drmeathead
Senior Don Juan
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2004
- Messages
- 490
- Reaction score
- 6
- Age
- 47
I coach a jr high baseball team while in school. While my time is pressed with school, I love the game and make time for it. Baseball is more than something I want in my life.
However, coaching can be very demanding. The stresses of games and practices can wear on a coach. Setting up practice and game changes due to weather take a considerable amount of time that I dont have. To prevent myself from being overwhelmed with phone calls about missing practice and the controverscy that would go with the subsequent discipline would go with missing practice, I decided to make all practices optional.
IF YOU WANT TO COME TO BASEBALL PRACTICE COME TO BASEBALL PRACTICE THEN COME TO BASEBALL PRACTICE. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO SOCCER PRACTICE OR HAVE TO GO TO A FAMILY DINNER THEN DONT COME TO BASEBALL PRACTICE. These were the words that I put in the team manual I gave to each kid. This rule made my life very easy. Since I loved baseball and wanted to be there myself, I didnt care if I had one player or all the players at practice. I didnt have to listen to excuses (even though I got them still) about not making practice. Since practice wasnt mandatory I was free to start or bench a player as I saw fit.
Anyway I put this into practice in my personal life. The results have been great. It really eliminates games. Simply because I dont play them. I dont deal with excuses. To me all excuses are the same. You cant see me tonight? Ok. Ill make due with what ever thing (woman) I enjoy doing. You can see me? Ok, Ill do you and enjoy that too.
There is no secret to this really. You just have to keep more than one on the team but I think that is a standard idea here. Also you wouldnt change practice time for one 14 year old kid who throws no hitters and hit homeruns would you? So dont shift course for some stupid girl.
The bottom line is this. It really is amazing how smoothly things flow at baseball practice when everyone choses to be there. Even the non stars of the team get to be better baseball players. And your stars can grow into really special players too.
However, coaching can be very demanding. The stresses of games and practices can wear on a coach. Setting up practice and game changes due to weather take a considerable amount of time that I dont have. To prevent myself from being overwhelmed with phone calls about missing practice and the controverscy that would go with the subsequent discipline would go with missing practice, I decided to make all practices optional.
IF YOU WANT TO COME TO BASEBALL PRACTICE COME TO BASEBALL PRACTICE THEN COME TO BASEBALL PRACTICE. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO SOCCER PRACTICE OR HAVE TO GO TO A FAMILY DINNER THEN DONT COME TO BASEBALL PRACTICE. These were the words that I put in the team manual I gave to each kid. This rule made my life very easy. Since I loved baseball and wanted to be there myself, I didnt care if I had one player or all the players at practice. I didnt have to listen to excuses (even though I got them still) about not making practice. Since practice wasnt mandatory I was free to start or bench a player as I saw fit.
Anyway I put this into practice in my personal life. The results have been great. It really eliminates games. Simply because I dont play them. I dont deal with excuses. To me all excuses are the same. You cant see me tonight? Ok. Ill make due with what ever thing (woman) I enjoy doing. You can see me? Ok, Ill do you and enjoy that too.
There is no secret to this really. You just have to keep more than one on the team but I think that is a standard idea here. Also you wouldnt change practice time for one 14 year old kid who throws no hitters and hit homeruns would you? So dont shift course for some stupid girl.
The bottom line is this. It really is amazing how smoothly things flow at baseball practice when everyone choses to be there. Even the non stars of the team get to be better baseball players. And your stars can grow into really special players too.
