The Coaches' Thread (Brag, Complain, Share funny stories)...

[desioreo87]

I cringe everytime i'm at a little league game and hear some parent yell, "get your elbow up!" or "swing level!"

Baseball is most poorly coached sport known to man because not many people actually know how to do things correctly.

I would agree with you but I would have to say that soccer is the most poorly coached sport, simply for the fact that every coach I have ever met is some dad who agreed out of complete reluctance and has no clue how the game or fundamentals or anything actually works. Most games consist of kids kicking a ball down the field and chasing.

[rdsknbill]

I would agree with you but I would have to say that soccer is the most poorly coached sport, simply for the fact that every coach I have ever met is some dad who agreed out of complete reluctance and has no clue how the game or fundamentals or anything actually works. Most games consist of kids kicking a ball down the field and chasing.

Isn't that kind of what Soccer is?

You REALLY don't want to know what my lacrosse players call Soccer players. Although I have had some VERY GOOD converted soccer players play lacrosse a few years ago.

[desioreo87]

Because of where I live (middle of nowhere PA) not many of the parents have played soccer. Parents cheer when their kids kick the ball aimlessly (and especially loudly when they kick it far). It makes me cringe.

I also cringe when I'm reffing and a coach is psyching up his players by saying "Are you guys ready to bang?"

I know it's a delicate situation and you're in a tough spot (since you're not in a position of authority because of your level of expertise). There's the direct approach, pull him aside and give him the "Look, Bill I appreciate the time you put in, but I don't think you're helping them learn..." speech.

Or you can ask him to step down, the drawback is that you'll have to do more on your own.

But at 8 & 9, at least in soccer, it's a really important age because that's when you're building the foundation. Bad habits set in early and sometimes takes years to undo.

that must be frusturating. I only started watching 3 years ago but I have read a lot about tactics and movement in that time. I cant wait til i have time to coach a U11 or whatever team. I want these kids to actually know how to play the damn sport. Soccer is the worst coached sport at any level. One of the things I am gonna do is invite them over on saturday mornings to watch premier leage football. At least then, they will see football played at its best.

[dcoles11]

I would agree with you but I would have to say that soccer is the most poorly coached sport, simply for the fact that every coach I have ever met is some dad who agreed out of complete reluctance and has no clue how the game or fundamentals or anything actually works. Most games consist of kids kicking a ball down the field and chasing.

I never played soccer or had anything to do with it so I have no idea how technical it is to teach, though im sure it is.

The thing about baseball is, unless you played it at a high level, college or professional, you probably don't know it well enough to coach it, which means there really aren't a whole lot of people out there quailfied to teach it to kids.

Even if you played in high school, there is a good chance that 5-10-20 years down the road, you either forgot everything you knew or you didn't know it to begin with.

The best thing we do at the school I coach at is have a coach's clinic for the little league coaches in the area. We bring them up to the school, teach them drills, teach them fundamentals, and pray that they retain enough of it and take it back to their practices and teach the kids, so that when we get those kids as 9th graders, they have some sort of clue of how to play the game already.

It's no coinsedence that the high school programs that compete for state championships year after year also have great youth leagues.

[desioreo87]

Isn't that kind of what Soccer is?

You REALLY don't want to know what my lacrosse players call Soccer players. Although I have had some VERY GOOD converted soccer players play lacrosse a few years ago.

I don't wanna know what your lacrosse players call soccer players. To be honest, they don't have a ****ing clue what they are talking about. Are any of your converted soccer players into European soccer?

I have nothing but respect for lacrosse players, its a tough sport but so is soccer, if you play it the right way. One of the best teams in soccer history was AC milan of the early 1990's. The strength, skill, and intelligence required at that level is unmatched in most sports. The strategy in that team was to play a high tempo pressing game, with an aggressive offside trap. Effectively, this shortened the field and allowed the players to constantly pressure the opposing team for 90 minutes, without giving up attacking fluidity. They were one of the greatest defensive sides of all time without compromising their attack, they were one of the greatest attacking sides of all time as well. That side was built on the influences Helenio Herrara at Inter Milan in the 60s and Rinus Michals ideas in the 70s. I am not gonna say anything about lacrosse, I dont know about the sport but I can see that its a great sport.

