Would you just shut up and do it or speak up?

[roliepolieoliefan]

Our DS's baseball tournmant starts this week. The coach put a general email out to the whole team about the date and time of the first game.

He also mentioned we are considered the home team even though its all the same community so a parent has to work the concession stand. He put in the email since I only did it once, he would appreciate if I could do it for the tournament.

The game will be 2 hours, concession duty is 1 hour , and you can't see the game from the stand.

I didn't do "duty" once I did it twice, the last time just being their last game this past Wed. I emailed him and said I did "duty" twice, the last just being a couple days ago. Would you have said something like I did, or shut up and did it?

I looked on the schedule and its hard to say since people trade and such but there are some who only did do it once from what I can tell. Opinions?

 

[tnkbl]

If I understand you the game will last about 2 hours and the time you are needed to work is 1 hour, right?
Work the concession the first hour and then watch. If I were you I would not go pointing out who has worked what, that may come back as a not so happy haunt.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

If I understand you the game will last about 2 hours and the time you are needed to work is 1 hour, right?
Work the concession the first hour and then watch. If I were you I would not go pointing out who has worked what, that may come back as a not so happy haunt.

I didn't point out who worked and who didn't, just that I worked this past game.

And I am not scheduled the first half I am scheduled the 2nd half. I just missed the last half of my Ds's last baseball game due to concession stand duty, thats why I don't want to miss the last half of what might be the last game of the season.

I wouldn't care if there were a few games in between, but I JUST did it.

 

[Stacerita]

I would totally speak up. When the sweetpea played a season of little league, I got stuck in the snack bar a few times. And it irked me. Im a single parent so there is no other parent to watch if Im not there. And just because I have one kid on the team while others had two or three, doesn't mean we all should work the same. Each child should have a parent working for that child's time. Since I was new I let a lot slide. Then I realized I was being taken advantage of. So when the coach said he needed someone to cover the last few games, he came to me and asked if I would do some of the shifts. I flat out said no. And told him exactly why. He wasn't aware of all the other stuff and how many times I had actually worked. He just went by what he was told. So I was glad I spoke up.

Speak up and be heard!!!

 

[Luv'sTink]

Yes, I would have told him I already did it and now it is some elses turn.....WAIT! as a matter of fact that is exactly what I did this season!

Also, I think to point you out in an email to the "team" was wrong. IMO. I would just say, you must have me confused with someone else because I have worked twice.

Our league scheduled each team at a time they were not playing, so no one missed any of the game. That sucks that they do it while your son is playing, bad planning on the leagues part.

 

[tnkbl]

I looked on the schedule and its hard to say since people trade and such but there are some who only did do it once from what I can tell. Opinions?

This part made me think you may be thinking about saying something about the others. Sorry if I misjudged.

I understand that it might be the last game of the season, but part of being a parent of a player seems to be working in the consession. Maybe you could work it out with another parent to work 30 minutes the first hour and 30 minutes the last hour. Just a suggestion.

 

[hentob]

I HATE working the concession stand. I have three children that always play on the same team. For baseball, you have to work FOUR shifts at the stand. Which means I would be in there 12 times. It was the same way with soccer. We fundraise, donate money, DH volunteers as a coach and now I have to work the stand. Enough is enough.

We are actually taking a break from organized sports this year, starting with this baseball season. The kids have been getting their exercise via swimming, playground, nature walks, scootering and bike riding. It is lovely. No stress. No leaving the pool on a 90 degree day to go to practice or a game. No rushed dinners b/c we have to make a game. It has been nice. Next year, I suppose we will start up again , but we really needed a break from it this year.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

This part made me think you may be thinking about saying something about the others. Sorry if I misjudged.

I understand that it might be the last game of the season, but part of being a parent of a player seems to be working in the consession. Maybe you could work it out with another parent to work 30 minutes the first hour and 30 minutes the last hour. Just a suggestion.

