I was with the OP until the end. Not sure what the link to Me Too is or how that relates.
Did you try to extrapolate or did your brain shut off as soon as you heard the dreaded phrase? (Hint: Abuse and empowerment..)I was with the OP until the end. Not sure what the link to Me Too is or how that relates.
Clearly, you have some more experience to gain. Even the best coach can have some undesired baggage. Over time, you figure out what you can live with to get the good parts. Favoritism can exist regardless of who is coaching, but there is usually a greater degree of commitment to the team with a parent-coach than the non-parent. Parent coaches also often raise pretty good players. I've seen plenty of yelling and ineffective coaching from non-parent coaches...typically 20-something ex-players.I think the worst are the coaches that happen to have a DD on the team.
I wouldn't trade what my dd learned through softball for anything. The girls that make it all the way through are simply tougher mentally and physically than their peers that didn't play a competitive sport and it will serve them well in life. They learn many life lessons, some positive and others negative, that are invaluable. All I can say about your experiences with poor/negative coaching is that anyone can be fooled by a coach, but when you realize who they are it is your fault if you stay. There are plenty of teams out there with coaches who care and don't treat people like that. I'm afraid that some parents are teaching their girls that this type of treatment is acceptable and I hope it doesn't harm them later in life.I often find myself lamenting about getting my DD involved in Softball (and other sports for that matter). My DD has never been interested in gaining a scholarship and plays sports merely for the love of the game and competition. My DD is 14 and it makes me sad to see the garbage that she has witnessed playing sports.
Sadly most of this comes from coaches (yes I know this will be an unpopular statement on this board). So many yelling and screaming at young girls is atrocious. She has witnessed coaches encouraging girls to cheat and/or play dirty (in the name of trying to win). My DD is fiercely competitive but refuses to do anything that could be deemed as cheating or just wrong. She has witnesses coaches horrible treatment of girls on the bench (threatening to bench them, calling them out in front of other girls, or in one coaches case give a girl the silent treatment). I think the worst are the coaches that happen to have a DD on the team. She saw the best pitcher on her team get cut because coaches DD was also a pitcher and he wanted his DD to be #1.
For me personally as a parent, I am always asking myself about the life lessons that she is learning through sport. She has certainly learned that life isn't fair and that politics play a role in almost everything. Sadly, I also look at how she is taught to sit down, shut up and not say anything or heaven forbid disagree with her coach. She has seen girls (parents even) labelled as troublemakers for simply having an opinion. She even said to me at one point that coaches think they run the world. That just made me sad. In this day and age with #metoo movement, it disturbs me to think that girls sport is not evolving and not allowing girls the safety to stand up and question things or have an opinion. Part of me hopes that she will quit all her sports fairly soon and just focus on school.
OK - I am off my soapbox.
I think the worst are the coaches that happen to have a DD on the team. She saw the best pitcher on her team get cut because coaches DD was also a pitcher and he wanted his DD to be #1.
I don’t care about the phrase. I’m still not seeing a connection. Me Too was about sexual abuse and demands. Abusive a-hole coaches exist in boys sports as well. Nothing in the OP has anything to do with Me Too.Did you try to extrapolate or did your brain shut off as soon as you heard the dreaded phrase? (Hint: Abuse and empowerment..)
Cheating is not acceptable.She has witnessed coaches encouraging girls to cheat and/or play dirty (in the name of trying to win).
Coaches bench players for failing to meet expectations. It is part of athletics and life. The coach shouldn't be yelling at them while doing it, but coaches have to bench players.My DD is fiercely competitive but refuses to do anything that could be She has witnesses coaches horrible treatment of girls on the bench (threatening to bench them,
This is unacceptable.calling them out in front of other girls, or in one coaches case give a girl the silent treatment).
I doubt that was the situation.She saw the best pitcher on her team get cut because coaches DD was also a pitcher and he wanted his DD to be #1.
Depends upon what she has an opinion about. If she has an opinion about the color of the uniforms, where to eat for lunch...great!Sadly, I also look at how she is taught to sit down, shut up and not say anything or heaven forbid disagree with her coach.
It is not "having an opinion", it is voicing the opinion, and loudly, in order to disrupt the team.She has seen girls (parents even labelled as troublemakers for simply having an opinion.