I wrote this whole thing out to show you how deep football runs. It is nowhere near this kick-and-chase idea you see at 8 year old soccer games. And by 11 years old, in European countries, you start to see real tactics applied to the game just like in county basketball or football or baseball or lacrosse.

[desioreo87]

I never played soccer or had anything to do with it so I have no idea how technical it is to teach, though im sure it is.

The thing about baseball is, unless you played it at a high level, college or professional, you probably don't know it well enough to coach it, which means there really aren't a whole lot of people out there quailfied to teach it to kids.

Even if you played in high school, there is a good chance that 5-10-20 years down the road, you either forgot everything you knew or you didn't know it to begin with.

The best thing we do at the school I coach at is have a coach's clinic for the little league coaches in the area. We bring them up to the school, teach them drills, teach them fundamentals, and pray that they retain enough of it and take it back to their practices and teach the kids, so that when we get those kids as 9th graders, they have some sort of clue of how to play the game already.

It's no coinsedence that the high school programs that compete for state championships year after year also have great youth leagues.

fair enough. I can't comment on baseball, dont know anything about it. But it seems baseball and soccer are in the same predicament. However, im inclined to believe that since baseball is a much more popular sport in america that it has at least a few more good coaches than soccer.

[RedskinFeathers]

I would agree with you but I would have to say that soccer is the most poorly coached sport, simply for the fact that every coach I have ever met is some dad who agreed out of complete reluctance and has no clue how the game or fundamentals or anything actually works. Most games consist of kids kicking a ball down the field and chasing.

My dad coached me in every sport from preschool until about 2nd or 3rd grade. Basketball, soccer, baseball, even a little roller hockey. But he was awesome, he's just one of those guys who "gets" sports and he's really good at coaching.

However, I then joined a WAGS team (Washington Area Girls Soccer) and had my first "real" coach who wasn't a parent. It was kinda weird at first, but he was a reallllly smart guy who really knew soccer. We had a kickass team for about 4 or 5 years. And he taught me how to water ski.

This wasn't really a coach story, but I just thought I'd agree with you - there are a lot of very poorly coached soccer teams out there. Soccer is underrated as a whole.

[dcoles11]

fair enough. I can't comment on baseball, dont know anything about it. But it seems baseball and soccer are in the same predicament. However, im inclined to believe that since baseball is a much more popular sport in america that it has at least a few more good coaches than soccer.

actually, I would say that the popularity of baseball actually aids in making it coached even worse.

what I mean is, a lot of people like baseball, so when someone likes something, they assume they know it.

for example, look at all the people that post about the Redskins in the stadium, we all know the absoutely crazy things that are posted in there, and that is by people that actaully think they know what they are talking about!

a lot of people confuse being a fan of something with knowing something. I love the Redskins, love football, but I would never attempt to coach the sport.

[desioreo87]

actually, I would say that the popularity of baseball actually aids in making it coached even worse.

what I mean is, a lot of people like baseball, so when someone likes something, they assume they know it.

for example, look at all the people that post about the Redskins in the stadium, we all know the absoutely crazy things that are posted in there, and that is by people that actaully think they know what they are talking about!

a lot of people confuse being a fan of something with knowing something. I love the Redskins, love football, but I would never attempt to coach the sport.

its a very good point.

Heres the question: what makes a worse coach, thinking you know the game when you don't or not knowing anything and coaching anyway?

they are both really bad options, but what is worse?

[dcoles11]

its a very good point.

Heres the question: what makes a worse coach, thinking you know the game when you don't or not knowing anything and coaching anyway?

they are both really bad options, but what is worse?

I would say thinking you know the game when you don't.

I say that because usually when you think you know something, you aren't open to learning, you think you have it all figured out.

It's like when someone makes a post with their opinion and no matter how many people give them facts that pretty shoot down his or her opinion, they still stick by their guns, because they think they know what they are talking about and can't possibly be wrong or change their mind.

Someone that is coaching and realizes they don't really have a clue will probably be more inclinde to take advice and learn from those than know better than they do.

[desioreo87]

It's like when someone makes a post with their opinion and no matter how many people give them facts that pretty shoot down his or her opinion, they still stick by their guns, because they think they know what they are talking about and can't possibly be wrong or change their mind.

