|
|
|
#1
10-29-2005, 12:17 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Token playing time for weaker players in youth ball
In a recent thread, Jake Patterson noted by way of passing that he'd written a book called How To Coach Little League: A Short Easy To Follow Guide On How To Begin Your Little League Coaching Career, available in book or downloadable format from booklocker.com. I don't know Jake and I haven't read (and am not here to pimp) this book, although the excerpt from another Jake Patterson book on coaching basketball makes it appear as though he's got some outstanding ideas. (If you want to see the excerpt, go to the booklocker.com site and select the "Sports" category, and Jake's two books should come up.)
While scanning his basketball book, I came across an included article Jake wrote about coaches giving token playing time to arguably lesser players. I have never seen anything written on that specific subject and it was absolutely brilliant! I literally had tears in my eyes because I've seen exactly what you describe over and over again. Coaches either are (or pretend to be) totally clueless about the impact of such playing decisions on the kids. Any boy or girl above the age of 9 knows when he is being patronized -- being treated as though it's a chore to have to put him or her on the field to meet leagues' minimum playing time rules. In my son's 11-12 year old league, the weaker kids almost always get stuck playing nothing but the outfield (even in practice), and it becomes a vicious cycle because they can't be good infielders without having the opportunity to work at it. Two almost quit even though the team was on a run that led to the championship. I finally had to implore my son's coach, "Hey, if you're not going to play the younger kids beyond the minimum, at least go to them once a week and give them an encouraging word and let them know they're a big contributor to the team." Ironically, the kids ultimately reacted in a "well, I'll show that guy" attitude. It was a wonderful experience in the semifinal game when the four 12 year olds tanked and the team fell behind 6 to 1. All of a sudden, each and every one of the seven 11-year olds, who he'd always disdained as weak hitters, came through with big plays and hits, including my son's strike from right field to nail a runner at the plate, a first-ever home run from another kid, and a key RBI ground out from a kid who'd been zoning out because of serious family problems. They won 11-8 and then, with that burst of confidence permeating the team, won the championship game 15 - 0. I raise the issue because I think baseball's biggest fans are adults who played, and developed a love for it, in a youth league, and I hate to see this potential appreciation for the game soured because of such coaching. And I don't think you need to risk the team's chances of winning by including lesser players. For example, one of my son's great coaches the previous two years would put weaker players at third base when the bottom of the opponent's lineup was due up, as they were not very likely to pull the ball anyway. Just the experience of warming up with the regular infielders before the inning started was a treat to them. Anyway, I invite Jake and others to weigh in on this issue. How as a coach do you handle it? How as a player or parent do you address such a coach? 
|
|
#2
12-29-2005, 09:43 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
From Coach
Hi Ursa,
I somehow missed this and found it surfing the web. Thanks for your kind words. We have all experienced this phenomenom. I have two sons, each at the extreme opposites of the scale, i.e. one who always started and the other that only recieved Token Playtime. The affect that it has had on my sons has help to shaped who they became as adults. I have given this topic considerable thought and have considered it as a possible dissertation for my Doctorate. The interesting part of the problem is not what it is - it's why it happens. If anyone would like to view or use the article for your youth leagues contact me at pattersonsports@yahoo.com I have developed self guide measures to insure that I do not fall victim to my own observations. What we do as coaches is age dependent. How you treat players on a Minor League team is different than what we would do at the high school or college level, although the lesson here is "..if we have one person who does not feel they are part of the team, then you do not have a team." At the high school level I spend a great deal of time establishing roles. During the beginning of the season I let the players establish what it is they see their role as. Most players see their talents for what they are and I usually do not have a problem with the majority of the team. As the season progresses I establish quantitative goals for the players so they can determine for themselves if they qualify for the role they desire. Also in the book is a chart I developed, oddly enough with Stump Merrill (That's a story in itself). It has been a guide for me for many years. I tried to cut and paste it here but it wouldn't format correctly. If anyone wants a copy send me an email. Jake Last edited by Jake Patterson; 12-29-2005 at 09:58 PM.
|
|
#3
12-29-2005, 09:57 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
BTW, I read your article and thought it was excellent as well.
|
|
#4
12-30-2005, 01:22 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
If anyone wants to read Jake's article but is too lazy to search it out in the "coaching basketball" book at booklocker.com, I can forward a copy of it in .pdf format -- so long as it's okay with Jake, of course. I did send a copy to one of our youth league directors, who's excited about it and promised to push to see that it's included in the coaching curriculum. I think it is significant that it's a player's mom whom I felt more comfortable broaching the subject with, as I think that guys who grew up in the rigid meritocracy of sports leagues are more likely to think that it's the natural order of things for stars to get all the playing time.
