As a young boy growing up in a divorced family environment, I found myself getting into trouble whether I was looking for it or not. I blame part of my troubles because I lacked the guidance at home but moreover because I simply was a mischievous lad who lacked moral and ethic decision making abilities. My father worked all the time and spent little to no time with me. His way of showing affection/love was to throw money and gifts at me. My mother was a socialite and seemed to live by the “don’t ask, don’t tell” philosophy or simply choose to not believe what was really going on. The 1st time I remember hearing the words “I love you” from either parent was when I was 19 years old and off in the military serving in the United States Navy—Submarines. I prefaced this to say the following:
The reason coaching and working with young kids means so much to me is because athletics saved my life and definitely had a huge impact on the type of person I am today.
The influences made in my life by those who coached me established rules that I had to adhere to play ball. Playing sports in high school was all I felt I had of any value. Playing sports gave me purpose, popularity and a sense of being a part of something. I wanted to belong, be needed, and most of all I wanted to be good at something where someone would take notice of me in a positive way. Hearing a coach’s praise is what gave me a sense of worth and that I was all wanted…….to be good enough.
My coaches believed in me and in turn I listen, respected and hated them. I hated them because they made me do things or make decisions that I did not want to do but had to if I wanted to stay on the team or for that matter play. I listened to them because I respected them and I respected them because I feared them. I feared them because of what they could do to me; by taking away the only I had in my life that gave me a sense of worth…….playing sports!
Now I did not have your average run of the mill coaching influences. See I went to a private Christian high school and I graduated from a private Christian University, so my coaching influences were all what I knew to be Godly men. I attended of the top prep schools in Tennessee which was/is well renowned for its athletics programs. I only got in and stayed in this school because I played sports…..football, basketball and baseball……for if I had not they would have kicked me out for sure because my grades were terrible and the trouble I stayed in. Playing ball gave me chance after chance to get things right in my life after I made poor choices.
My coaches taught me right from wrong, good from bad, and forced me to walk away from things that would jeopardize my being on the team….remember being on the team was all I felt I had in my life.
These men greatly influenced my life. So now I want to coach because I want to give kids a fair chance that so many do not get because of politics and daddy ball. I want to coach because I feel it is part of my calling to give back that which was given to me by these great men who coached me. I want to coach because I want the kids I come into contact with to believe in themselves as I did when someone believed in me. I want to coach because I want the kids I coach to know that they are loved and most of all that I believe in them. I want to coach because if there is a kid out there who needs what I needed I hope to be there for them as others where there for me!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
School Softball or Travel Ball?
Being a former Jr. High softball coach who came into coaching thinking I knew all the answers I can speak completely from my own experiences. 1st let me say Jr. High Coaches are not the authority on a player’s ability nor do we have all the answers. There is a reason someone coaches Jr. High and I will not go into that on this post.
Being a former Varsity High School Coach who came in to coaching after making every mistake possible at the Jr. High level, I will again speak from experiences. 1st let me say not all high school coaches are the authority on a player’s ability either. It’s sad to say that many high school coaches are NOT softball coaches 1st and again I will not go into that on this post.
So where am I going with this……….travel ball organizations or private instruction are the best way for a player to develop and get exposed to opportunities to advance their play. The days have long passed that picking a ball up in February and putting it down in May will get you far in school ball or to college. A school ball coach is telling you, that to have a chance to make the school team you need to play travel ball…..what the school ball coach means is that there is very little development or teaching in school ball. Most parents/travel coaches/private lessons instructors know as much as about softball as school ball coaches and in some cases they know more. These school coaches hold tryouts and pick the ones WHO can do it already. There is very little player development done at school ball. Also school coaches come and go with the wind which will affect your daughter’s college chances. This leads me to the following:
The major discussion between travel ball parents is more splitting of hairs between folks who have a financial investment or chosen one organization/team or instructor or recruiting group over another to help them advance their daughter ability and opportunities for the future. Nobody wants to admit their choice was wrong so they feel the need to knock others for simply having a different opinion or because they chose this person over that person. Everyone who speaks about their experiences on this forum have reasons for doing so………..listen, learn and decide for yourself.
Last thing: Not all Jr. High or High School coaches are bad. Over the past 5 years I have witnessed a major positive swing in more qualified school coaches and the running of some GREAT programs. However this is because parents such as you and travel ball and recruiting organizations out there are dedicated to seeing that your DD has options. Fast pitch Softball has become big business for some and extremely competitive for ALL. It's like asking someone if they "drink Coke or Pepsi?" and then the debate begins. I say have a coke and smile!
Any more questions about this you can e-mail at coachrin@charter.net
Being a former Varsity High School Coach who came in to coaching after making every mistake possible at the Jr. High level, I will again speak from experiences. 1st let me say not all high school coaches are the authority on a player’s ability either. It’s sad to say that many high school coaches are NOT softball coaches 1st and again I will not go into that on this post.
So where am I going with this……….travel ball organizations or private instruction are the best way for a player to develop and get exposed to opportunities to advance their play. The days have long passed that picking a ball up in February and putting it down in May will get you far in school ball or to college. A school ball coach is telling you, that to have a chance to make the school team you need to play travel ball…..what the school ball coach means is that there is very little development or teaching in school ball. Most parents/travel coaches/private lessons instructors know as much as about softball as school ball coaches and in some cases they know more. These school coaches hold tryouts and pick the ones WHO can do it already. There is very little player development done at school ball. Also school coaches come and go with the wind which will affect your daughter’s college chances. This leads me to the following:
The major discussion between travel ball parents is more splitting of hairs between folks who have a financial investment or chosen one organization/team or instructor or recruiting group over another to help them advance their daughter ability and opportunities for the future. Nobody wants to admit their choice was wrong so they feel the need to knock others for simply having a different opinion or because they chose this person over that person. Everyone who speaks about their experiences on this forum have reasons for doing so………..listen, learn and decide for yourself.
Last thing: Not all Jr. High or High School coaches are bad. Over the past 5 years I have witnessed a major positive swing in more qualified school coaches and the running of some GREAT programs. However this is because parents such as you and travel ball and recruiting organizations out there are dedicated to seeing that your DD has options. Fast pitch Softball has become big business for some and extremely competitive for ALL. It's like asking someone if they "drink Coke or Pepsi?" and then the debate begins. I say have a coke and smile!
Any more questions about this you can e-mail at coachrin@charter.net
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