Sounds remarkably familiar to a certain thread pertaining to college basketball.

GO BE!

[dcoles11]

Sounds remarkably familiar to a certain thread pertaining to college basketball.

GO BE!

haha well in that thread I give people a pass because a lot of that is just opinion and bias and there aren't right and wrong answers to a lot of what is discussed.

It is also much less serious, someone's bad opinion on a sporting event or team isn't harmful to a kid, but a bad coach certainly can be.

[Special K]

Alrighty, how about we not start an argument over which sport is harder to coach than the next sport or what sports players call other sports players...that kinda does no good.

My input into that is that I've coached softball, and I've run several tennis clinics at a country club and through the YMCA, my brother coached varsity volleyball for a few years, and my sister-in-law coaches soccer...having been involved in all those sports and talking to my family and other friends who coach different sports, clearly all have unique characteristics that make different aspects of each sport difficult to coach in one area or another...so we all have a rough road at some point. And I all think we can agree that parents who are overbearing or coach their children wrong and yell out wrong instructions from the silly stands are FRUSTRATING

* In good news, our girls beat the #1 team in our league today in extra innings! We've never beaten this team, EVER, in the however many years we've been in the league. I'm still pumped up about the game woot woot!!

[Special K]

Heres the question: what makes a worse coach, thinking you know the game when you don't or not knowing anything and coaching anyway?

Oh, most DEFINITELY thinking you know the game when you don't know squat. Especially when you are a loudmouth. Holy crap that makes me want to scream.

[robotfire]

One time when I was about 7 years old and played soccer, our goalie got stuck in the net. I have no idea how he did that, but the other team charged at him with the ball and he did nothing but squirm while watching the opponent walk the ball in for a goal. He was completely tangled in it.

[SkinsBry]

I don't wanna know what your lacrosse players call soccer players. To be honest, they don't have a ****ing clue what they are talking about. Are any of your converted soccer players into European soccer?

The soccer players that Bill's lacrosse players are talking about aren't European. They are talking about soccer players that are the same age and younger that live in the same area that have taken valuable field time from the Lax players over the years so that they can kick the ball around randomly. I have seen this for myself.

When I was younger, we had one team per age group (four teams total) that played soccer in the fall. Now they have about twenty teams that play in the fall and spring, also half the teams don't keep score so that nobody's feelings get hurt.

[btfoom]

..

You REALLY don't want to know what my lacrosse players call Soccer players. ...

Why, have they learned two syllable words yet?

I was coaching my daughter's 4 year old team some years ago. One little girl would just not leave her mom's lap. I talked to her a couple of time, but didn't force anything. After a couple of weeks, she eventually would go onto the field, but only holding her mom's hand. Her mom was really supportive and didn't force her at any time. By the end of the season, she would generally participate on her own, but still a little shy. Next spring, there she was, getting a little more confident each week.

After that season, she stopped playing soccer. Fast forward 8 years. I'm at my daughter's middle school play. One of the girls in the play (not the lead, but a fairly important character) is this little girl who was so scared to play. I saw her mom at intermission and she came over, gave me a big hug, and said those two seasons really changed her daughters outlook. She became much more outgoing and started dance, which she fell in love with.

I don't know exactly how much I really helped, but that was the nicest compliment I've ever received from a parent. Just my little story.

[btfoom]

its a very good point.

Heres the question: what makes a worse coach, thinking you know the game when you don't or not knowing anything and coaching anyway?

they are both really bad options, but what is worse?

Depending on the age of the players, I would say that not coaching at all is worse. I run our local intramural soccer league (4-7 yr olds) and I have to recruit new coaches every year. If they don't coach, the kids don't play.

I've coached soccer (actually know something about this sport), boys and girls lacrosse, baseball, basketball, and roller hockey (and I can't even skate). For most of these teams, my son/daughter was young and just learning, but the organization needed someone to coach. Most people can learn the very basics of a sport and teach them to young kids. I appreciate every parent who steps up to help their kids.

[TMK9973]

Depending on the age of the players, I would say that not coaching at all is worse. I run our local intramural soccer league (4-7 yr olds) and I have to recruit new coaches every year. If they don't coach, the kids don't play.

thank you.

