52 replies to this topic

[Tas Cammara]

Many years ago, my son gave up baseball in EG. As a 4 year coach down there, I could not believe the behavior of both the parents and the coaches. My last year, 2 coaches got suspended (at least there was some consequence) for fighting at a game....for 8 year olds.
Since then I have been involved in basketball as a co-coach and coach, and soccer and cheer as an involved parent. I am kind of glad I am out of that coaching cycle due to the obnoxious parents and ego maniacal coaches (although I do miss it).

I have had parents tell me how they were working on circle change ups with their 7 year old (who couldn't throw a strike).
I have had a parent approach me 2 minutes before the championship game, and ask me when I was going to put his son at point guard, despite not having spent any time there during the season. Then proceed to tell me why I should until I calmly said he was a great ball handler but a defensive liability and had too many turnovers...
I have seen a ref threaten to clear the gymnasium for unruly parents.
I have seen a child, in exasperation, stop mid court and tell his dad to shut up. His dad coached from the seats non-stop, despite being warned repeatedly.
I have had a parent scream all game long at the ref, and when I said something to her about it, she turned on me and told me not to get up in her face.
I have seen parents who's entire sense of self seems to hang on a 6 year old kicking a ball into a net.

On the other hand, I have seen the joy in the face of a kid struggling to get his first base hit when he finally got there.
I have had parents ask me if I was trained to work with autistic children after working with their child.
I have seen kids blossom under excellent coaches.
I have had my game photos become treasures for both kids and parents.
And I have fond memories of watching my children grow as athletes, while still remembering to enjoy and respect the game, their coaches and their competition.
That is what coaches like the one above lose sight of...

Amen!

[the_professor]

Do the kids make the allstar team because their dad's the coach, or are the dads the coach because their kid is on the allstar team? Is the league directors son on the allstar team because of talent or because his dad is in charge?

[giacomo]

Do the kids make the allstar team because their dad's the coach, or are the dads the coach because their kid is on the allstar team? Is the league directors son on the allstar team because of talent or because his dad is in charge?

All of the above.

[The Average Joe]

I don't know in this particular case, but I have noticed this... typically the coaches child is one of the better players. Why? I have found that coaches tend to spend more time practicing with their children away from the team practices. Or perhaps their child may have had a slight inherent edge and that motivated the coach to volunteer. If I had to guess... I'd say 75% of the time the coaches child tends to be above the "norm" for that age. Coaches are also, by the nature of the title, more involved in the sport. This can lead to private lessons for the child's weaknesses, a network of other higher notch players/coaches, etc. Basically, just more time building skills.

Of course, it also seems that there is the other 25% where the child is below the norm and the coach still puts them in the skill positions. I'd say that is the toughest thing for any coach...honestly evaluating their own child.

All that aside, the Folsom situation has a distasteful smell to it.

[MikeinFolsom]

A few years ago my daughter played softball for the now defunct league Folsom Girls Softball or something close to that name. The 'president' of the league refused to accept any types of feedback from multitudes of parents. Her and her 'board' were very unapproachable. Enough parents complained to Parks and Rec and finally the league was dissolved and now a new president and board are in place. I don't know if the same chain of command exists in the LL, but there has got to be some recourse to parent's concerns. Maybe someone needs to pull billy bad-a$$ coach aside and tell him just because he was a failure when he played little league doesn't mean he can make other kids feel bad when they have a down game??

[luvmycity]

Do the kids make the allstar team because their dad's the coach, or are the dads the coach because their kid is on the allstar team? Is the league directors son on the allstar team because of talent or because his dad is in charge?

I was a LL board member for a number of years in Folsom. I cannot tell you how many kids were selected to All-Star teams because simply because their dads or moms were on the board. It was one of the reasons why I decided to stick to coaching only.

[luvmycity]

Many years ago, my son gave up baseball in EG. As a 4 year coach down there, I could not believe the behavior of both the parents and the coaches. My last year, 2 coaches got suspended (at least there was some consequence) for fighting at a game....for 8 year olds.
Since then I have been involved in basketball as a co-coach and coach, and soccer and cheer as an involved parent. I am kind of glad I am out of that coaching cycle due to the obnoxious parents and ego maniacal coaches (although I do miss it).

I have had parents tell me how they were working on circle change ups with their 7 year old (who couldn't throw a strike).
I have had a parent approach me 2 minutes before the championship game, and ask me when I was going to put his son at point guard, despite not having spent any time there during the season. Then proceed to tell me why I should until I calmly said he was a great ball handler but a defensive liability and had too many turnovers...
I have seen a ref threaten to clear the gymnasium for unruly parents.
I have seen a child, in exasperation, stop mid court and tell his dad to shut up. His dad coached from the seats non-stop, despite being warned repeatedly.
I have had a parent scream all game long at the ref, and when I said something to her about it, she turned on me and told me not to get up in her face.
I have seen parents who's entire sense of self seems to hang on a 6 year old kicking a ball into a net.

On the other hand, I have seen the joy in the face of a kid struggling to get his first base hit when he finally got there.
I have had parents ask me if I was trained to work with autistic children after working with their child.
I have seen kids blossom under excellent coaches.
I have had my game photos become treasures for both kids and parents.
And I have fond memories of watching my children grow as athletes, while still remembering to enjoy and respect the game, their coaches and their competition.
That is what coaches like the one above lose sight of...

