etiquette between coaches in fastpitch

[pbj2000]

Read the post and immediately some teams came to mind...it is what it is...what is worse? The coach for doing it? Or the family for believing it? I have read tons of posts about a team going to play here and doing this and doing that...then boom, nothing. They're not playing there, they're not doing this or that...but the same players are on the same roster...

So who's worse? The coach who lied to get the players or the players who stick around after they were fed the lie?

[DonnieS]

At what point do we start busting the coaches that continue to lie, cheat, and steal to get players from other teams.

In my thinking ( I could be wrong), contacting players from another team during the middle of the season is wrong. Attempting to lure them away pre-qualifiers in the summer and in the middle of the fall season with false promises is un-ethical and dishonest.

I think during fall tryouts, all bets are off and people can contact players until rosters are posted.

What part of this do I have wrong.........Maybe I just do not have a clear grasp of etiquette. I just try to be ethical, honest and up front.

I agree with you TYB, but get used to it. A local lowlife used to walk on the field after we would finish a game to come harrass some parents. The kid wanted to stay with us but this buttface would keep harassing the parents - the kid switched back and forth 4 times. My kid asked me, "Dad, when are you going to quit cutting people slack on this stuff - this is getting old." My thought then and now (6-7 years later) that what we were doing out there was for the kid - not the parent. But I was definitely getting close to the line if my own kid was busting me for it.

[frito_burrito]

donnie congrats to ur lil chica and hbu on there future. can you tell us wat happend to that poor child wit de butthead papa. es she still playing?

[DonnieS]

donnie congrats to ur lil chica and hbu on there future. can you tell us wat happend to that poor child wit de butthead papa. es she still playing?

The butthead was the opposing coach that was recruiting my players. And his kid bailed out - she was really imo, a very good athlete, but just very small and had horrendous grades. My player that switched back and forth played a season at a juco and is now focusing on her grades at a school here close by. Thanks regarding my little one.

[fastpitchforever]

So a coach can either 1) play nice and never call anyone to fill his roster, and hope that word of mouth and internet postings work to attract kids, or 2) call a few parents/kids to see if they might join his team (presumably during August or January). Considering that the coach is responsible to his current players/parents to put a competitive team together, seems like the second option is a must. Nice guys finish last, haven't you heard?

I would agree that soliciting an in-season roster move is not cool. But soliciting in-season for an off-season change, no problem in my view.

[DonnieS]

So a coach can either 1) play nice and never call anyone to fill his roster, and hope that word of mouth and internet postings work to attract kids, or 2) call a few parents/kids to see if they might join his team (presumably during August or January). Considering that the coach is responsible to his current players/parents to put a competitive team together, seems like the second option is a must. Nice guys finish last, haven't you heard?

I would agree that soliciting an in-season roster move is not cool. But soliciting in-season for an off-season change, no problem in my view.

My feeling then was always - 'dont let the door hit you in the ass' If someone wants to leave and is stupid enough to believe some sfb, let them go. You know 9 times out of 10, they will be back and will have missed some good times. But keep in mind, we were not one of the hard core dues based, fee based type of team. Early on we just divi-ed up when we needed to pay something - like insurance, I would usually pay it then divide it up among the parents and collect it back - then after the first few years, we got some really good sponsors that covered most of our expenses. Point - we didnt do this for money - I felt like we had some very good families and if we worked hard enough, the kids weren't too bad either. The girls played good enough to make up for my coaching.

[BleacherFun]

So a coach can either 1) play nice and never call anyone to fill his roster, and hope that word of mouth and internet postings work to attract kids, or 2) call a few parents/kids to see if they might join his team (presumably during August or January). Considering that the coach is responsible to his current players/parents to put a competitive team together, seems like the second option is a must. Nice guys finish last, haven't you heard?

I would agree that soliciting an in-season roster move is not cool. But soliciting in-season for an off-season change, no problem in my view.

My feeling then was always - 'dont let the door hit you in the ass' If someone wants to leave and is stupid enough to believe some sfb, let them go. You know 9 times out of 10, they will be back and will have missed some good times. But keep in mind, we were not one of the hard core dues based, fee based type of team. Early on we just divi-ed up when we needed to pay something - like insurance, I would usually pay it then divide it up among the parents and collect it back - then after the first few years, we got some really good sponsors that covered most of our expenses. Point - we didnt do this for money - I felt like we had some very good families and if we worked hard enough, the kids weren't too bad either. The girls played good enough to make up for my coaching.

The reasons that TB coaches can't play certain players as much as others, varies. And are usually for good reason, ie, needing to win, a college coach is looking at another player, etc. But, that does not mean that someone should have to stay where they are not happy, just to please their TB coach. These kids need a lot of playing time, and if they can't get it on one team, then they need to go to another.

[DonnieS]

BF, you might be missing my point. If someone wants to leave, go , really. I know people who get really mad and post crap about people switching teams, but if someone wants to go, why would you stand in their way. Just dont spend a lot of time dilly dallying, go. And the word 'stealing' also is funny. What do they do, handcuffs and cages.

The one guy who disgusted me would actually walk on the field to recruit my kids while I was talking to the other coaches - and like I said above, if someone was so stupid as to play for that low life - go - now. If any of his players played college ball, I dont remember anyone of them making it through the freshman spring. Hopefully the parents who believed his crap and have younger daughters have learned their lesson.

And with one exception, I welcomed back each girl that went to play for others after they wasted some time. My kid would say,'Dad, why are you letting them come back' The reason was that we were doing this for the girls, it wasnt the kids fault that she had stupid parents.

[fastpitchforever]

Donnie, sounds like that guy was a real loser. Funny how guys like that eventually fade away, but a shame if his kid suffers in the process. And I get the go-now view, it's frustrating to be a coach sometimes when everyone is in it for themselves except for you.

[BleacherFun]

BF, you might be missing my point. If someone wants to leave, go , really. I know people who get really mad and post crap about people switching teams, but if someone wants to go, why would you stand in their way. Just dont spend a lot of time dilly dallying, go. And the word 'stealing' also is funny. What do they do, handcuffs and cages.

The one guy who disgusted me would actually walk on the field to recruit my kids while I was talking to the other coaches - and like I said above, if someone was so stupid as to play for that low life - go - now. If any of his players played college ball, I dont remember anyone of them making it through the freshman spring. Hopefully the parents who believed his crap and have younger daughters have learned their lesson.

And with one exception, I welcomed back each girl that went to play for others after they wasted some time. My kid would say,'Dad, why are you letting them come back' The reason was that we were doing this for the girls, it wasnt the kids fault that she had stupid parents.

Oh..Okay, I see, and I understand. I think recruiting at the ball field is pretty low. The grass isn't always greener. You are pretty nice to take anyone back that left your team, and shows great character. It must have been hard to trust them after that, hoping that they didn't bolt before a big game, or qualifier.