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Online now: 1 member: TABLE SETTER 11; 82 anonymousDiscussion: A THANKLESS JOB
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| March 27, 2010 Shark Men's 60 99 posts | A THANKLESS JOB A THANKLESS JOB A coach’s job is a thankless one. He must be an organizer, accountant, travel director, motivator, babysitter, and sometimes even a player on a team. He must know the playing rules and organizational rules of his sport in order to allow his players to concentrate on one thing only while on the ball field……their own performance to help their team compete to the best of their ability. What does he ask for in return ? All he wants is cooperation from his players by doing what is asked of them whether it be by just responding to emails, phone calls, collection of funds or dues, and especially their cooperation on the ball field. His job is to prepare his team to compete in tournament play and to have the ability to judge the talent he has to work with on his team. A coach’s job is to give his team the best chance they have to win a game by making the lineup and making substitutions during the game. He basically has to balance the playing time of his team members in order to keep everyone happy and at the same time be competitive to win. When he makes a substitution during a game, his goal is not to embarrass a player but instead give his team an opportunity to win the game with a gut move. Like a ballplayer who makes an error during the game, a coach may also make an error in a move or decision that may result in a loss. Like the ballplayer who makes the error, the coach is trying to perform to the best of his ability to help his team win the game. If he does not field his best competitive team during a tourney in bracket play (when it counts), then he is doing an injustice to those players who have paid their dues in order to participate on a winning team while at the same time having fun over the weekend. I recently have heard of a team that voted to change coaches. The coach had just completed a season with the team that had the best season ever. They had won 2 qualifiers and an Eastern National, finished in 2nd place in a qualifier and a Winter Worlds, 3rd place in 2 TOC qualifiers, and earned a TOC berth that they participated in at the end of the season. Obviously they had a successful season and the coach was pleased with what they had accomplished. But he was rewarded by the team members taking a vote with 8 players present during a batting practice session to choose a new coach. The vote was 5 to 3 to change coaches and the coach was notified that he could remain with the team if he wanted to just arrange travel plans (i.e. hotels and rental cars etc.) and also handle the paperwork involved with the organization (i.e. submitting entry fees and roster moves etc.). The coach was notified of this “team” decision by phone from one of the team members who was not even at the “meeting”. He told them that their coach would never agree to this new “position” on the team and he was correct. This is how he was thanked by his team for all of the work that he had done for them during the year. How have you thanked your coach today ? |
| March 27, 2010 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | You are right, it is a thankless job. Unless you are lucky enough to have a non-player that everyone can trust to do the job, someone has to take charge. You can't have everyone arguing about lineups all the time. While this team you speak of went about their displeasure of the manager the wrong way, if they are all putting their own in money to play, they have the right to have a say who is going to call the shots. At least they waited to the end of the season. |
| March 30, 2010 curt Men's 60 11 posts | It doesnt seem right....especially if the whole team wasnt involved in the vote. |
| April 2, 2010 Capt Kirk 541 posts | I agree managing a team is thankless job, especially if you want to be a player/manager. Our team won two (2) qualifiers and the Texas State Championship in 2009, but not everyone was happy. We finished 5th in Phoenix, there twenty (20) teams in our division. Lessons learned from 2009: 1) Limit your roster to 15, 2) Avoid the clique players, 3) Make changes in personnel when you gut says do it, and 4)move on!!! |
| April 2, 2010 Robo2 238 posts | I agree. the Coach never gets the credit they deserve. I was a temporary coach for 2/3 days in a tournament due to coach's obligations. It was the worst experience in my softball career. I think "babysitter" is the top of the list. However, a large roster is not bad if everyone respects the other players on the team and encourages alternating. I have done it, and if one accepts it up front I have found it is even more relaxing of a tournament. This goes twice for tourney Directors. Talk about thankless. |
| April 2, 2010 Jawood Men's 50 943 posts | Tournament Directors for sure! We all like to throw out some gripes to stimulate discussion here, but what would we do without them? Dave does a great job! |
| April 2, 2010 DaveDowell Men's 70 4317 posts | Thanks Jawood ... But as a Tournament or Field Director and to set the record straight: • I've never had a team get upset over anything I did wrong; • Umpires have made the perfect call every time; • I've never made a mistake on a bracket or a schedule; • All teams have been perfectly rated at an event; • I've never lost my cool, calm demeanor; • I've never had a field get 'snakebit' and run behind; • The lights always work; • The sun never gets in a pitcher's or batter's eyes; • The cold water in the dugouts never runs out; • Everyone bats 1.000 on my fields; • Pitchers all throw a perfect game every time on my fields; and • I have yet to see a player make an error on my fields! OOOOPPPPPS ... This was supposed to have been posted in Sisavic's thread!!! Happy Easter everyone! |
| April 2, 2010 E4/E6 Men's 70 873 posts | Dave since you missed April fools day and Sisavic's thread, we can only surmise you have been in the sun far too long. Go sit in the shade with a cool towel on your head. We players will call in the results to you. =) |
