coachKidsSports.com

We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men. - Herman Melville

Recently I had to do something I had seen done thousands of times, but had never done myself; I umpired my son's baseball game.  He's playing fall ball, which is more laid back than spring baseball.  The focus is on development, many of the kids will try out for my son's league next year, and many of the rules are relaxed for the season.  Another compromise is with the umpires.  Instead of hiring real umpires, the league saves some money and has each team provide a "willing" parent to call balls and strikes for half the game. 

Rather than sit in the bleachers for half the game, I decided to call the bases for the first half of the game.  It was fairly uneventful, but there was a close call at first.  The runner was clearly out, but I realized how much a call is made by reflex.  First base makes the catch, the runner hasn't reached the base, the umpire makes the call…  Simple as that…  OF course, reflexes can be bad - especially when they haven't been exercised.

By the time I started calling balls and strikes from behind the mound I was in the game, but still terrified of missing a call.  It didn't take long.  During the first at-bat I called a ball and as the words were leaving my mouth my brain was saying "that's a good pitch".  There were a few more of those pitches, both ways, for both teams; but nothing really controversial or game changing - luckily.  But I did realize how many decisions an umpire makes every game. 

Most calls are routine, but for the 1% that are close - your reflexes better be sharp…  But, I learned another leasson.  Even if you get the call right, you can't make everyone happy.  The other team was stealing home after a passed ball.  The catcher on my son's team got to the ball quickly and tossed it to the pitcher covering home.  The runner slid, the pitcher applied the tag - "SAFE!" - the tag was too high.  My son didn't see it the same way… one more life lesson delivered through sport.

There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way - Christopher Morley

So, we are nearly into October.  Here in the States we are well into football, soccer and fall baseball season.  I'm sure you are all well on your way to fun, fulfilling seasons — right???  Well, on the off chance that there is trouble in River City, I'll send you to an MSNBC article to make you feel better about what you are doing.

The article is titled "When coaches should hit the bench " and it's about over bearing coaches.  The author, Jacqueline Stenson, highlights the findings of a study presented by the American College of Sports Medicine.  The study surveyed 376 parents of elementary and middle school kids involved in organized sports.  It asked questions concerning the coach's behavior and their response to the behavior.

Parents reported that their kids' coaches had used disciplinary measures such as extra exercise (64 percent), verbal scolding (42 percent), public embarrassment (18 percent), suspension (8 percent) and striking or hitting (2 percent).

Public embarrassment and hitting a child are absolutely unacceptable — no excuses, however the other disciplinary measures all depend on the kid's age and context of the situation.  It's vital to keep control over practice, but if you find yourself resorting to sending kids out to run laps frequently it might be you, not them.  Step back and check your practices to make sure you keep the kids occupied and check your own attitude.  It can be tough and coaches can get burned out.  When that happens instead of getting crabby, maybe it's time to get a little silly.  Remember that the kids — and you — are there to have fun.  Run a drill where you get to run some and, if possible, laugh a lot.  

Someone who is willing to step forward and help is much more courageous than someone who is merely fulfilling the role. - Margaret J. Wheatley

Friday I wrote about Silent Saturday, the effort by some youth leagues to silence parents and coaches for a game.  I wrote that the intention was good but it doesn't tackle the root of the problem - lost perspective.

This week the focus shifts from youth sports to the high schools with three articles in the nation's papers "mercy" rules.  Those are attempts to limit or, in one case, penalize lopsided scores.

Sunday's Chicago Tribune has an article by the High School columnist, Barry Tempkin, comparing the administrative responses to a blowout in Connecticut and an overzealous father in Pennsylvania.

We offer for your consideration a football coach who showed good sportsmanship but was almost penalized under a rule aimed at preventing bad sportsmanship and a football dad who gives a whole new meaning to the term "quarterback sneak."

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference passed a rule suspending a coach if his team wins by more than 50 points.  Many other states have "mercy" rules, but they generally require a running clock in football and basketball or other efforts to speed the conclusion of play.  Penalizing the coach may seem like it's attacking the problem, but it attacks the problem from the wrong end.

He got in trouble for defeating Bridgeport Bassick 56-0 on Sept. 15. According to the New York Times, Central substituted liberally by the second quarter, when the score swelled to 49-0, and the team stopped passing by the third quarter, when a third-string running back scored a touchdown.

