Kids - Sports - Coaches - Thank you & Rant

leslisa
leslisa Posts: 1,350 Member
edited December 2024 in Chit-Chat
Thank you :flowerforyou:

To all coaches who are amazing, THANK YOU bunches. You have made my two sons' and my daughter's lives so much better. They have learned from you - not only the game they were playing but respect, too. You were awesome and we appreciate it more than you know. My 13 yo has started running again because of one of you, an amazing young woman who has brought him into her group, encourages him, and gives him and the others running with him the opportunity to have fun, make friends, and improve!

Rant :explode:

To all the self-centered, jerk coaches, especially my kid's last running coach. Get a friggin' life. Why does digging on kids give you so much pleasure? What right do you have to tell my 13 yo he is not "built" to be a runner? He's 13. And have you looked at runners? They come in all shapes and sizes. Did you feel like a big person pushing him out? PUSH OFF. Oh, and BTW, after you found out he runs the mile faster than any other kid in your Jr. High you cannot be nice and expect him to come back. Did you think he would forget your harsh words? You made running depressing and made him feel inadequate. Furthermore, it was me, not you, who trained your "star" 1 miler. I was out there for three months before the season working with both boys, bringing their times down. Me, not you. You're a total *kitten* and if I could t.p. your house, I would. I certainly want to!

Before any comments about I don't understand how hard it is to be a coach, oh yes I do. I coached soccer 12 years. Part of that time I had an autistic child on my team, other times I had learning challenged kids.

Replies

  • muddyventures
    muddyventures Posts: 360 Member
    Wow, is all I have to say....This is a very passive attack on the coach and I hope you went to both coaches and expressed, respectfully why you were displeased. I volunteer coach 4-6 grade track and I've run into parents who were so mean to me about their kids I went home and cried, I've had parents give me 'tips' on how to coach (and all though they sit at practices and meets watching every move the kid and I make - when given the opportunity to coach they turn it down. I am a positive, loving coach whose goal is to get those kids to enjoy it and not work them into the ground and hate it, but I can say this.. there is room for the 'harder' coach. Kids learn in all ways.. some take to the gentle side and others take to the push them into the ground side. A Truly bad coach should get complaints in person and to a supervisor otherwise they stay coaches. My suggestion to you is.....


    BE the coach, make the changes you see necessary! Volunteer if even just once a week, or for a few hours, be a positive force for the kids who need it and a good example for a poor coach.
  • RunnerBlonde808
    RunnerBlonde808 Posts: 257 Member
    I know exactly where you are coming from. A true coach that is coaching kids will encourage and not discourage a child. I do hope that you spoke to this coach in person because maybe they do not realize they are being this way. (although I'm not sure how they wouldn't). But actually telling them they are bringing kids down or making it hard might be what helps them change their ways. I have 4 children so I have had my fair share of good and bad coaches too. The bad ones tend to be the overly competitive ones that only care about winning or being the best. Those coaches normally do have great teams but, from my experience, the kids are afraid of them. I have had to talk to a couple of them and after I talked to them there was a difference in the way my child was treated.
  • leslisa
    leslisa Posts: 1,350 Member
    I tried to discuss with the coach, he wasn't interested in listening. It was a game of favs. My kid wasn't the favorite. The coach assumed the taller, older kids would be end up being faster. Bottom line, he couldn't make them as fast as my son in the 1 mile (5 min 17 sec best time) so son was asked back to run for the school, but he was over it by then. Coach even had my son's friends trying to convince him to run at end. He opted to concentrate solely on academics extracurricular instead (He has 4.0 GPA. Participates in a presentation boards and a competition team).

    About volunteering, I volunteered quite a bit, so did my older son. I strongly believe in parents supporting their kids as they can.

    And honestly, I do sometimes interfere in training (he's played 4 sports at one time b-4 cause he's mild adhd), but it usually has more to do with stretching and his physical limitations more than anything else. He's super tight, had actual injuries from it, has to stretch before and after sports activities.