It simply cannot be put any better than this.....thanks for this post. As a long-time youth coach, I struggle with many issues, but one of the toughest is the parent who never made it as an athlete so they are obsessed with having their kid make it for them. It's sad, frustrating and pathetic. Thank you again.

[Baseball Family]

It's amazing to me how many experts there are who criticize the volunteers that make sports organizations successful. WHERE ARE YOU WHEN VOLUNTEERS ARE BEING SOLICITED??? If you have not been in another man's shoes you are not qualified to judge him.

Who actually heard the comments made by this manager? Who actually heard it? NOBODY! Who saw the entire game and witnessed the actions of both the player and the manager? Who noticed that the player was warned for inappropriate behavior more than once during the game?

The manager should not have made any potentially questionable comments to a player, agreed. However, just because a 12 year old boy starts crying after a tough loss and claims that someone said something mean to him does not make the adult an instant villian.

There are two sides to EVERY story! I have coached many years in various sports and I can truly testify that there are bad apples in every bunch.

If you are so concerned then go to the next Folsom American Little League board meeting and sign yourself up for a position! Don't just type your complaints, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!

See you all there!

[nomad]

Welcome to the Forum Brausch family...LOL!!

[Coach24]

Let's see... Who actually heard the comments? Seven players on the Angels team, and some players from the Rangers.

Who saw the entire game? Me. The manager of the other team.

Who saw the actions of both the player and manager? Again, me.

Who noticed that the player was warned for inappropriate behavior more than once during the game? Nobody. It didn't happen. The player was warned once, by me, in agreement with the Ranger's manager and the umpire. No other warnings for inappropriate behavior were given by anybody to that player. He did nothing wrong either before or after that.

And let me ask my own questions. Who asked the other manager if they did indeed make the inappropriate comment? I did, and the manager gave an emphatic, "Yes, I did." And when pressed if that was appropriate, the Ranger's manager said yes, he had it coming. And when pressed if he was going to apologize, the Ranger's manager showed no remorse and refused to even consider apologizing to "that kid."

All of this information was given directly to the League President, Rick Brausch, and was later sent in written form.

The Ranger's manager has also sent apology letters to some of the players on the Angels, and made attempts to call the 12 year boy to apologize. If the comments were not made, then why the apologies?

It's easy to hide behind fake names on message boards and say whatever you want. But I don't how you can defend the indefensible? Or how you can deny facts that are even admitted by the guilty party. Or defend a league that works harder to protect a grown man acting like a 12 year old rather than the kid that was actually mocked and belittled in front of his peers.

Joe Watson
Manager, Folsom American Major Angels

[MikeinFolsom]

Thanks Joe!

[chris v]

We learned a great lesson this season, which is also my sons last. Baseball in this town is a joke. Most of the really involved parents are trying to live through their kids because they sucked when they were younger. Get a effing life. Let your kid play ball if they want to, but if I ever see a coach physically push a kid out of the dugout and get in his face and tell him to get off the field again, I will personally deal with it. It is so far from recreational it's not even funny. Both Folsom National and American and Rancho Murrieta are the biggest jokes around.

[the_professor]

It's amazing to me how many experts there are who criticize the volunteers that make sports organizations successful. WHERE ARE YOU WHEN VOLUNTEERS ARE BEING SOLICITED??? If you have not been in another man's shoes you are not qualified to judge him.

Who actually heard the comments made by this manager? Who actually heard it? NOBODY! Who saw the entire game and witnessed the actions of both the player and the manager? Who noticed that the player was warned for inappropriate behavior more than once during the game?

The manager should not have made any potentially questionable comments to a player, agreed. However, just because a 12 year old boy starts crying after a tough loss and claims that someone said something mean to him does not make the adult an instant villian.

There are two sides to EVERY story! I have coached many years in various sports and I can truly testify that there are bad apples in every bunch.

If you are so concerned then go to the next Folsom American Little League board meeting and sign yourself up for a position! Don't just type your complaints, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!

See you all there!

I think your big green van needs an oil change.

[caligirlz]

On 6/22/11 at 01:33 PM, itsallbb wrote:
I also heard about this story and it speaks volumes about the FALL leadership as a whole. The people who handle this type of problem are suppose to be impartial and fair minded. My understanding is that Rick Brausch (the current President) has packed the board with family members and friends. They have rewritten the Bylaws so that He and his wife and oldest daughter now sit in review of offending managers, parents and players. How fair and independent this you possibly be? The length and scope of the collusion that is taking place at FALL is boarderline criminal. The Ranger coaching staff has two FALL board officers -- one is the vice president of divisions and the other is the tresurer. Did anyone think that a fair and just process was going to take place in regards to the Rangers conduct? My understanding is not only nothing will be done but both these offenders have been promoted to All Star coaching status. Clearly, FALL has taken a turn to the darkside. The district 54 representetive-Bob Fogle-- is also very friendly with the Brausch's -- as Joanne Brausch, the current VP of operations at FALL, has worked for the district in the past. You simply will not see any action at the district level !

Is this board considered non-profit? If so, then this is clearly a violation of the 501©3 non-profit status.

[nova]

we left FALL do to the current president and family. If you don't agree with their views you get blacked balled from coaching or managing. I know of two coaches that did not get to run a team this year that have at least 7 years of coaching in the league because they disagreed with the Brauchs. Its no wonder several good families left the league for travelball. Also, this is not the first time the Ranger manager has had questionable judgement. Three years ago he used the f-bomb on opening day argueing with the opposing coach. We heard him yelling from the library