Coaching young kids sports teams

[booner]

no offense intended, I love your posts, you shouldn't be coaching kids this young.

Maybe, but guess what....nobody else wants anything to do with it

We have a ton of assistant coaches. Half of which have a clue and are capable of coaching a team. None of them want to do it.

They're all more than happy moving nets around, gathering pucks, setting up cones, etc.. but they all run the other way when asked to actually coach.
Every one of them tells me I'm crazy for doing it cause they know how difficult it is to actually teach

[fatnslow]

As a parent of three kids, two of which have played competitive sports tough coaching is fine as long as you are fair and transparent. If your kid doesn't like pressure and high expectations don't sign them up for a competive team. Most sports offer rec level if "fun" and staying engaged are the primary goals. It sucks being the bottom end of the pool in any tourney or league. If you don't implement a decent offense and defense in any competitive sport the team will suck ass and teams will start losing the better players to better teams. If this scenario bothers you don't play competitive sports. It is not a social club for the well off, contrary to popular belief in the suburbs.

[booner]

As a parent of three kids, two of which have played competitive sports tough coaching is fine as long as you are fair and transparent. If your kid doesn't like pressure and high expectations don't sign them up for a competive team. Most sports offer rec level if "fun" and staying engaged are the primary goals. It sucks being the bottom end of the pool in any tourney or league. If you don't implement a decent offense and defense in any competitive sport the team will suck ass and teams will start losing the better players to better teams. If this scenario bothers you don't play competitive sports. It is not a social club for the well off, contrary to popular belief in the suburbs.

Tough, fair, and transparent is my motto all the way.

We're a small organization, but a good one. We lose kids to the bigger organizations all the time cause parents think their kids will do better there.

This year I've coached against 3 kids that were on my team at some point and left to go to the big city team.

I don't coach to win, but it feels real good to beat those teams, and we usually do.

[stfu&gbtw]

If your kid doesn't like competitive sports, find something they enjoy doing. Most sports offer rec level if "after school child care for your non-athletic child" is the primary goal and you can't be bothered to find an art program for them to participate in.

fify5678

[DBdude]

Coach to mediocrity because of two disconnected brats? Coach to the middle so the most feel good. Yeah, that's a good idea. Pussies.

sports suck and it's guys like you that give them a bad name - again no offense intended, but we are on a different page on sports

sports don't matter at any level of participation

the kids are eight years old for christ sake - it's about having fun

[Timberridge]

Ah yes...all the 8-9 yr old competitive travel and club programs are just chock full of future D1 and pro prospects. Wouldn't want to ruin their chances of being drafted in the first few rounds because some kid that will never get a full ride to college or get drafted is on the peewee team.

[DBdude]

Maybe, but guess what....nobody else wants anything to do with it

We have a ton of assistant coaches. Half of which have a clue and are capable of coaching a team. None of them want to do it.

They're all more than happy moving nets around, gathering pucks, setting up cones, etc.. but they all run the other way when asked to actually coach.
Every one of them tells me I'm crazy for doing it cause they know how difficult it is to actually teach

is it that important? I don't think so. that's just me. getting riled up at a eight year old for not paying attention for what is basically a game is just stupid.

how many kids are you turning off to the game? I was a good player and walked because of coaches like you and started skiing. best thing I ever did as a kid was walking from a traveling team when I was 12.

I have skied utah, vt, pacific NW and california and it has been a life long avocation that has given me no end of pleasure and friends. It has led to me making career and life decisions that I have found rewarding. I just don't see that having happened with hockey

[DBdude]

We lose kids to the bigger organizations all the time cause parents think their kids will do better there.

This year I've coached against 3 kids that were on my team at some point and left to go to the big city team.

...but it feels real good to beat those teams,

this is exactly why team sports suck at the level you are coaching at - it's about the parents and the coaches and not the kids

[creaky fossil]

raise your hand if you had wimpy coaches at some point in your youth

raise your other hand if you admire those coaches, now, in retrospect

who has both hands raised?

[DBdude]

raise your hand if you had wimpy coaches at some point in your youth

raise your other hand if you admire those coaches, now, in retrospect

who has both hands raised?

the only coach I respected was my ski team coach who let us drink and smoke weed on ski trips

all the others were dumb jocks. there is nothing worse than a dumb jock

[4matic]

sports suck and it's guys like you that give them a bad name - again no offense intended, but we are on a different page on sports

sports don't matter at any level of participation

the kids are eight years old for christ sake - it's about having fun

How do you measure fun? By the two kids playing grab ass or the ones paying attention? The truth is not somewhere in the middle. I've seen coaches play the fun card all the time and it's a joke. Might as well play non-competitive earth ball with ice cream afterwards. Most kids want leadership and discipline. Even if it is 8 y/o.

[Timberridge]

raise your hand if you had wimpy coaches at some point in your youth

raise your other hand if you admire those coaches, now, in retrospect

who has both hands raised?

Who even remembers that shit...it's not like any of us played for Don Shula. If you're living your life at 40 basking in the glory of your 2 goal game in 8 yr old travel and what a great coach you had, then you have issues.

[Smoova]

this is exactly why team sports suck at the level you are coaching at - it's about the parents and the coaches and not the kids

You've got hockey experience. Are you using that expertise to coach a team the way you think it should be done ... or just criticizing the folks who are actually willing to volunteer their time, regardless of motivation?

