Definition of the word COACH

[GAHSMOM2014]

Coach (n.) an instructor or trainer of athletes.

I am not sure how you can instruct an athlete if you don't play them in a game.

I was upset to see a Jr. High game where the team is up by 30 points in the last quarter of the game and the coach did not play all the athletes.

7th and 8th graders are still developing socially and have self-esteem issues. I think it is sad that we care more about winning than a childs feelings.

Afterall, they are playing a JR HIGH basketball game, not competing for a college scholarship!

[TAR HEEL FAN44]

I 100% AGREE...

[eagles73Taylor]

Do we know all the facts? There is no reason that all players should not see the floor when the game is in hand. However, I have coached at that level in football, and boys and girls bball. I have had players refuse to check into the game in that situation, they said they would be embararassed. Also, I have had games where they bench player was being punished for whatever reason and that punishment was no playing time in that particular game.

Like I said, if there were no reasons, then yes that coach should be told to play everyone.

[THE GOVENOR]

maybe the coach had a reason....missing practice, not hustling or not listening. He might have been training them to be a responsible athlete.

My opinion....remember everyone's intitled to one.

A Jr. high coach gets paid to [coach and win]. He don't have to play everyone a quarter or 6 minutes like it is in biddy league, with is a great rule for biddy league. I believe most kids are babied a little bit to much by the time they hit Jr. high and thats the reason they have self-esteem issues and not because there coach let them set the bench during a basketball game. That should make them try harder and be a stronger person. I've had my own kids sit the bench the whole game and i've had my own kids play the whole game and they've turned out fine. One of them is a little lazy.....I bet thats one of his coaches fault." just kidding"

[GAHSMOM2014]

This child is not mine, but i will tell you he went to every practice, makes straight A's and probably has never been in trouble in his life.

[shljunkie]

I would agree that at this level kids should be playing at that much of a point spread. I would also agree that again, it's easy to assume things and people almost never ever know the whole story. One point I would make as well, in the definition you gave of coach, it said, instructor of "athletes". As much as we don't want to hurt anyone's self esteem, not everyone is an athlete. There are those kids that can work hard and bust their gut just as much and maybe even more than anyone else but they just are not going to make it as an athlete. And something else.....most of the time, the kid knows that, they understand it and know their role, it's the parents and others that don't get it.

[Go Big Blue]

Good rule of thumb..always treat all children the way you would want your own treated. Good or bad.

[bd wannabe]

When we as fans/parents criticize the coaches who most often are either paid very little or no salary at all, we are ruining the chances of the players being coached by many great coaches who do not enjoy the stress & pressure. I too have been guilty of being quick to critique a coaches decision making only to find out later that I didn't have all the facts & further more often do not understand the coaches purpose or philosophy. In this particular incident the only player that did not play, failed to bring his game jersey to the game. The team would have been given at least one technical if the player checked in the game as the practice jersey he had was the same # as another player. The coach was heard asking multiple people for tape to try & change the # on the jersey to prevent this but only came up with small pieces of tape which could have fallen off. Should the team take a technical for the forgotten jersey or is this a chance for a child to be taught a life lesson? Better yet is that our decision to make, or maybe the highly paid coach?(ha ha). Isn't that what they volunteer their time for, to make difficult decisions & then later suffer the abuse of fans/parents. Come on guys give these coaches a hand for their many hours of dedication. Even if they don't get all 15 players in a 24 min.game where only 5 can play at a time,they work to better them daily in practice. Many schools cut players to avoid this hard job!

[wvufan]

it really amuses me to see all you spectators who know nothing of what goes on in practice or the game when the kids are with the coach. or better yet you probably do because some of you have nothing better to do with your time than stick your nose up your kids butts every minute of the day! my husband coaches and it sickens me to sit in the stands and listen to all the crap people like you have to say when you know nothing about the circumstances! the coaches have reasons when they don't play the entire team. for heavens sakes people, these kids are in jr high, get over it. did your parents yack like this when you played or did you even play? get a life, kids learn by example, what kind of example are you setting when you go on like this. i'm sure you don't speak of all this in confidence. you want "little Johnny" to hear your gripes and complaints so he can carry on the tradition. Drop your kid off at the gym, let the coach do his job , and go home.

self esteem is an issue, i do agree. However, its called life. you don't always win, so you need to learn early in life.

coaches have many roles: they are mentors, disciplinarians, guidance counselors, referees, and the list goes on and on and on. for those of you who have issues, sign up, take the class and give of your time. dont' see anyone busting the door down to do that now do you?

