| Author |
Message |
Michael Tokarek (Mtokarek13)
New member
Username: Mtokarek13
Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, November 03, 2005 - 11:18 am: |       |
I have coached before at the youth level for baseball. I have coached 8-12 year olds and I have also coached 16-18 year olds. At what point or age group do you think is appropriate for the skill level to be a factor in the playing time of an athlete instead of playing everyone as much as possible or as equally as possible? |
Meggie (Meg)
Junior Member
Username: Meg
Post Number: 5
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2005 - 11:49 pm: | |
I believe that children in the junior high level (ages 13-14) should gain playing time based on their skill level. I feel this way because junior high is when sports become more serious and competitive and it also is trying to prepare the athletes for high school sports, and eventually college sports. If an athlete enters high school thinking that everyone will receive playing time, they might be very disappointed with the outcome. |
deborah cadorette
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Friday, December 02, 2005 - 10:08 am: | |
It's taken 25 years of coaching, athletic administration experience, and being a parent of an athlete to adopt the following philosophy that many people will disagree with. "Let the Kids Play." All kids should have the opportunity to play if they are committed to the team, put forth genuine effort in practice and demonstrate positive sportsmanship. I've seen middle school level athletes work hard in every practice, stand on the sidelines and cheer their team on during games, and coach not play them. These same athletes go on to the high school program and are starting players at the JV level. Physical and emotional development is radical at this age. Sports should be there to meet the needs of the kids first, not winning. If kids are taught that every kid will be playing in games through the 9th grade level, and when they reach the JV level that skill and attitude will be a critical component in their starting and playing in games, I believe kids will accept it. We place far too much emphasis on winning at these young, developmental stages in our children's lives. When they reach 10th grade (or 9th in some cases)they are lifting weights and building bodies to become the best they can,hopefully built on a strong base of participation at the lower levels. Putting a kid in for two minutes of a game each game is something the coaches can plan strategically if they realize each players strengths and weaknesses--regardless of the skill level. That middle school player with baby fat who lacks coordination may shoot up into a promising athlete in high school. They all deserve the opportunity to learn through participation at the middle school level. Unless of course, a child indicates he does not want to play--or is afraid. This sometimes happens when the parent insists on the child playing when the child may not want to, and won't speak up because he is afraid to disappoint the parent. |
Matthew Alan Laskey (Matt)
Junior Member
Username: Matt
Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Monday, October 02, 2006 - 1:55 pm: | |
I believe that a coach should try to get everyone on the team involved as much as possible. During the middle school years, I believe that all of the players ahould get the chance to experience the game-time situations and to improve their skills. Most of the middle school programs are established in order to get the students ready for high school athletics. By the time the students reach the middle school level, a lot of the kids who did not care to play sports or those whose hearts were not in the game have dropped out and quit. The players on the team should have enough skill or interest in order to work at getting better. If the students are good enough to make the team, then they should be good enough to play in the games. The students spend way too much time with practices and games for them to just sit on the sidelines and not get the chance to play. Even in the high school level I belive the players should all receive some playing time. If a game is out of reach, then the coach has an opportune time to give his bench players some experience. |
Scott James Gallagher (Scott2992)
Junior Member
Username: Scott2992
Post Number: 4
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Friday, October 20, 2006 - 7:55 am: | |
Being a Legion Baseball Coach in the summers, primarily dealing with ages 15-18 I have dealt with this issue the last few seasons, and what we do as a staff, is up front, have a parent-coach meeting, as we hand them schedules, talk to them about the upcoming season, and also playing time. Even though all of our boys deserve to play, but we are going to put the players on the field who we feel that will put us in the best position to win us the game, in the later innings.
We tell them this, because we do not want any controversy what so ever with our team. Granted we love all of our boys that come out for the team every year, but we do tell them, the best 9 will play and each will have to show us in practice and games that they deserve to be on the field. |
Eric M. Hamilton (Ham3704)
Junior Member
Username: Ham3704
Post Number: 2
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Monday, October 23, 2006 - 1:55 pm: | |
I have coached an 7th and 8th grade football team and there have been many cases where players and parents have complained about playing time. In elementary and middle school everyone should get a chance to play. But the truth is not every player is skilled enough to play in certain situations. It is important to get everyone involved but it does not always happen. I think high school sports are a different story. High school sports are mostly about winning, not eqaul playing time. I think most atletes know this, but it is the parents who think their child is better than what they are. Equal play is a very difficult situation. |
Emil K Erhart (Email)
New member
Username: Email
Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 - 1:13 pm: | |
I think around High School age it should be about skill alot more than playing time, when i played i didn't like how everyone had to play although i did understand why it was there and now looking back on it i guess its needed. I was always teh one and still am the one who wants to win and not lose at any cost. But dealing with younger kids its needed to develop skill by playing kids an equal amount of time and the kids who are already better will get there work in during there own time. By high school kids should understand that the team should coem first and that winning is a high priority especially with most kids high school age are playing in high school and realize its about winning |
mike grossman (Mike36)
New member
Username: Mike36
Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, October 26, 2006 - 10:26 am: | |
I believe that ability levels will naturally have a baring on playing time at all ages but I believe that the most appropriate age to make it a focus from a coaching standpoint is at the 7th grade level on up. |
Arthur (Artamus1_2000)
Junior Member
Username: Artamus1_2000
Post Number: 5
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 12:39 pm: | |
As you get to middle school and high school, it should be about the skill level. It's about the team and what parts on the team will help win the game. That is why I think allowing kids to have a fair chance to make the team early in the season is the best way to go. I have been an assistant coach of an elementary basketball team for the past two years. Kids were given 7-8 practices to see if they have wnat it takes to make the team. THe same could apply to upper levels. If you have too many people, maybe an intermural league could work. |
Ryan Butschle (Ryan_butschle)
Junior Member
Username: Ryan_butschle
Post Number: 3
Registered: 9-2009
| | Posted on Thursday, September 10, 2009 - 9:33 am: | |
I believe equal playing time is beneficial for children below the ages of 12-14 years old. I believe that above those ages is when real competition begins and the true athletes begin to come out. Don't get me wrong, I think equal playing time is extremely important, but just at younger ages. If an athlete has a chance at gaining a future in sports, he/she should be playing as much as possible to gain every skill necessary to move to the next level. |
