Summer workouts, what teams/coaches are doing?
yes, that's great....and an example of what can be done....but that's what we're getting to...year-round training for high school athletes...little time for more than one sport....little time for life as a teenager.....commitment and more commitment..yes, I know how important commitment is....and it works well for the few athletes who have that potential to take it to another level...but a team is not always made up of those willing to sacrifice everything for the good of the team...be realistic...and for the few that benefit from the experience, how many miss out on life because they were told that "commitment to this program" is the only way to go...
in season, I want my athletes to be committed....but it's the summer...how many male athletes are trying to balance time between fall, winter, and spring sports training, along with just enjoying some of the summer....with each coach saying this has to be done or that has to be done...only so many hours and so many days to do it all....
Parents and coaches need to remember what we were like at that age, and not dominate our childrens lives so that they miss out on the the things that they can only experience at this age...
I believe in giving opportunities for those that want them....but I've also seen many multiple sport athletes who still excelled and still were awarded with college opportunities.....
in the end, I want my athletes to enjoy the experince, not be glad that it's over...all of my athletes, not just the elite...
in season, I want my athletes to be committed....but it's the summer...how many male athletes are trying to balance time between fall, winter, and spring sports training, along with just enjoying some of the summer....with each coach saying this has to be done or that has to be done...only so many hours and so many days to do it all....
Parents and coaches need to remember what we were like at that age, and not dominate our childrens lives so that they miss out on the the things that they can only experience at this age...
I believe in giving opportunities for those that want them....but I've also seen many multiple sport athletes who still excelled and still were awarded with college opportunities.....
in the end, I want my athletes to enjoy the experince, not be glad that it's over...all of my athletes, not just the elite...
workouts
If two people apply for a school coaching position. One is a teacher in that district, one is not. Generally the teacher is given the job, even if he/she is not the most qualified coach. This is done from an administration perspective. Guess it makes communication better, protocols are followed better, etc. That's why so many teachers are hired who can also coach. From that standpoint you often get a less qualified teacher, just because he can coach!!
I wish we hired teachers who could coach...that's the way it used to be...now, "we want the best teacher available", but then there are no teachers to coach, so coaches have to come from the community....it does make things easier when the coach is in the school system...but I would never advocate hiring a poor teacher who could coach...the skills are too similar...but I do think that the ability to coach should enter into the decision somehow (or to be able to direct any extra-curricular activities, not just athletics)...
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CRLionDawg
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Ideally they should be independent considerations. In the class room I want my children to be learning the subject at hand from a teacher who has passion about the topic. The best teachers are those who love what they do and view their position as a mission.
On the basketball court, football or baseball field I want my kids to be learning the sport from an individual who has the same passion as the teacher above. Somone who knows the sport intimately. Who loves being a trainer. WHo has a passion for excellence and wants to see the individuals and the team all succeed.
Do people like this exist? Absolutely.
It all starts with the expectation of the administration which reflects the wishes of the school board. To often administrators seek out the course of least resistance and end up supporting mediocrity.
Teachers are hired because they played a sport in high school and may have been successful. Therefore lets throw that individual into an influential coaching position, without any mentoring or support. Immediately they are in a position of authority and expected to deliver top level performance. The opposite happens, parents are upset and the merry go round of blame begins.
Is it the coaches fault? No, he/she is young and inexperienced. Is it the parents fault? No, they have every right to expect that the school district provide a good program for their child. After all they only go through the process once.
Well where does the blame lie? The school board ultimately. They hire a superintendent who hires an AD who is responsible for organizing and managing the program. In some cases the AD is a tired old frustrated individual void of any energy and new ideas. And no motivation to make any changes for fear it will require more work.
Schools that are entrenched in the status quo will remain there until change is demanded.
On the basketball court, football or baseball field I want my kids to be learning the sport from an individual who has the same passion as the teacher above. Somone who knows the sport intimately. Who loves being a trainer. WHo has a passion for excellence and wants to see the individuals and the team all succeed.
Do people like this exist? Absolutely.
It all starts with the expectation of the administration which reflects the wishes of the school board. To often administrators seek out the course of least resistance and end up supporting mediocrity.
Teachers are hired because they played a sport in high school and may have been successful. Therefore lets throw that individual into an influential coaching position, without any mentoring or support. Immediately they are in a position of authority and expected to deliver top level performance. The opposite happens, parents are upset and the merry go round of blame begins.
Is it the coaches fault? No, he/she is young and inexperienced. Is it the parents fault? No, they have every right to expect that the school district provide a good program for their child. After all they only go through the process once.
