I agree that most, if not all, practices should be closed.

 

As a parent, I hate this. I love to watch practices, as a curious observer and as a learner. I like to learn new ideas from other coaches to take to my youth teams (baseball and basketball, but not HS teams). But I also realize that I would be a distraction to my son (he plays baseball for Oldham County) if I were present, and I see this as more of a negative than the positive I would gain...

The situation was a couple of years back. According to the players, one of the assistant coaches was using foul language, nothing really terrible but still, four letter words. The coach was also making less than desirable remarks about one of the players. A couple of parents asked to be aloud to sit in on practices and were told no way. The AD was then brought in. The situation was handled. It was then that I asked a high school AD about closed practices and was told they were not permitted.

 

Nothing to do with Andy Elkus. But I do hope things get better.

 

Seeing as how the parents are not the coach's supervisors, what were they going to do at the practices? All issues should be addressed by the parent or student to the principal or athletic director who should then check out the complaint with the coach. Parents are by nature, reactionary, when they think their baby is being mistreated, whether it is just perception or actuality. No one needs to attend a practice...the complaints need to go to those that can make a difference.

Wouldn't it be a lot simpler to handle it in the following manner. If a parent is disruptive to practice, ask that parent to leave ! Should all parents be penalized because some don't know how to conduct them selves ? I see this mentality in our society all the time. Instead of addressing a problem at the root of the problem, we want to cut down a whole tree just because one branch is bad.

 

Bingo. We have a winner. I often watch my son's football practices. I asked him in advance if he minded if I watched his practices. He told me no; rather he enjoyed me being there. I go, I mind my business, I keep my mouth shut and I don't give my son any coaching advise.

 

Why do I watch practice? I like to watch my son and the team practice. Is there a problem with that?

Bingo. We have a winner. I often watch my son's football practices. I asked him in advance if he minded if I watched his practices. He told me no; rather he enjoyed me being there. I go, I mind my business, I keep my mouth shut and I don't give my son any coaching advise.

 

Why do I watch practice? I like to watch my son and the team practice. Is there a problem with that?

 

The confined area of a gym is completely different than the expanse of a football stadium. How would you feel if parents insisted on being in the weight room or watch films with the coaches and players?That would be a little more comparable to a bball practice.

The confined area of a gym is completely different than the expanse of a football stadium. How would you feel if parents insisted on being in the weight room or watch films with the coaches and players?That would be a little more comparable to a bball practice.

 

You actually think a basketball gym is the size of a weight room or the room they watch film? And you do know that where I and a lot of others (including you just last year) stand to watch football practice is very close to the field and the kids practicing. It's not like we sit in the top row of the football bleachers.

 

Again, what is the harm of sitting in a gym and watching your son or daughter practice basketball?

You actually think a basketball gym is the size of a weight room or the room they watch film? And you do know that where I and a lot of others (including you just last year) stand to watch football practice is very close to the field and the kids practicing. It's not like we sit in the top row of the football bleachers.

 

Again, what is the harm of sitting in a gym and watching your son or daughter practice basketball?

 

The bleachers are rolled up during practice. The team will use 100% of the floor area including OBs area under the baskets. I guess anyone that really wanted to be there, could go up on the mezzanine. Hey there is a rail up there. BTW, please no socialzing, it needs to be quiet in such a small space. I just don't think having what could potentially be a dozen or so people milling around the gym during practice is condusive for a coaching and learning situation. Yes, I did go to a couple of football practices, but I would never consider attending a bball practice. I do think the coach has the right to close a practice if they feel that is best for the team.

Bingo. We have a winner. I often watch my son's football practices. I asked him in advance if he minded if I watched his practices. He told me no; rather he enjoyed me being there. I go, I mind my business, I keep my mouth shut and I don't give my son any coaching advise.

 

Why do I watch practice? I like to watch my son and the team practice. Is there a problem with that?

 

I'm with you, LN. I spent many a day in the hot sun watching high school football practice. Its a great way to see things you obviously can't see in a game.

 

I will grant that watching football practice is different than watching b-ball simply due to proximity.

The bleachers are rolled up during practice. The team will use 100% of the floor area including OBs area under the baskets. I guess anyone that really wanted to be there, could go up on the mezzanine. Hey there is a rail up there. BTW, please no socialzing, it needs to be quiet in such a small space. I just don't think having what could potentially be a dozen or so people milling around the gym during practice is condusive for a coaching and learning situation. Yes, I did go to a couple of football practices, but I would never consider attending a bball practice. I do think the coach has the right to close a practice if they feel that is best for the team.

 

True in the great majority of schools and the reason why its much harder for a basketball coach than a football coach.