At that point about all Cadelina could do to obey the rule was let Bassick score. But to tell your players to miss tackles or stop playing hard makes a mockery of the game and humiliates opposing players more than a 56-point loss.

Gregg Sarra, from New York's Newsday, has a similar take on the same situation. 

So if the third-string linebacker intercepts a pass and his team is up by 45, he should forget about taking it to the house and get out of bounds for fear of having his coach suspended?

Sarra goes on to recommend the rule adopted this year in Northern Virginia, a running clock in the second half if the point differential reaches 35.  The running clock rule seems to be the way mercy is administered in most states.  A Google News search for "running clock rule" returns articles from a dozen different states.  The rules aren't uniform, but the intention is the same, get the game over with and limit the humiliation.

But what if the losing team doesn't want mercy?  What if they want their moment in the sun, even if it's currently giving them 3rd degree burns?  That is the question asked by some Virginia high school coaches in Preston Williams' article in the Washington Post. 

What's more demoralizing for a high school football player: a Friday night shellacking or being bailed out by a rule that helps prevent the score from becoming even more lopsided?

One coach cited in Williams' article made the argument that the running clock limits the opportunities his team has to test themselves against other teams.  He wants to use that time to work with his younger players and get them experience.

W.T. Woodson Coach Trey Taylor asked an official whether he had the option of not invoking the mercy rule in his team's 43-0 season-opening loss to Centreville. He wanted his players, particularly his young quarterbacks, to get varsity experience against the Wildcats' substitutes. His thinking: Woodson's starters, and Centreville's subs, don't work year-round to play beat-the-clock on Friday nights. They work to test themselves against players from other schools.

"To not give coaches an option, to me, is crazy," Taylor said.

I'm not sure I would want to be on the business end of a 50 point beating, but I can understand the coach's point.  Especially with football, there are precious few opportunities to play all out.  Anything that eliminates those chances hurts your team.  Like "Silent Saturday", these rules are implemented to because some coaches forget their priorities and think if 50-0 is good, 60-0 is better.   Those coaches only last as long as they have better talent coming to their team, because they aren't developing their players for the long term.  Playing the third string may mean the score ends up 50-14, but next week or next year one of those players might be the difference in a 21-20 game.  Or maybe that third stringer gets the only playing time of his career and he now has a story to tell.  As the Positive Coaching Alliance puts it, it's time we all started honoring the game.  Remember that the game is bigger than any one coach or player and the game goes on after this game ends.

Silence is a statement that is open to gross misinterpretation. - Craig Bruce

The Chicago Tribune recently had an article about Silent Saturday.  Silent Saturday is a day designated by a league where parents are not allowed to cheer or jeer, coaches cannot speak except to make substitutions and only the players are heard during play.

Under the rules of Silent Saturday, coaches can speak only when making substitutions and spectators can only applaud after a goal, but no "attaboys," "attagirls" or anything stronger than a whisper is permitted.

The Tribune asked for reaction from parents and coaches — and responses it got … 

Some supportive of the idea:

The parents screaming and insults at the coaches and their kids must be a universal thing in every sport. But the sport of soccer got the label of Soccer Mom-it should be Soccer Dad as well. It got to be disgusting at times during soccer games and playoffs. We tried to talk to these screaming, outrageous parents (sometimes they were our good friends) and try to talk to them calmly about what they are doing to their kids' self-respect, let alone theirs.

I wish they would have had silent Saturday and Sunday in Scottsdale when my kids were little. Maybe there should be silent days for other days of the week also when kids have their various sports playing.

Some not:

I believe coaching is the coach's job. Most of these are volunteer positions and greatly appreciated, but once on the field, they are also the bosses whether they are good at what they do or not. They are the ones who stepped up. If we can do it better, volunteer and do it or shut up.

I think Silent Saturday is absolutely ridiculous. Children (even adults) need encouragement. They like to hear their names, they like to hear "great job." I invite you to a weekend at our sports complex to see how a great organization can work and talk about the wonderful things parents do.

Silent Anyday has an appeal because it looks like a solution to a problem.  However it only attacks a symptom, not the disease. Cheering, even loudly, isn't necessarily a problem.  The problem comes when parents and coaches lose perspective on their priorities.

