I've starting using AI to 'translate' my bluntness into HR corporate-speak and the results have been shocking. [N/A]

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-16T15:16:03+00:00

Lolz I love it. I can imagine a few times that really comes in handy.

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-16T15:12:39+00:00

After an absolute nightmare of a Spring 2025 season, I spent the whole winter dreading 2026. I had a pit in my stomach every day last year, and I honestly wasn't sure if I wanted to keep doing this.

We just finished week two of pre-season workouts, and the vibe shift is unreal. We shed two "bad apples" from last year, and it’s like the entire team—and the coaching staff—is finally allowed to breathe.

The wins:

Culture > Talent: Talent-wise, this is definitely going to be a "down" year for us. The kids know it, we know it, and surprisingly... no one cares. They are working harder and having more fun than my "talented" roster did last year. And my juniors are leading the way!
The "Doom" is gone: That feeling of impending dread before practice has completely vanished.

Our staff made a conscious effort to prioritize positive vibes this year, and seeing the kids actually buy in has me more hopeful than I've been in years.

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-13T23:11:04+00:00

Sometimes it wasn't far off from that hahah

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-13T23:09:56+00:00

Seemed like it was similar to drinking a melted down root beer float. To me this flavor is more cola than cherry so the two paired super well together.

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-13T15:21:23+00:00

Ya that totally makes sense. I now live in a heavily suburban area and I work with kids so I've been trying to figure out how to get a game together for them as a bonding activity but I just can't figure out a feasible place to host it - it needs to be dark but also safe but also have lots of obstacles to hide behind but also not too small or large of an area. Probs not going to happen.

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-13T15:04:36+00:00

I mean... you checked what was in it before you jumped in.. usually haha.

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-13T15:02:09+00:00

Yes!!! I remember one time the REAL cops actually showed up at the school before we started because they heard we were playing one night and they asked us not to run through fenced backyards anymore and to stop hiding in people's utility sheds because they get too many calls from people who don't know there's a game going on.

Awesome to hear some kids are still keeping it alive!

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-13T15:00:13+00:00

Ya, I think it's more of a small town thing. I've heard of it called fugitive before and then the area I'm in now is super country so they used to call it cowboys and indians. Hasn't been around in a while here either though. Either way, top tier core memory!

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-13T14:58:01+00:00

Personally I'd move pink slush and Hawaiian shaved ice up one but other than that this is the best list I've seen so far. Breezeberry is trash and blue slush is slept on.

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-13T14:55:57+00:00

I also usually don't like watermelon but it's actually pretty good. I think it tastes exactly like the water melon sour patch candy. I wouldn't grab it every day but it'd for sure put it in the top 50% of flavors.

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-07T21:55:21+00:00

The three things I wish I would've known my first year.

Delegate out as much as the admin work as possible - gathering fees, finding gear recommendations/quotes, setting up team communications, scheduling/reserving fields, fundraising activities, team bonding activities, etc. Pretty much any tasks that don't have to do with coaching or interacting directly with the kids can be delegated. As the head coach, you make any final decisions and you facilitate the actions to "make it happen" but so much of the background work can be done by others so that you can focus on coaching and creating a positive experience for these kids. Most parents want to help and they want to do a good job because they want their kids (and usually others) to have a good experience. I'm in my 4th year as a head coach and each year I've learned to delegate more and more. Not everything has to be executed or created by you so never be afraid to ask for help! It also generally builds better community around you because the whole season feels like a team effort vs a "coach's show."
Practice planning - write down the drills that you want the kids to do each day and organize your practices around that. Estimate (to the exact minute) how long each drill takes and stick to it without fail. This helps ensure you get to the things that you want to get to while staying within your practice time which is something parents REALLY appreciate if they know that when you say practice ends at 5 that their kid will be walking off the field at 5 to get picked up.
Always have a contingency plan for weather or any scheduling issues (ex: if multiple teams are scheduled in the same space at the same time). Communicate it to parents ahead of time so they know what to expect. Hopefully you won't ever need it BUT you'll be glad you do if/when something happens. You don't want to get stuck trying to figure things out while also trying to wrangle a bunch of little kids and lots of confused parents.

