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.)

I have a novel idea. How about let your kid work hard and teach them that not everyone is going to give them something? Parents in my opinion are ruining kids sports by complaining about everything instead of using those opportunities to teach them values of life. When I was that age if you could not play you did not play in the games. Playing games does not keep you kids from practicing hard or working on their games. Life is not fair and sometimes you have to work harder to get what you want.

Peace

Right, and if there isn't, then the coach is right. Parents trying to second guess the coach's talent assessment has got to be the primary reason people don't want to coach youth sports.

I don't think she knew what the league rules were at the time of that conversation with the coach. She was told by the head of the Athletic Assoc.. that he believed that coaches were to try to play each player for about a quarter. If a player doesn't play in one game the coach needs to try to play her for 2 quarters in the next league game.

If that is true, then this is not being followed & needs to be corrected.

Exactly. If you want to give her more playing time, you should get her into a Y league or an AAU league or something. Give her a chance to work on her game in the off season. Build her conditioning.

In previous years, this school has had A,B & C teams but this year there wasn't enough girls to split into 2 teams.

That being said this coach is mainly playing the girls he has had for the last 2 years & claiming the others are not good enough. Many of these girls do play ball in the off season, including attending basketball camps. I know of one player who gets up early every Saturday & Sunday morning to go to her local YMCA to practice her shooting & dribbling before the court gets taken over by games. To me, that says dedication.

Thanks for all the info & opinion guys!

If interested more in participation than competition than look for an Upward program. Around here they have various sports through the 8th grade level. My 7th grade son has Asperger's Syndrome and his brain is definitely not wired for competitive sports at this point in his life.

Upward is all about encouragement, fun, and sportsmanship.

And they still might not be good enough. That is what sports is supposed to teach you. A coach should play the best players most of the time. It is probably going to get worse in the next year or so for these players.

Peace

+1, BRAVO Sir

I don't know, it sounds like there's an actual participation rule in this league that the coach isn't adhering to. You're right, the off-season work doesn't mean they're good enough, but leagues have participation rules for a reason.

The bolded part below is starting to make me believe there is no actual rule or by-law stating so and that it's more of a "spirit of the league" kind of thing.

None of us have any idea what is going on and it really does not matter to me. The top players should play and all these little silly rules about who participates is mostly a problem. And when you get to HS there are no participation rules other than to limit how much a player plays, but not required that someone play at all. Also something tells me there is more to this than what we read here. There is a lot of hyperbole in these examples.

Peace

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.

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.

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.

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.

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