I believe a coach's priorities should be:

1. Player development
2. Creeating a learning atmosphere
3. Winning

Winning isn't a bad word and enthusiasm isn't a sin.  But coaches and parents can't let them interfere with the top priority, the development of each player on the roster.  I've written before on what you can do to improve your teaching and build a better team.  Setting a good team culture, getting to know the parents, finding the things a kid did right in a loss and showing where they can improve even after a win; that is how to regain perspective in youth sports, not speech codes and enforced silence.

It's a good thing to turn your mind upside down now and then, like an hour-glass, to let the particles run the other way. - Christopher Morley

How do you choose your captains?  In many rec leagues the coach picks 2 or 3 kids at random when the referee calls for captains.  That's how I did it for years. I was always trying to remember who had already been a captain, who hadn't and likely hurting almost everyones feelings in the process.

Then it hit me one day.  I didn't have to remember because I had already created a list that required each kid to do something at least once during the season: the snack list.  Every game a family was assigned drinks and another snacks.  It didn't happen often, but I usually had a couple missed assignments during the season.  But by pairing snack duty with the captaincy, forgotten assignments were a thing of the past.  The kids wouldn't allow Mom to forget because they were excited about being the captain.  And if a kid was going out of town on snack duty day, it became a priority to trade with another family.

As a coach, it's tough to balance all of the competing needs.  This tip saves you from thinking about one more thing before a game, so you can concentrate on making out your lineup and watching the parking lot for your star player.

Give me your best time savers in the comments. 

A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy? - Albert Einstein 

Mike MacDonald, Head Coach, Men’s Basketball
Medaille College, Buffalo, NY

Mike MacDonald was the head coach at Canisius College for the past nine seasons. The 2000-01 Golden Griffins reached the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship game under MacDonald. For his work that season, MacDonald was named the Basketball Coaches Association of New York Co-Coach of the Year. MacDonald has also coached the Western Region Open Squad in the Empire State Games for six seasons, leading his teams to three gold medals (1994, 1995, 1997), one silver medal (1998) and one bronze medal (1998).

In addition to MacDonald's success on the court, he has played a key role in development of the basketball program and the academic development of student-athletes while at Canisius. Under his leadership, two of the last five MAAC Scholar Athletes of the Year have been from Canisius. MacDonald's tenure at Canisius also saw renovations to the Koessler Athletic Center and upgrading the men's basketball schedule. In 2001 MacDonald was named to the Business First 40 Under Forty list of outstanding young leaders in Western New York.

1 - As a youth league coach, what should I be teaching the kids that I'm probably not?

The most important thing to teach is the fundamentals!  Drill them, drill them, drill them!!  Don't worry about a fancy offense in basketball, make sure the kids can pass and catch and dribble and shoot first.  After that, teach them how to respect the game and their opponent.  Too many kids are in to trash talking, helmet throwing, etc., because they see it on TV.  It's up to youth coaches to correct that!

2 - What shouldn't I be teaching the kids that I probably am?

Trick plays, gadget plays, etc..  Don't teach a flea-flicker in football before the kids know how to block and tackle.  Keep the game simple, and focus on skill development, not W's and L's! 

3 - What is the most important fundamental for kids to learn?

How to hustle and play hard at all times.  Also, to not get down on themselves when they make a mistake.  Those things are invaluable to youngsters, and they all go back to respecting the game.

4 - Who is the best coach you know?

John Beilein , West Virginia University

5 - Why do you coach?

I coach because I like to see players get better…on the court and off.  I get a rush out of watching that gangly freshman turn into a mature senior.  I like to know that I may have played a small, very small part in someone improving their game and their life.  There's nothing better than getting a call from someone you coached many years ago, and realizing that that young man, as grown in to an adult.  Sounds hokey, but it's true.  Coaches-at all levels- can make a difference!

A champion needs motivation above and beyond winning - Pat Riley

Introducing a new feature here at CoachKidsSports.com.  Today and Monday will feature five question interviews with Division III coaches.  Today's entry is Pete Lonergan, the Women's Head Basketball coach at Medaille College in Buffalo, NY.  Monday features Mike MacDonald, the Men's Head Basketball coach at Medaille.

