Ran across the team current team policy of a local prep school. The head coach is a former major leaguer and a household name.
h) PARENTS
i) Enjoy the game, support the program and root for each player as if they were your own son.
ii) Trust your coaches with your son…we are here to help, not hurt.
iii) We coach on the field, you coach off the field.
iv) To maintain team cohesiveness, our players will travel to and return from games together unless prior arrangements are made for a parent or adult to take the athlete HOME FROM the game.
v) Only players, coaches and student manager(s) are allowed on the bus at all times.
vi) Playing time is to be discussed by players and coaches ONLY. Absolutely no parent interference will be tolerated. If you are unhappy with your son’s playing time, you may want to consider other baseball options.
Orlando Good point! He was a baseball parent before he was a coach, but after he won a World Series. From what I hear he is very inclusionary and doesn't deny the obvious, that high school players have involved parents and outnumber the coach. The "me v. them" attitude hurts everyone.
Posts: 4783 | Location: Florida | Registered: December 26, 2002
My son's Little League coach had an additional rule that I always thought was great: I will talk to you parents and players about anything at any time EXCEPT before and after a game. The reasoning was that emotions were too high on both sides at that time.
This coach had us parents so well trained that when one parent yelled advice to a kid during a game the rest of us gasped in horror and we all stared at him in shock. The dad choked out, "But I have special permission!" (And he did.)
Posts: 372 | Location: formerly WA, now AZ | Registered: December 26, 2002
I believe that a parent should be able to discuss anything (related to their kid) with the coach.
I coached travel ball (I know it's not HS and there is a difference) for a number of years and had no problem discussing playing time with a parent. I would be willing to tell them what the kids needed to do to get more time.
I really like #3, and was very adamant about it. Even if the parent was right it may not be what we wanted at that point in time.
Play every game as if it were your last
Posts: 1201 | Location: SE WI | Registered: December 30, 2002
There are schools where your objection to the rule would be valid, been. However, I can certainly understand the inclusion in this case.
This is an expensive prep school, populated by a number of high-powered families, many of them professional athletes, all of them used to getting their way. (If Coach hangs on long enough, he can welcome Trey Griffey to the field, for example.) They had a top-notch coach there (even before the current ex-Pro Pitcher) who quit in complete and utter disgust at the badgering parents, each of whom were completely convinced they had sired The Star of The Team and that they knew exactly how to run the team far better than he.
I believe that rule is in place to 're-train' those parents.
And Frank ain't even close to insecurity.
--------------------------------- From 'Nice Guys Finish Last' by Leo Durocher:
Baseball lives at the center of a never-flagging whirl of irreconcilable opinions.
I agree with you BeenthereIl, seems a little harsh for a "kids game". One penalty I really don't understand although I know they do it in all sports: iii) Team violations will result in one or all of the following
(1) Extra Conditioning (2) Removal from a game or practice (3) Loss of playing time (4) Suspension from team (5) Expulsion from team
Number (1) above: Extra conditioning is mentioned a couple of times. Is this really a penalty. It would seem the violator of the rules would end up getting better athletically as a result of the punishment and in effect would be benefiting from punishment. It would seem that "loss of use" of the facilities would be truer punishment. Just a thought.
Knowledge is Power! Thank you Mavens and HSBBWEB!
Posts: 804 | Location: Vicksburg, MS | Registered: December 05, 2003
I pretty much agree with the rules. They were the same ones we had at my sons HS.
The way I read it, you can talk to the coach all you want about anything except playing time.
If you're not getting enough playing time, you (the player) have the choice to talk to the coach about it and he can explain it to you.
BeenthereIL,
You are right, the seniors don't have many options and the ones they do have aren't great. Not to be harsh, but if you are a senior and not getting enough playing time, evaluate the situation and either play summer ball to hopefully get to the next level, or get on with your life. I'm sure its not easy but in my book there's no shame in not being a starter. Be the best you can be and go from there. It's not the end of the world (although it might feel like it) to have to "hang em up". Everyone's going to have to eventually, some sooner than later.
Chicks,
Ask anyone, running extra poles, bleachers, doing pushups, etc. might get them in better shape, but trust me, they see it as punishment and will think twice before having another infraction.
Frank
PASSION - "There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart...pursue those."
Posts: 1690 | Location: Pueblo,CO,USA | Registered: December 27, 2002
I'm with BigWI and Harbormom. I don't talk with my kids' coaches about playing time; never have. Still, I think that it should be a parent's right to act as their son's "agent" in terms of communicating with coaches. Some kids are simply shy, or inarticulate, while others aren't. There may be a message that needs to be given to (or received from) the coach which will only get there if it goes through a parent. (I do talk to my kids' teachers for exactly that reason.) While I certainly understand why a coach might not want to have those conversations at times, I can't see any reason why teenagers can't have the same "help" as pros have.
D'oh!
Posts: 641 | Location: California | Registered: January 06, 2003
Why is a coach depicted as insecure or hiding something if he won't discuss certain things with parents? Yes this parent/coach thing has been discussed before. Every coach is different. I personally kept a profesional distance. I wanted parents to watch the team and be supportive. i did not want them raising money or keeping score or anywhere near the bench. I know old fashioned out of touch but it worked well for us.
Posts: 1560 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: January 06, 2003
It gets very simple-- your kid goes and plays for another team-----case closed
The coach is in charge of the team--those are his rules-- the players abide by them or leave--there are other places to play where the coach may fit what the player wants
TRhit
Posts: 19140 | Location: Manchester, CT USA | Registered: December 26, 2002
Will...I'm happy that it worked for you. Imagine, however, if you would have talked with the parents and let them raise money...you probably would have had lights on the field; tarp; batting tunnels; etc.
I coached in my 20's; and, then again in the summer of 2002 when I was close to being as old as the Neanderthal Man. I never had a problem with parents talking with me..or I with them. I think you are likely to have a problem when you don't have some dialogue.
I know a few majorleaguers, too. Most affable people you would ever want to meet. None wanted any "control" of anything. Just the opposite.
Hope Frank Does well. Did he have his big years with the Twins?
Don't get into Viola's years with the Twins. It involves a WS, the Thunderdome, an appalling road record, the Cardinals....and then MNMom and I start bickering.
--------------------------------- From 'Nice Guys Finish Last' by Leo Durocher:
Baseball lives at the center of a never-flagging whirl of irreconcilable opinions.
