Expert: Willie Ansley Jr. - 5/19/2008

Question
I manage a Major girls (9-12) little league team. After staring the season 3-1, we have made a complete turn and now have lost 3 in a row. The team is not hustling or attempting to swing the bat on a whole. In our game Saturday we got dimed 11-1 in four innings and didn't have a hit. After the game I told my assistant coach to address the players because I was just to frustrated to talk to them at that time. Keep in mind My assisstant is a female whom has played softball her whole life.After giving them the speach she mad them run 5 laps. It took them about 5 minutes to complete. There were some parents who were outraged that we would make them run like that. I've listened to their concerns and can see both sides of it. My thought is if I obeyed what 14 parents told me to do then I might as well just let them manage the team. My thought is as long as we aren't doing anything illegal and torturing their kids then there shouldn't be an issue. To make 9-12 yr old healthy kids run a little does not seem to be a problem to me. I would like your opinion on this. Did I mention one parent pulled her kid off the field and later called to tell me she wouldn't be playing anymore. Are we being to hard on these kids or should the parents just suck it up and and let us teach these kids its not ok to be lazy?

Answer
I think when you do something out of the blue that you have never done before.I think it is important to pull the parents into the meeting after the game or before you change how you are approaching motivating the kids.Explain to them your concerns about how they are playing.Explain to them that it is not just about softball but about life.What happen is the next time they play or go to practice the parents begin to see what you are talking about(some of them).If they dont want their kids to devolop to be lazy they will agree with the running.