Problem with a coach

[Newbie77]

Hi, I'm not sure if I should be posting here but I have a question regarding an 8th grade girls' basketball team. I've looked at league rules and they state that they have adapted NFHS rules. I need to know where to look for rules on how much play time, if any, each player should get.

My problem is that the coach is not playing every girl in every game. One player has only played about 3 minutes in 5 games. She has sat on the bench the last 2 games for no reason. Other girls are getting off the bench but for such little time (under 2 minutes in a game) that they don't have much of a chance to do much. There are 12 girls on the team and the coach tends to play about 5-6, including his daughter, for almost the whole game.

This coach has also said to one player that another girl on the team is hopeless. He seems to yell at the girls a ton & did that today in the middle of the game. People in the stands could hear every word. Extremely unprofessional! He doesn't teach the girls plays. They only have a couple of inbound plays & they try to press break. He has told the girls that by this age they should be able to create plays on their own. I do not understand that line of thinking.

Can anyone give me advice on how to handle this? Some of the parents would like to file a complaint. I would like to help them out & give them some rules or regulations to support their complaint. I'm not a coach or a ref. Just someone who loves the game & feels bad for these girls cuz they have great potential but no leader.

Thanks!

[APG]

As far as NFHS rules, there are no rules that mandate or regulate playing time for anyone. The only thing NFHS mandates is that five players are there to start the game. Those kind of rules are going to be league adapted rules and thus you'll have to take it up with them.

I suggest if and other parents have issue with how the coach is handling the team, you either bring it up with the coach, or go to the head of the league with your complaint.

[just another ref]

NFHS has no rules about playing time. Any such rule is one imposed at your local level. What kind of program are we talking about? Is this intramural, or is this a team representing the school against other schools?

[Newbie77]

Originally Posted by just another ref

NFHS has no rules about playing time. Any such rule is one imposed at your local level. What kind of program are we talking about? Is this intramural, or is this a team representing the school against other schools?

This is an 8th grade girls "A team", private school. So, the team is representing the school as well as the coach, who, with his demeaning attitude toward his girls, did the school no favors. Parents of the opposing team were even appalled.

I did find rules & regulations where it says that the school's athletic association "shall create policies that provide for participation By all team members in all games".

So, I guess I will direct the parents to take it up with their the head of their athletic assoc. and have them reference that line in the regulations.

Thank you for letting me know that the NFHS has no set rule there.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by Newbie77

I did find rules & regulations where it says that the school's athletic association "shall create policies that provide for participation By all team members in all games".

This is pretty broad language. Loosely interpreted, practice, which helps prepare the team for each game, as well as the right to suit up for the game itself, could be considered participation. The fact is, at this level, I have never heard of any league which has mandatory participation guidelines.

[Newbie77]

Originally Posted by just another ref

This is pretty broad language. Loosely interpreted, practice, which helps prepare the team for each game, as well as the right to suit up for the game itself, could be considered participation. The fact is, at this level, I have never heard of any league which has mandatory participation guidelines.

If that is the case, then parents are basically paying a fee for nothing. I don't see how a Christian school can have a "no-cut" team and bench players w/o a good reason. There were no try-outs for this team. In previous years, all girls were played in all the games, but they didn't all have equal playing time. The same should happen here or they should have had try-outs and those not good enough should not have made the team. That way those parents would not have paid $150 to watch their child warm a bench. Just my thoughts...

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Newbie77

If that is the case, then parents are basically paying a fee for nothing. I don't see how a Christian school can have a "no-cut" team and bench players w/o a good reason. There were no try-outs for this team. In previous years, all girls were played in all the games, but they didn't all have equal playing time. The same should happen here or they should have had try-outs and those not good enough should not have made the team. That way those parents would not have paid $150 to watch their child warm a bench. Just my thoughts...

That they're a Christian school means nothing.

No school should have that. If you think that a Christian school should be held to a higher standard, then I submit that all schools should be held to the same standard, since the issue has nothing to do with beliefs, but rather a stated policy.

[SNIPERBBB]

A lot of these no cut schools just aren't about letting everyone on the team...its the dinero from participation fees and a markup on warmup jerseys.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by just another ref

This is pretty broad language. Loosely interpreted, practice, which helps prepare the team for each game, as well as the right to suit up for the game itself, could be considered participation. The fact is, at this level, I have never heard of any league which has mandatory participation guidelines.

