Being a Kids' Baseball Coach
For the last few years, my son has played baseball. He gets his love for the game from his parents, as both my wife and I grew up in and around the sport. I know the game, the rules, the strategies, the concepts, the stats, the terminology, all of it. But until this year, I was simply a supportive parent who always sat next to the dugout.
However, things changed. For one reason or another, his team was without a coach as the season approached. I eventually decided to step forward and take on the challenge. It was complicated, frustrating, and rewarding. It was our first year in player-pitch (as opposed to coach-pitch and tee-ball). Our particular team leaned heavily towards first-time players. As such we had to spend a significant amount of time on just basic fundamental knowledge of the game. Tagging up, force plays, cut-offs, and the like. And don't get me started on the challenge of teaching first time players the intricacies of the infield fly rule or dropped 3rd strikes.
The league we played in was an odd combination of developed travel ball teams and inexperienced mishmashes as we were. At the end of the season, I'd label us as a respectable team considering the challenges. The thing that surprised me, perhaps because my naivety, was the source of most challenges. The kids (mostly) were the easiest part. They wanted to play, to learn, and to have fun.
I'd heard horror stories about dealing with parents, but we lucked out there. They were willing to help when needed, cheered relentlessly, and were hands-off beyond that. Whew. The umpires were acceptable, although frustrating at times. The average coach in the league knew the rules better than the average umpire. Speaking of coaches, there was a mutual respect.
The problem was with the organization itself. And I use the term 'organization' very loosely as they should've properly been called an unorganization. Field access for practices was limited, changed constantly, and was seldom communicated properly. They had a GroupMe setup (terrible app, but at least it was something), but they didn't want two-way communication through it. If I had a question, a scheduling request, or any thing like I that, I was supposed to email them. They rarely responded. Cancellations were communicated minutes before game times (despite the fact that people had to travel to the games). Practice fields were frequently missing bases.
The amount of stress introduced by the overseers equaled the amount of enjoyment experienced. I spent more time dealing with them than I did with the kids. In the end, I believe my son enjoyed his time with dad as a coach.
Maybe I just need to start a kid's baseball organization and do it right. GroupMe not allowed.