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The Youth Sports Coaching Thread

I'm regretting not volunteering to help coach my son's team this year in little league. They had 3 established coaches already, one of whom is also a varsity football coach, so I figured they were all set. The team has not been good so far this season. At all. We've lost by 10 runs or more 5 out of the last 6 games. Some of that is ability, there's a lot of 10 year olds on the team going up against teams with a bunch of 12 year olds, but some of it too is coaching in my opinion. It's killing me to sit in the stands and have the coaches just sitting in the dugout watching silently, not calling out to the players or reminding them where certain plays will be based on what happens. Other coaches are doing it, and it's frustrating beyond belief.

Do I think my being in the dugout would make a big difference? Nope. But it bothers me to see the kids out there making bad play after bad play and the coaches are just sitting there not telling kids to eat it, or which base should be the one they throw to if the ball comes their way. So many runs have been given up due to things like that.
 
My son is 12 going on 13.i coached him in baseball u til he lost interest, rec soccer before I turned him over to the professional travel coaches and I have continued to coach him in youth football since he was 7. He plays in one of the most competitive youth football leagues in the country... Our county puts out 50+ Division I football players a year. This will be my last year coaching O and D line as he will feed into to the 8th grade program next year wherw the high schools come down and install their systems.

I've coached my 9 year old daughter in a few things but she's more into horses, art and piano.

Regardless, I've never regretted a minute of the time I've spent coaching kids at any level, particularly my own of course. I love seeing where these kids end up.
 
I am not a coach, but i would like to share information about my coach. I am interested to play cricket so i joined for the cricket caching, my coacher name is sandy who guides me a lot about the cricket, basically am a batsman but my coach always says that you should become an all rounder because an allrounder can be the reason for the team win..
 
Had my first parent question their kiddos playing time, not to me mind you, but to our "team mom", on our U12 soccer team. Mind you, she left the team last year but wanted back in this year. I might just sit her the entire 1st half this Saturday to make a point. Ha-Ha.
 
At least it happened during the season and you've got a chance to address it.

I just signed up to coach my son's basketball team again. Last year was hell with this group and I didn't expect to do it again. But over the course of the off season I came to see that I didn't give them the best I have to offer as a coach. So I'm coming back this year to make it right. A bunch of stuff is going to be different and some parents may not like the discipline and rules I have, but it will ultimately be for the benefit of the boys.
 
tequila4kapp said:
At least it happened during the season and you've got a chance to address it.

I just signed up to coach my son's basketball team again. Last year was hell with this group and I didn't expect to do it again. But over the course of the off season I came to see that I didn't give them the best I have to offer as a coach. So I'm coming back this year to make it right. A bunch of stuff is going to be different and some parents may not like the discipline and rules I have, but it will ultimately be for the benefit of the boys.
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We'll probably address at the end of the season. The theme of our year end parent/player meeting:

Fair Does Not Always Mean Equal
 
Big game tomorrow, head coach is out for the game. We're 2-0-2 and in 4th out of 10 teams. Have to keep the undefeated streak going! Full control tomorrow!
 
Basketball is about to start. My son's transition to middle school has been hard and I've been struggling with the possibility of deciding that he's sitting this year out to get his academics back in order (he's not flunking or anything but not nearly performing up to his normal standards). Our school's AD sent me a message today asking to meet with me. Curious. She wouldn't discuss with me over the phone or by text...have to meet. I have a feeling I am either going to be invited not to coach (complaining parents at the end of last season) or asked to take on more responsibility. Either way, I'm not sure it is a good thing. Add that to the business with my son and the hoops season is off to a bumpy start.
 
tequila4kapp said:
Basketball is about to start. My son's transition to middle school has been hard and I've been struggling with the possibility of deciding that he's sitting this year out to get his academics back in order (he's not flunking or anything but not nearly performing up to his normal standards). Our school's AD sent me a message today asking to meet with me. Curious. She wouldn't discuss with me over the phone or by text...have to meet. I have a feeling I am either going to be invited not to coach (complaining parents at the end of last season) or asked to take on more responsibility. Either way, I'm not sure it is a good thing. Add that to the business with my son and the hoops season is off to a bumpy start.
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Interesting times for sure. Let us know what comes of the meeting??!! In the end doing what's right for your son is priority #1 but you know that already!

I'm struggling myself with my middle child's daughters team and whether I'm going to continue coaching next spring or move my daughter to a better situation on a team where the players want to play. I've got about half my current team that wants to play and learn while the other half is in la la land or doing kart wheels down the field. They put us in the top division and we're playing teams that care. We are the bad news bears 2016 out there. It's embarrassing and I've had about enough. I've got a big decision ahead.
 
