Coaching and Youth Sports

I helped coach my son's 5-6 year old tee ball team this past spring (season just ended). The head coach asked me to be his assistant prior to the season and I went into it excited and came out of it being glad it was over. I know him from our kids school functions and birthday parties...in other words, very little. He really is a good guy and I knew that he coached soccer, basketball, and flag football so I figured surely he knows what he's doing. If you're ever in this situation, be sure to find out what what their level of knowledge is and what they intend on accomplishing. I made the mistake of assuming he knew what he was doing and not asking. To illustrate the length he was willing to go to ensure fairness and equality - he wanted to have the batting order in alphabetical order by last name and then reverse it the next game and so forth. I thought he was joking when he sent it but no...he was serious. He wanted all of the kids to play each position on the field (new positions every inning) that way they all had equal opportunities. After getting destroyed (a lot to a little) and him finally admitting the kids needed to learn positions I was able to reason with him on some things. He was not interesting in fielding a competitive team rather "having fun" and making sure the kids had equal time in the infield/outfield...down to number of times each kid was the lead off batter. Frustrating is probably the best word to describe my first coaching experience. Needless to say, I will not be coaching with this guy again.

 

Our rules were 7 guys batted an inning. I did an A lineup (older) and B lineup (younger). I rotated so everyone could bat first at some point and spread out my better hitters to potentially clear the bases.

I had my first team infield, they played for 2 innings, then I put in the second team. If my youngest guys were really dialed in then they played infield last inning. A couple of times I had to put the first guys back in if younger guys were just not focused at all. One game, for the heck of it, we started with little guys on infield and they actually amazed us.

But, we were that much better than anyone else. We could do that and still pretty much dominate. We are plotting on keeping this team together as long as we can.

 

We play by the Cal Ripken League rules. The games are one hour (time is on the scoreboard) and to rotate the team batting either scores six runs or you get three outs. My biggest problem was we had 3 other dads helping (all of which had a better understanding than the HC did) and we were all on the same page, providing inputs, etc. but he stubbornly continued what he wanted to do. We went 2-10-2 because of it. We easily had the talent to be at least .500 but he wouldn't allow kids to play a position long enough to learn it.

 

Just basic strategy that most guys who have played ball (hell, even the mom's in the stands know) was beyond this guy.

 

That's never fun.

It's also exactly why I'm never going to coach soccer if the kids play it.

 

Why do you hate fairness

 

Hate is a strong word

 

I'm not being serious

 

I know...

 

My best hitters--who are my biggest, oldest kids-- hit at the end of the lineup and the rest is sorted mainly by who I need to separate in the dugout. I do rotate in the field quite a bit, and it hurts us at times because some of the kids just don't have great hand-eye coordination yet. I think it helps their skills and helps keep them interested, and they seem to like it.

Last night I had to tell a coach to coach his own kids and leave mine alone. I also heard him on more than one occasion tell his kids to 'run over them if they are in the way,' which seemed a little extreme for 5-6, especially considering that the play had ended on the last better. Fortunately, the kids were smarter than he was and there was no bench clearing brawl.

 

A friend of mine that coaches 6-7 had a coach say something similar when playing his team. He wasn't happy.

 

I'd get in a fight. I was watching one of my wife's nephews games, which is around kindergarten age. I had a few words with a coach that tricked a girl to run off of first when she shouldn't have to get her out. That was bush league bullshit.

 

The umpire should call interference/obstruction if the defensive player is in the way. We had a similar instance with another team's first and second baseman being told to stand in the base path by their coach. We had kids running way out of the base path to get around them (to the point they would technically be out for it). After 2 of our kids were forced out at second I asked their coach to move them out of the base path. He didn't and we had another kid forced out at second. After the inning was over I told the ump what was going on and to watch for it. I also told him that I asked the other coach to move them and he just shrugged his shoulders and gave me a "what do you want me to do about it" kind of look. Sure enough, when we were getting ready to bat again they were back in the baseline. This time I told the first and second baseman to either play in front or behind the baseline and explained what interference was. There coach was standing behind me on the right field line and told them to move back. So I turned around, shrugged my shoulders, and say "okay" to him. The next base runner happened to be my son and I told him loud enough for the first baseman, second baseman, and their coach to hear, "if they are in your way, you do not stop running or run around them. You run straight through them. I can assure you they will get out of the way next time." They moved and it wasn't a problem for the rest of the game.

I didn't like having to do that but it was necessary. After the game I asked that coach if he knew that was interference and he said, "yeah, but they don't call it." I just shook my head and walked away.

 

No umpires in this league. Coaches call the outs.

In the two instances I personally heard (I was told there were two more,) the last batter was hitting. In our league, the last batter must run all of the bases, and the play is over when the defense touches any base or tags any player in front of the last batter. Almost all of the teams go to home plate with the ball; our kids typically step on the nearest base. The ball was hit, fielded, and our kid stepped on 2nd (first instance) and 3rd (next instance,) at which point I start waving the kids to the 3rd base dugout, as the play and the inning is over. Other coach starts yelling "If they are in the way, knock them down," or something to that effect. I kept waiting for, "Sweep the leg!"

 

Yeah that's not right. It's interesting to read the differences between leagues. What you're describing is similar to our fall ball league. No umpires, no scoreboard, entire lineup bats through, and the last kid runs all the bases. The guy I coached with would LOVE fall ball since it's purely instructional and you can get away with doing whatever you want. I'm all for the kids having fun but I want them to learn how to play properly, make them better, and be competitive.

 

Yeah, that's crap. Total crap. I enjoy winning, but the people who are cut throat with 5 and 6 year olds amaze me.

 

I think what we've got is actually a pretty good mix. There's no 'official' score, but the kids generally know who won. We do put out, and if the ball beats you to the base, you go to the dugout. And most of us try to teach things that are generally good, fundamental baseball.

The next league up is a pitching machine league. My brother coaches and nephew plays. It is crazy competitive to the point of insanity, IMO. The Y league runs between our spring and fall seasons, and from what I've seen is so non-competitive as to be no more than organized recess. What we're doing for the age we are in now seems to fit fairly well most of the time from what I can see.

 

We don't get crazy competitive until 7/8. It's all fun and games until then.

 

How much does it cost for kids to play sports now? I just became aware that the kids in Virginia Beach are payin a thousand dollars to play hockey? Insurance? Zambonis? Ice? It can't cost that much to play 20 hocky games.

 

My only experience with expensive sports is baseball and it can get really dang expensive.