sons track team vent (long post)

[bubbleprincessmom]

My DS (13) has been running the 4 X 4 relay for his track team all season. This is the race where each of 4 kids runs one complete lap around the track and pass the baton on to the next kid. They have gotten better with each meet and have gotten first place at least twice. This was a race no one wanted to run but my son, so he got 3 other kids together to form a relay team. Well districts are on Saturday and only the top two from each event or in the case of relay teams only the top relay team can go. No brainer right? Their the only 8th grade 4x4 team so their going to district right? NO today the coach pulls the fastest guys off sons team and puts them together with two other boys who have NOT done this race and made them the "official" going to district relay team. So after weeks and weeks of giving it his best and working on nothing else but this team he gets shafted!!! I didn't realize that in Jr high it was more important to get the fastest district time than to go with the kids with heart! When I was leaving the track today someone was asking me about his relay team and I said "yeah the coach pulled his team apart" I didn't know it but the coach was right behind me and called me out on it. Started yelling at me that it was his job to put the best team together yada yada yada....I told him he was wrong and he knew it to which he told me if I had a problem I should take it to the athletic director I said I didn't have a problem till you started yelling at me over what was a PRIVATE comment to someone who asked me!!! okay sorry for the long post

 

[Pop Daddy]

long post

 

[browneyes]

I'm glad you got to vent to the coach. Can you get another team up to have 2 teams?

 

[holycow]

Yikes, sounds like a macho jerk if he YELLED at you for your comment....obviously you touched a nerved that's why he got all POed!

Grrrrrrrr.....one of the reasons I don't care for kids sports.
It isn't about the "kid" its about "winning"

Anyway your son should be VERY PROUD of his accomplishments...taking the initiative to put together a team, hanging in there and making something from nothing!
Your son deserves a trophy just for his great attitude!


Holycow
Lisa

 

[Breezy_Carol]

What Holycow said. Some coaches are far more about winning at all costs rather than teaching kids what is right.

Tell your son that 50,000 of your good friends think he is a winner.

 

[Rippington'sFan]

You are correct and you should be happy that the coach was there to hear what you had to say. I'm glad you held your ground and got in his face about it. He sounds like a real jerk! Your sons relay team should not have been broken up. (in my opinion) Unfortunately this sort of thing happens because all some people care about is winning. Also jr high and high school sports can and will get political too with coaches playing favorites even though another kid may be better. It happens all the time.
I'm sure you already talked to your son about the situation but try not to let him get too discouraged over it. Tell him to just keep practicing as hard as he can and I'm sure things will work out for him.
Also maybe you should consider talking with the Athletic Director about this issue. It can't hurt to express your total disappointment over the coaches (wrong) decision.

 

[sharbear]

This is what drives me crazy about track. My son is not the fastest runner but he comes to practice everyday and works really hard. His parents have worked at every track meet. The team stinks this year, but the coach runs the kid that only shows up when he wants to. BTW he's not that much faster than my son and the placement is not going to change.

CC is better, better coach who rewards the kids who work harder.

I'm not going to help out at the next meet, why go and not see my kid run. Let the other parents help, of course they won't but that's the coaches problem.

 

[Big Dude]

This is one of the reasons I refuse to coach children above the age of 10. I have the pleasure of introducing them to the sport, teaching them the basics and giving them the opportunity to have fun in the early years. I stress to the parents that I am not all about winning at all costs and if they were of that mindset then they should look for a different team to participate with. Lord knows that once you reach middle school age, the winning at all costs becomes the norm.

It gives me great pleasure to see some of the children that played for me grow and excel in both middle and high school sports but it gives me an equal amount of pleasure when a young man or woman comes up and says "hi coach" after years of not seeing them and knowing they did not go on to higher levels of sports but chose something else instead.

Sorry for rambling on. Knowing a thing or 2 about track, passing the baton in a relay is not the easiest thing in the world to do. It takes a fair amount of practice and you mentioned the 2 new boys have never done this befor. Sounds like a train wreck about to happen. Tell your son to keep his head up and to follow his heart. He sounds like he is on the right "track".(pardon the pun)

Adam aka Big Dude

 

[CEDmom]

I don't blame you for being upset about this. I would be to, especially if my child was upset as well. I don't understand though why you told the coach you didn't have a problem with his decision when you obviously do. I think you should speak to the athletic director. If people only complain amongst themselves about a coach like this nothing will happen to him. I think his actions and treatment of his athletes needs to be brought up the chain of command. Good luck.

 

[shortbun]

I'd speak to the athletic director about the yelling of the coach.
As an aside and to explain his yelling, I'd also include the information about my son. I'd request an apology for the yelling.
This coach must be a maniac if he can't stand this kind of heat
at a Jr. High level. Ask that this complaint be put in his "file" so
no one will be able to say "gosh, we've never had this problem before."
Just what I would do, macho creeps have no place coaching
young people.

 

[TalkisCheap]

I have been running track for 6 years now(4 years in a summer program, and 2 with my middle school), and believe me, this has happened plenty of times to me! Coaches are too much into winning. Actually, it isn't even all the coaches. I was on a relay team and the girls decided to kick me off because they wanted their friend on the team who was a lot slower than me, but, at the championship meet, they lost, came in last, and I didn't even get to run. I know it is going to sound cocky, but, I was a reason they even made it to the championship, and then to kick me off right before the champs so their friend could run?! I was mad, but I got over it.

I got faster and worked on it, and for the second meet, one of my coaches decided to put me in with three other fast girls. One of the girls, I'm good friends with, and the other two I know casually. I was talking to my friend who didn't want to be in the relay, because for the first meet she was on another team with her friends, but my coach wouldn't let her quit because he thinks the team we have now will win. I don't mind being on the team, actually I enjoy it, but, my friend hates it because she doesn't enjoy it. At middle school, sure it's nice to win, but it's still mostly about learning and having fun, which is why I hate how my coach took someone against their will and forced them to compete in our relay.

Sorry, long reply, but track is something I love, and I guess I can relate.


-Caroline

 

[minniecarousel]

I believe that I would talk to the AD - he should know what's going on! (As an aside, I found that I always got more upset than my DS when these things happened!)