Well where does the blame lie? The school board ultimately. They hire a superintendent who hires an AD who is responsible for organizing and managing the program. In some cases the AD is a tired old frustrated individual void of any energy and new ideas. And no motivation to make any changes for fear it will require more work.
Schools that are entrenched in the status quo will remain there until change is demanded.
wow, certainly very idealistic and somewhat caustic.....yes, everyone wants the best in everything...that isn't going to happen everywhere...people are or are not hired for a variety of reasons...and the chain of command on the decisions is not always the same in many places...I would love for my AD to have a say in these things....I'd love to have a system whereby a younger teacher/coach could be mentored by experience...but when someone is needed, someone has to step in....and it may or may not be a good situation....
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CRLionDawg
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To say I am Idealistic is an understatement. You will only exceed your lowest level of expectation. You may not reach your highest, but you will go farther if you set it up there.
All those issues longball stated regarding burnout, not having a life, missing out on growing up, etc. They do exist to some extent.
My answer to that problem is this. A lot of the key components of being a successful athlete are common across all sports. ie. strength, speed, agility, quicks, reaction, etc. And to premise this I havent seen a program like what I am proposing in play. Although there may be.
Why wouldnt it make sense to organize a year round physical conditioning and development program? A structured program that has the flexibility to address the needs of the individual while contributing to the benefit of multiple sports? It would raise the status of each athletes median physical condition. Keep him/her on track for the sport they are currently involved in and maintain for the next sport. This would not require as much time from the athlete or the administration and would deliver a well rounded less likely to be injured athlete.
This may not work everywhere. But something needs to be done to retool to deal with the previously stated problems.
All those issues longball stated regarding burnout, not having a life, missing out on growing up, etc. They do exist to some extent.
My answer to that problem is this. A lot of the key components of being a successful athlete are common across all sports. ie. strength, speed, agility, quicks, reaction, etc. And to premise this I havent seen a program like what I am proposing in play. Although there may be.
Why wouldnt it make sense to organize a year round physical conditioning and development program? A structured program that has the flexibility to address the needs of the individual while contributing to the benefit of multiple sports? It would raise the status of each athletes median physical condition. Keep him/her on track for the sport they are currently involved in and maintain for the next sport. This would not require as much time from the athlete or the administration and would deliver a well rounded less likely to be injured athlete.
This may not work everywhere. But something needs to be done to retool to deal with the previously stated problems.
Idealism is a great beginning, but realism must also have some part in the program...yes, I am all for setting high standards....but not at the expense that some expect....trust me, any cliche or saying that you can come up with, I've probably used to motivate one team or another....so I understand reaching for goals...
the problem is not year-round conditioning through a set program...the problem is that each sport expects the same level of commitment from one person...we are not just dealing with conditioning and fitness...we are dealing with training, year-round, for two to three different sports....and with various summer leagues in operation, the schedules tend to cross over each other....it's not football one day, then another sport the next day, etc. ....it's everything almost everyday....
As I've said before and I'll continue to say, the best athletes I've ever seen were multiple-sport athletes....I would prefer to see a well-rounded athlete than a specialist almost in any situation....and I believe that young athletes can excel and achieve playing in multiple situations, if parents and coaches allow that to happen...
let me add that this is a forum for expressing ideas...I know my perspective is not alone, nor is it the only one.....just my point-of-view from my corner of the world...and, having taught and coached for years, I have developed and modified what I have done...so it's not just theory, but a plan that has actually taken place....
but I enjoy trading philosophies....
the problem is not year-round conditioning through a set program...the problem is that each sport expects the same level of commitment from one person...we are not just dealing with conditioning and fitness...we are dealing with training, year-round, for two to three different sports....and with various summer leagues in operation, the schedules tend to cross over each other....it's not football one day, then another sport the next day, etc. ....it's everything almost everyday....
As I've said before and I'll continue to say, the best athletes I've ever seen were multiple-sport athletes....I would prefer to see a well-rounded athlete than a specialist almost in any situation....and I believe that young athletes can excel and achieve playing in multiple situations, if parents and coaches allow that to happen...
let me add that this is a forum for expressing ideas...I know my perspective is not alone, nor is it the only one.....just my point-of-view from my corner of the world...and, having taught and coached for years, I have developed and modified what I have done...so it's not just theory, but a plan that has actually taken place....
but I enjoy trading philosophies....
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CRLionDawg
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Ok, how can 1 individual satisfy the demands placed upon them by the coaches of 2-3 different sports? You are right there are activities each day of the summer for each seperate sport. And if an athlete does not attempt to consistently attend these activities then they are in jeopardy of either falling behind on skill development or fear sending a message to the coach that he/she isnt committed.
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CRLionDawg
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