Thoughts On Parents Attending Practice? Then Talking To Coach about Son Starting

[Guest Orangeboy]

I think every kid should have a chance to play up through middle school. Once they're in high school, ability should carry them. Such parental pressure is one of the reasons that some programs will never rise above mediocrity.

This guy said it all.

[warfan]

WOS92 has it right.

[KFDM COOP]

Had two, softball and baseball, spoke to both coaches senior night.

;D

[Guest bleed orange]

Some parents attend practice because they are fired up about football season. As the season goes by the number of attendee's drop. I don't think coaches listen much to parents when it come to playing time. 

Most parents know if their kids have it or not and you can tell at a young age. Now I will say this boys mature differently than girls. I would tell a coach, don't give up on a kid so quick. He may be small or not as fast in Jr High but all of a sudden over the summer in high school they got bigger and faster. This happens all the time. Some parents think their kids are better than they are.

I think that the little league programs should play all the kids but not the Jr high or high school. Here is my reason. The kids want to win. Plain and simple. No matter if you play all the kid are not your still only going to have 15 or so seniors every year. I know that number is vague but it depends on the size of the school. No matter how you try to keep all the kids involved, some will quit anyway. Either you want to play bad enough or you don't. Playing all the kids in Jr High will not make a difference when they get to high school. Example: When my son played in the 7th grade they had 56 boys playing. By the time they were seniors there was 10 left.

[Guest Orangeboy]

I'm all for parents coming to practice and talking with the coach............... as long as it's ok for the Coach to bring his lawn chair to the parents job and critique what, or why they do things at their job..........lol.......wouldn't that be fun to see.......

Before I say this, I understand if you don't win your not around long!!!

What I've never understood, in High School Coaching, is no matter the past success.......... for a two to four year period a parent can effect a Coach and his family and what they have known for 15+ years.........and the Coaching family has to change in some form or fashion (move, relocate, change schools....etc).........but after the kids of this parent or parents are gone.....the parents still get to go to their same job day in and day out doing what ever it is they love, where they love to do it,  with out anyone changing or effecting their lives............how fair is that??

I really loved reading this quote. That would be quite funny to see coaches down at the local jobs watching parents doing their jobs.

[Guest ndn09]

I think it is great that parents go to their childs practice to see them progress throughout football.

[PURPLE 4EVER]

I remember back in high school.  We had several seniors that hardly played a lick in the game, but they took pride in practice in being the "scout" team and they understood that the better they practiced the better the "team" got.  It wasn't about playing time for my friends it was about being on the team.  I am certain there wasn't any parental complaints about them not playing.  In varsity high school football, it isn't about playing it's about being there on Friday Night.

[justafan1]

I coached my son until he finished the seventh grade. After that I walked away and told him exactly this. "I have taken you as far as I can. The rest is up to you. If you want your dreams of playing for A&M to come true you will have to earn it. Parents are ok to have at practice, but leave the coaching to the coaches and your program will be better off.

[Guest bleed orange]

I remember back in high school.  We had several seniors that hardly played a lick in the game, but they took pride in practice in being the "scout" team and they understood that the better they practiced the better the "team" got.  It wasn't about playing time for my friends it was about being on the team.  I am certain there wasn't any parental complaints about them not playing.  In varsity high school football, it isn't about playing it's about being there on Friday Night.

I like your post. Those kids are hard to find these days. There are some still out there but not very many. In the old days you earned what you got. I remember back when I ran track in Jr High, you had to try out for an event. If you were not in the top 3 or top 4(relay teams) you were not on the track team that week. That gave me an incentive to work harder. Now we give every kid a ribbon in each heat. There is no incentive for these kids to work harder and it shows in the work force. We are crippling our kids not helping them. Sorry I got off the subject. I am kind of like you justafan1. My kids made it because of their own merits not because of something I did or said.

[southern-thunder]

The last decision a parent has is whether or not to allow their child to participate.

[justafan1]

I strongly believe the parents should be involved to a point. If my son makes it I will not take the praise, if he fails I will not take the blame. I have told him. I will give him nothing. He will earn anything and everything he wants. On his own. I am only an advisor now.

[77]

Good post justafan. I think it shows great character and dependability by the kids that show up and work thier butts off everyday knowing they will not play friday night. Every successful teams has them, true team players. These kids will secceed in life.

[Guest bleed orange]

I strongly believe the parents should be involved to a point. If my son makes it I will not take the praise, if he fails I will not take the blame. I have told him. I will give him nothing. He will earn anything and everything he wants. On his own. I am only an advisor now.

And that my friend is the way it should be.