In chatting with her I was reminded of our experience where our sons were on a 7 and 8 year old team together. Her son was quite good and, being left-handed, played first base virtually every inning. My son and several other "weaker" players who were brand new to the game, never played a single inning in the infield all season long.... in coach pitch ball! Being new to the league, I kind of accepted this but in retrospect realize that I should have ripped the coach a new one. And, of course, he's still in the league and still hyperventilating in his coaching, and his kids are so tense that they invariably break down in clutch situations. The answer to this of course has to be in the management of the league that both selects the coaches and sets the policies. But, I'll bet your league is like mine, and the administrators and coaches are invariably the parents of the stronger kids, so they aren't as likely to see the problem. And other parents, like I was facing the zealous coach of the pee-wee team, don't want to be viewed as whiners.
|
|
#5
12-30-2005, 08:34 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Anyone ever read John T Reed's book on youth baseball coaching? It's very good and touches on a lot of the issues we're discussing here.
Reed pulls no punches and has a writing style that's very 'in your face'. People either love him or hate him. But you can decide for yourself by reading some of his free articles about baseball coaching here: http://www.johntreed.com/bbarticles.html http://www.johntreed.com/YBCerrata.html Last edited by pgibbons; 12-30-2005 at 08:38 AM.
|
|
#6
12-30-2005, 10:00 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
From Coach
Quote:
I have been at coaching long enough to watch those I've coached initially age into adulthood, many having children of their own. As I mentioned above, a full study could be dedicated to this topic. When looking at the affects sports has had on those I've coached I have found that they may fall into several major categories. The three obvious ones being; 1. Athletics has had a positive influence on who the individual becomes. 2. Athletics has had a negative influence on who the individual becomes. 3. Athletics has not substantially influenced who the individual becomes. (Again this would require substantial work to properly articulate and identify the above) I feel that in many cases individual players are affected by all three categories simultaniously to varying degrees. My oldest, a quite, less talented player was the Token kid. It killed me to see coaches put him in as an after thought and this eventually had a powerfull impact on his self-confidence as an adult, something he struggles with to this day. On the other hand it had a positive impact in that he learned early in life that he had to work harder than others in order to be successfull. (In basketball when looking for a pass we tell the players, "Don't just be open - be seen.") My other son was very talented and is the antithesis of his brother. He tries to get through life on good looks and talent and is now finding in college, this won't cut it. I am not a believer in the "keep no score" mentality. I believe there is alot children can learn from athletics. Winning AND losing teaches us much. Children can be an active, important part of the team without being the stars. How we treat those players and how we help them see themselves as athletes is what's important. Last edited by Jake Patterson; 12-30-2005 at 10:03 AM.
|
|
#7
12-30-2005, 10:17 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
From Coach
[quote=pgibbons]Anyone ever read John T Reed's book on youth baseball coaching? It's very good and touches on a lot of the issues we're discussing here.
Reed pulls no punches .....QUOTE] While Reed has a lot of good things to say in his articles he makes a classic mistake that many of us fall victim to. He usues the term, or concept youth athletics too losely. There is a big difference between coaching 7 year olds and 14 year olds. I believe in rotating new players through positions when they are young. Children develop at such different rates it is impossible to effectively pigeon-hole them without ramifications. The right fielder you have today in Minor League may be your star shortstop in high school in a few years.
|
|
#8
12-30-2005, 11:00 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
i agree the dork of today can be the stud of mannana.but platooning kids doesnt work either. know what kind of coach you have ahead of time.the older kids get it seems the more important it is to win.
|
|
#9
12-30-2005, 02:08 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
|
|
#10
12-31-2005, 11:54 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Pete, thanks for the link to the Reed articles. I can see how they're controversial, but I tend to agree with about 70% of his ideas. My philosophy on coaching -- borrow from the best but don't be afraid to discard what doesn't work. The only coach whose philosophies I have yet to find fault with ... at least yet ... is Jake Patterson.
