grade school coaches behavior

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by Hawks Coach
. I think that some of these guys have so little perspective that going to them and saying "I am green, I may miss some" will only make matters worse.

Hawk's Coach, here's something I've used successfully a time or two.

If I know I messed one up, and it's not too late in the game, I go to the coach and say, "How many mistakes am I allowed?" They usually realize they're getting backed into a corner here, but can't get out. (If they say "only one" i say, "Is that all you get?") Or if they say three or five, I say, "Okay that was the first" pointing to where the play was that I blew the call of. Then even if they start yelling later, I can say, "That's still only two" or whatever. If they are yelling but I didn't really goof, I say, "Coach, I saw that charge very clearly. I'm still only at one." If I say this all in a sort of friendly, non-confrontive way, it seems to take some of the heat out of the relationship.

Hawk's Coach, would that work for you?