The middle schools around here all have A, B, and even C teams to maximize participation. One league even has mandatory substitution rules, going so far as to divide the 3rd quarter in half. At the middle school level, it happens all the time.

That said, it's up to the schools and leagues, so any questions and issues should be taken up with them. As has been stated, there's no NFHS backing here.

As for coach's demeaning attitude towards the players, that's an issue for the athletic director or, if you don't feel you're getting a response, you can go to the school board (or whatever the ruling authority is for this particular private school.)

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Newbie77

This is an 8th grade girls "A team", private school. So, the team is representing the school as well as the coach, who, with his demeaning attitude toward his girls, did the school no favors. Parents of the opposing team were even appalled.

Sorry if this is harsh... but:

8th grade A team? Coach is there to help the team win, not to appease every parent of every player, nor to ensure that the 12th best player on the team gets onto the court. If your kid's not playing, get her some training and make her better so the coach will WANT her on the court. This isn't league ball.

[Newbie77]

Just so you know, the issue is not with my daughter. I only posted here looking for info to help other parents out. It is not just one parent but a number of parents who are raising concerns.

I believe the overall complaint as I talk with parents more today is the coach's attitude toward his players. He demeans them & makes snide remarks, even to the star player. He very loudly yesterday asked her during the 3rd quarter "what planet are you on?" among other comments. Parents from the other team were even appalled especially considering that she is probably the player who hustles the most on the team.

As I read the policies of this league, it is a "no-cut" team so the kids have the opportunity to learn & play the game. Sportsmanship & teamwork are suppose to be the main emphasis.

I will be giving the parents the info that I have found in the policy & regulations of the league. They can decide what to do from there.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Newbie77

Just so you know, the issue is not with my daughter. I only posted here looking for info to help other parents out. It is not just one parent but a number of parents who are raising concerns.

And what does that mean? One or twenty does not make it valid. It just means that there are more that probably have little or not perspective.

Originally Posted by Newbie77

I believe the overall complaint as I talk with parents more today is the coach's attitude toward his players. He demeans them & makes snide remarks, even to the star player. He very loudly yesterday asked her during the 3rd quarter "what planet are you on?" among other comments. Parents from the other team were even appalled especially considering that she is probably the player who hustles the most on the team.

Well none of us are there. I have no idea what you consider demeaning remarks and I am not sure what that means if they say it to the star player. That might mean they are treating them the same. Sounds like that is good if nothing else.

Originally Posted by Newbie77

As I read the policies of this league, it is a "no-cut" team so the kids have the opportunity to learn & play the game. Sportsmanship & teamwork are suppose to be the main emphasis.

I will be giving the parents the info that I have found in the policy & regulations of the league. They can decide what to do from there.

You are right, sportsmanship is the main focus, but that is not what you came here to complain about. You complained about the fact that players were not playing. Frankly it appears that if there were really any other major issue, you might express specifically what those are. That being said this is an officiating board, not a parent's complaint board. We are officials and many are parents, but for the purpose of this board we do not control who plays. I can see where a coach can get out of hand at these levels, we often deal with coaches at this level and they can be a handful. But one of the bigger problems are parents because they usually tolerate bad behavior from their kids and do not want any authority figure to say much to them whether that is the officials or the coach. That level should be about learning, but that does not mean they have to play to learn. I stand by my original statement that I think it is your job as parents to teach your kids to play the game and if they are not playing, they need to either improve and work harder. This is going to really be the focus at the high school level where unless you are a very small school not everyone will even make the team, nor should make the team. Just because the kids play in a game is not going to make them better.

Peace

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Newbie77

... He demeans them & makes snide remarks, even to the star player...

Well, at least we now know he treats all his players the same and he is not unfairly treating the less talented players.

[fiasco]

Unfortunately for you, there's nothing in the NFHS rules that say a coach must have a player play a certain number of minutes. That kind of stuff is usually handled on a league basis.

You can file a complaint, but you have no NFHS rule to back you up.

[deecee]

IF the parents or school dont like it they can replace the coach. other than that its his team to run as he sees fit, or the powers that be deal with him.

sports, especially competitive ones, are not about equality, and parents that feel that they are are doing their kids a disservice.