- Dec 20, 2023
- 25
- 3
I'm looking for input from other parents and perhaps even coaches, and this post isn't related specifically to softball in our case, but most definitely can be applied to softball.
Is there a justified scenario where parents can/should speak to coaches about playing time?
A little information to help others in their responses. I realize parents are the problem so often when it comes to team dynamics and sports. It is never my intention to be the problem parent on a team, however, when your child is receiving next to zero playing time is it justified to speak up and ask the coach about their decisions as to why? I'm not talking about a parent thinking little Suzy is the best ever and she deserves to be a starter and in her prime position every game and she has to be showcased every game. I'm talking about ANY, even miniscule (seconds in this case) amount of playing time in any position, especially when the game is a blow out?
I whole heartedly believe girls should earn their spots/positions. I whole heartedly also believe that absent of the opportunity to prove yourself in real game scenarios, how can you earn your spot? In practices where girls are always placed in the same positions and some get less one on one attention, and in games the girls are always playing the same positions. There is zero opportunity to go out and produce to show coaches that as a player, you can have an impact.
I always hear "back in the day we didn't question coaches and kids needed to shut up and appreciate time on the bench." In the modern day of community politics (small town in our case) and coaches expecting to not be questioned, is this a healthy coach/parent dynamic to expect and establish?
I spoke up. My child has played the sport as long if not longer as any of the other girls on the team. She goes in and makes an impact when other girls with the right last name or connection never get benched for game-time errors. The coach disagreed with my questioning him, but to his credit, he did finally put her in and she immediately had an impact and scored for the team on several occasions. I think he hastily decided what her contributions to the team could be, but didn't want to admit he was wrong in doing so. It still however, puts a "problematic label" ton me as a parent and the child, because I advocated and spoke up for my child which is wholly unfair.
Perhaps another question should be, should at least some playing time be expected depending on the level? This was a school sport at the middle school level. Not quite the pay to play of travel sports, but some investment is still involved, especially time. Should the focus of middle school sports be to win or develop enough players that continue on to play high school sports? Can you develop players when they aren't allowed to play for entire games and they get ignored in practices?
Is there a justified scenario where parents can/should speak to coaches about playing time?
A little information to help others in their responses. I realize parents are the problem so often when it comes to team dynamics and sports. It is never my intention to be the problem parent on a team, however, when your child is receiving next to zero playing time is it justified to speak up and ask the coach about their decisions as to why? I'm not talking about a parent thinking little Suzy is the best ever and she deserves to be a starter and in her prime position every game and she has to be showcased every game. I'm talking about ANY, even miniscule (seconds in this case) amount of playing time in any position, especially when the game is a blow out?
I whole heartedly believe girls should earn their spots/positions. I whole heartedly also believe that absent of the opportunity to prove yourself in real game scenarios, how can you earn your spot? In practices where girls are always placed in the same positions and some get less one on one attention, and in games the girls are always playing the same positions. There is zero opportunity to go out and produce to show coaches that as a player, you can have an impact.
I always hear "back in the day we didn't question coaches and kids needed to shut up and appreciate time on the bench." In the modern day of community politics (small town in our case) and coaches expecting to not be questioned, is this a healthy coach/parent dynamic to expect and establish?
I spoke up. My child has played the sport as long if not longer as any of the other girls on the team. She goes in and makes an impact when other girls with the right last name or connection never get benched for game-time errors. The coach disagreed with my questioning him, but to his credit, he did finally put her in and she immediately had an impact and scored for the team on several occasions. I think he hastily decided what her contributions to the team could be, but didn't want to admit he was wrong in doing so. It still however, puts a "problematic label" ton me as a parent and the child, because I advocated and spoke up for my child which is wholly unfair.
Perhaps another question should be, should at least some playing time be expected depending on the level? This was a school sport at the middle school level. Not quite the pay to play of travel sports, but some investment is still involved, especially time. Should the focus of middle school sports be to win or develop enough players that continue on to play high school sports? Can you develop players when they aren't allowed to play for entire games and they get ignored in practices?
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