Just in case you haven't heard this before, answer questions and ignore comments. If a coach asks a question do your best to answer it in 3 words or less. Of course this isn't an all or nothing. Some things take more and other less.

For example:
C: would you watch 32 she's holding
R: ok (or even a nod)

C: what did 45 do wrong?
R: he slid under

As Juulie said answer politely and briefly. Remember the more you say the more trouble you can get into. (And have I been there many times.) One other thing I did when I was at that point, was really worked on a raport with the players. It helped me to keep my frustration down and remember why I was there.

Hope that helps...

Re: It's a game
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by lmeadski
[B]...and always keep a cold six-pack in your pickup to slam on the way home.


Don't worry about it, I will add the smiley face for you. :D

To piggyback on what Rut said, the number one way to deal with coaches...get better!
You will move up/on and when you occassionally do another game like this things will be much different. The coach will recognize your skill and his/her actions will lead you to an obvious conclusion.

Coaches /Pressure
 

Appreciate all the feedback. My coach management skills are constantly evolving. I know the three step-stop sign-T skill set. I was ranting about their behavior-not my skill or lack of skill set in dealing with them.

Imeadski- Not buying the pressure thing. I am at the Frosh/Jv levels. These jobs go begging for people to take them. I was offered a JV job over the holidays just cause I have some social skills and didn't wet myself in public. Usually the frosh jobs go to a parent who works graveyards, and the Jv jobs to a parent who coached the Frosh for 2/3 years. The talent level is down at these levels cause if the players have any talent they are moved to Varsity pretty quick. So no pessure to develop players cause the Varsity coach already has seen his serious players in the summer and latched on to them. No pressure to win cause the Frosh/JV teams have already been raided of their good players. Heck I rarely see the V coach at the Frosh games. I realize it may be different elsewhere but here that is how it is......

Re: Coaches /Pressure
 

In that situation, I would think there'd be even more pressure from the parents to give little Susie the starring position so everyone can see her wonderful potential. And to win more because you aren't helping little Susie develop the way she should (and that's always your fault, not Susie's fault, btw). And if you'd do this drill (that no one's done since 1963) instead of that one these kids would be a lot faster. And why don't you try that "one-set-off-kilter" play that I saw Duke U use last night? And so on, and so on, and so on.....

This can be useful . . . but
 

This can be useful . . . but, when all is said and done, it's going to be a matter of whether or not the coach has a brain and it's plugged in.

Last night I had a defender do a good approximation of running under the shooter on a fast break. Fortunately, the contact was such that the shooter slid down the kid's back nicely and landed on his feet. Ball went in . . .

I put a fist up, thought about putting the the other one up and crossing them . . . and backed off. Reported the foul, and quickly said to the kid's coach, "That was that close to being intentional." "I know," he said, "I'm taking him out of the game."

I was satisfied. A rare moment . . .

Coaches and Insanity
 

Maybe there is more pressure to win/perform/please at the freshman and JV levels. However, the gyms are only full at the varsity games. Many of the varsity coaches in our area are infamous @ssholes, and some refs wont take their games. Also, I find the severity of coach personality retardation syndrome to be more prevelant among entire staffs (frosh, jv and v) than primarily at lower levels. A quality V coach I will inculcate his jv and frosh coaches (in our area, usually these folks are the varsity coach's assistants). So, if I go to one town and the frosh coach is a real weiner, my guess is the jv and varsity coaches will be too. On the otherhand, I rarely see frosh and jv coaches with CPRS when the varsity coach is a quality guy/girl.

Take A Break
 

The fact that you used word like "despair" and "frustration" brought back some not so fond memories of similar feelings I had several years ago. When you are at a point where you are dreading your next game more than looking forward to it, or you never go home after a game satisfied that it was fun, perhaps it's time to take more than a few games off. You might need a sabbatical. When this happened to me, I took 5 years off. It was the best and smartest thing I could have done. I've been back in it for 3 years now and have a totally different mindset. You don't necessarily need to take 5 years off, but perhaps a season or two until you miss it and find it enjoyable again. If it's not fun or enjoyable for you, you're not going to be doing your best for the game.

Re: Coaches /Pressure
 

Rant on if it makes you feel better but don't forget - you cannot <u>ever truely control their behavior,</u> only your professional and focused - rules based reaction to it.