Okay, I've ranted to a few friends about this, so I think it's time to take it public! (ha! ha!) I'm a little ticked off at the coaching of my daugther's 8th grade volleyball team. The same coach was there when my oldest was playing in 8th grade, and I didn't like him them. Well, not him personally, but his coaching style. I thought it might have something to do with his first year coaching, but it's 3 years later and it's still the same.
At our middle school, they are big on letting everyone who goes out for a sport play. I have no problem with that. In sports such as volleyball and basketball, they have to break it down into different teams, as there are usually a large amount of kids who go out. I also don't have a problem with that. But once they place the kids in their teams....that's where things have to change. The past 2 years, in volleyball, they've had 3 teams, you can call them A, B & C teams or Red, Black and White teams. The Red team (or A) team is usually the best the school has. The other two teams are divided up accordingly. Still, I've got no problem with this (at some other middle schools around here, they actually cut kids and only have one team). I think it's good for all kids to play, since you never know what kid is eventually going to shine in high school.
My problem is, we have a coach who thinks that even the Red (A) team kids should get equal playing time and that even the games are for "learning", not caring if they win or lose. Now, two things I don't argee with.....1) most of the girls that are on the Red (A) team have played years of sports, whether volleyball or another sport, and have already played at competitive levels and 2) the girls don't care so much about equal playing time, they want to win! I wholeheartedly agree that kids with less experience should get equal playing time to learn the sport, but again, the kids on Red (A) team already know the sport, some of them even play club ball, and they want to win their game. Impossible with the coaching style they are working with. It's a shame too, since the 2 teams we've played so far seems to have the same mentality that I do.....they are playing to win, even if that means the girl who's not playing well has to sit the bench.
And just so you know, it's not just me that thinks this, I've had other parents tell me this AND have listened to Morgan and her friends (who are all on the Red (A) team) talk about it. You know the song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"?? Well, these girls "Just Wanna Win"!
2 comments:
I don't know what to say about this particular subject. I have the boys, and none of them play sports. Yet. And the one who is about to, would be on that "B" team so I'd be rooting for him to just get a chance to play. It sounds like M should be on a competitive team outside school to get her yaya's out and just know that school teams are a "learning" place till HS? That girl kicks butt though... lol.
Ashley was on the B team in 8th grade too, and she was really mad at the coach one day, she was playing bad and felt bad that she was letting her team down. She asked to be taken out and the coach told her "no, everyone gets equal playing time". Morgan wants to play on a club team, I'm not sure I want to fork out the $$$ tho!
Post a Comment