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Thoughts from an old progressive
Roy Pratt

1912 or 2012????

Posted Monday, January 30, 2012, at 6:09 PM
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  • Children will experience disappointment at young ages, but a coach is supposed to inspire greatness. It isn't just about winning, but learning to play the game and having the opportunity to do so.

    Sadly, this coach missed out on an opportunity to experience that with the children that he is working with.

    I won't search for him, that would validate his arrogance.

    And why on earth should a coach be expecting a major league team out of kids still in grade-school?

    -- Posted by KH Gal on Mon, Jan 30, 2012, at 9:25 PM
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    The story is a little short on info but I can offer some insight into what might have happened. Again, this is a "might have" story.

    I started coaching T-Ball (5 & 6 year olds) in 1990 and continued through 2000. The most fun and rewarding times was in the first 3 years. The kids had fun and even the parents had fun during this non-competitive sport.

    By 1999 year, coaching became a nightmare. Why? The parents!!!! In a game where all kids must play, the parents started demanding their kid play certain position, would come out on the field and yell at their kids if they missed a play and other totally obnoxious behavior.

    In 2000, I had finally had enough. Parents began the season grumbling at me and ended the season yelling at me. I lost my assistant coach by the 2nd game and there were no certified volunteer coaches to take his place. I asked for help, any help from the parents in coaching. They'd help for a game or 2 and then stop.

    So, in the case of this coach, is it possible the parents had a big influence in trying to turn this team into a more "competitive team"?

    I have other similar interesting stories about coaching 10-12 year olds in basketball.

    -- Posted by bondyweb on Mon, Jan 30, 2012, at 10:54 PM
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    Volunteer coaches at this level (T-ball) are among the finest people people in the world. They are there BECAUSE .... they WANT TO BE... they LOVE the GAME ....and the KIDS love THEM.

    The FEW parents that raise stinks in these cases HAVE FAR BIGGER egos than they can handle. They can best serve their community by STAYING HOME.....

    Guaranteed, the little girl is not the next Babe RuthEE her unruly parent wants her to be...

    Just my two cents worth

    -- Posted by wh67 on Tue, Jan 31, 2012, at 5:54 AM
  • Yes it could be the parents. They seem to want to live out their own busted dreams through their children.

    -- Posted by KH Gal on Tue, Jan 31, 2012, at 2:05 PM
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    I was a slow kid in Little League and it took a triple for me to get to first base, so I decided fishing was a better way to spend my time. I gave up on a lot of dreams in the past 50 years since, but I still want to play the games I can.

    I dearly love the Little Leauge World Series and the tournaments that lead up to it. A freind was back there a few years ago and bought me a commemorative ball. That is as pure as a game can get, everyone associated with it, past and present, knows and RESPECTS it's purity. Clear around the world.

    -- Posted by wh67 on Tue, Jan 31, 2012, at 3:31 PM
  • From what I could tell, the girl wants to play but the coach doesn't want her to play be cause they are trying to get into a more competitive league that also doesn't allow girls.

    My oldest grand daughter wanted to play football in HS. Tried out and got a spot. As a linebacker. She more than held her own. If a girl can compete on the same level as a boy, let her play. If she doesn't want to play and it's the parent, the girl most likely wont try hard enough to really compete.

    Just my thoughts.

    Roy

    -- Posted by royincaldwell on Tue, Jan 31, 2012, at 4:10 PM
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