  Reed doesn't really address the tokenism aspects in his articles, as he is focused more on strategies for winning, rather than just giving kids a good experience. (I applaud his obsession with safety, though) Still, since you address it, I think it's worth bringing up his terrific coaching mistakes article. While I disagree with a few points, the mistakes that I think he best focuses on are (and remember that these are mistakes -- things you should not do): * Wasting practice time on activities where one player gets an occasional repetition while the rest of the team stands around in small groups chatting. * Failing to hold a parent meeting at which you explain your policies on position assignments, batting order, playing time, and so forth. * Destroying player confidence by telling them all the things they are doing “wrong.” * Trying to control runners at all times rather than letting them make their own, faster, and often better decisions. * Practicing two-throw, double-force double plays. * Giving prestigious positions out on the basis of nepotism rather than ability and team need. * Failing to emphasize baserunning, which is by far the most coachable aspect of baseball. * Failure to teach players where to go when the ball is not hit to them and failure to insist that they go there. Pitchers and outfielders, especially, tend to go “off duty” whenever a ball is hit somewhere other than to them. * Letting players do “AT&T” tags (“Reach out and touch someone”) instead of putting the tag on the ground next to the base. * Letting catchers take off their mask/helmet to throw to a base to stop a steal. I take a little bit of issue with his insistence that players don't need to get much batting practice or instruction after the season starts. First, it may not accurately describe his situation. Knowing the area in which he coaches -- a lily-white, high income suburb of San Francisco, I'm guessing that at least 60 percent of his players sneak off with their dads to the numerous batting cages in that area. Many probably get paid coaching on the side and their dads are pretty zealous about teaching them, so they probably reach Reed's level with acceptably good swings in place. I think there is room for working on the mechanics of kids' swings. To be sure, you should pretty much figure that kids aren't going to change their swings much once the season starts. But, going into preseason, you can do some triage to try to correct some egregious errors, which of course are more likely to exist with kids who haven't had the benefit of learning from coaches or zealous dads. And, I think the more kids swing with some good instruction (to a point), the more likely the are to reach the kind of epiphany that Reed describes elsewhere, where the kid just feels something right that has worked its way into his swing, and the kid manages to replicate it. Again, you can't be working on sixteen different issues at that point. What is implicit in his article is a point that is well made elsewhere -- don't try to correct a kid's swing during a game, fer hevvinsakes. Ursa Major ex-"Dork" 
|
|
#11
12-31-2005, 12:46 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Ursa Major, I agree with you on the whole batting practice thing. And you're right about the area that Reed lives in - Tony LaRussa is one of his neighbors so I wouldn't be surprised that plenty of kids in that area are either getting regular batting practice, or have their own cages.
About tokenism and what Jake Patterson had mentioned - the difference in coaching at different age levels. Reed may not have addressed it very well in his articles, but he does address this issue quite a bit in his books. He tells stories about how some coaches don't give the quiet, low-key kids a chance. He felt his own son was unfairly discriminated against because of his quiet demeanor. But he eventually blossomed and went on to play football at Columbia. I don't want to sound like I'm shilling for Reed though. I figured those that like Jake's writing would appreciate Reeds as well. Although Reed is much different from Jake Patterson, I feel they both have a unique voice and are willing to talk about some of the psychological and political issues in youth sports that most 'coaching' books won't touch with a ten foot pole. Last edited by pgibbons; 12-31-2005 at 07:21 PM.
|
|
#12
12-31-2005, 01:01 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
From Coach
Pete and Ursa,
The new edition of How to Coach Little League was published last week. I would like to send you both a POD copy in exchange for your feedback. The book is still technically weak with regards to baseball skills because I felt there are hundreds of other books out there covering those areas. My primary intent was to reach new coaches and discuss the not too often talked about topics such token playtime, difficult parents, planning, winning versus teaching, etc... If you are interested send me your address at pattersonsports@yahoo.com I would welcome anyone else's input on the new edition, just send me your address. He who dares to teach must never cease to learn!
|
|
#13
01-02-2006, 05:14 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Winning versus Teaching
It took me a while but I think I figured out how to get the following attached.... lets see. Click on the following:
Winning versus Teaching.pdf I developed this over a tuna sandwich with Stump Merrill, but like I said earlier - that's a story in itself. Last edited by Jake Patterson; 01-02-2006 at 05:23 PM.
|
|
#14
01-02-2006, 09:09 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
I would like to share some of my experiences here.