My 7th grade boys are 9-0 counting the first round playoff game last week. They've given up a total of 16 points in 9 games...we face a tough test to get to the semifinals. I'm trying to enjoy it as it will probably be my last year coaching as they get sucked into the high school feeder program
 
And we are out...crap. Too many penalties on us, too many crappy calls for the other team...my guys just didn't okay their best. My son to a helmet to the shin and kneecap and had a rough time trying to stop their nose guard after that. Sigh...I'm going to miss these kids.
 
SouthernShred said:
And we are out...crap. Too many penalties on us, too many crappy calls for the other team...my guys just didn't okay their best. My son to a helmet to the shin and kneecap and had a rough time trying to stop their nose guard after that. Sigh...I'm going to miss these kids.
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That's too bad. Sorry about the loss.
 
Thanks...last year for this group to be together...ended so abruptly, 15-12 in overtime. We made a field goal to win and the refs called it dead, offsides by the defense. Despite making it, no good. We rekick, they block it...they kick a field goal to win and we miss blocking it by inches.
 
tequila4kapp said:
Basketball is about to start. My son's transition to middle school has been hard and I've been struggling with the possibility of deciding that he's sitting this year out to get his academics back in order (he's not flunking or anything but not nearly performing up to his normal standards). Our school's AD sent me a message today asking to meet with me. Curious. She wouldn't discuss with me over the phone or by text...have to meet. I have a feeling I am either going to be invited not to coach (complaining parents at the end of last season) or asked to take on more responsibility. Either way, I'm not sure it is a good thing. Add that to the business with my son and the hoops season is off to a bumpy start.
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Update: We can put this in the ugly side of youth sports category...

I was informed that a couple of parents complained about the way I interacted with my son and that created an environment that wasn't consistent with CYO so I'm prohibited from coaching this group ever again. I was really hurt - they are telling me I'm a bad parent. They had no specific examples of impropriety and I don't believe I did anything wrong. They made their decision before speaking to me to get my side of the story. What's done is done.

I know who the complaining parents are - the ungrateful uninvolved pain in the ass parents who hated me because I didn't give their kids extra playing time even though they clearly didn't deserve it and mostly didn't even want to be on the team; their kids confronted my son at school through last season telling him their dads didn't like his dad (me), suddenly stopped inviting him to peer events, etc. Wonderful examples of the CYO way...

Anyway, another "fun" part of the story is that about the same time my son got a progress report that cemented the decision to keep him out of sports for the term. He is ashamed and embarrassed and asked me not to say anything to anyone. I am trying to help him academically, not shame him, so I agreed. A couple of administrators reached out about him not playing. It is obvious they think I'm holding him out because I'm not coaching. I care more about my son than what they think of me but it's a bit ironic that trying to do the right thing by my son further promotes their views of me. Oh well.

We shall see about coaching again when softball season rolls around - I love the time and experience with my kids when I coach them but have definitely been soured to youth sports by this experience.
 
So sorry to here that T4K.
 
tequila4kapp said:
Update: We can put this in the ugly side of youth sports category...

I was informed that a couple of parents complained about the way I interacted with my son and that created an environment that wasn't consistent with CYO so I'm prohibited from coaching this group ever again. I was really hurt - they are telling me I'm a bad parent. They had no specific examples of impropriety and I don't believe I did anything wrong. They made their decision before speaking to me to get my side of the story. What's done is done.

I know who the complaining parents are - the ungrateful uninvolved pain in the ass parents who hated me because I didn't give their kids extra playing time even though they clearly didn't deserve it and mostly didn't even want to be on the team; their kids confronted my son at school through last season telling him their dads didn't like his dad (me), suddenly stopped inviting him to peer events, etc. Wonderful examples of the CYO way...

Anyway, another "fun" part of the story is that about the same time my son got a progress report that cemented the decision to keep him out of sports for the term. He is ashamed and embarrassed and asked me not to say anything to anyone. I am trying to help him academically, not shame him, so I agreed. A couple of administrators reached out about him not playing. It is obvious they think I'm holding him out because I'm not coaching. I care more about my son than what they think of me but it's a bit ironic that trying to do the right thing by my son further promotes their views of me. Oh well.

We shall see about coaching again when softball season rolls around - I love the time and experience with my kids when I coach them but have definitely been soured to youth sports by this experience.
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Welcome to the REAL world of coaching. It's all politics, all the time.

In the end maybe it's a blessing, enjoy time with the kiddo without the strain of coaching and sports, there's always a bright side in there somewhere.
 
tequila4kapp said:
Update: We can put this in the ugly side of youth sports category...

I was informed that a couple of parents complained about the way I interacted with my son and that created an environment that wasn't consistent with CYO so I'm prohibited from coaching this group ever again. I was really hurt - they are telling me I'm a bad parent. They had no specific examples of impropriety and I don't believe I did anything wrong. They made their decision before speaking to me to get my side of the story. What's done is done.