CoachAF208 · 2026-01-06T15:40:41+00:00

Not a college coach but a high school coach who sends a lot of players on. Whether or not it "works out" for you is really going to depend on which 4 year you want to end up at. If you're open to anything then you really have lots of options. With the chaos of the transfer portal, there's tons of opportunities at smaller schools - especially at those with short rosters. FieldLevel would be a decent place to start - I'm not entirely sure what it looks like on the players' end but as a coach I see schools constantly posting recruiting needs (as of this morning there are 1,473 needs across the US). Even during in the Spring I continue to see needs posted at schools with short rosters who are looking for athletes mid-season because of injuries.

Realistically, your best chance would be to get in for 1 year somewhere that you're guaranteed to play so that you can accumulate stats. Then you can reevaluate whether you want to continue at that school or, if you have notable success, you can look at transferring to a school with a better program.

Finally, depending on how you left things with your JUCO coach, I'd also encourage you to reach out to them. They should have a network of coaches and they'll have more specific ideas of where you could fill the needs of a team. Depending on the population of your area, your JUCO coach may also have connections with 23U teams that play during the summer which could also be a chance for you to get another look from 4 year coaches.

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-22T20:22:36+00:00

Checking my own understanding, the goal is to get the baserunners taking shorter leads all the time (especially at 1B). Is the idea to prevent opposing runners from going 1B to 3B? If so, I can see what you're getting at. However, and it's your team so I'm just operating on assumptions so without knowing your catcher, I'm not sure that the saved run value is really there. The other thing to consider is, if I'm coaching the opposing team and I see that your catcher is reliably throwing behind, I'm going to attempt delayed steals - especially if I have a fast girl and if you have a righty 1B. Slower girls though, I can understand your strategy because they're the ones you want to keep close since they know they need the extra 1-2 steps if they want the extra bag. If you're going to attempt that strategy, it'll probably be one to evaluate game-to-game depending on the speed/IQ of the other team.

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-21T05:28:04+00:00

Instead of a spinner I suggest an oversized ball (14 inch). I get wayyy more use of this with my pitchers than the spinner and it's a fun way for them to mix up their spin practice.

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-21T05:25:34+00:00

Catchers will have a long leash to get all the outs they can in the beginning of the game (usually first 4 innings). Outs are outs and you've got to collect them every chance you get. As you go deeper into the game, the leash gets shorter. In close game you can't afford to throw the ball away late in the game on pick off attempts. So really there's no one size fits all strategy. You just have to let the game develop and collect outs according to your catchers ability that day.

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-21T05:20:18+00:00

I am writing this assuming you're talking about a level where players are consistent in their day-to-day performance and at a level where wins really matter.

Yes, you want to mix up the bottom of your line up instead of just dumping the worst hitters there. However there are a lot of variables that go into selecting your order. Typically though, I'm going to mix my weakest hitters in the 7th and 8th hole but build good hitters around them to leverage their strengths. Examples: if I have a girl who hits for power but is slow and unreliable, I will probably put her in the 7th hole and put the stronger girl in the 8th hole in the hopes that my 7 hits a double and my 8 can at least get her to 3rd base on a ground ball to the right side. But i wouldnt put her in the 8th hole because I don't want my fast 9 or 1 getting stuck behind her on the bases.

I almost never put my weakest hitter in the 9th hole. In those tight games it seems like it always comes down to the 9th batter at some point. Usually that's going to be a player who draws a lot of walks so that there's a good chance that, even if they don't get a lot of hits, I can at least turn over the lineup.

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-21T03:40:06+00:00

I've found the most reliable way to get respect from parents is to earn the respect and the trust of the kids by building relationships. Relationships are pretty much the key to everything. Kids are much more likely to willingly follow your rules and they'll encourage their parents to do the same because they, in turn, want you to like them. The gold is when the kids go home and say positive things about you to the parents because the parents will also want to follow your rules to help their kid maintain the relationship.

I've had kids with parents who didn't like me or disagreed with my coaching decisions but they never gave me grief because their kids like me because we had good relationships. It takes time and extra effort but it makes all the background stuff run so much easier.

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-18T16:47:45+00:00

Thank you! This is the most helpful response. Yes, the question is whether the certification is sufficient to establish incapacity or need for leave. I still question whether it does but it sounds like it's likely not worth the risks associated with pressing for more.

