Situation. So my 7/8 grade boys team has a double header in Louisville last night. Team we played split their squad up, had their less experienced players play us first, their better more experienced play us the second game. We have only won one game...as far as ability on the court goes, we just are not very good. Well we win the first game, and win pretty big, something like 46-7. The other team was just that bad, and all my bench players play most of the game. We take a break and then play their better team. It's about a 10 point game till the last 5 minutes and we try to press (something we just really cannot do) to get some turnovers after playing zone all game, they score several easy baskets and end up beating us by about 18 or so.

 

Well, the gym starts to clear and I am addressing my team. We have been there a few minutes, all my parents are around listening to me and my assistant talk about what we need to improve on...what improvements we are seeing, etc. when, from no where this older lady comes up to me and basically starts screaming at me..."you are an embarrassment to basketball, you are an embarrassment to this team, your are an embarrassment to...blah blah blah"!!! Me and my players and the parents are just completely taken aback and stunned. The lady turns and storms off, I call after her trying to get her to come back, wanting to see what her issue was and hopefully calmly addressing it...she just screams "You're welcome"! as she storms out of the gym. I shrug my shoulders, turn and finish addressing my team, dismiss them and turn and start talking to my parents about what just happened.

 

About this time, the schools AD walks back in, helping to pick up chairs and clean up. I tell her what just happened and asked her did she think I did anything out of line or untoward to anyone...she sat next to our bench the whole night with the score book mind you and was 10 feet from me the whole night, Nope, she has no idea what the woman's problem was (she did not witness the event). I explained to her that yes, I know I am very boisterous and animated when I coach...more than some coaches, not as much as others. And if my kids aren't giving their absolute best effort I let them know about it and get after them. She agreed with that statement and reiterated she saw nothing wrong with anything.

 

After all this and thinking about it last night, I thought it strange that this lady, apparently purposefully waited for the gym to clear of their people, the AD to walk out in the hallway before she came over to our bench to do this. And then when I nicely tried to get her to come back and address what her issue was, she wouldn't even look back and just shouted "you're welcome"! Maybe she heard me say something that to her sounded like something else...I don't know what it was...anyway to me whatever problem she may have had with me was completely invalidated by her unwillingness to discuss whatever displeasure she may have had. I had one parent say she may have been the mother or grandmother of a kid in the first game and been upset by the final score. Possible...if that's the case she better get over that quick. Another parent said maybe she's just a fruitcake. Possibility of that too I suppose. Thing is, it was very uncomfortable for me, my kids and our parents.

 

All my parents told me not to worry about it afterwards. They think I do a fine job and do nothing wrong. Ultimately they are the ones I answer to, not some rabid fan from another school. This was my first experience of this type of thing after several years of coaching. Weird.

Obviously a nut job and I wouldn't waste another minute worrying about it.

Dumpster fire...

I've been fortunate to never have a parent or fan go off on me. However, my assistant had one go off on him at a local store after one of our games. They went on a rampage about how we're hard on the girls and we're only out to win. We teach our girls to play the game the right way, and one simple thing is to run on and off the field between innings. Our girls will sprint off the field so they're not the last one to the bench, but they do it with a smile as it's almost a game within a game for them. There's no consequences for being last other than a little ribbing from teammates and coaches. In a 6 inning game, we play 6 pitchers, 6 catchers, 6 3rd basemen, 6 2nd basemen, etc. The only position that's limited is 1st base, and that's because I don't want anyone hurt. I've yet to figure how that is playing to win.

I'm sure it was Rockmom. She loves watching basketball, and messing with a coach like that after the game. I've seen her pull that prank on numerous occasions. She's really going to get a kick out of this when she realizes she did it to a BGP member. :lol:

As a coach, no matter what you do or how you go about it, eventually this will happen.

As a coach, no matter what you do or how you go about it, eventually this will happen.

 

This.

One thing's for sure, you have to have thick skin to be a coach or a ref/umpire in the sports world! Nobody coaches or calls a game better than the people in the stands!

As a coach, no matter what you do or how you go about it, eventually this will happen.

 

True. Just completely took me and all my players and parents aback.

As a coach, no matter what you do or how you go about it, eventually this will happen.

 

Aint that the truth. Never will forget the a night after practice when a parent just went on a verbal tirade about how I played my son to much (ive posted about this before.) It was a great tirade and seen, some of my parents who were watching were in shock and others laughing because you see, I dont have any kids..............

You'll never please them all. I have learned this lesson during my time in youth sports. Has a child on my team last year that was "played up" to the next level even though he was tiny and had no skills. Total mistake by the parent. The parent then texts me and says she feels the kids all deserve equal playing time. Next game, we were short handed and he played a lot. After that game she texted me that the kids are playing too much and hopefully our whole team is back soon.

Maybe there was a hidden camera and she was a "star" in the new reality show Real Basketball Moms of KY.

I don't get coaches letting parents gather around with the team after a game.

 

Post-game is when it's time for the team to talk as a team including coaches and managers.

 

Frank, my guess is you do it because a)you're a gentlemen and b)you want them to feel involved.

 

What is really accomplished? Heck, it led to this crazy lady to feel free to walk up to your huddle.

 

I just don't get it. There's a time for parents to be involved. Post game is not it IMO.

I agree with the others, let it slide, if she doesn't have the guts to let you get your words in and find out what she is mad about, I just say pray for those type of people, I am sure she is a very bitter and angry at the world no matter what happens, and nothing would make her happy.

 

Having coaches for just over 21 years it was the parents who changed, and made it difficult, not only for me, but for opposing coaches as well. I had an open door policy for the players ONLY! They were high school aged and should be old enough to handle their own issues themselves, but once I said something like "This issue is over", that I would not discus or listen to the issue again. If a parent came to me I wouldn't listen, they knew this rule and pretty much all but a few times they followed that rule. It teaches the players responsibility and teaches the parents that they are fans ONLY, and only there to cheer on the team in a proper manner. 10 years ago we had a lawyer draw up a contract for both the players and parents to sign on what is expected from them. But, you have no clue on who your lady was, so who knows who it was.

 

I do miss coaching around here a lot, but one of the reason I am glad I moved on to stuff within FIBA and Europe, is that the parents there are much easier to deal with!

I'm sure it was Rockmom. She loves watching basketball' date=' and messing with a coach like that after the game. I've seen her pull that prank on numerous occasions. She's really going to get a kick out of this when she realizes she did it to a BGP member. :lol:[/quote']

 

Error #1 that negates all the rest of this post: I haven't been to a high school basketball game in a LONG time....and I think I have only been to maybe 3 or 4 in my life. :lol: