Assistant Coach vs. Head Coach

You’ll have to wait another day for the MS walk 2012 post.  I haven’t gotten over to my mom’s to grab the photo’s that she took.  We only took a few and my mom has the one of us crossing the finish line.  So be patient and I’ll eventually get it out.

I had a practice with Trevor’s team tonight.  I’ve decided that I definitely prefer assistant coaching to the head coach position.  Tonight’s practice was in the batting cages.  So basically all I did was stand just behind the kid hitting and help them with their swings.  Gave them some tips, did a few things to help them connect with the ball, and watched them grow.  All my kids hit the ball at least a few times.  I’ve got a few kids that have yet to connect with the ball in a game (including my son) so let’s see how well they do on Friday night when we get out in a game.

Like I said above, I like the assistant position because I actually get to get in with the kid and help them learn the game, where as the head coach, I have to work with the whole team at once.  I have to deal with the lineups, switching positions after a couple of innings, making sure parents are contacted about games and practices.  Blah!  I just want to teach the kids the game I love.

I’ll admit it was very satisfying when I watch a kid miss a few pitches, I correct their stance or have them try something for a few more pitches, then have them start to connect with the ball.  I’m not turning the boys into all-stars, but the smiles they get when they finally hit the ball is pretty awesome.  One of the boys who haven’t hit yet started to get the ball tonight.  His grandmother was talking to Cheri a few weeks ago, and said that his coach from last year didn’t work with him at all.  Just threw him out there to fail.  So she was excited that I’m actually working with him.  I just hope he can get a hit in a game.  He tends to chop at the ball so tonight I was working with him taking a full swing so I just hope he doesn’t revert back to chopping at it.

Trevor has a really good swing but has trouble connecting with the ball.  The hand/eye coordination isn’t quite there yet.  I got him to connect on a couple tonight.  3 to be exact, he counted.  I talked with him on the way home and let him know that if he doesn’t like baseball, that it’s ok.  He said he still likes it and he has fun playing.  Which is all I need.  I’m not going to push my kids in sports they don’t want to play.

So in closing, I definitely prefer assisting.  Let someone else deal with all the headaches, like the parents, snacks, blah, blah, blah.  Let’s just play some baseball.  But I guess as long as I have kids playing, I’ll always be an assistant.  Maybe not to the team, but to them.