If I were to say I never complained about a coach then my nose would grow a few inches. However, there are some coaches I would never say anything negative about. Those coaches really are out there for the good of the team and players. Then there are the ‘other’ coaches, the ones I dread coming face to face with for fear that I might say the wrong thing or blow up in their face. I can come up with many reasons why I might get upset with a coach. I mean, really, why on earth did they call for that play? Why did they choose that kid? Why isn’t my kid playing? Why is he yelling at the officials again?
It really isn’t too difficult to disagree with coaches, especially if you don’t understand why they are making
some decisions. When an adult makes a decision you don’t agree with you assume they are wrong, that they clearly don’t know what they are doing. We all can admit that happens to us, and then realize what the coach was thinking but the players simply made an error. Sometime you see they were trying to accomplish a particular play and to my surprise it actually worked.
Running a team and being responsible for every play can be difficult, especially when you are incorporating 10-15 kids into the team and trying to make sure they all get to play. (This is speaking to the younger athletes, before high school.) These coaches put themselves out there and try to accomplish one thing, a winning season. My philosophy is a little different, I prefer to develop a well rounded player first. The wins will come later in time.
I’m reminded of the youth sports reminders from your child which ends with:
No scholarships will be handed out today.
Coaching by definition is the person responsible for managing or training a person or team. (Not the parents.) It’s not easy. Period. Are there some people meant to do it? Absolutely. Are there some people not capable of coaching? Absolutely. Not every person is perfect, and they are going to make mistakes. After all, we are all humans. Our best learning comes from mistakes, only then we learn what doesn’t work and gradually become a more experienced person.
The next time you are getting upset with the coach during your child’s game, try to imagine yourself in their role. You might have all the answers in your head at that moment, in the bleachers, sipping your drink, but the coach, in the dugout with 12 others players, repeating the line up for the third time and hoping that the next child up to bat just doesn’t get hit with the ball at the plate this time. The coach isn’t thinking about what the parents are doing in the bleachers, or concerned that they will not approve of their choices, they are just trying to get through the game. Their mission on game day is to get everyone a chance to bat, experience different positions and most importantly, have fun. That is my definition of the coach I want for my kids. The coach who is out there for the good of the kids, not worried about winning every game. After all, isn’t this all for the kids?
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