    The most important thing is how much difference a good coach will make. Because the new coach is amazing. She's already my hero!! Invited him right in, told him he'd do fine, helped him stretching and with wind sprints. He wants to go back and run. Good stuff, no great stuff!!

    Muddyventures, my son's first coaches were his inspiration for so long. They did 5 - 6 grade xcountry. Amazing women, simply fantastic! Can't say enough positive about them. So my hat's off to you =). Woohoo!! You are doing great stuff, too.
  • tobielauren
    tobielauren Posts: 184 Member
    Part of my job some day will be to educate coaches on sport and how it affects children. As a sport psychology consultant, sering egotistical coaches in youth sport irritates me so much. The number one reason kids participate in sport is enjoyment and the number one reason kids leave sport is because it's no longer fun.
  • muddyventures
    muddyventures Posts: 360 Member
    Part of my job some day will be to educate coaches on sport and how it affects children. As a sport psychology consultant, sering egotistical coaches in youth sport irritates me so much. The number one reason kids participate in sport is enjoyment and the number one reason kids leave sport is because it's no longer fun.

    I'm not a consultant like you, but this is so true! Some parents are just so crazed and there are coaches who shouldn't be working as that...I think as parents or guardians or even fellow coaches we should be proactive in getting those coaches to get out or to change. I think this can be done without being mean.

    To the OP, I think it is great that you are coaching and helping your children find their best... I have found that with one of my children I have to really stay away from her practices because even just being there and not saying anything can cause her to hesitate... interesting and hard at the same time. My other three children aren't that way... it is a balance act sticking up and fighting for the best for your children, and also allowing them to find their way through a world of different personalities and sticking to it for the love of what they do.
  • leslisa
    leslisa Posts: 1,350 Member
    Part of my job some day will be to educate coaches on sport and how it affects children. As a sport psychology consultant, seeing egotistical coaches in youth sport irritates me so much. The number one reason kids participate in sport is enjoyment and the number one reason kids leave sport is because it's no longer fun.

    It is awesome you are doing this. :bigsmile:
  • Lone_Wolf70
    Lone_Wolf70 Posts: 2,820 Member
    I have had some serious problems with my kid's baseball coaches. One of which my wife reported for cursing and berating kids in practice and then he took out on my kid by batting him almost last (ironic since he is an all star and best kid on team).

    I know alot of good coaches, but in my experience it is truly 50% ration good to bad.
  • tobielauren
    tobielauren Posts: 184 Member
    Part of my job some day will be to educate coaches on sport and how it affects children. As a sport psychology consultant, sering egotistical coaches in youth sport irritates me so much. The number one reason kids participate in sport is enjoyment and the number one reason kids leave sport is because it's no longer fun.

    I'm not a consultant like you, but this is so true! Some parents are just so crazed and there are coaches who shouldn't be working as that...I think as parents or guardians or even fellow coaches we should be proactive in getting those coaches to get out or to change. I think this can be done without being mean.

    To the OP, I think it is great that you are coaching and helping your children find their best... I have found that with one of my children I have to really stay away from her practices because even just being there and not saying anything can cause her to hesitate... interesting and hard at the same time. My other three children aren't that way... it is a balance act sticking up and fighting for the best for your children, and also allowing them to find their way through a world of different personalities and sticking to it for the love of what they do.

    Not many parents are as atuned as you are. You should be proud of not just your kids but yourself
  • tobielauren
    tobielauren Posts: 184 Member
    Part of my job some day will be to educate coaches on sport and how it affects children. As a sport psychology consultant, seeing egotistical coaches in youth sport irritates me so much. The number one reason kids participate in sport is enjoyment and the number one reason kids leave sport is because it's no longer fun.

    It is awesome you are doing this. :bigsmile:

    Thanks :) I love what I do
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