[Regulator]

If the player did not bring his game jersey then it is his/her responsibility. The coach is teaching that child a valuable lesson.

[THE GOVENOR]

:lol: it really amuses me to see all you spectators who know nothing of what goes on in practice or the game when the kids are with the coach. or better yet you probably do because some of you have nothing better to do with your time than stick your nose up your kids butts every minute of the day! my husband coaches and it sickens me to sit in the stands and listen to all the crap people like you have to say when you know nothing about the circumstances! the coaches have reasons when they don't play the entire team. for heavens sakes people, these kids are in jr high, get over it. did your parents yack like this when you played or did you even play? get a life, kids learn by example, what kind of example are you setting when you go on like this. i'm sure you don't speak of all this in confidence. you want "little Johnny" to hear your gripes and complaints so he can carry on the tradition. Drop your kid off at the gym, let the coach do his job , and go home.

self esteem is an issue, i do agree. However, its called life. you don't always win, so you need to learn early in life.

coaches have many roles: they are mentors, disciplinarians, guidance counselors, referees, and the list goes on and on and on. for those of you who have issues, sign up, take the class and give of your time. dont' see anyone busting the door down to do that now do you?

I agree !!!!!!!!!!!

[Lightle04]

All the points that are made on here are valid in there own rights but i tend to disagree with some of wvufans thoughts not that they are wrong but we as parents have a responsability to our 12 and 13 year old kids to support them in all aspects sports is one now i agree with the point of keeping your mouth of of the coach he is the boss and the leader . but as a parent we,i,us as a whole ,parents that is speen hours and hours working with our kids to help them improve to contribute to the team and thousands of dollars on camps,aau,gas for these events.and remember these are still little kids to that are just now starting to grow up and develope there own thoughts not ours.so i think to ask a parent who is or has been involved i there childs life to just drop them of shut up and not have a opinion in the way they are being used or not used is a little unrealistic some times the coaches and there familys need to think about whether or not there cut out for this level of teaching the game jr high is teaching parents to let there kids go and trusting the coach as much as teaching kids thats why no one ever stays a jr high coach they try to move up where tyhekids are more independent of there parents.

[bd wannabe]

when do we decide to let our kids make the transition to adulthood? there are many oppurtunities & indications for parental input for a 13 yr old, i personally don't think the gym requires any guidance outside of the coach, i'm pretty sure they won't get into drugs or alcohol in the gym but many parents gladly drop their kids off at the cinema, mall, in town with no parental guidance. i think our coaches can keep them safe in the gym for 2 hours. if the coach bashing continues however, we'll be left with no choice but to follow them to the gym because all the parents will have to coach when everyone else refuses. won't that be great (probably will for some).Coaches are not there to deal with parents they are there to teach the kids.

[The_Sports_Junky]

Coach (n.) an instructor or trainer of athletes.

I am not sure how you can instruct an athlete if you don't play them in a game.

I was upset to see a Jr. High game where the team is up by 30 points in the last quarter of the game and the coach did not play all the athletes.

7th and 8th graders are still developing socially and have self-esteem issues. I think it is sad that we care more about winning than a childs feelings.

Afterall, they are playing a JR HIGH basketball game, not competing for a college scholarship!

It's not a right to play just cause your on the team. Quit placing blame and work with your child. It's time for them work hard to prove themselves. The real world is only 5 or 6 years away. Time to cut the cord mom.

Why do people think the coach is a jerk when their kids don't play? Believe it or not, Some kids bust their butt to prove themselves. Why take them off the floor ? Didn't they work hard to make sure they got to play ? Why reward a child playing time if they did not EARN it? I could care less what the score is.

[Lightle04]

these are very good points and im not argueing any of them i pesonaly dont drop mine off at any place like a movie mall or any where im not i work at the prison and know that 90% of male abductions are between the ages of 11 and 16 so im not willing to risk that but a coach in a gym for 2 hours is a different thing all together not but if the parents are not disrupting practice then there shuoldnt be a problem.if theres a problem with parents then cant the coach close practice to the public.if the coach is worried about what a parent thinks then he shouldnt be coaching because right or wrong parents have a right to an oppinion about the game and coaches sane as the coach has a right to an oppinion about a players ability minutes and the way to aproach a game.doesnt mean they are the right ones but they have that right.both of them

[Rookie22]

Believe me, MOST coaches are not concerned about that lightle04...
If parents are disrupting or not, practices should be closed, without a doubt. It's my experience that players concentrate and listen better without a parent around. The last thing a coach needs during practice is for their player to constantly be looking at their parent in the stands...this happens enough on game day! Word to the wise...parents: your children appreciate it too...drop them off and pick them up when practice is over.

