by backstop13 » Fri May 06, 2011 7:14 am
Can I get time, blue? Let's start by saying this thread is approaching 40 pages (I am hoping for 50 before season is out)...while not every post is about 10u the majority is.
Here is what the real issue is...on one side we have the younger level coaches who think they know everything...and then we have the guys that have been around who think they know everything. The problem comes from both sides NOT thinking the other knows ANYTHING.
No you won't find those names in 2006...maybe CP, but not Heat and Xtreme. Both of those are new organizations. That being said, why can't these be considered this generations Waves, Magic, Dreams, etc?? Just like you don't find the the teams that got Indiana headed in the right direction in any 10U/12U. They did their work and made this game better. All of them have been started by dads (or moms). Some get younger teams in the mix as they move up, but we all have done this in basically the same manner.
The fact is, the young coaches CAN learn a lot from several of the guys on this board. The problem is when the young guys FEEL like the wisdom trying to be passed down is a back handed comment that they don't know what they are doing because they haven't put in 5-10 years. We all know the successes the Bell, Lewis and Ramsey's of our sport have enjoyed...they SHOULD be listened to. HOWEVER, those same guys that have the knowledge to pass along, do so with the understanding that these new coaches don't need lectures or getting knocked down because they are overzealous about 10U success.
The team my daughter was on at 10s had a phenominal year. 11s, they got brought back to reality, and now at 12s they are back to being better. Nothing has changed in how we coach them. We want each of the girls to be successful, to learn how to play this game the best way we can teach them, to have fun, and to be challenged. We collected our trophies at 10s (not that we were after that), but now it is time to push them to be the best they can be. In a few more years, if they so choose, we will have to start looking at getting them exposure. Those are the philosophies the relatively new guys need information about...the path to take, things you would have done differently, or things you would have done sooner. Not "10u means nothing", "if you aren't USA/ASA then you should go back to rec ball".
I understand what COACH is saying, there is a pereception that some of you old timers (no disrespect intended) have an aura about you that your sh!t don't stink...unfortunately in a lot of cases perception is viewed as reality...true or not. You guys are in a great position to continue helping softball grow in Indiana. Be mentors, throw things out there...if a coach wants to take it great, if not great. That doesn't mean his way won't work either.
Besides, aren't we all in this for the betterment of the girls that play softball? If not and this is all about you (in general), then get out. The only thing I care about as far as my reputation goes is that we do things the right way, are in it for the girls, are fair and repsectful to this game. Other than that the girls playing the game are what matters...and the name on their jerseys are recognized as a great organization that does things how they should be done.