How Do You Overcome This?

[BigTigLSU]

Re: How Do You Overcome This?

Our coaches bust our arses if we didnt try hard on every play or practice... and while you have to know when to let off the throttle a coaching staff that allows players to be lazy all the time at practice and to make fun of the one kid trying hard is a horrible staff...

I say have a meeting with the coach and voice your concerns and see what he says from there.

[jct32]

Re: How Do You Overcome This?

I'd agree with that assessment. When I was in HS I was in a similar situation on the lacrosse team. We had a new coach come in who was absolutely atrocious. He ran our best Midfielder off of the team and was just awful. He let us do whatever we wanted during practice and needless to say when you allow 16-18 years to do that the results are piss poor, we were the second worst team in the state, despite being one of the 4-5 most talented teams in the state. No one cared, I tried my hardest to rally the troops as the team captain, but it fell on deaf ears and I took **** for it.

I still hate that man to this day, especially since he tried to sabotage me playing in college.

This is exactly how I feel MassNole. I try hard and if I try to get people who are loafing around to try, in practice or a game all I get is curse words thrown at me, or people making a smart comment and changing my name to "all-star"

[MassNole]

Re: How Do You Overcome This?

Well if the coach is letting it happen the best advice I can give is to actually talk with your Athletic Director. This is what I did and the school chose not to renew the jerk's contract.

[jct32]

Re: How Do You Overcome This?

Well, I'm not sure its going to be renewed anyways. Today he was mumbling about how he thought he was going to get fired. So I don't think doing that will do any good. Plus there is no possible way I can have him as a coach next year.

[ehh]

Re: How Do You Overcome This?

I'd say you just have to suck it up and stay focused on your goals and your work. It's apparent your team isn't going to do much this year so keep the big picture in mind and keep working hard. Part of the problem with HS sports is that 99% of the kids aren't going to play in college and really don't care about the sport they're playing.

I went through something just as bad my freshman year in HS playing basketball. I was 6'6" as a freshman and people in town were whispering I was going to be one of the best players in the past 25 years to come through my HS. Of course that year there were 9 seniors on the team and we were sub .500 and the upperclassmen heard all the talk about me which made things worse.

I was the only freshman on varsity and the best player but forget about it, the seniors didn't care. All the stuff you could imagine: hazing, ignoring me, freezing me out on the court, etc. I stood up for myself a buncha times but it didn't matter. It was a horrible four months to go through but over a dozen years later I look back at it and laugh. It made me stronger as a person and toughened me up.

It's funny, two years ago my HS coach retired after coaching over 20 years so there was a farewell banquet for him. Most of those nine seniors went to it and only one of them (the former caption who was probably the nicest to me) even talked to me after I went on to be an All-State player in HS and play in college. Whatever, some of them were just dickheads because most guys are in HS, but some of them are dickheads for life.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: How Do You Overcome This?

This is exactly how I feel MassNole. I try hard and if I try to get people who are loafing around to try, in practice or a game all I get is curse words thrown at me, or people making a smart comment and changing my name to "all-star"

This is a fine line here. Only players that are considered leaders by their teamates and peers can typically pull this off. I'm not sure what your role is on the team, but if you don't have the respect of your teamates, you're probably not helping your cause by getting on lazy teamates. It's not fair, but it is the way it is and will always be. (Imagine some Rookie player in Spring Training telling Manny Ramirez to hustle...that guy hasn't earned that right).

Some players on the team are leaders either by words or by example or simply by seniority. Typically in lower levels like highschool, these are the better players on the teams simply because they have earned the "right" and are looked up upon by their teamates and coaches.

Also you have to remember that this is highschool and what may be important to you, may not be anything more than something to do after school for some of the other kids. A good coach can weed these players out, but it sounds like you don't have that luxury.

My advice is that unless you truely believe that you are looked upon by your teamates as a leader and you have their respect (honestly, this may not be the case if other players are constantly ragging on you), then just keep quite and go about your business. I'm not sure what grade you are in, but if you're not a senior, by the time you are, you will likely be in a position to demand this respect and take on this leadership role...or become one of the better players on the team and lead by example.

[callmetaternuts]

Re: How Do You Overcome This?

Attitude reflects leadership...

I love that line in Remember the Titans

[jct32]

Re: How Do You Overcome This?

Yea, I'm ready for summer ball and a new coach.

I tried getting someone tonight to go out futher into the outfield on cut-off throws because the throws weren't getting to him. Then, finally he goes out there and a ball got past the centerfielder and it went all the way to the wall, it was pretty much an automatic inside the park homerun. The guy I tried to get to go out there looked at me and told me that that's what happens when you go futher out there. I just walked away and laughed, I'm done trying to be a leader, it's not worth it. I'm still going to encourage people but I'm done speaking up, I'm just going to shut up and play, and let them screw up thierselves.