Ok, what do you guys think?

[ChiefaRoo]

I'm Asst. Coaching on my 8 year old kids 3 on 3 b-ball team. We've got six kids total and play four, 4 minute quarters. Rules say we sub entire groups.

We haven't done very well up to this point (1-3) but today we got the game into OT tied 20-20 at the end of regulation.

My kid is the fourth best player on the team normally but today he led all scores with 8 points and 6 rebounds. In OT I suggested to coach we put in the three players who had played the best games. He decided to play the regular rotation which bugs me a little bit truth be told

So we go through OT and we're tied again. We had several chances to win.

Now we shoot free throws. One shooter each team. Whoever misses first loses.

We do put our best player out there but he showed up late and didn't get any warm ups prior to the game and had an off game up to that point while the 2nd best kid on the team was popping J's all over the place in warm ups and had his regular solid game.

So we miss, their kid makes it and now we're 1-4.

The kids held up pretty well but I feel like we blew the game on bad coaching decisions.

They're only kids but losing sucks.

That is all.

[RJ]

There are several important lessons to be learned from that story, Rain Man. A copy should be issued to all youth sports coaches and parents.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

It's 1971 and I'm 8 years old and it's late in the game and the coach has told me to get into the on-deck circle. I've been sitting on the bench the entire game and suddenly I'm up, just like that, without warning. So I take my bat and I stand there and I watch the kid of ahead of me take some chops at the ball, and then he's on base and I step into the batter's box and I'm scared to death. There's some 12 year-old on the mound who's twice as big as me and the catcher starts talking to me and telling me that I'm going to strike out and I look back at him and suddenly whap! The ball is in his mitt and it's strike one and I never even saw the pitch. And so I turn around, and the pitcher is getting into his windup and the catcher is talking again and I try to ignore him and the ball is coming faster than I've ever seen it in practice and by the time I even think to swing the ball is already in the catcher's mitt again, and the umpire is calling a second strike, and I'm 0-2 and I still haven't even figured out what's going on. I know my dad is up in the stands hoping that I won't embarrass him any more and I know that he's probably not saying to anyone else, "That's my kid out there", so now I dig in and decide that I'm not going to go down looking and I swing and miss the next pitch and I'm done for the game. And I go back to the bench and none of the starters say anything because they all expected me to strike out anyway and I sit on the bench with the other little kids who have just done the same thing and we sit for another half-hour and then the game ends and I go out and find my dad and we drive home in silence because there's not really anything to say that will make anybody feel good, and when we get home he goes and watches TV and I set up my hot wheels track and race the cars and I let the slower cars win for a change.

Yeah, but did your team win?

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Yeah, but did your team win?

I'm pretty sure we made the playoffs!

[-King-]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

It's 1971 and I'm 8 years old and it's late in the game and the coach has told me to get into the on-deck circle. I've been sitting on the bench the entire game and suddenly I'm up, just like that, without warning. So I take my bat and I stand there and I watch the kid of ahead of me take some chops at the ball, and then he's on base and I step into the batter's box and I'm scared to death. There's some 12 year-old on the mound who's twice as big as me and the catcher starts talking to me and telling me that I'm going to strike out and I look back at him and suddenly whap! The ball is in his mitt and it's strike one and I never even saw the pitch. And so I turn around, and the pitcher is getting into his windup and the catcher is talking again and I try to ignore him and the ball is coming faster than I've ever seen it in practice and by the time I even think to swing the ball is already in the catcher's mitt again, and the umpire is calling a second strike, and I'm 0-2 and I still haven't even figured out what's going on. I know my dad is up in the stands hoping that I won't embarrass him any more and I know that he's probably not saying to anyone else, "That's my kid out there", so now I dig in and decide that I'm not going to go down looking and I swing and miss the next pitch and I'm done for the game. And I go back to the bench and none of the starters say anything because they all expected me to strike out anyway and I sit on the bench with the other little kids who have just done the same thing and we sit for another half-hour and then the game ends and I go out and find my dad and we drive home in silence because there's not really anything to say that will make anybody feel good, and when we get home he goes and watches TV and I set up my hot wheels track and race the cars and I let the slower cars win for a change.

[Braincase]

I know exactly where you're coming from - I'm the head coach of a 2nd/3rd grade football team. At this level, you have to take your lumps, and it SUCKS.

Alot of the BB leagues require balanced playing time, which means you're always going to have a kid or two on the floor that is a little wanting in the athletic ability area. Remember, these kids are generally more interested in the aftergame snack than the final score of the game.

Now, football is a different story. There are no rules about playing time in my league. I try to get every kid in the game on both O and D, but if you aren't one of the top four teams in the league, you don't get into the post season tournament - and that means the parents are paying for the OTHER teams post-season and I get to sit on my butt and have a beer. Next year, I'll be playing to win.

[bevischief]

Originally Posted by ChiefaRoo

I'm Asst. Coaching on my 8 year old kids 3 on 3 b-ball team. We've got six kids total and play four, 4 minute quarters. Rules say we sub entire groups.

We haven't done very well up to this point (1-3) but today we got the game into OT tied 20-20 at the end of regulation.

My kid is the fourth best player on the team normally but today he led all scores with 8 points and 6 rebounds. In OT I suggested to coach we put in the three players who had played the best games. He decided to play the regular rotation which bugs me a little bit truth be told

So we go through OT and we're tied again. We had several chances to win.

Now we shoot free throws. One shooter each team. Whoever misses first loses.

We do put our best player out there but he showed up late and didn't get any warm ups prior to the game and had an off game up to that point while the 2nd best kid on the team was popping J's all over the place in warm ups and had his regular solid game.

So we miss, their kid makes it and now we're 1-4.

The kids held up pretty well but I feel like we blew the game on bad coaching decisions.

They're only kids but losing sucks.

That is all.

Who got to kick him in the nuts first?