Painful to call this coach's games

[Dakota]

I've called a fairly wide range of yoote fastpitch, ranging from 10U learners tho mid-age rec to travel teams and tournaments to 18U national qualifiers to high school ball ... but this 12U coach is about the worst I've seen in handling his players.

The team is a rec level team. A couple of pretty good players, but mostly learners, etc.

The coach, though, apparently only has negative reinforcement in his motivational toolbox.

He berates his players if they take a strike.

He berates his players if the swing at anything out of the strike zone.

He berates his pitcher for pitching balls (I surmise the pitcher is his daughter).

He berates his players for any misplay on defense.

He never had any issue with the umpire, but his constant shouting of negative comments at his players made the game painful for me to suffer through.

I called two of his games in a weekend tournament. My DD called his league game last night. She made similar comments about his behavior.

Guys like this should not be coaching.

[FUBLUE]

I don't enjoy these coaches...the yellers and screamers. Always talking negative about the players. Never compliment great plays. Some actually expect players to make that diving catch and throw from the knees to get the sprinter out at first.

Last night, we started our state tournmanet. From the first pitch, had a coach (from the team that eventually lost) complaining about pitchers. When he was on defense, every pitch that was somewhat close (like within 6 inches of the zone) he said, "oh, that was a strike" or "good pitch, he'll call it next time" or something like that. When on offense, he would say, "Oh, that was a ball last inning" or "call it both ways blue". I finally had enough after 4 innings of this.

Calmly asked him to stop. "Please sir, don't comment on balls and strikes; please don't argue balls and strikes."

"I'm not arguing." He says.

"Sir, your comments have been going on for 4 innings. I've heard enough...your point is made. Please don't make any more comments. Thank you sir."

No problems from there.

(Sadly enough, his catcher thought I called a great game).

[mcrowder]

You waited 4 innings?

Dakota, I had a coach in girls' basketball that was similar to this. This was 5th grade girls, and I ended up T'ing this coach up. Damn near gave him a 2nd one and show him the door. He was not only showing disgust to me and my partner for some calls (or no-calls), but he berated his girls too. I mean, he made his own daughter cry for god's sake. His timeouts were not time to discuss and solve problems with their playing, but to criticize them on their poor playing. You could see in their eyes they were fed up with him. What is worse, this was a Lutheran parochial school team playing in the postseason tournament. So, I feel for ya. It's not easy with a coach who thinks he's God's gift to the sport when we think he's the north end of a southbound jackass.

[chuck chopper]

Tom, ALL the leagues we have in this area have "code of conduct" forms they sign at the start of the season. This guy should be reported to his leagues board, and let them clean their own house.

[FUBLUE]

Originally posted by mcrowder
You waited 4 innings?

Being the very patient guy that I am (remember I work with troubled youth so patients is not only a virtue, it's a requirement of my job) I was hoping that he would listen to his catcher and his pitcher when they told him to be quiet about balls/strikes.

Besides, if I threw him out, they had six more coaches to get through before I could be done!

Wow, big coaching staff for a team at that age level. If the NCAA's had that many on a coaching staff, it'd cost $50 to watch a college softball game instead of $5 or so.