[JChipwood]

I agree rookie, kids will appreciate the opportunity to expand socially by being dropped off then picked up. No place for parents at practice in Jr High at all. You are correct that on gameday it is bad enough to have kids looking into the stands. By that age some kids work harder, mature faster, and are more talented naturally and should be rewarded for that. Also most schools cut to eliminate the need for 15 on a basketball team but at GAJHS they don't do that and that is probably the coach who has decided NOT to cut anyone. Kids have twice as much practice as games and the coach knows their abilities and instructs them in practice which prepares them for gametime. You cannot prepare for gametime during the game. Besides, the kids know who is deserving of playing time. Have the player make a list from 1-15 1) who are the best players on the team and 2) who is most deserving of pt based on ability and work ethic in practice. I bet the oppinions will differ very little from what the coach will do in regards to pt throughout the season. The kids and the coaches know what is going on as they are directly involved, nobody else is nor should they be, parents support your kids and teach them not only how to be good citizens but also some day to hopefully be good parents. Personally my father backed my coaches on every word they said and always told me to try harder or fix the problem myself, not blame other people. I can't imagine the embarasment felt by having a parent at a jr high practice of any sorts. What a social enabler!

[Rookie22]

I couldn't have said it better JChipwood! Whether they agreed with my coaches or not, I'll never know, because not one time did I ever hear my parents say one negative thing about any of my coaches: Jr. High, H.S., or college. How many kids can say that now-a-day? I didn't love or even like, all of my coaches, but if there was one thing I did do, it was RESPECT them- ON and OFF the court and field.

[JChipwood]

Different times rookie and I am not that far removed from athletics but still a much different time. Parents are mostly to blame but parents excuse is love for their child and that is hard to argue or fight. Parents should love their children but I know my parents loved me and if I ever had a cross word about any coach I would have run at home and also in practice. I agree I didn't like all of my coaches but still respected them, heck I had one that I really disliked greatly, close to hatred but still respected him and do to this day. Never heard anything negative about a coach. Back then coaches would get in your face and scream to get the point across, my dad would laugh from the stands and then ask me how that felt after the game, he loves me, but also wanted me to learn the game and life lessons. Humiliating, heck yes! Learning and lasting experience, you better believe it! And yes I still carry those thoughts with me but no negativity exists, just appreciative that those coaches cared enough about me to try to teach me. Those coaches that yelled and temporarily humiliated me earned my everlasting respect! You never forget those lessons. Now a days coaches just bite their tongue and brush it under the rug in avoidance. Bottom line is coaches have a tough job and it isn't easier picking up the pieces from a home life that breaks down what was discussed in practice. Like i said before, athletes probably learn more about life in sport than any schooling they encounter, coaches are teachers and mentors and deserve to be respected by parents and players, bottom line. What ever happened to learning lessons the hard way? Anyone ever done that? Did you learn and remember what was learned? Let loose of the reigns and allow young men/women to be just that and trust and repsect the people in their lives that are really trying to make a difference. Playing time is up to the coaches and players and if your player is not getting the playing time you think they deserve, work with them to get better, ask the coach about some simple skills that may help them achieve more PT, ask the coach in private what is keeping little Johnnie off the floor and what can be done to help, but be ready for a harsh reality if you take that last step b/c sometimes it is simply some players are better and harder workers than others. Never approach a coach after the game but every coach probably has a process involved in regards to a parent-coach meeting, check into it. Always have th player ask first about what they need to work on to get better and try to leave the PT term out of the conversation. This shows respect and concern by the athlete. I guarantee that very few coaches are keeping their harder workers on the bench and lesser players on the floor. Practice practice practice and then pt will come. Athletes will tell you who should play or not and know exactly where they stand in regards to the depth chart, the previously mentioned lists would be a good model and could be updated throughout the season.

[jeepchopper]

Maybe the kid is just not very good. Where does it say that all kids have to play. You parents have told your kids all their lives that they are "special" and that everyone is special. NO THEY ARE NOT. If everyone is special then no one is. Some kids are meant to play ball and some kids just arent. If they arent playing then maybe you and your child should think about trying another sport. Now if they are really up by that many yes the coach should try to get the kids in. I agree. But parents quit thinking just because your child practices it doesnt mean he can play, and you need to tell your child that. This is not the youth league. You are chosen to represent your school, and regardless of what people say at any level, it's all about winning, and i would not put anyone on my field who could not help us win.