The humiliation runs after games is a classic sign of this. So are the zero-tolerance punishments.
How Strict is Your Travel Ball Team?
- Thread starter Rocketech1
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
The humiliation runs after games is a classic sign of this. So are the zero-tolerance punishments.
Again, where did you get the idea that was somehow occurring based on the OP? Everyone went off the deep end on this talking about beating 4 year olds, beating dogs, wearing cleats while running, etc. Getting back to the OP it sounds as though this is what was agreed to by those actually involved. Why is that a problem?
That's very significant, IMO.
I should say from the start that I'm in the non-punishment camp. So I'm not necessarily an ally in this fight.
However, I do believe that the relationship/trust between coach and player can be a game-changer on the issue. It's not what the coach does, but how the players view it, and what they're signing up for.
My daughter joined a team last February, and to my dismay, I discovered at about the second tournament that the players might be running sprints after any game in which the effort didn't please the coach.
I found that my DD's reaction was not what I expected. She said she liked running, that it gave her a chance to show the coach how much heart she had, and she tried to win every sprint. Still feels that way.
She's reached a point where she wants to get better, and she figures running helps her get better (gets her in shape, if nothing else), and she TRUSTS that the coach respects and likes her, so bring it on. It's not punishment. "It's just what we do,'' she would say. ''We don't play well, we run.''
That said, I'm still not a fan of it. Not sure all the players view it the same as DD does. But just want to make the point that the coach/player relationship and how things are framed to the players can make all the difference.
From the original post: " If not, the whole team runs after the game."
"if a player makes a mental error, the coaches keep track and the players have to run sprints for each mental error committed."
And why is this a problem?
- It doesn't work. It is what the parents are led to believe is 'discipline' coaching based on a misguided image from old football coaches. There isn't a certification program or coaching course that teaches this in any sport I have been involved in. In fact, the last 2 or 3 courses I have been to have specifically targeted this coaching style as being ineffective and discuss strategies to avoid it for more effective methods.
- I guarantee it is not what the kids wanted or agreed to especially at this age.
And lets face it, we are talking about grown men (or women) humiliating a bunch of 12 year olds. That isn't a good look.
Last edited:
Some of the least disciplined off the field, worst sportsmanship on the field teams I've seen in 15 years as a parent, coach, and umpire have coaches that do this type of "motivation". Note I did NOT say all.
But it does still amaze me what some adults will tolerate in chasing those scholarship dollars.
And nowhere in the OP did I see where the "ladies bought into it". The parents and coaches may have - but I highly doubt the girls were asked to vote.
And a lot of these teams rhyme with Wirebackers, Tower Purge, Ratdusters, etc.
I saw a team implode due to running, last December. They were 12U and lost, and ran for about 20 minutes. There was a group of close knit dads that pulled their DDs and that was the end of the team.
Maybe, maybe I would be ok with this in an older age group at the A level. Maybe. But first and foremost softball is a game, and games are supposed to be fun. Mistakes happen all the time at all levels, even in Major League Baseball where players get paid the big bucks. I don't mind some light running for things like not picking up the garbage in the dugout, which my dds team does. Not so hip on the running bc some 9 year old girl misread the sign the coach is throwing at her like an old major league ball coach(do they still do that? Idk, but I know you can figure out what I'm talking about) but it is only from the edge of the outfield to the foul pole. Making the whole team run for a mental error would not sit with me. The person who committed the error already feels like they let the whole team down, they don't need to be made to feel worse when the whole team has to run after the game.
Softball is a sport. Sport is for fun. Fun!
Softball is a sport. Sport is for fun. Fun!
I've told my story several times on different threads. Oldest DD'S older 14U team very strict coach ....remember one time we were playing up to 16U in some showcase in Beaumont and we played our first game and just stunk the place up ... my DD was playing well but a lot of the other girls were just going through the motions.....so after the game there was a football field next to the softball field we were playing on at this high school and the coach lined up the kids and did 20 suicides across the football field .....needless to say the next game we slaughtered the team we played. We didn't even look like the same team and won every game after that but one ....really worked for him and my DD grew as a player more that year than any other year she has played. Now for an 02 team who knows but if you have kids that want to be on a great team but doesn't want to give maximum effort then you have to do something to let them know who's boss . IMHO
Nothing wrong with discipline, personal accountability, learning to respect others, ..etc.
IMO, This isn't the way to get there with <14yo girls.
