Any Suggestions On Dealing With The "Wussy" Syndrome?

[CoachHenry]

Glad you had an upfront talk with your players and kids. Make sure you do stick to your word. Some players will see this as an opportunity for more playing time and if they bust their hump and still see little Johnny in the linup when he's slacking he won't see the value in working so hard. "Coach still leaves him in there even though I'm working harder..." type thing.

[mudvnine]

Tuesday, I took the advice of one of the posters and at practice didn't even take the gloves out of the bags, but instead found a shady tree and had a team meeting (parents included), about what the coaches have been observing vs. what we were expecting.

We allowed the kids to determine what type of team they wanted to be and at what level they wanted to play. Now mind you this team has the talent, just not the enthusiasm/passion we coaches expected, hence the runner-up status playing the way they do/did.

Well, lo and behold the kids recognized their demeanor and when asked how we should remedy it (with some prompting by the coaches) they all agreed that if someone slacks off and doesn't give 100% they come out; regardless if they are in the field with one out or in between innings.

I could tell a couple of parents were uncomfortable with that (we might embarrass little Johnny), but they didn’t say anything, so that’s how we’re going about it. We adopted the phrase “We either play as a team, or sit as individuals”, and all the players really liked that and I think it will give me something short and sweet to remind them of when we need that little pick-me-up.

We'll see what happens this weekend. :gt

[mudvnine]

Here is taped clip I had recently on this topic with an Angels scout. May shed some light on the importance of avoiding "weinieness"

AUDIO CLIP

Nater, that was perfect . . . hope you don't mind if I record it and forward it to all of my players, it echos exactly what we talked about at our last practice. Thanks!

MV9

[Nater44]

Here is taped clip I had recently on this topic with an Angels scout. May shed some light on the importance of avoiding "weinieness"

AUDIO CLIP

[BamaYankee]

Isn't 14 months straight a lot of ball?

Do you think you took enough time off?

My experience (little) with my son up until now has been seasonal. We haven't participated in travel or fall ball. Just curious.

[korp]

I am gonna go with the distance of bases ect for throws on why they are sore perhaps they are trying to do too much because its not like when they were younger ... assuming you changed distances like most do. You are right to remove the pitchers if they say their arms hurt ... why be the reason for any problems they would have down the road? As for the whining .... they are teenagers now some complain more than others. I guess you could have an incentive for if they win so many games or something like pizza or a major league game whatever ... something age appropiate that they would like. Not really much more you can do than that.

[PhilliesPhan22]

I even like the way your socks look.

Thanks. I like to wear the "high socks" with my uni

[mudvnine]

Memory is a funny thing... Kids are kids no matter what generation or age. The adjustments that we feel may have occurred with regards to attitudes are minor.

... at the end of the day they are just kids. What has drastically changed is me. The patience needed to tolerate and deal with the kiddies momments is waning rapidly as I get older.

Thanks, I think you're right and I plan on reevaluating my outlook on the game vs. my expectations of 13 y/o's.

I really want to thank everyone who has responded to my request. Although the views varied greatly, the all made me pause and think for a moment, something that has helped immensely.

Heck, even just talking about it was somewhat therapeutic and with your thoughts, I'm even excited and looking forward to practice today, armed with some new, fresh ideas.


Thanks again,
MV9

[CoachHenry]

At least you noticed.

Suggestions:

1. Stick to your guns and keep your head up.
2. Pull the parents aside and professionally remind them who runs the show.
3. If all else fails, pull out (like someone else suggested)

How was that?

I notice, and agree with your views to a large degree, but just don't think it was helping this guy. I even like the way your socks look.

[digglahhh]

I am probably about the same age as your kids. Were we really like that? I know I didn't complain. My parents have always stressed working hard to achieve your goals.

Your rant is misguided, IMO. The whole rewarding mediocrity dynamic is somewhat true. However, to some extent the alternative is to reward pedigree and circumstance. Regardless, kids know when they are being patronized. It didn't upset me, as a very good young athlete, that others got trophies too. Somewhat ironically, the idea of trophies for all is rooted in the notion of rewarding hard work, as opposed to simply results. As with most things, it's a delicate balance.

But as to the topic, I'm pretty sure we were all like that - to varying degrees. At 13 I was as interested in talking to my teammate's sister about her plans for after the game as I was about asking her brother if he would recommend I move up in the box.

Sports were basically my life until 12 or 13, at that point kids develop other interests too. Many go from smaller junior highs to larger high schools; they are exposed to more. The competition for the mind share gets harder at the early stages of puberty. To a certain extent, a step backward in focus at that age isn't exactly unpredictable, or inherently unhealthy for that matter.

[Jake Patterson]

I am probably about the same age as your kids. Were we really like that? I know I didn't complain. My parents have always stressed working hard to achieve your goals.

So did mine and so did I. Memory is a funny thing... I tend to remember as a player (Late 1960's) us working hard, playing hard and taking the game very seriously or coach (dad) would run us to death. He likes to remind me of the time we were playing in the outfield with a dead bird and the time we had an outfielder stuck in a tree. Kids are kids no matter what generation or age. The adjustments that we feel may have occurred with regards to attitudes are minor.

My team thinks I work the hell out of them. When they flip on the kiddie button they're like managing a bucket of eels... at the end of the day they are just kids. What has drastically changed is me. The patience needed to tolerate and deal with the kiddies momments is waning rapidly as I get older.

[DerekD]

Derek, not sure where you’re from, but we play in Southern California, where all of the legit tournaments (AAU, USSSA, USTBA, Triple Crown, CABA . . .) are far from wussy.

I wasn't being totally serious about my statement there. I think it's great that you can have these issues yet still be there at the end. Maybe your players should take a close look at the teams you're losing to and see that they're aren't doing what your players are doing.

[StraightGrain11]

Sit 'em.
Make them earn their spot BACK.

Best coach I ever played for was my Pony League (13-14) coach. I'm 24 now, and a coach, and I remember asking him this winter what his "secret" was all these years to getting the most out of us (and the rest of his players), he simply told me this: "Tell them what you want them to do. If they don't do it, they can sit [with me] on the bench. If they don't like it, they can do something about it or quit." Maybe that's harsh, bet he ALWAYS stuck to his guns. He would sit his best (most talented) players if he thought they were giving him anything less than what he knew they had.

Sounds to me like they've got "Prima Donna" syndrome - they can whine and complain because there is no "penalty" for doing so. Sit them. See if the tune changes. When they ask you why they're sitting, simply tell them the truth: because they'd rather think about reasons for NOT playing baseball than just going out and playing hard.

I pulled my groin BAD my senior year (the inside of my leg was BLACK from my groin to my knee), but I never told the coach because I knew he would sit me until it "healed". I also knew the only thing more "painful" than that groin would be picking the splinters out of my butt from SITTING and WATCHING instead of playing.

Go Hard or Go Home.

[PhilliesPhan22]

Very common for this age group... A quick way to solve it is to sit those who complain. Or sit those players who parent's complain.

"Johnny looks hungry."

"Johnny! You're out! go see your mom and get a hot dog. No need to hurry back you won't be going back in."

You'll be suprised how fast the complaining stops.

:applaud:

I like that idea. But it could backfire and the kid doesn't ever come back. But then again, you may be better off without him...and his parents.

[PhilliesPhan22]

This has been going on for years. My kids are adults and we went through the same thing

I am probably about the same age as your kids. Were we really like that? I know I didn't complain. My parents have always stressed working hard to achieve your goals.