OK -- My own SnowFlake Story

[CowboyCO]

Just wow. I bet everyone is glad the season is over. Good you told him what everyone else observed.

I hope the letters are successful and that no one will see him coaching next season.

OT: how is Claire doing?

Thanks for asking about Claire. 9-month screening was clean. Survivor rates go up to 50-50 if she stays clear for a year, so .

I haven't been on the boards for quite a while -- how are you doing?

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Thanks for asking about Claire. 9-month screening was clean. Survivor rates go up to 50-50 if she stays clear for a year, so .

I haven't been on the boards for quite a while -- how are you doing?

Thanks for asking. I am doing well.I just had a nuclear scan and blood test in May and another blood test in June and Praise God everything is good. Dh and I went to the Polynesian for 5 days to celebrate. I am glad the 3 ds had finals because 5 would have been a crowd then. Will keep Claire in my prayers.

 

[sturdypeasantstock]

I agree that the way the coach handled the situation with his DD was wrong. Coaches shouldn't favor their own children. However, I always hear parents talk about "daddy ball" and complain about the coaches. If you are unhappy with your child's coach, why don't you volunteer to coach the team? Volunteer coaches work had and give up many hours of their time, only to deal with (some) parents who complain about everything and don't appreciate their efforts.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Michael Jordan didn't make his Freshman Basketball team....he decided to work harder and make it next time...

We all know what happened next

Not everyone makes the team....not everyone wins....

As an athlete, I learned more about myself, and my teammates from losing, than I ever did from winning!

Words of Wisdom and so, so true!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

That's typical of very successful people. They persevere. They don't whine when things don't go their way.

I've told MJ's story to my kids several times. I've used it to illustrate the value of working hard.

Another success/perseverence story that I like is Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox. My own DS loves him and has been inspired by him because, like Dustin, my DS is small, and like Dustin, he's been overlooked by coaches going for size, but this has caused my DS to work a lot harder, too, and now coaches who overlooked him before want him to come play for them, while he's enjoying playing for coaches who believed in him all along. Success really is the sweetest revenge.

Here's Dustin's story if anyone wants to read it. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2008/09/28/most_valuable_half_pint/

He also wrote a book (I read it to my DS when he was sick in the hospital): http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Born-To-Play/Dustin-Pedroia/e/9781439157756

Somehow I wasn't surprised reading this headline. (Whether it's a good idea is another story, but not suprised at Dustin one little bit. That's him. Definitely not a snowflake.)

What is Boston's Dustin Pedroia doing?
Thu, Jul 1
5:51
PM ET
by Jim Caple

Boston's Dustin Pedroia took the field in a cast and on crutches Wednesday, then took grounders on his knees. According to ESPNBoston.com, Pedroia told pitcher John Lackey that he was "polishing the machine".

 

[CowboyCO]

I agree that the way the coach handled the situation with his DD was wrong. Coaches shouldn't favor their own children. However, I always hear parents talk about "daddy ball" and complain about the coaches. If you are unhappy with your child's coach, why don't you volunteer to coach the team? Volunteer coaches work had and give up many hours of their time, only to deal with (some) parents who complain about everything and don't appreciate their efforts.

As I said, I volunteered to coach that league last year and I had his daughter on that team. She often showed up without shoes, sans glove or not at all. This year I volunteered to coach again, and I coached my other son's team (11-12 league). As a coach, I recognize Daddy ball when I see it. I am aware of the hours it takes because I never missed a day of practice or a game, even when my own son wasn't there due to a schedule conflict. The guy was a train wreck. I had several of the players on my team last year and many times I had parents come tell me how much they wished I was coaching this team again, because the kids weren't learning anything. My response was that he was doing the best he could until late in the season when the wheels were falling off.

When I coach, I would vary the batting order every game, positions every inning and I had a steadfast rule that if a player sat out an inning, he was in the infield the following inning, if they were in the outfield one inning, they played infield the next. We just played in the championship game and every player got equal time in the infield and outfield (outside pitcher and catcher) and we won the league championship.

Only once this year did I have a parent complain about batting order or playing time. They had brought their child late to games twice in a row, so they were placed at the bottom of the order, per league rules. Once I explained what was happening they got their kid to games on time.

 

[Debbie7452]

I had a bad experience with one of my DS's baseball coaches. He kept getting picked by this guy, but never got to play or even try (in practices) to play infield. It was outfield, benched, outfield, benched, ugh. I think he kept drafting him because my son was cooperative and we were quiet parents. My son was REALLY discouraged and was actually more skilled than the coach's "favorites". I got sick of it and emailed him directly simply requesting he not draft my son anymore. I didn't give much explanation and he did not respond at all...but he didn't draft him either.

Unfortunately, the damage was done and my son has quit baseball for football I wish I had stood up for him sooner...I really liked baseball! I'm putting my younger son(4) in next spring. I hope he has a better experience.