I am more interested in why a LF was able to get to a ball 5 feet in back of 3rd base..was this 10U?
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Ha - they were playing her shallow because she was showing bunt. Although in HS you would think they would know better! LOL!
Wow - got to see the side of the coach we'd been warned about!
- Thread starter KPower
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Ha - they were playing her shallow because she was showing bunt. Although in HS you would think they would know better! LOL!
I would not condone a coach treating my daughter this way. But I also would not force her to quit the team. We would have a discussion as a family. Would discuss how much of an a$$ this coach is. And then allow her to decide if she would continue or not. DD's high school experience was far from positive. She was the only travel ball player on the roster each of the last two seasons. And the W/L record showed it. But overall, the coaches were supportive, though maybe not the most knowledgeable. I'm quite sure that if she was faced with something like this, she would have walked away and never looked back. By comparison, she much preferred travel ball. I do not want to make this a travel vs. high school type thread because there are pros and cons on both sides. Just that in this particular case, DD had other ways to pursue her softball goals beyond playing high school ball.
Totally agree that DD needs to learn from this...and believe me she is.
DD knows she made a mistake. She is the first one to admit her mistakes. She said got confused when there was a time out and no new sign was given and then the coach yelled "hit it to RF" (obviously trying to confuse the field but in the moment I can understand how DD could have gotten confused). She should have fully committed to either the bunt or the swing to RF...but she didn't. She knows she blew it. DD is new to the school, and to the team and coach (3 weeks into HS softball) and she is the only freshman - no sophomores 5 seniors and 7 juniors. It took her a while just to feel comfortable and just when she was starting to hit her stride this happens. She is incredibly coachable and takes criticism and direction well. So why would you not COACH a player thru this instead of just yanking them MID AT BAT!!! Who does that!?! And seriously - her mistake wasn't even close to costing them the game.
As for the base running, she had a decent lead off...not huge, but to where she knew she could get back if needed. On any other team they have played that ball would have been easily caught - but this team had terrible fielders who couldn't catch anything. In any other game I truly believe she would have had to run back and that is why her lead off wasn't greater. She is usually a pretty good base runner. She is fast and smart and knows her limits. Again - a coaching moment...
Up until today this coach doted on DD. She never yelled at her, never made her run poles, bragged about her to the asst coach and kept trying to woo her to her TB team. DD would always say she felt bad for the coach because people spoke about her so poorly. She said she was learning a ton and was excited to have her as a coach for the next 7 weeks. Way to squelch it coach!
DD has an amazing TB coach. Her HS coach actually asked her to join her TB team but we declined. DD did not want to commit to playing for the same coach for what would essentially be 4 years straight - HS and TB. She was worried that if something bad happened in TB it would affect HS and visa versa. The HS coach keeps trying to woo DD but she adores her TB coach and teammates so there is no question she will stay put.
She will continue to play HS softball (her choice and we will support that)...at least for now. Not that we think how the coach coaches is OK, but DD does really enjoy the game and the girls. This HS coach has a reputation and I have a friend who coached with her last year...the stories he can tell are almost unbelievable! DD will continue to work hard and play the game she loves...hopefully she survives the next 7 weeks intact!
Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
- 4,972
- 113
As most of you know, I am the one on this site that defends HS coaches all of the time and am one. What was mentioned in the OP is absolutely wrong. I have a reputation for being intense. I have a reputation for getting after it. I would never treat a player like you mention. Not ever! It probably isn't on video and so, you won't get anywhere if you complain. If you do have it on video, I'd sit down with the AD and let the AD see it and take a position on it. When I came to my present school, I had the reputation I mentioned and brought it with me. My AD told me, "never put me in a position where I have to defend the undefendable."
I sincerely hope it gets better for her. My DD didn't even play HS because of the coach. I wish she had but I watched a few practices and the 2 JV coaches were total pricks to the kids. I think they were trying to show that they were the boss and that even though they were good TB players they knew more. She has played for tough coaches in TB but every single one of them was fair and if they got mad in the heat of the moment every single time they talked the players to try and teach. I wasn't trying to knock your DD in any way and hope you didn't take it that way.
No absolutely not! DD actually left her old team because she was sick of the lack of coaching. Given the coach never yelled, but he never coached either. She joined a new team where she knew she would be pushed and sometimes she might get yelled at. She said she can take getting yelled at when it is a mistake and the coach is giving guidance, or if it is in the heat of the moment and the coach feels bad later...she (and we as parents) just don't appreciate the soul sucking, personal attacks. The belittling and demeaning. That stuff is not ok! The sad thing is the JV coaches at her school are amazing. They are kind and encouraging and push the girls … sigh.
- Jan 22, 2011
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My DD quit softball for two months while her current coach spent almost two months coaxing her to play for him. She played for him and had the best 10 months of her life- so far. He's not perfect, but my DD knows he respects her.
This was due to two travel coaches she had for a year being almost as much a ding-bat as this coach.
I might cut the coach some slack the first it happens, but I would be in the AD's office with video if it happened a 2nd time.
This was due to two travel coaches she had for a year being almost as much a ding-bat as this coach.
I might cut the coach some slack the first it happens, but I would be in the AD's office with video if it happened a 2nd time.
This coach is nothing but a bully. All he is doing picking on an easy target. Is he behaving like this to seniors, or he is doing this only to your DD? This peach of a Coach need to understand he is coaching minors and they would not need him as a coach if these kids can do everything perfectly. It should never come to a point where girls think it is okay to be verbally abused or demeaned.
When someone says they are passionate, intense etc. it just means they are lose cannon.
When someone says they are passionate, intense etc. it just means they are lose cannon.
