Sound off

Another thing that bothers the crap out of me are rude, disrespectful volunteer coaches!

I do realize the talent base is limited in volunteer coaching.  Work, lack of past play experience, desiring to avoid the hassles, are all cited as reasons no one can or will take the time to help.  It seems more and more barely willing, arrogant people are coaching.  Hello, "if you don't want the commitment and can't demonstrate grace and dignity to the players and display integrity, along with good sportsmanship" then don't coach!  Period.

I would rather my son not get to play a sport, than have a misleading presentation about "how much they will learn this season", and to learn a sport incorrectly by an unsafe coach.  It is very disheartening and quite wrong to mislead parents and players into thinking they will be taught a sport safely or adroitly.  Some of these arrogant coaches don't bother to check for the minimum equipment worn, nor do they require doctor's clearance post stitches or post concussion in order to return to play.  These arrogant coaches also proceed to dress down a player in front of team mates and referees about their own failing to ensure a sport is played with proper equipment.  My son has practiced since at least mid March with zero arm protection in lacrosse. His arms are totally visible in practice. This past weekend (May we are in now) my son was verbally chastised about this infraction. My son pointed out to the coach that he has indicated it was recommended.  This "coach" then decided it was wise to engage a 13 year old in an argument in front of team mates and referees??  My son maintains the coach said it was recommended, (after dealing with this coach and his lack of communication
) I agree that it is likely he said and did exactly what was reported to me.  I asked my son numerous times about arm/elbow protection and he assured me he was doing what coach said.   They have been playing scrimmages and games since March 29...it was never an issue or even checked until May 5th.  Who's responsibility is it to notice elbows VISIBLE elbows in practice if not the coach?

This awesome coach, {building great team spirit}, told the boys when congratulating the goalie on a job well done "I never want to see you congratulating the goalie on a loss, that's showboating"  WTF??? REALLY.  The kid worked his butt off and did deserve congratulations as did the entire team.  The cooperation was great.  The game was wonderful.  I saw those kids work hard and leave it all on the field, when I heard that kids were yelled at for congratulating the goalie...I waited and sought him out to also congratulate him.

People like that ruin a sport for the kids, they destroy parent desire to help participate because they also take out their inadequacies on parent volunteers.  I refuse to be bullied by a talentless coach, I refuse to let my son be bullied by a person of that caliber or any other child and parent.

We need to stand up, take responsibility and make time in our lives to support our children in what they do.  We need to stop making excuses that we can't volunteer because we don't know what to do.  Learn.  I volunteer as team Mom because it's what I can do, I volunteer to pass out things, take papers from parents, make calls...etc.  That is what I can do, so I do it.

I am angry in this post and I hope any other parents reading it will understand that and take this to heart......don't push off your kids and expect the coaches to "do what's right"  get involved, stay involved and  listen to what the kids say...if the kids hate a coach there is usually a reason.  File complaints, make some noise..stop letting yourselves and your children be treated as doormats.  They joy is being sucked out of organized sports for talented kids because of jerks who want to show off taking coaching spots with no counterbalance.