First off all, I have a brother five years younger than myself. A divorce and the timing of other events led to the fact that my father, who was very knowledgable about the game, was able to prepare me a lot better than he was able to prepare and help my brother. As such, I excelled in youth baseball while my brother didn't. Our levels of passion for the game are far apart. He is a fan, but not nearly like me, and without my influence and the closeness of our relationship, his engagement would dwindle even further. Regarding giving playing time. I've done some coaching and will only say this. It is unfair to the entirety of the team to not give yourself the best chance to win. This does not mean you have to stick your worst players on your bench, but be more aware of situations. I took it upon myself to learn as much as I could about the other teams so that I knew what "quality concessions" I could make and when to make them, while minimally hurting the team. Additionally, its corny to say but although you can't coach talent, the window to making your kids smart, aware and responsible in their on field decisions is wide open. Ironically, it is often some of the weaker kids who make fewer mental mistakes as they aren't disillusioned with their abilities to make plays they have no business trying in the first place. You cant change natural talent, but you can always minimize mistakes.
__________________
THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT COME WITH A SCORECARD In the avy: AZ - Doe or Die
|
|
#15
01-03-2006, 07:39 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Regarding giving playing time. I've done some coaching and will only say this. It is unfair to the entirety of the team to not give yourself the best chance to win. This does not mean you have to stick your worst players on your bench, but be more aware of situations. I took it upon myself to learn as much as I could about the other teams so that I knew what "quality concessions" I could make and when to make them, while minimally hurting the team
It all depends on what your coaching.rec ball vs travel ball.Kids hate to loose so trying to win isnt such a bad thing.At age 12 kids are learning the REALITIES of life.Just juggling the batting order around gives them a little taste of it.You will find kids and parents want to win,and they want to win more then you think.We had 3 travel teams for age 11 in our park district,the two that had losing records are no longer together.They are attempting to take the talent from the two teams and try to make a better team.WHY?  Parents and KIDS dont want to travel from town to town losing.Just put a kid in a position where hes out of place and say your DEVOLOPING him and see what the other parents say.Especially in a tournament.Remember these people pay around 800 a year to play youth travel.They want to win.so all in all you have to know what the attitude is b4 you start.
|
|
#16
01-03-2006, 11:50 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
From Coach
Quote:
I believe we are on the same page. Study after study has shown that a vast majority of those who play sports up to the high school level would much rather play and lose than not play and win. At the Little League level I believe the number exceeds 90%. Any one who puts on a uniform, picks up a glove doesn't do so to lose, regardless of their talent level. The problem is how do you balance the need to win and the need to participate. The chart I offered above suggests that the ratio varies depending upon the athletes age and the type of league in which you participate.
|
|
#17
01-03-2006, 01:07 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
again that chart is fine for rec ball.the chart means didley when you are dealing with parents and kids that want to compete and win.when game time comes its time to win,you can instruct and show during practice and practice games.
|
|
#18
01-03-2006, 04:00 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
|
|
#19
01-03-2006, 04:09 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Digg, excellent points all. To be sure, a weaker kid doesn't want to be known as a charity case, but I think if as a coach you let the kids know ahead of time about what the rules are as far as allocating playing time, they'll understand why weaker kids get in. Of course, it depends on age level and skill disparities as well.
