What's the deal with TB coaches?

[Dave619]

I have been around TB a little over 2 years now. In 10u I never really saw issues with coaches fighting, arguing, or poor sportsmanship in general.

Something must be in the water this year...

Just in the last two months at the tournaments we played in I have seen one coach go behind another coach after the customary handshake and put him in a choke hold...I have seen a coach walk over to the other teams parents/coaches in between innings and say things to just start issues...I have heard a coach say something about his pitcher throwing at batter in an "I'll show them" kind of way because the other coach was saying something about illegal pitching. I have seen coaches refuse to shake hands or "slap" the other coach's hands away when shaking....I've seen two coaches in each others face and have to be pulled apart....and I could go on. This is all 12u games.

Maybe there is something in the water around here....maybe some new hormone in the food chain that returns people to their primal state....maybe it's the economy....who knows? I just think it is poor examples for kids to be around.

It reminds me of a saying..."You have to take a test to get a driver's license, but any idiot can can have a child"....I guess any idiot can coach a travel ball too! Just my little vent for the day. On the flip side, there are some really good people out there giving their time for kids, teaching them about the game, and being good role models.

 

[James Smith]

It happens in rec. too, you just have more choices when you play TB.

I like sitting in my chair and watching the game, I do not need any more drama then I already have. (2 years ago our AC went after the HC during a game. )

We played a Team in MS that we did not play last year, the opposing HC had reputation. I am pretty easy going but DD will not step on the field if I ever see him coaching on the field she is supposed to be playing on. It is not worth it.

This person was the exception, I do not know how anyone plays for or against them,

 

[MountieSB]

I think for a long time, coaches have been allowed to get away (or at least tolerated by parents and players) with these kinds of behaviors because the impression is that they know more about the game than other parents. To make matters worse, because it's TB, there really isn't anyone to answer to, other than parents who should make more of a stink about this when it happens. In high schools and Little League, there are better degrees of accountability for behavior than in organizations outside of these. (And I know it happens in these two organizations as well.)

I think there's also the impression given by these kinds of coaches that if they're not tough and a harda$$, somehow they're not competitive, and that anyone who doesn't rationalize and accept their poor behavior as "competitiveness" is really just trying to sissify the sport. It's old and tired, but you'll see it for as long as parents allow it to happen.

 

[CoogansBluff]

I would like the ASA to take some responsibility for travel ball (as ASA is the governing body for the sport) and provide more training. The ACE certification is band aid at best, a money grab at worst. I'd love to see a certification that required much more of head coaches. There are many really good TB coaches out there, so my point is not to bash them, but the quality of coaching and behavior could be so much better. There should be a big emphasis on sportsmanship and an introspective look at just what it is we're trying to accomplish for kids in travel ball. As it is, travel ball is the wild west. Anybody who wants a team and can find 10 families to follow will have a team. Too many coaches who say it's about the kids while their actions show they have no idea what that means.

 

[Anthony Vertuccio]

in my 10 years of coaching softball, I have never been thrown out of a game and I have never not shaken or tried to shake the other coaches' hands. No matter how idiotic the other team or coaches act, I tell the girls that I always shake hands to set the proper example. Coaches who don't shake hands have no business coaching since all they care about is winning and not lessons in life

 

[Amy in AZ.]

It is terrible for men and women to act this way. I guess that life just has too many stressors, but if that is the case, they shouldn't be coaching. I can't understand why people let their kids play for someone that can't control themselves.

 

[maksoftball]

I guess this would be called "game rage"? I wonder if these are all dads who volunteer their time to coach...I know that as the girls get older (for the most part), the dads have to step down and let the more experienced coaches step in and coach their daughters.

But I agree with Amy, life has gotten pretty full of stress...and unfortunately, the emotions that tend to run high in games triggers/releases the frustrations. If the dads cannot handle their emotions in the games, then they need to step back/down and let someone else more level-headed coach. They are setting very bad examples for the girls.

 

[chinamigarden]

I've seen hundreds of games and I would say that I have seen 5 complete jerk coaches, 100+ that I was indifferent too, and 15 who I thought were great people.

Over all I would say my experience is probably common.

 

[FP26]

I have seen much of this same behavior in my area as well. But it is not just restricted to softball. I have seen the same, if not worse at AAU basketball, and have heard about similar behavior in travel soccer. Many of these coaches either don't realize or don't care that they have a greater responsibility beyond what happens on the field. If a coach acts this way, eventually some of the players will too. That is the scariest part of this to me...

 

[MTR]

I would like the ASA to take some responsibility for travel ball (as ASA is the governing body for the sport) and provide more training. The ACE certification is band aid at best, a money grab at worst. I'd love to see a certification that required much more of head coaches. There are many really good TB coaches out there, so my point is not to bash them, but the quality of coaching and behavior could be so much better. There should be a big emphasis on sportsmanship and an introspective look at just what it is we're trying to accomplish for kids in travel ball. As it is, travel ball is the wild west. Anybody who wants a team and can find 10 families to follow will have a team. Too many coaches who say it's about the kids while their actions show they have no idea what that means.

The parents, AND ONLY THE PARENTS, should be responsible to select who does or does not coach their children and how to deal with that coach's actions. It is about time parents start being parents and accept the responsibilities that go along with it and stop expecting others to do their job for them.

I find it absolutely astounding that every time something goes awry with a young person from shootings to overdoses, school grades to accidents, it is always someone else that "has to do something".