Multiple kids in travel ball - Family Strain - What to do?

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Jul 25, 2021
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First, thank you for these forums, I have lurked a while and learned a ton from all of you. If this post belongs in another sub-forum please move it.

My daughter started travel softball this spring in 10U, it was an amazing experience with great coaches who have become close friends. I was blessed with the opportunity to assist with the 10U team as a coach. She is moving up to 12U and the organization we play for is starting a new 12U team (Other team is moving up to 14U). Initially I put my name in the hat to assist or even head coach if that is where I was needed. This is where I went wrong......

My son tried out and made a travel baseball club which complicates things for the family. If I coach softball, I am tied to that regardless. On weekends where both children have tournaments, my wife and 3rd child would be stuck to my sons travel baseball team while I am with the softball team. My wife has asked/told me not to coach.

Somewhere along the way through all of these years, I have fallen in love with coaching. Now I am looking at not coaching at all which is a big downer. Family first here, but this stings a bit.

Do any of you have multiple children in travel ball and are still somehow able to coach? I'd love to hear any experience/advice at this point.
 
Aug 25, 2019
1,066
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So if your not coaching, your DD is still going to play, so you drop her off and go watch your son? I only had DD play, but girls on her team with multiple siblings playing, one parent went with one, the other parent went with the other.....So don't have three kids playing at once!
 
Jun 8, 2016
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I have a 11 YO DD in TB and AAU basketball and a 6 YO DS who I coached this year in Rec baseball because if I didn't he wouldn't have been able to play (the league said as much eg if nobody volunteered they would refund us). It was too difficult as my wife would have to drive my DD to practices (30 to 50 minutes away) during the week with my 3 YO DS in tow when I needed to be at a practice or game for my son and then she would have to stay with the 3 YO for 2 hours and then wouldn't get back home till 9, e.g. way past the 3 YO bedtime. It just didn't work. This Fall luckily DS All Star coach asked him if he wanted to play with them so I can just go back to being a parent and my wife can stop being a taxi driver...
 
Oct 26, 2019
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I am the head coach of my daughters 12U softball team and I have an eight-year-old who does select soccer. It is actually easier for me being the head coach because I set up our practice schedule around most of my other daughters soccer stuff.
 
Jul 25, 2021
5
3
So if your not coaching, your DD is still going to play, so you drop her off and go watch your son? I only had DD play, but girls on her team with multiple siblings playing, one parent went with one, the other parent went with the other.....So don't have three kids playing at once!

The idea is to not coach so that we can alternate which child we support when both have a tournament. If I am coaching it would force my wife to look after my youngest, and she would have to go to my DS baseball tournament. She would also always miss my DDs softball.


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Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Also tbh I work with the both of them enough at home , it is good that I am not in their ears at their team things as well…
 
Last edited:
Jul 25, 2021
5
3
I have a 11 YO DD in TB and AAU basketball and a 6 YO DS who I coached this year in Rec baseball because if I didn't he wouldn't have been able to play (the league said as much eg if nobody volunteered they would refund us). It was too difficult as my wife would have to drive my DD to practices (30 to 50 minutes away) during the week with my 3 YO DS in tow when I needed to be at a practice or game for my son and then she would have to stay with the 3 YO for 2 hours and then wouldn't get back home till 9, e.g. way past the 3 YO bedtime. It just didn't work. This Fall luckily DS All Star coach asked him if he wanted to play with them so I can just go back to being a parent and my wife can stop being a taxi driver...

This is where I am headed. Luckily our travel teams practice local for now. It’s the right thing to step away from coaching. The more I type this stuff, the easier it is to realize this is best.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
I have a 11 YO DD in TB and AAU basketball and a 6 YO DS who I coached this year in Rec baseball because if I didn't he wouldn't have been able to play (the league said as much eg if nobody volunteered they would refund us). It was too difficult as my wife would have to drive my DD to practices (30 to 50 minutes away) during the week with my 3 YO DS in tow when I needed to be at a practice or game for my son and then she would have to stay with the 3 YO for 2 hours and then wouldn't get back home till 9, e.g. way past the 3 YO bedtime. It just didn't work. This Fall luckily DS All Star coach asked him if he wanted to play with them so I can just go back to being a parent and my wife can stop being a taxi driver...
And he has to figure in time to mow the lawn...
;) just making that more relevant to softball...
~
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
And he has to figure in time to mow the lawn...
;) just making that more relevant to softball...
~
Actually as I don’t physically go to many of DD’s games on the weekend, and at this point DS games are during the week, I have plenty of time to mow…doesn’t actually mean I do it though 😒
 

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