Keep hanging in there pething, just remember that you are developing these players for the future (I know it sounds easier than actually doing it). during my first season as a JV coach I also had to remove a player due to academic problems and was left with 12 players. It was difficult but the Varsity coach reminded me that this was a developemental team and even if he didnt take anyone this season that they would still be better the following year. He only ended up taking 2 players at the end of our season but the following year nearly everyone returned and we were able to build from a good foundation; the players were familiar with me and I was familiar with them. Whatever you do; do not let the player who quit back on the team. Good luck
I used to have a coach who always said that he learned more when his teams got their teeth kicked in compared to when they won in a canter... of course the only thing we learnt when we were thrased was; extra running, gassers, suicides, push ups, etc.
opps. I made him apologize to the five that were there ... much to his consternation. He is a BED kid and the coach told me that he quit a couple of times last year but came back. He did not say I had to take him back but it will be nice to have one sub for a game. And he is never going to start for me again so he gets that nomination as permanent sub.
pething101 - just one question.. Should we change the name of the thread to "My first year coaching and my last year coaching" I've been coaching for 13 years and love the challange. Losing sucks but winning some games after losing is much sweeter. Kids come and go but it is really worth the effort when you realize you made a difference. Not just on the field but off the field. Would you consider the challange you undertook worth the effort and time? Will you be back? Would you do it again if you knew then what you know now? Just curious....
Nope. We dont need to change the title of the thread... It has been worth the effort as long as I keep my kids from quitting. That is a habit I dont want to let them start ... Yep. I will be back. I am not a quitter and I do enjoy it. (I just dont have a driving passion for it)... I knew it would be a mammoth struggle from the start. I am from the area and know the school well. I just did not think it would be this mammoth.
Congrats on your efforts. Thanks for letting us in on your struggles; it sounds like you've made a difference. That's what many of us are in soccer coaching for.
One funny story. With six kids I had no clue what to do so we played World Cup. Go on for about 30 minutes. Pretty fun for them. Suddenly, one of the kids that had never played before this year and has to be my most improved player gets the ball. Dribbles into the shooting area and is clipped at the ankles. There is a moment where he continues play. Then goes down like he was shot from afar. I am laughing my ass off. The worst dive I have ever seen in my life. I walk over to him and tell him to get up. I ask him what was he doing and he said he was just doing what he saw on TV. Pretty happy that he was even watching it. Will have to work on his diving technique from now in though.
Varsity loses 10-0. JV plays a 30 minute mini game, lose 4-0. Gave up 3 in the first 15 and one in last 15. Opened with 9, eventaully got up to 11 in the second half. Long story. Very annoying.
Told by a friend of a couple of players that they think that the head coach quit on them last night during the game. I think this team is on the verge of imploding. JV fellas were very upbeat after the mini game yesterday. I think they truly believe that over the course of 70 minutes that that match was going to be compettative if not winnable. I dont think Varsity stepped onto the pitch with the thought that they could win.
Amen to this. My U8 team has dealt with a lot (my three top scorers over the last two years were poached by other coaches) and so we went from being a .500-or-better team to a haven't-won-one-yet team, but last night we pulled out a very nice 2-0 win in the mist, and the kids were absolutely ecstatic. Hang in there.
Let me add my support to the other guys'. Keep at it. It's also worth emphasizing that even young players notice stuff like coaches quitting on them, and it matters to them. I assume that since someone has told this to you, your kids aren't saying the same thing, which is to your credit.
I have to agree. I think my kids are pretty disappointed to have not won yet but I think they realize that they have made a drastic improvment from the first day. If the season ended today, I think my kids would consider this year a success. However, I still want them to experience a win after all the long hard work that they have put in.
JV match. Southview 5 Smith 0 Actually, a good impressive effort from the lads. Southview beat a team that beat us 9-0, by a 6-2 scoreline so I think we made great strides. Opposing coach was impressed by the strides we had made. We were that bad when we played them first.
Varsity showed some character. Tough game with Southview and lost 3-2. Earned three yellow cards for mouthing to the ref's ... which we were. I noticed however that the ref's were very antagonistic towards the players. Never thought I would see a ref tell a kid to shut up but I heard it many times tonight. I understand that the kids were saying things that they were not supposed to say but an adult ref telling a kid to shut up, very loudly btw, is just wrong. Maybe I am naive.
Nice little article on Terry Sanford in the local paper. Pretty sure that every coach in the conference is going to post it in the locker room when they play FTS. http://www.fayettevillenc.com/story.php?Template=sports&Story=5204872
Well. I have to say that this has been a very disappointing experience. There were some positives but lack of particpation ... the lack of commitment and the attitude of a lot of the varsity players left a bad taste in my mouth. The JV kids were great. I really appreciated the effort that they put forth. The jerking around that they got at the end was totally unfair and quite frankly undeserved. I wish that we could have played with our full team a couple of times. We were close to breaking through I thought. Varsity. The less said the better. I will get my Class E and Class D coaching licenses between now and when the girls start. hopefully, I can do a better job than what I did with my jv boys team.
The coaching classes will be useful for a lot of reasons (it sounds like venting to peers might be a biggie). Based on your description, it sounds like Smith's program's troubles start at the top with the Varsity coach. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon to find coaches at the HS level whose interests in their sport and concern for their team begins and ends with the additional salary they get for coaching. There's not much you can do about it in your position other than provide a better example. What's the travel team situation like in Fayetteville these days? Is there any chance that your talent base will improve via that route?
We have a couple of traveling teams that are pretty sharp. Only problem is, kids can go to any high school they want to here in the county (provided they can get accepted into whatever program that school offers). So, most of the decent soccer players end up in the Global Studies program at FTS or the one at Southview. We could have been a decent tough team if we had the right attitude instilled in the first week or so. By the time the malcontent was benched it was too late. Oddly enough, our best performances have occured since the malcontent was benched. Have not heard a word from him since then.