I know who the complaining parents are - the ungrateful uninvolved pain in the ass parents who hated me because I didn't give their kids extra playing time even though they clearly didn't deserve it and mostly didn't even want to be on the team; their kids confronted my son at school through last season telling him their dads didn't like his dad (me), suddenly stopped inviting him to peer events, etc. Wonderful examples of the CYO way...

Anyway, another "fun" part of the story is that about the same time my son got a progress report that cemented the decision to keep him out of sports for the term. He is ashamed and embarrassed and asked me not to say anything to anyone. I am trying to help him academically, not shame him, so I agreed. A couple of administrators reached out about him not playing. It is obvious they think I'm holding him out because I'm not coaching. I care more about my son than what they think of me but it's a bit ironic that trying to do the right thing by my son further promotes their views of me. Oh well.

We shall see about coaching again when softball season rolls around - I love the time and experience with my kids when I coach them but have definitely been soured to youth sports by this experience.
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Wow.....nice ass hats you have there. We live in a word where equal playing time is expected no matter the skill level or effort being put in by kids and/or parents. I understand it more in younger youth sports to get them hooked and wanting to play and play well. But we are experiencing this now with our 10 year old girls soccer team - fair does not always mean equal. Showing up to practice, having a positive attitude, willing to learn, being coachable, interaction with the other players, playing positions without complaining, skill level, additional practice requests, etc. all goes in to where everyone is playing and how much playing time one is getting.

I had my first question from a parent asking if their kiddo was getting enough playing time compared to everyone else. Simple answer - no they are not. This player was on our team 2 years ago, moved away for a year (didn't play soccer while away) came back and expected to pick up where they left off. This player requested to play a particular position on a particular side of the field because their right foot was better than the left foot. It's amazing for me to try and look into the brains of other parents and how they think and come to their own conclusions. I'm sure it has something to do with my daughter that plays almost the entire game. She's got the biggest leg/kick on the team. She's one of the most physical with contact. She takes lessons outside of practice and has gotten her to this point. She's top 2 in goals scored on the team and she doesn't even play an attacker position. But people see what they want to see and it's just not fair to them. Luckily, it was nipped in the bud and the parent understood at the end. But I can see how this could snow ball into something much much bigger like your situation.

Hope things work out for you buddy. I really enjoy coaching my 2 girls and will miss it one day when it ends.
 
Heading into may 8th season (fall/spring = 2 seasons) coaching my girls soccer team. We threw the pebble last season for my soon to be 11 year old team concerning fair doesn't always mean equal as we move forward. Playing time is no longer 50/50. Factors now at play: showing up for practice, skill level, attitude, learning time, outside training, level of play at games, etc. The girls seemed to respond to that and we finished off last season in 1st place.

This season, one of our coaches mentioned wanting to begin tracking a few key stats in a game so that we could review them and present to the team at the next practice. Sort of point out a few things that they probably just don't remember as the game is being played. Shots on goal, assists, key stops, goalie defended shots, etc.

Can you guys/girls think of anything during the course of a game you might see beneficial in tracking? Just off the top of my head I see the followiing:

- Goals scored
- Assists
- goalie shots blocked
- time of possession
- take aways on defense

????
 
I have licked my wounds over the CYO basketball thing and signed up to manage my daughter's AAA softball team again. I've always had good experiences in this league and I hope that continues.
 
Nate said:
Heading into may 8th season (fall/spring = 2 seasons) coaching my girls soccer team. We threw the pebble last season for my soon to be 11 year old team concerning fair doesn't always mean equal as we move forward. Playing time is no longer 50/50. Factors now at play: showing up for practice, skill level, attitude, learning time, outside training, level of play at games, etc. The girls seemed to respond to that and we finished off last season in 1st place.

This season, one of our coaches mentioned wanting to begin tracking a few key stats in a game so that we could review them and present to the team at the next practice. Sort of point out a few things that they probably just don't remember as the game is being played. Shots on goal, assists, key stops, goalie defended shots, etc.

Can you guys/girls think of anything during the course of a game you might see beneficial in tracking? Just off the top of my head I see the followiing:

- Goals scored
- Assists
- goalie shots blocked
- time of possession
- take aways on defense

????
Click to expand...
A couple of thoughts:
Turnovers
Number of shots on goal taken / given
Location of shots on goal taken / given
Number of successful passes made (this a play on something I read about the GS Warriors. They found a correlation between touches/passes - not just assists - and winning)
 
My 5 year old is doing some baseball clinics on the weekends, but little league starts in April. I volunteered to help assistant coach. I look forward to reading through this thread. I have zero coaching experience but love the game and have passed that on to my son. Should be fun!
 
ozzman said:
My 5 year old is doing some baseball clinics on the weekends, but little league starts in April. I volunteered to help assistant coach. I look forward to reading through this thread. I have zero coaching experience but love the game and have passed that on to my son. Should be fun!
Click to expand...

Start with watching this. Great 4 minutes.

 
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