I like your point about scouting the opposition and finding opportunities to play "developing" kids at appropriate points, say, by giving a slower pitcher an opportunity to pitch against the bottom of the other team's order. One of my favorite coaches (in a 9-10 year old league) would put a weaker fielder in at third base in an inning when our fastest pitcher was pitching to righthanders. Batters rarely got around on him well enough to pull, and I don't think it cost us a run all year. The kids' fielding percentage there was maybe 50 percent on the few occasions that the ball came over there, but it still took more hits to bring 'em around. And the boys' were excited and got to warm up with the rest of the infielders. Well worth the risk, IMHO. Quote:
I think you need to have the guts to say to the "win only" parents (who I'll bet are not the ones whose kids aren't playing much) -- (a) every kid and every parent on this team has an investment in it and an equal right for their kid to develop, and -- (b) a team that has a bunch of kids glued to the bench (i) is a candidate for internal chemistry problems that will affect their chances of winning, (ii) because of injuries or schedule conflicts could be hampered when we need these other kids to be ready to step in, and (iii) risks the safety of the "every inning" kids, including your superstar, who instead should sit and rest every once in awhile. (It's amazing how coaches are sometimes more concerned about a kid's safety than the kid's own Dad.) And, I will buy you a copy of Jake Patterson's book at such time as you have the courage to present any parent with a reason (c): "Because I think that part of my responsibility is to develop these players as people and their ability to work together as a team and to accept life's inevitable losses is more important to that development than your desire to have another trophy to put on the mantle."  And, for any kind of team, you have to be wary of confusing the noise generated by the most vociferous parents with the views of all the parents. I (and presumably other parents of equally young and weaker players) didn't complain to our coach about our sons' lack of playing time last season in large part because we didn't want to seem to be stereotypic whiners. That didn't mean we were happy, 'cuz we weren't. Jake, thanks for your offer about the book. I'll email you separately about it to both the address above and your hotmail account. Ursa
|
|
#21
01-03-2006, 06:39 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
 Fred Engh, President of the National Alliance of Youth Sports says, "Winning at all costs is probably the ugliest thing we can teach children, yet we have many, many people - parents and coaches - who do that today." An article I found on the Net that further explains this is: Good Sports: Raising a Young Athlete By Sheila King, Exercise Physiologist at UCLA - Program Director of the American College of Sports Medicine We've seen them on TV and the local playing fields: overbearing parents so over-involved in their children's sports that they undermine growth and performance. Consider the plight of 17-year-old Australian tennis sensation Jelena Dokic. Not only did officials eject her father from a Wimbledon warm-up tournament for shouting at officials, but he was also arrested "for his own safety" after he laid down in traffic and jumped on the hood of a car. Want to hear an even sadder story? Gymnast Dominique Moceanu became an Olympic gold medallist at the ripe old age of 14, while ignoring a painful four-inch stress fracture in her left leg. "Who is looking out for this child?" ESPN sportswriter Mark Kreidler wondered at the time. At 17, Moceanu asked a judge to declare her a legal adult so that she could free herself from her parents (former gymnasts who had nursed gold-medal dreams for Dominique since her birth). After a very public battle, she won the right to choose her own coaches, control her own money and lead her own life. Let's not kid ourselves, parental interference isn't just found at the level of the professional athlete. In recent years, police had to break up a fistfight between coaches and parents at a Little League game for 10-year-olds; one father was accused of beating another parent to death after a dispute at their sons' hockey practice. Such violence is "epidemic" and is turning off many young athletes, says Fred Engh, president of the National Alliance for Youth Sports and author of Why Johnny Hates Sports. In fact, approximately 73 percent of children who compete in organized sports quit by age 13. Many drop out because they say the pressure from coaches and parents simply takes all the fun out of playing and competing. So how can we keep our kids motivated and help them achieve their sports goals without burning them out? We need to shift the emphasis from competition and winning to fun and play, whether we've got a budding Mia Hamm or Michael Jordan on our hands or a kid who's happy playing intramural ball. We need to let our children take the lead in defining their sports commitments. Our job as parents is to help set healthy limits and reasonable expectations. While there are no recipes for creating star athletes, we can nurture elite talent and promote healthy exercise habits in young people. a.. Parents, take a chill pill. Lose the attitude of winning at all costs. Many children do not enjoy organized sports because coaches and parents put too much pressure on winning. Moms and dads with Olympic dreams must not lose sight of the long-term reality. Fewer than 1 percent of the children participating in organized sports today will qualify for any type of athletic scholarship in college and an even smaller number of those will go on to professional sports or the Olympics, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. Coaches and parents who instill a life-long love of fitness and sports are the real winners. b.. Choose the right coach. Providing good coaching can help children develop the skills and abilities they need to excel and succeed in sports. The best coaches are positive and offer lots of