Coaching difficult players U14

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May 11, 2014
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Yocoach, where are you seeing the level this team is or wants to be. All I've seen, may have missed something, is a parent that wants to "improve". Before adults criticize 14 year old girls(not aimed at you, moreso some responses in this thread), might want to ask them what their expectations are and not the expectations of the volunteer coach.
 
Oct 3, 2011
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Right Here For Now
Yocoach, where are you seeing the level this team is or wants to be. All I've seen, may have missed something, is a parent that wants to "improve". Before adults criticize 14 year old girls(not aimed at you, moreso some responses in this thread), might want to ask them what their expectations are and not the expectations of the volunteer coach.
Read post 15. The organization has been around a fair amount of time based on this post. Also, the majority of this organization's teams are competitive. Later on, NBE clarifies that it's TB. Thus, an organization that's been around for some time, has a majority of teams that are competitive, will consist of mostly B or B/C teams and depending on how they are run, might include a true A team or two and possibly a couple of C teams depending on how they pool their players. At least that's what I've run across over the 20 years I've been coaching. Granted, it may be a bit of a reach but 90% of these organizations I've run across consist of some type of this format and a vast majority of the teams are B or B/C. It's not much of a stretch after all. The other 10% I've run across, the truly elite organizations, are an entirely different ballgame though. Also, I'll reiterate for your benefit, which you also acknowledged, they say they want to improve. The proof is in the putting and from post #1, there seems to be no "put." Please remember, I am doing nothing more than offering advice from my past experiences. Anyone is free to disagree with my conclusions or advice. As I said to RAD, I will agree to disagree with almost anyone in a polite way. But, I will make my point understood.
 
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May 11, 2014
275
43
Read post 15. The organization has been around a fair amount of time based on this post. Also, the majority of this organization's teams are competitive. Later on, NBE clarifies that it's TB. Thus, an organization that's been around for some time, has a majority of teams that are competitive, will consist of mostly B or B/C teams and depending on how they are run, might include a true A team or two and possibly a couple of C teams depending on how they pool their players. At least that's what I've run across over the 20 years I've been coaching. Granted, it may be a bit of a reach but 90% of these organizations I've run across consist of some type of this format and a vast majority of the teams are B or B/C. It's not much of a stretch after all. The other 10% I've run across, the truly elite organizations, are an entirely different ballgame though. Also, I'll reiterate for your benefit, which you also acknowledged, they say they want to improve. The proof is in the putting and from post #1, there seems to be no "put." Please remember, I am doing nothing more than offering advice from my past experiences. Anyone is free to disagree with my conclusions or advice. As I said to RAD, I will agree to disagree with almost anyone in a polite way. But, I will make my point understood.
Ok. Now to a serious question, is it pudding or putting, cause where I come from it is " proof is in the pudding".
 

NBECoach

Learning everyday
Aug 9, 2018
408
63
Well at tonight's practice the HC is running a fielding drill while i worked on throwing with 2 players. I don't know what specifically occured but he stopped practice and made it clear that their behavior was unacceptable that he had a lead on 2 players putting the roster at 12 and would put 3 of them.on the bench.

The silence that followed was deafening. Competition apparently worked in this case.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Yes, I would walk away from this situation simply because I would be wasting my time

There's absolutely nothing wrong with players that want to go out and just have fun. There are other types of teams out there that are built specifically for that reason.


It's darn near impossible to help those who won't help themselves and I'm at the point in my life and coaching career where I've pretty much quit trying.


my simple point is
(Which had nothing to do with you yocoach)
Think what the group wants to do (the majority) is more important than what a walk-on helper coach wants to do.

And that should be evaluated.

If any coach is neglecting the reasons why there is already a group of players on a field then that coach is only out there for themself.

Once a coach recognizes how to evaluate the situation they are involving themselves in the coach can also have a better situation experience... in selecting where and how to apply their purpose.
😉
 
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I am a HS coach, and I volunteer from time to time to help instruct technique with an organization I coached with for many years. This is a U14 team with 4 returning members and 6 new kids.

I try and keep it simple so that they don’t immediately tune me out. But it seems like these kids don’t care, with no hustle unless I remind them. There are only 10 kids so playing time is just about guaranteed. I show them how to field a ground ball properly (rolled ball) but they just continue to do it wrong. I stop practice to break it down further but that lasts one time around if I’m lucky. It seems as though they feel that all is well when they happen to have fielded the ball and make a throw. They must have done it right. The kids technique needs help yet I am told one of the Father’s thinks all is well and can’t understand why we haven’t moved on to more challenging activities. Geez it’s only December.

The HC is new but is aware of this but he gets the same results. None of these kids will attend the HS where I coach so no leverage there. What would you suggest I do (if anything)?

I am a HS coach, and I volunteer from time to time to help instruct technique with an organization I coached with for many years. This is a U14 team with 4 returning members and 6 new kids.

I try and keep it simple so that they don’t immediately tune me out. But it seems like these kids don’t care, with no hustle unless I remind them. There are only 10 kids so playing time is just about guaranteed. I show them how to field a ground ball properly (rolled ball) but they just continue to do it wrong. I stop practice to break it down further but that lasts one time around if I’m lucky. It seems as though they feel that all is well when they happen to have fielded the ball and make a throw. They must have done it right. The kids technique needs help yet I am told one of the Father’s thinks all is well and can’t understand why we haven’t moved on to more challenging activities. Geez it’s only December.

The HC is new but is aware of this but he gets the same results. None of these kids will attend the HS where I coach so no leverage there. What would you suggest I do (if anything)?

Thanks.
So 14U is a tough age especially if it's first year. If it's year two things should be rolling along on what's expected during practices. In a perfect world hopefully one or two of your better returning players can lead by example and set the tone of what's expected. They are gonna be moving up to 16U and most practices are spent learning new things not redoing drills because some kids don't get it or aren't putting out the effort or being lazy. I found in my years coaching my daughters team was sometimes you just have to rule with an iron fist. If said kid does it wrong after being told over and over again the whole team will pay for it drop your glove run to CF touch the fence and run back. We will do it till its right or everyone will run with RBF FACES because one kid or group of kids can't get it right is it fair not at all but it's a team. The great thing about this game is it weeds out those kind of kids. Since it's travel you can just talk to the parents and tell them it isn't working out and send them on their way by just cutting them. It's not worth the headache dealing with those kinds of players that are wasting valuable practice time.
 
Sep 17, 2009
1,637
83
Yep. That's why I suggested what I did. Either they're going to poop or get off the pot. I'd find out real quick who wanted to learn, work and evolve as a player versus those that want to go back to rec ball. If the team imploded, so be it. I'd work with the ones who truly wanted to be there until I either built a team full of like-minded players or found them a home if I couldn't.
Hey coach, these girls are not buying what you are selling, right? They aren't seeing the connection between learning things the way you are teaching them and whatever their goals are (or they think they are). You need some reinforcements, not because what you are teaching is wrong/bad but because the team isn't hearing it. A couple of options, typically. You can try to find some coaches and/or former players who can get that buy-in. What I like better is bringing in better players to practice and forcing them to keep up or be embarrassed/left behind. Maybe you have a girl or two on your high school team or the org's more A-level teams who could join and lead example. At some point being showed up in drills becomes an incentive to learn to do them rihgt.

I'd also tell them (AND their parents) this: most teams practice roughly the same amount of time. It's what you do with that time that matters. Spend it not learning the best techniques or reinforcing bad ones and you'll end up getting your butts kicked in games and (for some reason) not getting playing time on your high school team. If you are going to spend time practicing, do it right. Pretty simple.
 

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