GIMNEPIWO wrote:BigPeaches wrote:"The two communicated mostly through cellphone text messages or instant messaging on Facebook starting in 2011 through Jan. 13, police said. During that time, the two exchanged about 1,400 text messages, according to a probable cause affidavit."
I'm sorry but shame on her parents for not paying attention!!! That coach shouldn't have even had her cell phone number, she's 13!!!
ETA: Oh gosh, I didn't finish reading....
"During a traveling softball tournament, Jones allegedly asked the girl to stay overnight in his room. The girl also told Jones that she knew he took pictures of her while she was sleeping."
Mom should be arrested too, child endangerment.
Most, if not all coaches have the cell phone numbers of their ball players ... This is how people communicate ... Should a coach not have the home phone number ? The address ? I send out mass texts to my players about practice being inside, outside, canceled ... As well as their parents if they want the texts ... Players text me to let me know they have to stay after for tutoring and will be late ... They aren't feeling well and will miss practice ... A player text me last evening to remind me to bring something to practice today ( nuitrition for athletes info ) ...
Sure sounds like these peeps were dirtbags ... But being able to get in touch with players and visa versa is not out of line ...
For me, it is just a rule that I obey. I never reply to a girl, nor communicate in a one on one fashion. State the rule up front from the first practice. Follow up with a reminder or two in the first 10 practices.
She sends me, as the only recipient, a text about being late, i reply to her and her mother. After a bit of training the girls will only ever send you a text that already includes at least one other person (teammate, parents,etc.).
She calls me, I will ask her if her mom is around, state that I have a question. Sometimes end up asking a non-sense question, but they get the idea. No one around I get off the phone.
Saves me a lot of trouble. Conversations may sometimes turn from how it is going ... to grades ... to long discussion about boyfriend ... to who knows what. Since there is always someone else involved, no worries about something coming up, and then have to backtrack and figure out how to deal with it.
Besides, I find not being their confidant refreshing. I am there to coach them. Help them use sports to grow as an individual, to learn some leadership skills. To grow up a bit using sport as an easy example of what they face in the world down the road. Saves me from the 'I let coach know I was going to be late for practice' as an excuse for why parents were not aware of something.
I have seen coach friends get involved in the most ludicrous of situations. Always starts out with an innocent conversation, then turns to a full blown issue. The coaches are never any good at actually doing much. They are always out of position, and often feel they would like to say something, but cannot, because they are being confided in.
Avoid all of that. Coach them some softball. Work with them to have the right group of people around them, parents, friends that they can go work on issues.