I did not want to coach Baseball this year. I wanted my son to learn from someone who knows baseball. I agreed to be a asst coach. BUT- there was no one else. 1 team was removed due to no volunteers. I agreed to coach and have only 1 other dad who volunteered to help (And he is bad).

funny enough - There are at least 2 other dads who are there for every practice. So I know they can make it. But they didn't volunteer to coach.

So far - I have coached 4 Footballs, 1 baseball and the kids moms have coached Soccer. I have yet to have a league tell me they have enough coaches.

[codeorama]

When I was a JV coach a few years back, I was playing against my dad's JV team and a couple of his players brought over the game ball for our pitcher, I looked at it and gave it back and said "we'd like a curve ball instead". The 8th grader looked at me and after thinking about it, asked how you could tell the difference. I said that the fastballs were made in China and the curveballs were made in Taiwan. As they were walking away, he told the other kid "I knew there had to be a reason I couldn't throw a curve".

When my dad's team came to my field, he sent over a couple of guys to get the keys to the batters box. I handed them my keys. They proceeded to stand around home plate for about 2 minutes, not sure about what to do.

This year, I told my varsity guys to find the tarp iron to get the wrinkles out of the tarp that covers the pitchers mound, we had built a new mound and I didn't want the tarp causing the dirt to have creases in it. After they looked for about 5 minutes, they said they couldn't find it, I told them to ask the Athletic Director, he had to have it, the last coach must have turned it in to him. After 30 minutes, they finally figured out they had been had.

I always mess with them. The other day, I asked one of them to fill a bucket with water so we could fix the pitchers mound. I told them to clean it out first, I didn't want dirty water on the mound. So he did...

[btfoom]

thank you.

I did not want to coach Baseball this year. I wanted my son to learn from someone who knows baseball. I agreed to be a asst coach. BUT- there was no one else. 1 team was removed due to no volunteers. I agreed to coach and have only 1 other dad who volunteered to help (And he is bad).

funny enough - There are at least 2 other dads who are there for every practice. So I know they can make it. But they didn't volunteer to coach.

So far - I have coached 4 Footballs, 1 baseball and the kids moms have coached Soccer. I have yet to have a league tell me they have enough coaches.

And I bet your kids love every minute of it. I agree that at some point, kids need 'good' coaching, but as you have shown, any coach is far better than no coach.

I also see many parents who won't/can't commit to coach suddenly show up for every minute of practice and games. I always try to get them involved and help out.

I'm sure all of the other kids who played on any team you coach appreciated the fact they got to play (wow, what a novel concept, kids playing sports because they like it).

Two thumbs up for you!!! :applause::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Elessar78]

I find it hard to balance the need for structured and unstructured play in coaching. I believe that the US is really good in basketball because kids learn to play in an unstructured environment. Ditto for Argentinians and Brazilians when it comes to soccer. Dominicans in baseball?

Nowadays the only way a kid will play a sport is at practice—a structured environment. I've had to resort to giving the kids "homework" or else they won't do it outside practice at the game.

[TMK9973]

I find it hard to balance the need for structured and unstructured play in coaching. I believe that the US is really good in basketball because kids learn to play in an unstructured environment. Ditto for Argentinians and Brazilians when it comes to soccer. Dominicans in baseball?

Nowadays the only way a kid will play a sport is at practice—a structured environment. I've had to resort to giving the kids "homework" or else they won't do it outside practice at the game.

This is a REALLY good point. Even one step further, the more unstructured, the more fun it is, and the more a kid is going to stick with it even longer and through the un-fun times.

[SkinsBry]

This is a REALLY good point. Even one step further, the more unstructured, the more fun it is, and the more a kid is going to stick with it even longer and through the un-fun times.

Yeah, I agree with this 100%. When I played football for the school, I saw little practice time and even less game time. When I played neighborhood ball against bigger and older kids, I'd put on a clinic. I loved playing those games.

I went to a school that was very political. Starting spots were given based on last name, not how well you played, and that was a public school, not private.

[Major Harris]

Isn't that kind of what Soccer is?

You REALLY don't want to know what my lacrosse players call Soccer players. Although I have had some VERY GOOD converted soccer players play lacrosse a few years ago.

why do niche sports always have some sort of complex when it comes to other sports?

like that shirt in your sig. i laugh every time i see something like that. wrestlers are very much that way about other sports.