Pete Lonergan, Head Coach, Women’s Basketball
Medaille College, Buffalo, NY

Pete Lonergan is entering his fourth season as the Head Coach of the Lady Mavs with a coaching record of 56-20 (.738). Last season Lonergan coached the Lady Mavs to a 26-2 overall record, going undefeated in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (18-0). The Lady Mavs won the AMCC post season tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament. The Lady Mavs won their first round match-up against Washington & Jefferson, but lost in the second round to the University of Rochester. Lonergan has been named the AMCC Coach-of-the-Year for his work the past two seasons. Lonergan brings experience as a Division I Head Coach at St. Francis University and Niagara University.  He has an extensive coaching "tree" with more than eight former assistants or players currently coaching.

1 - As a youth league coach, what should I be teaching the kids that I'm probably not?

The three areas that youth coaches should focus on are:

1. Fundamentals
2. Making sure the kids are having fun
3. The concept of team first.

2 - What shouldn't I be teaching the kids that I probably am?

Most coaches focus on winning and losing. While it’s fun to win, it shouldn’t be the priority at that age. Coaches should focus on the development of basic skills and fundamentals. 

3 - What is the most important fundamental for kids to learn?

It depends on the sport, but focusing on the fundamental skills of each sport. For basketball, kids should learn to master the basics of dribbling, passing and shooting. For football, you should focus on tackling, blocking, throwing, running and catching, etc. For young athletes to get better they first need to understand and execute the simple, basic drills and movements necessary in their sport. 

4 - Who is the best coach you know?

Pat Riley

5 - Why do you coach?

There are two reasons. First, at any level, a coach is a teacher and I enjoy teaching and watching a player learn the skills. I enjoy seeing players learn skills and develop their throughout their playing career. Secondly, at the collegiate level, I enjoy the competition. The preparation, planning and strategy add an exciting element to the coaching experience. 

Dreams pass into the reality of action. - Anais Nin

Sunday, I spent the day like every other red blooded American male , yep I went to see the movie Invincible with my family.  Yes I watched some NFL football, thanks TiVo, but I spent a good chunk of NFL Opening Sunday watching a movie about a bad Philadelphia Eagles team from 30 years ago.

Invincible is the story of Vincent Papale.  A 30 years old teacher with no college football experience who made the 1976 Philadelphia Eagles team as a wide receiver.  For those of you unfamiliar with American Football, receivers must be fast and their careers are usually short.  Once they lose a step, they lose their job.  So starting a career at an age most players are ending theirs is an amazing feat, doing it at a position like receiver is unprecedented.  In fact, Papale is still the oldest rookie in the 75 year history of the NFL.

Watching the movie got me thinking about the importance of hustle, desire and determination in sports and if it's possible to coach those traits.  In the movie the Eagles coach, Dick Vermeil, decides to keep Papale because of the desire Papale shows on the field.  Vermeil was a first year coach and wanted to change the team's character.  He thought having a scrappy, hustling underdog on the team would illustrate his point about the need to work hard every play.

I've never been able to find a down on his luck substitute teacher with freakish natural talent to add to my team as a way of making a statement, but maybe you'll have better luck…  Instead I usually have to find other means to change a team's culture.  

In business there is a management axiom "Expect what you inspect".  That's true in a business setting because the boss' attention is one way for employees to know what is important.  Rather than monitoring activities, we coaches can "inspect what we expect" by recognizing good effort.  When a player executes properly, especially away from the play, recognize the effort.  Be sure the player, and the rest of the team knows what the player did correctly.

A lineman makes a good block, a soccer winger makes a great run, an outfielder backs up a play, they all are easy to overlook, but if you want them to happen you have to recognize them.  Effort is the one thing that every player can control in every game.  Recognize the hustle and effort, even if the results aren't there, and you can expect more of what you are inspecting.

Today isn’t a day to talk about coaching. Rather, I’m honoring one of the innocents who died five years ago merely because they chose to go to work. To see more tributes please see the 2,996 Project.

Anthony Alvarado
Age: 31
Killed at: World Trade Center

A Stroke Strengthened Him

Anthony Alvarado lived for his son. He suffered a stroke when his son was a newborn, and was paralyzed on his right side and lost his memory.
It was as if he were a child again, said his mother, Sonia Irizarry. He could speak Spanish, his first language, but had forgotten English.

