| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
charlieh
25 Posts |
 Posted - 03/28/2008 : 08:04:16
|
who are some of the best coaches around the east cobb area that you have seen or your kids have played for. Only positives here please, i dont want to bash anyone. Like a teacher in school i think parents need to try and find a coach that fits their kids personality, some may benefit from a soft spoken positive reinforement type coach others may benefit from a more aggresive or loud type. i cant imagine at an age below 12 though anyone believing in screaming and yelling although i have seen it. If i was rating a coach i would probably rate them on:
1. knowledge of the game
2. ability to communicate to the age they are coaching
3. personality
4. fairness to each kid
5. communication to the parents
6. honesty
7. safety of the kids on the team
8. love for the game of baseball and coaching
these are not in any particular order |
|
|
BREAMKING
323 Posts |
Posted - 03/31/2008 : 11:59:19
|
| The best I have seen was Jim Stacy not even sure if he is coaching anymore. My brother was him from 13 until end of high school and he did a great job. Got to go out and watch his 13 yo team last year and this guys nows the game. And would recomend that anybody that gets the chance to play for him jump at it. Is he finally retired from coaching what about his oldest boy. |
 |
|
|
zmeister
4 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2008 : 13:11:40
|
The best thing to do is to attend some of the local tournaments and see for yourself. My son is 9 and been playing since he was 5. 95% of the coaches yell, are negative, play daddy ball and are only out to win. It is mostly about the coaches one up'ing each other, not "for the kids" as they all say.
I too have heard good things about Jim Stacy. Danny Pralgo is one of the best I have seen. Every word is positive, continuous teaching, moves kids around and does not play Daddy ball. He would meet all of your qualifications. Not sure what age you are looking for tho. East Cobb Baseball is supposed to be the "premier" place to play. I know at least 6 kids there under 10 that hate it. They need to have training for the coaches, negativity will never make a kid a better ball player.
|
|
|
|
Fandad
34 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2008 : 14:01:36
|
Started off great - go and observe - BUT to state that 95% are bad - give me a break!
Been around a little longer and have seen good and bad. Most younger clubs have to have Dads coach, thus the accusation of Daddy ball. However - if it was not for these guys stepping up - there would not be travel baseball - let alone recreation baseball or any other youth sport. Again - you started off great - go and observe and ask questions. There are more good coaches than bad - and the best ones started as Dads coaching their sons and fortunately for some of us, they continued to coach. Coaching is a learning process, and I've seen many guys get better the more they coached. The real problems generally are with too high of expectations from parents, not only in what they expect the coach to do - but in what they believe their child is capable of doing. |
|
|
|
hi_an_inside
14 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2008 : 15:36:39
|
I like the summary that Fandad says about the expectations. My son played for a guy for 3 years and the first 2 were good, positive coaching, learned a lot, and had fun. But year 3 it went sour. The wins did not come as easily as in the other 2 years and the HC's personal frustration mounted. That led to negativity, scolding, and no fun. By mid May he was trying to purge half the players and replace them. Here again, it wasn't about helping kids, it was about his personal agenda and the fact that losses were un-acceptable. So you can go and observe if you want, but you will learn a whole lot more if you can talk to ex-players families and get the real skinny. Whether you hear good stuff or bad, make sure YOUR expectations line up with what you hear, or you need to keep looking.
|
|
|
|
SportsDad
293 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2008 : 15:44:45
|
| Been around a long time too, and every coach I've seen has some good and bad in them...Son has played for coaches that were absolutley the worse when it came to "fair" treatment of kids, but were great teachers of how to play the game..played for coaches who were great in the "fairness department" but who didn't know much about teaching or how to play the game..Seen daddy ball, ball buddy ball, money ball, even "dating" mom ball...It goes with the territory...It's easy to bash coaches, you can find fault in everyone of them...Agree with Fandad without the Dads stepping up, there would be no baseball...Even the "paid" coaches I've seen all have their faults...They know who has "arranged" for their pay...I always felt it was the parents responsibility to teach their children to learn what is good from the coach and ignore what is bad,,,when the bad is too much...move on...It reminds me of people complaining about poor umpires,,,umpires are a lot like coaches,,,"If they were that GOOD, they wouldn't be involved in youth baseball"...Most are just people out there doing the best that they can...Take what is good and leave the rest behind... |
|
|
|
bigfan
105 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2008 : 16:02:25
|
| Well said FanDad. |
|
|
|
jwmurphy
8 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2008 : 16:43:29
|
I would have to vote for Ben Sams. He played at TN Unv. so don't hold that against him. He knows the game and I'm still learning from him. He is a great guy with a great personality. All the kids like him, listen and respect him.
My son has played at Roswell, Sandy Plains and now Wills Park. My son has excelled the most at Wills Park due to their knowledge of what makes a baseball player and ability not to play daddy ball. |
|
|
|
coachdan06
433 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2008 : 09:45:10
|
Well it seems very safe to say that not all of the "best coaches" are at east cob . Our boys have played teams down there for years , sometimes we wonder about the strategies we see.
It is safe to say this is true of any park and their coaches.
Mr Fandad hits it on the nailhead : The real problems generally are with too high of expectations from parents, not only in what they expect the coach to do - but in what they believe their child is capable of doing.
If coaches "coach" rather than play politics and favorites to lobbying parents the team always plays better. The coaches that employ this policy firmly are who pass the first qualification as a "good coach". The best team is on the field and at the bat .
Everyone sees through that real fast including the players after about age 9.
Parents shouldnt expect the coaches to "do" anything except play it fair and play it striaght without any influences. If they really want a "coach".
Everything takes care of itself from there. Thank you to all the volunteer coaches ! |
|
|
|
shadrach
10 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2008 : 10:27:56
|
| I'd have to put Steve Vogel on that list. Great guy, great communicator with my 11 year old. David Reynolds over at Mt. Paran fits the intial description well, too. Good college player, good communicator. He might be too laid back for some, but most 11 year olds need confidence more than anything. His approach, from what I've seen is to build confidence and ethic. The play will usually follow. |
|
|
|
toprank
138 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2008 : 07:58:42
|
| Great post and I will throw my 2 cents in. I agree alot of dads step up and do the best they can. I don't believe however coaching gives you the right to play your kid wherever and whenever you want. I think at younger ages say below 13 coaches should coach because they love the game, not for money. ***** highschool coaches don't do it for the money, they do it because they love it. They don't make much coaching baseball. Like the above said go watch games, but more importantly watch practices. Find out if a coach can put in the time and his coaching style meshes with your players personality. After that it's a crap shoot and at younger ages find a team that your son has a couple of friends on and he will be alot happier playing. |
|
|
|
charlieh
25 Posts |
Posted - 06/05/2008 : 11:35:54
|
| Re visiting this post, anyone else want to brag about any coaches out there. would love to hear about more great coaches. |
|
|
|
bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2008 : 11:38:04
|
| I'll put in a plug for Brandt Butcher. We've been playing for him for 3 years now and if he were going to coach a 15 yr. old team, we'd play again for him. He knows the game, is a great communicator, works with the kids and parents well, and I believe teaches and coaches the game the way it should be taught. He coaches to win, but would never sacrifice a kids health in order to win. Pitch counts and knowing when a pitcher has had enough is a huge strong point. He has sacrificed games when it came to keeping a kid in to pitch vs. taking him out due to reaching his limit. Play time is fair, based on performance and I have never seen him play daddy ball. Practices consists of numerous, well structured reps and solid instruction. I could say more, but all in all, a solid coach. |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Who are some of the best coaches in east cobb area