encouragement, emphasizing both skill development and good sportsmanship. They are organized and set limits for both players and parents. They do not chastise or punish players for making mistakes. Instead, they praise the effort and emphasize fun, not winning at all costs. Most youth league coaches are volunteers and have not had professional training but that doesn't mean you have to put up with a verbally abusive coach or one who arrives late and doesn't organize practices. If you end up with one, try to move your child to another team as soon as possible. If you can't get a transfer, discuss your concerns with the coach in a private, non-threatening conversation. c.. Stress success. Be sure your children are playing at the appropriate level for age and skill development. Nothing can be more discouraging to children than playing over their heads. Confidence is key — especially for girls, who more often express lower perceptions of physical competence than boys. Emphasize effort over result. By the same token, nothing can be more frustrating than playing below your potential. If your children are highly skilled, make sure they're challenged on the field or on the court. If they're playing above their peer level, find groups that meet their needs. Like the child who's always the last one picked when teams are being chosen, a child with the potential to be an elite athlete deserves special attention and consideration. There are plenty of resources out there; it's up to you to take full advantage of them. d.. Avoid instant replays. Don't rehash every detail of the game with your child. Over-analyzing play can take the fun out of it. And focusing only on mistakes can backfire: Some kids will do anything to avoid making another mistake, including not doing anything at all. Children need to develop their instincts and learn to trust them. They don't need to dwell on every misstep. Let the coach provide feedback during practice when children can readily make changes. e.. Introduce competition at the optimal time. Some children are ready for competition at an early age. But from a developmental standpoint, competition is best introduced in adolescence when children are more comfortable testing themselves against others. Most pre-adolescents do not enjoy the competitive nature of sports. The emphasis in this age group should be on fun, movement variety, social and skill development. f.. Whose sport is it anyway? Children have to have the desire within themselves to compete and excel at sports. Parents cannot force children to succeed as athletes. The best approach is to expose kids to a variety of sports. Then let them choose the sport. Examine your personal motives for wanting your child to compete. If you are trying to live vicariously through your child, reassess what your child wants and needs and put those desires ahead of your own. g.. Be a good sport on the sidelines. Remove all obscenities from your vocabulary. Never let your child hear you criticizing the coach or other players. Let your child know it's not the end of the world if they lose an important game. It could be their most important lesson. Parents who shout obscenities and criticisms embarrass children and squelch their desires. Keep the sideline comments positive and encouraging. Refrain from blaming umpires and referees for "bad" calls. Teach your children that such judgments are part of the game and must be overcome. Realize that most of the referees and umpires are volunteers who provide a service for your children. h.. Keep sports in perspective. Help children learn to balance sports in their lives. Richard Williams, father and coach of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, says that he stresses school, religion and then tennis. Keeping children well rounded will provide them with the confidence and skills to respond to the ups and downs in life. Parents do have an important role to play in helping support and encourage star athletes. Tiger Woods, the Williams sisters and Cal Ripken Jr. are all examples of athletes whose parents helped them develop a love of their sport and maintained healthy relationships. While your kids may never become pro athletes or Olympic stars, you can guide them to a lifelong enjoyment of sports and physical activity. Then no matter what the score of their games, they'll be winners! I will investigate to see if there are any prospective studies available. Go to the Net and plug in "Winning at all Costs, children" I got 6,000,000 hits. It's a big issue to everyone except those that do not undertsand that they are the problem. Last edited by Jake Patterson; 01-03-2006 at 06:43 PM.
|
|
#22
01-03-2006, 06:48 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Its not win at all costs its win when the game is being played.What do you guys expect a coach to teach during game time? Do you shout out instructions during their piano recital.Is "INSTRUCTING " lil johnny to keep his elbow up while the pitchers throwing teaching him anything? You want to teach the kids something? then SHUT UP once during game time .let them throw the ball where they think it should be thrown.Let them play the game and learn by their mistakes.Yeah win at all costs means in travel to put the players where they desreve to be when they deserve to be there.There is no favortism.The best kids play where they DESERVE to play.IS that win at all costs.What you teach a kid yelling out instructions in a game is more detrimental than good.Thats what practice is for.and if you dont have enough practice maybe you should play less games and practice more.
|
|
#24
01-03-2006, 08:19 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Quote:
Not sure who this is directed to... but here's some other thoughts... I also advicate, "Practice belongs to the coach and the games to the players." I agree during the game is not the best place to teach sports based skills, but there are many other lessons to be learned. Like I said earlier, no one puts on a uniform or glove to lose. The "desire" and intent to win goes without saying.
|
 |
| Thread Tools | |
| Display Modes | Rate This Thread |
|
|
Linear Mode
