3. Unless its a "tryout team" every kid plays. Period. Every kid gets a chance to start. Period. There should NEVER be a benching because the kid can't always control his circumstances. I have no respect for the hardass coach who uses a "benching."

 

At this age, it's almost always the parents' fault that their kid is not at practice. However, how do you get your point across so that it's fair to all the other kids? You can talk to the parents, but it's likely they don't care. Then halfway through the season, kids start questioning why they should be at practice when Johny never shows up but always plays in the game. I had this very same scenario occur last year. However, in our league everyone plays the same amount regardless.

At this age, it's almost always the parents' fault that their kid is not at practice. However, how do you get your point across so that it's fair to all the other kids? You can talk to the parents, but it's likely they don't care. Then halfway through the season, kids start questioning why they should be at practice when Johny never shows up but always plays in the game. I had this very same scenario occur last year. However, in our league everyone plays the same amount regardless.

 

So, the kid learned that you can have minimal commitment to the team and the sport and still get playing time.

 

Give them a participation ribbon.

 

In a summer league basketball game of 4th and 5th grade, a kid stood straddle a hash mark on the FT lane while one of my players were shooting. After the shot that we missed, I asked the ref if he was going to call that. I asked calmly and quietly since he was about 4 feet from me.

 

He chuckled like I was some hardbutt and said it was summer league and he wasn't calling that.

 

I a little more firmly, told him that he was right it was summer league and a time for instruction and how was that kid to learn that he couldn't stand there if he wouldn't call it, point it out to the kid and put the kid in the right place.

 

No, he taught the kid something and that kid would leave the game thinking he could stand straddle a hash mark during a free throw and it was okay.

I have to throw my two cents in on this one, with a twist.

 

Personally, I thought the column was generic and sophomoric, especially considering it was written by one of the country's better columnists. It read like Doc was either late for a deadline, or wanted to get out early and play a late nine.

 

Ironically, and the irony is so thick here you'll need a hedge hog to get out, the paper Doc writes for has had a listing looking for "serious" 8-year-old basketball players for about a month. Not a knock on the Enquirer, it was a placement in the recreation calender section of the sports page.

 

I'll paraphrase the listing: An 8-year-old team from NKY is looking for a big man to play in the AAU nationals. Only serious players need apply.:lol::creepy::creepy::eek::mad:

 

For the purpose of this thread, I would have loved Doc to interview this coach and bring the valid point of his column home. Or, perhaps, decide the coach was right and the age of eight is when it's time to get serious.

As I was reading this column this morning, my first thought was that PD was being lazy. It seemed like one of those articles that you can re-hash every other year as the situations never change. Is there anyone who would think that any of those acts are OK? Or was this only aimed at the few that commit them?

 

It did nothing for me. Maybe it wasn't supposed to.

 

What you have to remember is that you have a new group of coaches coming along each year and this needs to be gone over and over, even if it might be the 20th time you have seen it.

At this age, it's almost always the parents' fault that their kid is not at practice. However, how do you get your point across so that it's fair to all the other kids? You can talk to the parents, but it's likely they don't care. Then halfway through the season, kids start questioning why they should be at practice when Johny never shows up but always plays in the game. I had this very same scenario occur last year. However, in our league everyone plays the same amount regardless.

 

Every one plays at this age so its a moot point. Again, if it were a "tryout" team or a high school aged team (and even then only "maybe") you can sit a kid but, in general, the coach who benches young kids is not in it for the right reason.

Every one plays at this age so its a moot point. Again, if it were a "tryout" team or a high school aged team (and even then only "maybe") you can sit a kid but, in general, the coach who benches young kids is not in it for the right reason.

 

So, you just teach them that it's acceptable not to show up to practice? At this age, it's all about fun and teaching some fundamentals, but you also have to start setting boundaries somewhere.

So, you just teach them that it's acceptable not to show up to practice? At this age, it's all about fun and teaching some fundamentals, but you also have to start setting boundaries somewhere.

 

Somewhere is the key word. However, trying to implement high school rules for 7 year olds is not in the spirit of 7 year old baseball. I doubt its changed much since I coached kids that young but we're talking about usually a single player and its not a case of "never showing up for practice." That child's lack of interest usually ends up in him moving onto something else. However, at that age, he's still going to play. He may bat last and not play as much of the field as others but in no way do I "punish" him under the guise of "teaching him a lesson." It almost always works itself out.

 

Did I mention that we're talking about kids who have not hit double digits in age yet?

I never knew this was a problem...

Somewhere is the key word. However, trying to implement high school rules for 7 year olds is not in the spirit of 7 year old baseball. I doubt its changed much since I coached kids that young but we're talking about usually a single player and its not a case of "never showing up for practice." That child's lack of interest usually ends up in him moving onto something else. However, at that age, he's still going to play. He may bat last and not play as much of the field as others but in no way do I "punish" him under the guise of "teaching him a lesson." It almost always works itself out.

 

Did I mention that we're talking about kids who have not hit double digits in age yet?

 

In my case, he showed up for the first 4 or 5 practices and then didn't show for the last 6 or 7. When you ask him where he was, he just tells you he doesn't need to practice. He wanted to play baseball, but he, along with his parents, felt that he didn't need to practice like everyone else. When I was the only coach there, I batted him last, but he played the field as everyone played the field. I ask though, where and when do you start setting boundaries?

In my case, he showed up for the first 4 or 5 practices and then didn't show for the last 6 or 7. When you ask him where he was, he just tells you he doesn't need to practice. He wanted to play baseball, but he, along with his parents, felt that he didn't need to practice like everyone else. When I was the only coach there, I batted him last, but he played the field as everyone played the field. I ask though, where and when do you start setting boundaries?

 

Good question. I'd bat him last and not let him play the field as much as the others. He'll either be OK with it or he'll start showing up more.

Good question. I'd bat him last and not let him play the field as much as the others. He'll either be OK with it or he'll start showing up more.

 

Isn't that kinda like benching him?

 

BTW, I'm not for benching a kid the entire game at this age. Just don't let them start and sit an inning or two. However, in our league, all kids HAVE to play the same amount, so with 10 kids last year, everyone played the field every inning.

Isn't that kinda like benching him?

 

BTW, I'm not for benching a kid the entire game at this age. Just don't let them start and sit an inning or two. However, in our league, all kids HAVE to play the same amount, so with 10 kids last year, everyone played the field every inning.

 

Then move him somewhere where he doesn't like to play and there's not a lot of action. Keep him playing and use his favorite position as enticement to show up regularly. Of course, you need to make sure that its him that doesn't want to come to practice vs his parents simply not wanting to bring him.