Kids Sports question

As a parent of children that play school or town sports, Would you rather a coach play the best players and go for the win or let everyone take part even if it means your team may not win?

I had multiple games yesterday. All were loses but the soccer teams let everyone play, and even moved around the positions, but lost.

The basketball game had just the older kids play. Even the "special" kids only went in for a minute and we lost.

I statrted thinking about the parents that drove an hour, paid to get in, take time out of their day to sit and not watch their kid play. Was it fair? Was it just to boost the coaches ego? Should they have been told upfront they weren't going to play?

depends on the level of competition. If your playing anything under middle / high school level then the purpose of sports is to teach the kids, winning is secondary. As you progress to higher levels winning becomes more important.

Well as a former little league umpire and former step-dad to a daughter who played MS volleyball the sport should be about the kids. Parents pay good money for their child to play and time is something that you cannot get back and parents take time to take their kids to practice (to and fro) and go to SEE their kids play.
When my former step daughter played volleyball at the middle school I had parents from the OTHER team come up and tell me to be sure and tell the coach thanks for making sure all his players got the chance to play for their school. It was mid season and their daughters had yet to play in a game cause the coach played his best 6 and that was it. I felt so bad for those parents that I called the principal of the opposing team what happened at the match and that he as a administrator should be ashamed of his coach and how upset parents were. Ran into the same parents at the county Championship and nothing had changed. Daughters hadn't played all year and you could see that on the bench. My step daughters team ended up county champs and I feel that it was because ALL the girls made it happen not just the top 6 players.

I also agree with Tull in that those players who give their best in practice and in the game should be rewarded with playing time.

Bottom line is...."If I'm paying, my kid better be playing!"

In my observation of this particular team I see kids that look like a deer in the headlights when they get the ball, another who really doesn't understand the concept of passing, and a couple that play because their parents/coach relationship, while kids that goes to every practice, and clinics and play on other leagues get no time because of age. This to me takes away from the teamwork concept and is partly to blame for loosing.
The same school girls team playss everyone and some of those younger kids that if on the boys team would be benched are scoring and all the parents are proud of all the kids.

I am not one to armchair coach and don't want to jeapordize my sons playing time by talking to the coach but at JV grammer school level (where everyone makes the team) I feel teamwork is more important that playing favorites or just trying to win.

I would think putting a younger one in during a game and letting him play with and be guided by the olders would be more beneficial than waiting for a 15 point lead and throwing them all out on the court for a few minutes and when the score gets a little closer yank them and put in your favorites.

My son goes to a premier soccer academy and they have a winter league where they actually play kids that are a little older. It is meant for them to use the skills they learn in practice in an actual game. They are encouraged to pass a certain # of times before even attempting a goal. They usually out footwork the bigger town teams and have a fair share of wins because of their teamwork.

harddock wrote: I would think putting a younger one in during a game and letting him play with and be guided by the olders would be more beneficial than waiting for a 15 point lead and throwing them all out on the court for a few minutes and when the score gets a little closer yank them and put in your favorites.

I agree that this is counter productive. It's only going to frustrate the players and confuse them. In basketball for instance, when I coached we would leave in an experienced guard to help bring the ball in and call plays, while subbing in younger guys to the other positions, or put the #2 Point guard in with the #1 wing and forward to get them experience together.

I have coached 3 seasons of soccer at the YMCA for Co-ed 6-9 year olds. Their philosophy is that every kids plays. Excellent concept but when applied to the real world becomes tricky. Here's why- The one coach who has done this for 10 years gets all the good players. All 3 years I coached this one team won all the games. At the Y you are able to request your team. SO when the new season comes around all the good players know that coach H's team always wins. So who's team do they request to be on next year, and who gets all the new 6 year olds that dont know better and are playing for the first time?

Second thing that made me crazy was that you had to play all the kids whether they showed up for practice or tried at all once they were there. Sports teach a lot of different lessons. Some of the most important are dedication, discipline, and teamwork. I had some kids that I would not have played if it had been a competitive league because they never listened, showed up for practice sometimes and refused to work as a team. How can you teach them anything if they behave that way and they get to play anyway. I know when I was playing as early as 1st grade it was understood that if you did not earn it you did not play. Different times these days. It also made my stepson crazy who worked hard and did his best to be a leader. Needless to say he is moving on to a more serious league this year.

When it comes to the coaches kid being the star if they earn it they earn it. If not that is messed up. My stepson scored more points than all his teammates combined and he played every position on the field through the season(as did all the kids). The fact that I was the coach did not accomplish that.   He earned it out there on the field while all the other kids were picking their noses looking at the clouds. You get back what you put in.

Man its easy to rant about your kids isnt it!

I see a certain level of the same in wrestling too. Some coaches/parents are teaching their kids how to win at the k-4 level, developing very bad habits along the way. I may not teach my kids/students to win right now, but I'm setting a great technical foundation for future success. My 3 rules for my kids 1. Try your best 2. Have fun. 3. Learn from your mistakes. No where do I say go out and win, and I tell them that all the time. My son (6) went to state this year, won his first two, lost his last two. Ending up 12-4 for his first year. Me and the other coaches/teammates cheer on even in defeat and are glad our kids show class. I saw other parents chewing out their kids for the mistakes they made on the mat.

Hawktique wrote:    My 3 rules for my kids 1. Try your best 2. Have fun. 3. Learn from your mistakes. No where do I say go out and win, and I tell them that all the time.

Okie, That at least is fair, explained and upfront. This was 4,5,6 grade grammer school kids that drove an hour, parents paid to get it etc. The coach was asked the night before if everyone was gonna play. He said he wasn't sure. These kids are still in the learning the game stage. 7&8 grade and high school the teams should be weeded out by then and yes a more competitive team with less subs. Even then the subs should see some court time.

The same level girls team plays everyone, they play better as a team and win. Better coaching?

They have tryouts but every one makes the team. No one gets cut. That should be a sign that it is instructional and everyone should get play time. This doesn't necessarily mean a full quarter or whole game but at least off the bench and in the mix.

I guess it's all part of the politics of school sports.