[Lucky]

I am a parent, and I am not a big fan of parents watching every practice. We give our kids to these coaches with trust and hope that they will work them as hard as possible every day and play to win on Friday night.

Life is not fair and sometimes we don't get our way. It's tough to watch your kid sitting the bench when you believe with all your heart that he or she should be a starter.  We must however, accept the outcome and move on in a positive direction for the better part...................THE TEAM !

I do believe that Coaches sometimes get it wrong and play the wrong kid for maybe even the wrong reason, but we must accept it and move on.

I vote for CLOSED PRACTICES.

A Coach could have certain dates where parents are invited to watch practice but it should be up to the Coach.

Parents don't have any business watching and bragging to their buddies about what their team is working on anyway. Let them see it on Friday night !

[Guest ndn09]

I think it would be great to see a parent at your child's practice so they can see what is going on out there and he or she can talk to the coach about problems that might arise.

[Ned11str8]

I think it would be great to see a parent at your child's practice so they can see what is going on out there and he or she can talk to the coach about problems that might arise.

Talking to the coaches takes away from the coaches time with his team or time that he needs to think clearly about his job. If you haven't coached you wouldn't know the workload that they have on them. I'm sure the coach would seek out the parents if there were potential problems. Parents have their place and coaches have theirs.

[24 over par]

this makes the seventh year i have had a son or daughter playing varsity sports i have never been to practice and rarely missed a game

[WH-BackInThaDay]

This used to be one of WH's worst enemies. But the parent wasn't usually just a fan, they were on, or in cahoots with the school board. Whether the head coach was a good one or not, if he valued his job, he had better play that kid. I don't know if that's as bad anymore, but I'm a firm believer in letting the coach, coach. In a perfect world, parents would have no say so over any aspect of a football game, but its not perfect by any means. 

That being said, I think its fine for parents to watch practice and help coach their kids in their own time, but some of them just need to butt out and realize they aren't a part of the decision making process on the field. If your kid isn't playing, its probably because his current athletic skill or knowledge of position isn't at the level of the kid playing. Push the kid to improve in the weight room or on the track, don't push the coach to play him just because.

[formerpirate]

I think it is ridiculous. My dad told me he would never talk to the coach on my behalf. If I felt I was being treated unfairly, it was my duty to discuss it w/ the coach. Also, he let it be known that he would never influence the coaches decision on whether or not I should be starting. He would get so mad when he would hear of parents watching practice and bringing the coaches food and what not. He would always tell me that my ability on the field should earn me a starting job, not my parents being in the booster club. Ultimately, I believe that helped me even more and I became a 3 year letterman because I wanted to play and show what I could do. Not just have my parents woo the coaches into playing me.

[Guest Eagle73]

It's a parents "job" to take interest in what their children are doing. I've been to a few practices every year my kids played. Giving no tips are complaining to Coaches. But also developed friendships with some kids that were just looking for "anyone" to pay attention to them, since they seemed to not get it at home. I've cheered them, tried to give a little direction about the future as getting to college at any level and getting an education. Not all kids are D1 prospects. One of the more important things in life, to better themselves. Some relationships last a lifetime. Also there is something to the thing about former players leaning on the fence as dads. Most people don't have that opportunity.

[77]

Your so right Eagle 73.

[Guest bleed orange]

It's a parents "job" to take interest in what their children are doing. I've been to a few practices every year my kids played. Giving no tips are complaining to Coaches. But also developed friendships with some kids that were just looking for "anyone" to pay attention to them, since they seemed to not get it at home. I've cheered them, tried to give a little direction about the future as getting to college at any level and getting an education. Not all kids are D1 prospects. One of the more important things in life, to better themselves. Some relationships last a lifetime. Also there is something to the thing about former players leaning on the fence as dads. Most people don't have that opportunity.

Good post eagle73. I was president over the booster club for 3 years and my son did not even play football his senior year. I became involved in the booster club for one reason" For all of the kids". The part I miss the most is talking to the kids. They all knew me and always made it a point to come over and say hi. Thats the memories I will never forget. Like I said before,  I never got involved when it came to my kids playing time. That was something they had to figure out on their own and you know what, they did.

[Guest Eagle73]

Those memories are golden. And sometimes they continue. I had a call last night from a young man that was getting on an airplane to Utah this morning to play ball for McNeese. He just wanted to talk a little and is very excited about this year. These types of things are small but make you realize that somehow maybe you did make a little positive difference in someones life.

[Guest Jags]

Parents are going to say things to coaches if little Johnny isn't getting to play.

[bhawk]

you earn your spot on the field....even if it is this practice field