I understand what you're saying but its not like I didn't work my share and I'm trying to get out of it.

I worked my fair share, even more than some of the other parents. I am just upset that I just missed part of my sons last regular season game now I'm expected to miss another part of his game when I just worked it 2 days ago.

The stand is only done in 1 hour shifts so its all or nothing. Kind of makes me mad that the coach sent about me working concession to the whole team. Especially when he didn't have the facts straight on how much I worked and when.

 

[palmtreegirl]

I think you should definitely email him back and let him know you've already done it twice.

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

Email him back and BCC the entire team. What a jerk!

 

[DisnyMama]

You should e-mail the coach and tell him that you will not be able to work the concession stand because you already worked just the other day and that you are going to watch your son play. My son played for 8 years and the requirement was that the parent of each child playing had to work "1" four hour shift per season for every child playing. No more was ever required once you did your time. However they did ask for volunteers when shorthanded. How dare he just assume such a thing from you. Unfortunatley the problem with alot of coaches is that they figure that they are giving up their time and we as parents should bend over backwords at their demands such as practices and parental requests, etc.

 

[KirstenB]

If you decide to pursue it, I'd email the whole team, explaining that you just put in your 2nd shift last week. You really want to see this game (as I'm sure everyone does). Ask if there's anyone who may have only served one shift, or maybe has a spouse who can serve a shift.

As a former coach, I'm sure your current coach loathes asking people to do the snack bar. He probably wants to focus his time/energy on the team. That's why I suggest you go to the other parents directly. Good luck, and hope your son's team does great!

 

[alliecats]

You already emailed him & corrected him, right? I hope you copied everyone he sent it to. Good for you, I would have done the same. And no, I would not work it if I just did it 2 days ago. Someone else needs to take a turn.

 

[canwegosoon]

I understand what you're saying but its not like I didn't work my share and I'm trying to get out of it.

I worked my fair share, even more than some of the other parents. I am just upset that I just missed part of my sons last regular season game now I'm expected to miss another part of his game when I just worked it 2 days ago.

The stand is only done in 1 hour shifts so its all or nothing. Kind of makes me mad that the coach sent about me working concession to the whole team. Especially when he didn't have the facts straight on how much I worked and when.

I am a team scheduler for concessions...I don't know how your team does it, but ours does everyone does 1 full game and then 1 inning of each playoff game. And I had one mother complain that she just did it- and my comment back to her was-but you haven't done it all season(she had done the last regular season game and then had an inning in the playoffs). Everyone was fair and square, I tired to schedule different closers for the playoffs if they had closed in the regular season. I have twins, so I do twice what everyone else does. I would email or call the person that has the 1st 1/2 of the playoff and try to switch, so you don't close again...but..these are the breaks of having kids in sports IMO.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Sounds like the coach made a mistake- you let him know, that should be the end of it.

 

[lillygator]

don't they have a "pay out" option?
At the ballparks here, you can pay xx $$ and there are teens that will work the shift.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Sounds like the coach made a mistake- you let him know, that should be the end of it.

I agree! Must have been some mix-up.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Just bumping this to hear if there has been an update.

 

[Caradana]

You'll show a lot of class if you do it with a smile on your face.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

You'll show a lot of class if you do it with a smile on your face.

If they say they spread the duty around, why should she do it again in the game after she just did it? The coach must have her confused with another parent who hasn't done it.

As a wife of a DH who has coached for many years, I know that there are some parents who will volunteer without being asked and do more than their fair share, others who will help if asked, but some who hope to slip under the radar, hoping to never lift a finger. I think a buy-out option is a great idea for the snack bar.

As far as other volunteer opportunities, at least on the baseball teams that my boys have been on, there are so many different ways that parents can help and some are simple enough that someone with no baseball knowledge can pitch in and do (making phone calls when there is a rain-out, etc). Thankfully, we don't have a snack bar to worry about!