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Thanks for telling me what I mean. If you don't know me, you have no idea. Really, how dare you tell me what I am there for. What I teach will lead to a winning program. Call it what you want...backing into it, whatever. But the motivation is to create opportunities for the girls in the program now and for years to come. Not my record as a coach. If I was concerned about winning, I wouldn't schedule as tough as I do. My team last year lost 13 games. 4 to ND (regional champs), 3 to Conner (regional runner up), 2 to Ryle (preseason #1), 1 to NCC in the district finals and 3 games against teams from down state. Those teams that we lost to were the first teams I scheduled and I scheduled them multiple times in the season because I wanted to make sure we played the best. I want our girls to strive for getting better. I could have cared less what our final record for the season was, as long as our girls were learning and getting better. One of the first things I told our parents and our AD was not to look at the wins and losses, but keep track of how your players are progressing. Focusing on the kids and their skills can lead to wins, but that AGAIN is not my motivation...so please don't tell me you know what I'm thinking again!!!

 

As for your bolded quote above, I take the chance that if I'm doing things the right way, I won't have to worry about wins and losses. That will take care of itself. If I was 5-20 for multiple years in a row, you're right...I'd be miserable because I failed the kids in the program. There's a lot more that goes into it, but since you know me so well, why don't you tell me!

 

You just said you'd be miserable if you were 5-20. Maybe I do know you...

Well lets just say we run in different circles then bc I don't know anyone that has scheduled a vacation around the dead period. Again not saying people don't its just I don't know of any.

 

I can tell you for certain that there has been a HS summer league in years past its pops up every couple of years and its mainly for the girls that don't play summer ball but the main reason it fails year in and year out is bc of the dead period.

 

Clearly we run in different circles. I thought it was the norm because so many people not playing baseball or softball are out of town.

 

Does it fail because so many are on vacation?

You just said you'd be miserable if you were 5-20. Maybe I do know you...

 

You're right, but not for the reasons you are insinuating. It's wouldn't be from pressure from my administation or parents or community...it would be because you failed to prepare the kids to reach their goals. So you don't have a clue what motivates me! Have you ever looked into a teams eyes to see their disappointment after a tough loss? My motivation is to prepare them the best I can so it minimizes the times that has to happen. Create opportunities for practice, prepare them mentally to challenge themselves and reach down in tough times and get them so comfortable with situations that when it's their time to shine, they are prepared and not nervous. Yes, it the players success that drive me. Not wins and losses.

Clearly we run in different circles. I thought it was the norm because so many people not playing baseball or softball are out of town.

 

Does it fail because so many are on vacation?

 

It's meaningless to HS softball and baseball.

Clearly we run in different circles. I thought it was the norm because so many people not playing baseball or softball are out of town.

 

Does it fail because so many are on vacation?

 

I am sure it has failed for many reasons, but the number 1 being the dead period.

You're right, but not for the reasons you are insinuating. It's wouldn't be from pressure from my administation or parents or community...it would be because you failed to prepare the kids to reach their goals. So you don't have a clue what motivates me! Have you ever looked into a teams eyes to see their disappointment after a tough loss? My motivation is to prepare them the best I can so it minimizes the times that has to happen. Create opportunities for practice, prepare them mentally to challenge themselves and reach down in tough times and get them so comfortable with situations that when it's their time to shine, they are prepared and not nervous. Yes, it the players success that drive me. Not wins and losses.

 

As for the bolded above...you have no idea...

 

Also, you left this part out when telling me that pressure to win isn't a part of it. Maybe for you it isn't.

 

"Pressure coming from, at least partly, the parents. Understanding that quite a few coaches put the pressure on themselves." Which is what you are insinuating above. You put pressure on yourself to prepare your kids.

 

Lastly, what you are describing is what good coaches do to prepare their team to win. Life lessons are learned, which is your greater goal. However, at the end of the day great HS memories don't come from losses. Part of the experience is winning certain games.

It's meaningless to HS softball and baseball.

 

The dead period is? I disagree.

I just explained it. I'm not sure how I could explain it any better. It gives the kids and families time off from "mandatory" practices to do things like vacations. If they choose not to take it and play summer ball (basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, soccer...etc), that's their choice. However, I can tell you there are quite a few families that utilize this time so their child doesn't miss any HS practices or workouts.

 

And again, it's not challenged by the HS coaches because it's a welcomed break.

 

I am guessing it's 20 to 1 that don't schedule vacations around the dead period. (I am sure I am way off but its fun to guess)

I am guessing it's 20 to 1 that don't schedule vacations around the dead period. (I am sure I am way off but its fun to guess)

 

I'm guessing 13 to 1.

The dead period is? I disagree.

 

Not sure if it is or isn't but I stated before I had no clue when it was and I had a daughter play 4 years of soccer and 6 years of softball so for me yes it was meaningless.

I'm guessing 13 to 1.

 

Great guess!

Every kid that can take a vacation without worrying about losing a starting position or being behind in the weight room, in the gym...etc.

 

The vast majority of families I know that take vacations take them during the dead period...including coaches. Which is one aspect no one has touched on. Most programs are running year round. Maybe not for every single kid but for quite a few.

 

Vacation........what's that???? :lol2: Vacation to me.....my kids going to NewCath.

 

Well lets just say we run in different circles then bc I don't know anyone that has scheduled a vacation around the dead period. Again not saying people don't its just I don't know of any.

 

I can tell you for certain that there has been a HS summer league in years past its pops up every couple of years and its mainly for the girls that don't play summer ball but the main reason it fails year in and year out is bc of the dead period.

 

Oh so very true. Plus playing at that god forsaken Kenton Lakes. :ohbrother:

I just have to throw my 2 cents in... Not that it's even worth that... As a parent/coach on and off for the past 25 plus years, I see a little of both sides. But maybe a little differently. Years past the dead period was much longer and afforded kids the opportunity to get a break from their sport. Sure there were ways around it. Spent many winter Saturdays travelling to camps and workouts for baseball as a chaperone since the coaches were not allowed to attend. But it allowed the one sport athlete to get work in. Back then it depended on the sport as to when was the untouchable time. I think that is more the issue. There should be different dead periods for spring and fall and to be honest it should be longer than a week or two.

Coaches, in almost every case, are donating time and money to the sport they coach. Whether HS or Club. Their real pay comes from the satisfaction that they get when they help a kid get better in the sport or life in general. I have coached kids that have made not only the college ranks but a few to the pro level but the ones that mean the most to me are the ones that have maybe had a little better life after sports that I may have played a small role in. To hamstring the spring sports coaches by not allowing them contact with the kids during the time their sport is playing at a club level is a dis-service to the kids. There should be two dead periods. Fall sports and spring sports. There really is no reason to have spring football and to be fair... Fall baseball or softball. It seems many schools now have a fall break. Make that the baseball/softball dead period and spring break the fall dead period. Kids need to have the opportunity to play the in season sport without the pressure of the opposite sport weighing on them during that season.

 

I do have a disclaimer... I have a fastpitch kid that only plays that sport. I will work with her year round if possible. Having the dead period when she is playing the in season sport is nuts. But I also had a baseball/basketball son that was lucky enough to have dead periods that gave him the chance to concentrate on the in season sport without the added pressure.