The bleachers are rolled up during practice. The team will use 100% of the floor area including OBs area under the baskets. I guess anyone that really wanted to be there, could go up on the mezzanine. Hey there is a rail up there. BTW, please no socialzing, it needs to be quiet in such a small space. I just don't think having what could potentially be a dozen or so people milling around the gym during practice is condusive for a coaching and learning situation. Yes, I did go to a couple of football practices, but I would never consider attending a bball practice. I do think the coach has the right to close a practice if they feel that is best for the team.

 

I agree with your point about needing to be quiet and not be disruptive to the practice. No doubt. But assuming a parent is capable of doing such and there is room to watch, I don't understand the difference between watching a basketball practice or a football practice.

 

And I totally agree that a coach has a right to close practice if they feel it is best for the team.

I'm with you, LN. I spent many a day in the hot sun watching high school football practice. Its a great way to see things you obviously can't see in a game.

 

I will grant that watching football practice is different than watching b-ball simply due to proximity.

 

 

Being familiar with our stadium, you know that sitting in the front row of the football bleachers or standing on the rail or in the endzones probably puts you as close to the players and coaches during a lot of their drills as you would be in most basketball gyms.

Practices are for the Coaches to instruct and the Players to learn. Not for the Parents, to observe and critique the efforts of the staff or whom should be playing.

 

Having a player, look into the stands for the parent, after getting scolded or instruction, serves no purpose.

 

I wish everyone had the same common perspective as you did.

Being familiar with our stadium, you know that sitting in the front row of the football bleachers or standing on the rail or in the endzones probably puts you as close to the players and coaches during a lot of their drills as you would be in most basketball gyms.

 

As former bball player and a coach, I will persist that the difference is huge.

Most gyms barely can accomodate a full JV and V squad and the staff. I can't see a dozen or so parents milling around in there also. Very disruptive situation. Maybe if we had a gym the size of Holmes, then yea that might work. Not many gyms that size though.

Seeing as how the parents are not the coach's supervisors, what were they going to do at the practices? All issues should be addressed by the parent or student to the principal or athletic director who should then check out the complaint with the coach. Parents are by nature, reactionary, when they think their baby is being mistreated, whether it is just perception or actuality. No one needs to attend a practice...the complaints need to go to those that can make a difference.

 

Sorry TB&G, but that is a gross generalization of parents attending practices. Not every parent is there to see if their little baby is being mistreated. Not every parent is by their nature reactionary. I've watched my sons get throughly reamed by coaches in football practice and thought nothing other than my kids needed to get better and listen to their coaches. I go to football practices because I enjoy watching my son and his teammates. I enjoy watching the coaches work with the players to improve them as football players. As Clyde pointed out, you see a lot more in practices than you often see in a game and I enjoy knowing what I am talking about when I post stuff on here. Being able to watch practices makes me much more informed. I like knowing what wrinkles we are putting in for an upcoming opponent as it helps me when I watch the game.

 

Yes there are some parents that can be disruptive. But any coach worth his/her salt should be able to handle those parents without throwing all of the parents out of the gym I would think. In my opinion, any successful program needs the support of the parents and the community. I know for a fact that Mueller likes and encourage parents to attend football practices and often speaks with some parents before or after practices. He wants them to be there to help build support for the program. I've actually had Dale ask me why there weren't more parents watching practice.

 

Of course we are respectful to the fact that we should not be disruptive to what the coaches and kids are trying to get accomplished. I'll admit that in a gym, with the noise situation, any spectators will need to be more quiet than in a football stadium. But assuming they can do such, why give them the boot? Not every parent is there to second guess the coach and baby their kid. From my experiences, its the small, make that very small, minority of parents that I'm familiar with.

As former bball player and a coach, I will persist that the difference is huge.

Most gyms barely can accomodate a full JV and V squad and the staff. I can't see a dozen or so parents milling around in there also. Very disruptive situation. Maybe if we had a gym the size of Holmes, then yea that might work. Not many gyms that size though.

 

 

So what you are saying is that if the gym can accomodate spectators that won't be in the way or be disruptive, you are fine with parents attending practices, correct?

Practices are for the Coaches to instruct and the Players to learn. Not for the Parents, to observe and critique the efforts of the staff or whom should be playing.

 

Having a player, look into the stands for the parent, after getting scolded or instruction, serves no purpose.

 

As I mentioned in another post, I've watched my sons get scolded, as you call it, by coaches. I don't ever remember them looking at me in the stands after it happened. I don't remember them ever mentioning it to me after practice. If they had, I'd have simply told them they need to work harder and do as the coaches instructed them to do.

 

I think we have gone amuck recently concerning parents. You have some misbehave and now all of a sudden every parent attends practice only to second guess the coaches and baby his or her kid. That's not reality folks. Not even close to what I've observed.