Ms. Irizarry nursed her son back to health. "Little by little, he came back," she said. After that, Mr. Alvarado could not take his baby for granted.

As the boy, Anthony Joshua Alvarado, now 10, grew older, his father took him everywhere. They walked to Yankee Stadium, not far from their
apartment in the Bronx, for baseball games. They played dominoes, they went to the movies, to two amusement parks and to the beach. "My son is a good son, a good dad, a good grandson, a good brother, a good friend," Ms. Irizarry said.

Mr. Alvarado, 31, worked for Forte Food Services, in the cafeteria at Cantor Fitzgerald at 1 World Trade Center. He had planned to interview
for another job as a security guard. "He needed more money," his mother said. After all, he had a son to support.

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on October 23, 2001.

MISSING:  Anthony Alvarado
His loved ones last saw Anthony Alvarado, 31, of the Bronx, the night before the attacks. They said he has one son, nine, and worked for Forte Food Services, with Cantor Fitzgerald. They described Alvarado as having a scar on the right side of the head from brain surgery, and strawberry colored birthmarks on his arm, chest, and back.

I met anthony in the summer of 1981 i was sitting on a bench watching a few kids play baseball he was one of the kids he came over to me and introduced himself to me and asked me if i wanted to play ball with them i did and that day was the start of a friendship that’s ireplaceble. we hung out in poe park in the bronx we went to the same schools, played in the same baseball teams, he even went out with my sister. he called my mother titi.  all that im trying to say is that he was agreat friend and there isnt a day i dont think about him yo antman we miss you  and we love you    thank you …..love you ant

*** Posted by manny rodriguez on 2004-09-11 ***

Hello Sonia, It’s almost 4 years now. I try to call you every year to let you know I didn’t forget how great a friend Anthony, Carlos, Odette, and Oscar have been to me. I know Anthony and my brother Mark are in heaven playing domino’s or just reminiscing about kingsbridge. I remember the old days with Anthony and Chino, Ivonne, Annie, and the rest of the great people in our building. I have great memories of Anthony playing softball, stickball and football with the rest of the fella’s. Those were the best times of my life and Anthony will always be a part of that great time. I’m glad people are still showing support. If you get in touch with any of the old friends of Anthony, give them my email at mikeacevedo70@yahoo.com. I would love to reminisce with them. If anyone wants to know about Anthony, you can email me too. Take care Sonia, and tell all the family I said Hi. My mom, Lilly, dad, Jose, also send their regards. bye, MIKE
Mike Acevedo (Bronx, NY ) - September 2, 2005

He who never made a mistake, never made a discovery. - Samuel Smiles

Last night I held a coaching clinic for a local soccer league.  The coaches were great, very enthusiastic and excited about teaching soccer to their kids.  I was very encouraged because the coaches were all looking to learn more, even the ones who had coached for several years. 

The topics I covered would be familiar to regular readers: coaching as teaching; building upon fundamentals; how to set up practice; finding the coachable moments and building a team from a list of names.  Almost as if I've been reading my own stuff…

To support the clinic I created a new page for the site: Clinic Resources.  It has links and downloads related to the clinic, however anyone is welcome to check them out.

The downloads are soccer skills and drills I've picked up over the years as well as an Access database I created to manage my teams.  The database is very basic, but then I never thought I'd share it with the world, so use it with that knowledge.  If you are so inclined and talented, any upgrades to the database or additions to the skills and drills are appreciated.

I've also included two books on the Clinic Resources page.  I've used one of the books, Developing Youth Soccer Players, since I started coaching soccer.  It contains drills and games for all age and skill levels.  Before each season I go through it again to see if there are any drills my team is ready to take on.  The other book, Double Goal Coach, is a book I just started reading, but I'm very excited about what it says so far.  The premise of the book — and web site — is that rec league coaches have two goals; teaching and winning.  Winning is important, it's why we keep score, but teaching is a coach's primary goal and nothing should interfere with that goal.  I think you have read that somewhere before…  After I finish reading the book, I'll post a full review of the book as well as a run down of the resources available on the website.

Please take advantage of the links and downloads on the Clinic Resources page.  I hope it can help at least the soccer coaches out there.