coolstuff wrote:This discussion is kind of scaring me because DD's HS team is coached by a guy who's been coaching the team forever and is definitely old school. Nothing and I mean nothing better interfere with softball, and that includes travel ball which he hates with a passion and makes his feelings very clear to the team. DD got into a tussle with the HC for missing a game for a choir performance even though her JV coaches approved it. DD almost quit choir but the choir director raised a stink, and the principal of the school even told me "sometimes I have to reel (the softball coach) in." But I have to give DD credit for guts. The HC sent out an e-mail telling the players "don't bother signing up for a travel team" because he intends to start a summer team (no details provided). Some travel girls just e-mailed the coach and told him they had already signed up for a travel team (his e-mail went out in early September - obviously not aware of the travel ball calendar.) DD went to talk to him face-to-face. He ragged on travel teams and told her that if another player who chooses to play for his summer team is a better player at DD's position, then that player gets preference over DD. (What's the odds of that happening?) DD came away determined to show the coach how much she has improved from last year (and she has) and there was no way anyone was going to be better at her position. This HS coach has had some great success and just recently so there's not much to criticize except for the way he treats his players, not only the travel ball girls. None of the girls like him. The funny thing is he starts the travel ball girls because they are, naturally, the best players he's got.
I've been somewhat afraid that DD will say she's done with softball because of this guy, but she is not a quitter and is using this coach as a motivator to be a better player.
I've had some of the same experiences. DD was told by swim coach that she should choose JV Conference meet over Choir concert even though choir concert affected her grade an entire letter. AD was ambivalent at best no repercussion for the coach. End result my DD isn't in choir this year which I think is a shame, she won't say that conflict was the reason, but I'm fairly certain it was part of it.
The big problem with HS coaches coaching in the summer is that expectation that players should stay home even if it's a bad situation. From the HS coaches standpoint his statement about a girl playing better than your DD getting her spot should be true regardless of playing summer or not with the coach. For some schools it's a great tradition and the only option for the kids to keep playing (i.e. travel teams are too far away or kids aren't that level) so on the one hand I respect the coach working with kids in the summer (not getting paid btw) but they shouldn't put repurcussion on kids who choose not to other than the natural repercussion that if you don't play summer at all, you might fall behind your peers, and you might be giving a younger player an opportunity to shine in your position while your away. If you have a chance to play on a much better team and consistantly face better competition, that is likely your best option for personal improvement. Again from the coaches viewpoint, if your staying (especially as a pitcher) allows the HS squad to work together as a group against a higher level of competition, then it's definitely a benefit to the HS "team" for you to do so, whether it's a benefit to you as a "player" is a seperate question, especially if there are better opportunities to be seen by college coaches playing with a travel team.