[DBdude]

How do you measure fun? By the two kids playing grab ass or the ones paying attention? The truth is not somewhere in the middle. I've seen coaches play the fun card all the time and it's a joke. Might as well play non-competitive earth ball with ice cream afterwards. Most kids want leadership and discipline. Even if it is 8 y/o.

that my kids want to participate. They don't like to participate when coached like you do and that is fine. They stop participating so the "chosen" can "win"

[DBdude]

You've got hockey experience. Are you using that expertise to coach a team the way you think it should be done ... or just criticizing the folks who are actually willing to volunteer their time, regardless of motivation?

my family skis in the winter - no time for hockey and I didn't introduce them to the sport. I taught them to skate and they didn't take the game up - thank god

[Smoova]

my family skis in the winter - no time for hockey and I didn't introduce them to the sport. I taught them to skate and they didn't take the game up - thank god

So, you coach your kids in team sports other than hockey?

[DBdude]

So, you coach your kids in team sports other than hockey?

no - I don't like team sports

in the summer we swim and hike and play tennis in the winter we ski

is that a problem? Are you another former jock and team sports were your "glory" years? big man on campus in high school and all that stupid shit that goes with adolescence and fitting in?

no I didn't fit in. I was 6'6" at fourteen and awkward and clumsy. Team sports made me feel awful about my self and it was the coaches and my "fellow team members" that made me feel that way. When I skied I never felt bad, no matter how badly I did at the meets. At least I got to participate instead of warming the bench.

[creaky fossil]

Who even remembers that shit...it's not like any of us played for Don Shula. If you're living your life at 40 basking in the glory of your 2 goal game in 8 yr old travel and what a great coach you had, then you have issues.

not quite hitting the right notes there, the illogic dominates
unless you're aping stuckie, in which case, bullseye

[Smoova]

no - I don't like team sports

in the summer we swim and hike and play tennis in the winter we ski

Good to know - I was afraid that your kids didn't like team sports ...

[DBdude]

Good to know - I was afraid that your kids didn't like team sports ...

actually they don't - is that a problem? why would I coach kids in something I don't like? So I can be frustrated and an asshole like booner and turn kids off?

do I have to do everything my kids do to be a good parent? teaching them math and science and reading and tennis and skiing and hiking and beaches and rivers and lakes and canoes and kayaks aren't enough?

I have bend my career around team sports? Fuck no.

[booner]

Wow, some of you are taking what I've said way out of context....big shocker

I'm very good to these kids. I constantly tell them they're doing great, even if they're not

Just because we don't play tag and do fucking snow angels on the ice doesn't mean I'm screaming at them and driving them to become draft picks...give me a fucking break. I'm just giving them the foundation they need for the next level, which is to actually learn the game...not shoot pucks against the boards all day or do relay races (although I do that when mixing in fun stuff)

I expect kids to have the respect to listen to an adult when they are teaching (not yelling at) them....that's all

And...travel hockey as a kid prepared me for "real life" more than any other experience I went through.
The team work, comradery, discipline, hard work, etc...they learn will benefit them forever.

If they're not into...fine...go do something else

[DBdude]

Wow, some of you are taking what I've said way out of context....big shocker

I'm very good to these kids. I constantly tell them they're doing great, even if they're not

Just because we don't play tag and do fucking snow angels on the ice doesn't mean I'm screaming at them and driving them to become draft picks...give me a fucking break. I'm just giving them the foundation they need for the next level, which is to actually learn the game...not shoot pucks against the boards all day or do relay races (although I do that when mixing in fun stuff)

I expect kids to have the respect to listen to an adult when they are teaching (not yelling at) them....that's all

And...travel hockey as a kid prepared me for "real life" more than any other experience I went through.

my apologies

smoking bowls and drinking with my ski coach prepared me for life...i mean to be honest, look where you live. I'm from NY and have family an hour down the road where you live. I've lived in VT and Washington state since my mid 20's and that is because of skiing.

[creaky fossil]

you forget, booner, that your detractors are in the 0.001%ile where natural athletic gifts are concerned, and they are so intuitive in everything that nothing needs explanation, they grasp all subtleties immediately as long as they're awake, and sometimes even when they're not. they excelled in everything they ever did without ever talking to, watching, listening to anyone -- and they hit such excellence within minutes of first attempt.

hell, I'd scoff too if that were me

[Smoova]

actually they don't - is that a problem? why would I coach kids in something I don't like? So I can be frustrated and an asshole like booner and turn kids off?

do I have to do everything my kids do to be a good parent? teaching them math and science and reading and tennis and skiing and hiking and beaches and rivers and lakes and canoes and kayaks aren't enough?

I have bend my career around team sports? Fuck no.

Just curious about the person and experiences behind the opinions you've been posting. I'm sure you're a fine parent to your children.

[DBdude]

Just curious about the person and experiences behind the opinions you've been posting. I'm sure you're a fine parent to your children.

I abhor team sports and it is from my experiences in little league and organized hockey. I was good at high school soccer and never got game time because of politics and poor coaching because nobody could pass the ball.

yes for me team sports was the worst experience of adolescence - no doubt