I've found out after coaching with other dad's that, in our case at least, the daddy ball accusations came from the 10th best player's parents. Or the parents of the kid who didn't make the All Star team. It was never the parents of the better kids on the team. Same with MS and HS teams with coaches playing "favorites".  I know this isn't the case everywhere, but usually a daddy coach that has a little bit of knowledge and has been around baseball doesn't wear the rose colored glasses. I know this is not what this thread is about but this is kinda a pet peve of mine I guess. Sorry for ranting!

hshuler posted:

Elijah - In my son's age group there was a particular dad coach who many opposing parents would regularly compliment about how he treated his kids and theirs. He would routinely have parents inquire about tryouts for the following year. 

My point is to take the remainder of the year and look for qualities in a coach that you'd like to see.  I would grab his info and express interest when appropriate. 

Spot on advice.  

Now is really a great time for you to observe the coaches, how they interact with their kids, and how their teams play to identify a potential fit for your son for next year.  

Good luck to ya!

While you are at your tournaments take a walk around and observe games.  I thought about having my son try out for one team in particular, they were at the same park he was at that weekend.  When I saw the head coach throw a clip board at a fence and the assistant coach berate his kid for getting out at second (he did this when it happened, as the kid was walking back to the dugout, and three plays later he started yelling at the kid again while he was on the bench, the 11u kid had kicked the bats when he got back into the dugout as well)...well, I get that that each team can have one bad seed and a kid can have a bad day, but the fact that no one was gasping in shock means it probably happened often and it was not adequately addressed by the coach. 

When you find a parent willing to talk bad about their kids coach I would absolutely ask how much playing time their kid got and where he batted in the order.  The bottom 1/3rd of the team tends to have parents who are SURE their child is not being utilized correctly by the coach, so clearly the man is an idiot. 

Thanks for the input!

At this age, what does "developing" mean when we talk about coaching? Many parents pay for private coaching for hitting and pitching, so it would not be in line for a coach to overrule private coaching aside from pointing out possible corrections.

My thoughts would be to look for coaches that know how to teach baseball IQ, run efficient practices, etc. Running a positive program is high on my list. Being able to point out where players can improve seems to be common sense, although we have not experienced that from a coach as of yet. Current coach is knowledgeable enough but is lacking the proper time to commit. 

Elijah posted:

Thanks for the input!

At this age, what does "developing" mean when we talk about coaching? Many parents pay for private coaching for hitting and pitching, so it would not be in line for a coach to overrule private coaching aside from pointing out possible corrections.

My thoughts would be to look for coaches that know how to teach baseball IQ, run efficient practices, etc. Running a positive program is high on my list. Being able to point out where players can improve seems to be common sense, although we have not experienced that from a coach as of yet. Current coach is knowledgeable enough but is lacking the proper time to commit. 

Here's the way it worked with my kid.  It was youth travel ball.  Coach's position was during the winter, everyone gets developed.  So when we did infield, they mixed it up -- 3b, SS, 2b, lefties got 1B, etc.  Everyone did outfield.  Everyone hit. Everyone pitched.  During the season, when we went to tournaments we where there to win - thus "best 9" played their best positions the most, as the others where worked in.  During the week, we played in a league.  Those games were developmental.  So our second and third SS would get reps, infielders would play outfield, etc.  They would flip the order to try to equalize plate appearances throughout the season. 

As for lessons, ideally you want that to be part of the program so there is consistency.  I know the first several years, my kid didn't take a private lesson - it was all in groups with the team.    

Golfman25 posted:

Elijah posted:

Thanks for the input!

At this age, what does "developing" mean when we talk about coaching? Many parents pay for private coaching for hitting and pitching, so it would not be in line for a coach to overrule private coaching aside from pointing out possible corrections.

My thoughts would be to look for coaches that know how to teach baseball IQ, run efficient practices, etc. Running a positive program is high on my list. Being able to point out where players can improve seems to be common sense, although we have not experienced that from a coach as of yet. Current coach is knowledgeable enough but is lacking the proper time to commit. 

Here's the way it worked with my kid.  It was youth travel ball.  Coach's position was during the winter, everyone gets developed.  So when we did infield, they mixed it up -- 3b, SS, 2b, lefties got 1B, etc.  Everyone did outfield.  Everyone hit. Everyone pitched.  During the season, when we went to tournaments we where there to win - thus "best 9" played their best positions the most, as the others where worked in.  During the week, we played in a league.  Those games were developmental.  So our second and third SS would get reps, infielders would play outfield, etc.  They would flip the order to try to equalize plate appearances throughout the season. 

As for lessons, ideally you want that to be part of the program so there is consistency.  I know the first several years, my kid didn't take a private lesson - it was all in groups with the team.    

Golfman, I agree with your post.  But there is also the mental side of the game (not 15 bunt coverages and 13 pick off plays mental), but about handling the failure and success.  How to pay the game "right". Focusing, staying in the baseball moment, executing.  What it means to strive to be better as a baseball player.  This can be taught.

I don't think it really matters if its a Dad coach or not.  Ideally it would be nice to have every kid coached by a great coach who isn't a parent.  My son has had good coaches & bad, dad coaches and not.  The best are the ones that can TEACH your son.  Our organization has several dad coaches (we'd rather not but), one of which played college baseball, one played in AAA and one who played 12 years in the bigs.  They all know a ton about baseball, two are quiet but competitve and one's a little over the top.  The best teacher of the game that my son has had is parent who never played baseball but has studied everything he can and asked lots of questions of many resources.  Now I don't think he's the best coach but he's a good teacher of the game.  You need someone who is a good role model and teacher while at the same time demanding the kids put in the effort to be the best that they want to be.

What Golfman25 described would be ideal for development, in my mind.  Workouts that develope all players in all areas of the game, in the offseason.  League play to work on fundamentals and develope those who may not be a regular starter.  And tournament play in order to face better competition for those that can handle it.  Best 9 start and others get into the game as the situation allows. 

Thanks everyone for your replies! Picked up some great tips.