Basically I am just blowing off steam here. I might be roasted, but here goes.
Our organization is a small town group. Generally our teams are all local girls who go to the same middle school and high school. The goal of the organization is to prepare the girls for HS ball, once they are on the HS team they remain in our organization but the play for the 18u team which is coached by the HS coach. We play in a travel league, 2 doubleheaders a week and several tourneys each summer. We are usually middle to upper half in our league. Which is pretty good considering we rarely have enough girls trying out where we make more then 1-3 cuts. My DD is playing in her first year of 14u.
Most of the coaches in our organization are parents and move up every 2 years with their girls. So basically you know what you are going to get. The lady who is usually the coach, had to step down for personal scheduling issues. There was a huge power struggle for this now vacant head coaching spot. To make a really long story, not so long, I willl cut out the facts of that power struggle (I was not one of those trying to become HC) even though they may seem important to me in this story. But probably not.
OK here it is, the new head coach asked me to be his assistant. I coached a lot up until 2 years ago, the HC has coached softball for 8 years and baseball for 12. I figured it would be fine. I knew he was pretty laid back and didn't like yelling at the girls, so I thought we would be a good fit. I don't think you have to holler all game long at players either. But I expect a disciplined team, effort and paying attention are very important to me.
Now that we are 4 games into our league I think I am going to lose my mind. This guy doesn't have a clue about how to coach this game. Frankly he doesn't have a clue how to coach any game. He doesn't make anything important. If a girl doesn't show up to practice, he doesn't care. If a girl refuses to play a position he doesn't care. He doesn't know the rules, and then says to me. "Its good thing you knew that because I know the baseball rules better" Usually I have to tell him, "Ron the baseball rule is exactly the same" Because he doesn't make it important, we have girls missing practices and games, these same girls made every game and practice the past 4 years while playing for coaches who made it important. He asked me to coach third and during games manage the pitching and catching. OK with me, but then he never sets the defense. Doesn't call out the bunt coverages to the girls. We are playing sloppy, but he seems to think they are playing the way they should. I make a suggestion and he will say "do you think they are old enough to handle that?" Yes I do, since they have been handling it since 10u.
I about lost it at the last practice. Wednesday night's doubleheader we lost both games. We were sloppy several of the girls were goofing around. Ignoring signs, or not looking for them. Lack of effort and not paying attention. Not covering bases, blowing set plays. After the game we discussed going over our basic bunt coverages and the 1st and 3rd situations at our next practice, which I thought was appropriate. So we get to the practice and he announces that the first thing we need to work on is how we are going to throw the ball around on a strike out, because it looks cool.
He is never prepared and does not pay attention to the game situation. He says one thing and doesn't do it. He treats them like they are 8 and not 14. I would pull my hair out but most of its already gone. I just try to keep my mouth shut and work with my girl on the side. The thing that is most upsetting is that we are not preparing these girls for HS, we are weakening them.
I could go on and on, but its already too much. Thanks for reading.
Our organization is a small town group. Generally our teams are all local girls who go to the same middle school and high school. The goal of the organization is to prepare the girls for HS ball, once they are on the HS team they remain in our organization but the play for the 18u team which is coached by the HS coach. We play in a travel league, 2 doubleheaders a week and several tourneys each summer. We are usually middle to upper half in our league. Which is pretty good considering we rarely have enough girls trying out where we make more then 1-3 cuts. My DD is playing in her first year of 14u.
Most of the coaches in our organization are parents and move up every 2 years with their girls. So basically you know what you are going to get. The lady who is usually the coach, had to step down for personal scheduling issues. There was a huge power struggle for this now vacant head coaching spot. To make a really long story, not so long, I willl cut out the facts of that power struggle (I was not one of those trying to become HC) even though they may seem important to me in this story. But probably not.
OK here it is, the new head coach asked me to be his assistant. I coached a lot up until 2 years ago, the HC has coached softball for 8 years and baseball for 12. I figured it would be fine. I knew he was pretty laid back and didn't like yelling at the girls, so I thought we would be a good fit. I don't think you have to holler all game long at players either. But I expect a disciplined team, effort and paying attention are very important to me.
Now that we are 4 games into our league I think I am going to lose my mind. This guy doesn't have a clue about how to coach this game. Frankly he doesn't have a clue how to coach any game. He doesn't make anything important. If a girl doesn't show up to practice, he doesn't care. If a girl refuses to play a position he doesn't care. He doesn't know the rules, and then says to me. "Its good thing you knew that because I know the baseball rules better" Usually I have to tell him, "Ron the baseball rule is exactly the same" Because he doesn't make it important, we have girls missing practices and games, these same girls made every game and practice the past 4 years while playing for coaches who made it important. He asked me to coach third and during games manage the pitching and catching. OK with me, but then he never sets the defense. Doesn't call out the bunt coverages to the girls. We are playing sloppy, but he seems to think they are playing the way they should. I make a suggestion and he will say "do you think they are old enough to handle that?" Yes I do, since they have been handling it since 10u.
I about lost it at the last practice. Wednesday night's doubleheader we lost both games. We were sloppy several of the girls were goofing around. Ignoring signs, or not looking for them. Lack of effort and not paying attention. Not covering bases, blowing set plays. After the game we discussed going over our basic bunt coverages and the 1st and 3rd situations at our next practice, which I thought was appropriate. So we get to the practice and he announces that the first thing we need to work on is how we are going to throw the ball around on a strike out, because it looks cool.
He is never prepared and does not pay attention to the game situation. He says one thing and doesn't do it. He treats them like they are 8 and not 14. I would pull my hair out but most of its already gone. I just try to keep my mouth shut and work with my girl on the side. The thing that is most upsetting is that we are not preparing these girls for HS, we are weakening them.
I could go on and on, but its already too much. Thanks for reading.
