Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Oh the fun of coaching...

Last night, both of the teams I coach had a game in Fennville. Apparantly a girl quit because she wanted to ride the bus home with her boyfriend. She didn't tell me though- she just didn't show up. I started 6 players and (the inevitable), one girl is sulking on the bench because she didn't start. So the girl's mother (who's in the stands) sends a messenger with a NexTel, so they can "chat" about how unjust I am. I look over at my player and say, "don't talk on the phone during the game". She then hands me the phone (in the middle of a game) where the mom is looking at me from the stands and yelling at me over the NExtel saying "don't you yell at my daughter".
"I'm in the middle of a game" I say. "I can't talk to you!"

So after the game, (which both my teams won), the mom comes up to me. The conversation is as follows:
Angry mother- "don't you tell me when I can and can not talk to my daughter. I'll talk to her anytime I please".
Me- "it's a pretty normal rule that you can't talk on a phone during a game".
Angry mother- "don't get smart with me. If you had a daughter, you could talk to her anytime you wanted."
Me- "I think we just have two different views of the situation. In my opinion, that kind of thing is not acceptable. You're not doing you're daugther any favors by making her think that she can do whatever she wants".
Angry mother (who is even angrier)- "I'll do what I want!!!! She's MY DAUGHTER!!!!! SHe told me that you don't like black people!!!!"
Me- rolling my eyes...
Angry mother- "Are you rolling your eyes at me?!!?? Don't get smart with me!!"

So all this time, there is another mother waiting throughout the crazy conversation. After angry mother finally leaves, she comes up to me. I think she's going to say something like, "don't worry- she's just irrational, good game, etc." The conversation is as follows:

Mother #2- "I was waiting for your conversation to be done. WHat I want to tell you is- why is one of the players wearing spandex when everyone else is wearing shorts? Does she think she's better than everyone else?"

This morning, two of my players got suspended for 5 days for trying to pull each other's hair out. Apparently, one of them called the other one a "skank".

I love coaching 8th grade girls!

4 Comments:

At 5:14 AM, Blogger ryan young said...

Missy,
I am sorry that parental politics still infultrate youth sports. I am sorry that as the coach you were not given any respect and were constantly second and third and maybe even fourth guessed. It seemed like that made that experience quite upsetting. Parents need to learn that they all don't have the next big thing in there children. While they should love them and root them on, they need to give the coaches the right to make that call. Or start coaching themselves to see how "easy" it really is. Hopefully when I have kids I can just keep my mouth shut long enough to let the coach do there job. Hang in there. HOpefully things will get better.

 
At 1:43 PM, Blogger carriekuipers said...

Missy, when you are a mother you maybe will think you need to talk to your daughter all of the time but sometimes it is better to leave her in the minivan crying with no socks and shoes on because she refused to put her boots on at her grandma's house so she was forced to walk to the van in the slush and cold weather in her socks which she hated so she pulled her dirty socks off in the van because her feet were cold and dirty and they she refused to say sorry for what she did so she had to stay in the van screaming until she apoligized (20 minutes)...or...you could just listen to her like that crazy mom said and bring her in - with no apology - hmmm...cold feet teaches a lesson sometimes - so does sitting on the volleyball bench! (A good long nap helps as well)

 
At 4:39 PM, Blogger Becky said...

oh missy, oh oh missy

 
At 11:28 AM, Blogger Ceci LaBarge said...

I don't know what you guys are talking about. Ellie is allowed to talk to us at ANY time on the phone. For example, we just taught her our home phone number and Dave's cell number. This morning Dave calls and said our phone had been off the hook all morning, which we couldn't figure out. Then there was a message on his cell phone...which was nothing more than 2 little girls laughing and laughing. Hmmm, prank calls at 4?

 

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