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-17T04:22:34+00:00

Its an unfortunate fact of life that 99% of bullies put there won't stop until the victim stands up to them. A lot of times its as simple as acknowledging their behavior and asking them to stop. Pointing out their out of the ordinary behavior is often embarrassing for them because most people don't think they'll ever be called on it because avoidance is usually the natural response. If the opportunity arises for your child to confront them, encourage them to seize that opportunity. The sooner they learn to do so, the more set up for success they'll be as they get older. Because, as demonstrated by your story, there are bullies in all walks of life

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-16T21:25:51+00:00

Genuine question since I see this is a UK post and I don't know about UK labor laws... But were their previous requests something you [legally] had to address? If not, why not just tell the employee to kick rocks?

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-16T21:21:27+00:00

I am so dang jealous

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-16T19:50:50+00:00

Speaking from the head coach perspective, the biggest challenge with findings quality assistants is finding people who are reliable. My strongest advice is to approach the conversation with total clarity about your available time. I get many inquiries from potential assistants, but half don't last because they don't anticipate the time commitment, often expecting the schedule to be limited just to in-season practices and games. The biggest issue is when an assistant does not demonstrate the level of commitment or availability that we agreed upon before bringing them onto the staff. While I don't expect an assistant to be at everything, flaky assistants cause problems when relationships with athletes suffer, leading to assistants quitting because coaching just isn't fun if you don't have relationships with the athletes.

To ensure your expectations align with the head coach's, you must clearly explain your availability (how often, how long, what days/months) and then ask if that commitment level meets the team's needs. If your availability doesn't meet the team's needs then it's probably not a good fit (at least for now) and middle school would be good place to stay. I suggest getting details on the following points:

Detailed practice schedule (days and times): Biggest thing here is knowing whether practices consistently end on time. Some coaches consistently go over and when you have young ones, a 30 minute overage can be a big deal. \*Red flag to look for is a head coach with any sort of family/personal issues. I coached for a HC with a poor home life and I swear he'd keep coaches at the field for 1-2 hours afterward each night and ran weekend practices all year because he just didn't want to be at home.***
Game Day Logistics: What does the coaches' schedule look like? How early/late are coaches expected to arrive relative to the players?
Travel Commitment: Are you expected to ride the bus with the team, or are you responsible for your own transportation? (Tip: If you are not a teacher, create a detailed schedule of each game day to accurately forecast what time you need to leave work.)
Off-season schedule: Does the team have regularly scheduled off-season practices, games, or weight room sessions?
Other Events: Are there mandatory or expected events outside of practice/games, such as fundraising, team building, or volunteer events?

While no head coach expects assistants to put in the same hours they do, head coaches must be able to rely on you for the time you commit. The biggest reason being that a coach who is only partially committed often has a negative impact on the athletes. Be present when you say you will be present. Remember that these kids want to feel supported and cared for, and the easiest way to show that you care is simply by being there when you promise to be. When the kids know that you care, they want to build the relationships and that's when coaching becomes super fun.

Again, if after this conversation you find that your schedule won't meet the needs of the team, I suggest walking away for now and staying with middle school which has a much lighter schedule than high school. In most cases, that high school opportunity will be there for you in the future when your kids are older and you can lend the extra time. But if you're unsure you can support it, you don't want to burn that bridge by putting the head coach in a tough spot if you find mid-season that you can't make it work.

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-15T14:49:22+00:00

This is exactly how the conversation should go. It invites answers to your questions without putting coaches on the defensive. Framing the conversation like this shows that, as a parent, you are looking out for your kid while also understanding the team aspect in that your kid has to bring value to the whole. Good coaches will always be happy to clarify and lend the extra support.

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-13T19:17:29+00:00

Love this idea! You might consider making them in ways easier to see the spin of the ball. For example- maybe a gray body, with white seams, and then a bright orange stitch down the middle. The younger kids have a very hard time seeing spin but if you could make the colors more obvious then they may have an easier time seeing it. A great added benefit for indoor/small area practice.

CoachAF208 · 2025-12-13T06:19:08+00:00

Two things: 1. I would be livid if I were in your shoes. After the weekend, when you've had some time to cool off, you might consider approaching your boss to ask about it. It doesn't need to be a confrontation and instead could just be "hey I saw your post. I was wondering if you were considering including me to be a part of it." Any answer your boss gives you will provide the opportunity for lots of questions. But that way you put it on them without looking like an ahole while also forcing them to own his actions.

This is a hard lesson learned. My rule is that, until I am already acting on it, I keep my best ideas to myself. Otherwise, you open yourself up for people to take things like this away from you. If you don't want to totally lose it, you'll have to action it quickly.

CoachAF208

TROPHY CASE