Congratulations to Glen Ellyn Baseball for another great season. Through rain and field issues, the boys and girls who play baseball were able to play in a competitive, fun and exciting environment.

Last night, both parking lots at Village Green were filled to capacity watching the playoff and championship games. It was an electric environment full of kids having fun. Lots of fun!!!!!

Sosa, I have to differ. For the second season in a row we have been severely disappointed. Our coaches have been poor or very unorganized, at the least. Unfair drafts, loaded teams, poor scheduling, an importance placed on games verses practices. It's all about the kids having fun and learning. Not for our team and several others, based on what others have told us. We will not be returning. Lacrosse or one of the "renegade" teams next year for us.

I so wanted to stay away from this thread . . . but what the hey? Nothing recruited kids into the youth lacrosse program like holding a practice on Tuesday or Thursday night next to the baseball fields at Newton. I would have 1-3 parents seeking me out every night there were baseball games while we practiced. Baseball may have huge numbers in our town, but that doesn't mean the players or their parents are thrilled to be participating . . . just doing what dad did as a kid whether they want to or not.

Count us in as disappointed with GE Baseball.
Stacked teams, unfair coaches playing favorites, coaches too concerned with their win/loss record or beating a rival coach. Disappointing. Taught our child nothing about the love of the game.

Our family had many, many years in the program with our variously skilled children. We met some really terrific and dedicated people who were very involved in GE Baseball. We also met some stinkers who did lose sight of the fact that in a few years, none of these games or win/loss records would really matter much at all. The "win at all costs" mindset is not exclusive to Glen Ellyn Baseball.

I know coaches are interviewed and an effort is made to keep things fair. As I tell my kids, however, "Coaches are only people, and people have biases and their own ideas and opinions which we don't always agree with."

The older kids - high school ages - have recreational leagues through GE Baseball where they play teams from other towns. Maybe because the boys are older and everyone realizes it truly is "just for the love of the game" these games are a lot of fun for the players and their parents.

If you missed this in the Tribune the other day, here is one dad's take on the phenomenon: Crazy Sports Dad Strikes Out as Coach

Excerpt: "At first, I managed to keep Crazy Sports Dad under control, keeping a frozen smile on my face whenever my son was playing. But then I made a terrible blunder. I volunteered to help coach his peewee baseball team."

My 2 cents:

My son is 13 and this will probably be his last year for GE baseball. He has always played House League in the less-competitive division. We have not had any complaints about our coaches...all of them really seemed to work hard to do the right thing.

However I agree with South of Teddy about the "emphasis on games" vs. practice as a problem, especially at the lower levels of the House League. This has been an ongoing issue with my son. Baseball is not his main sport, but he does enjoy it. However, if you only get up to bat once or twice a game (or only get a ball hit to you in the field once or twice a game)...you never really learn the skills necessary to progress! Baseball is a hard sport to practice on your own (unless you are paying a hitting coach, etc...which at the House League level most kids are not), so you really could use practice time...not just games. I think this emphasis really hinders many of the kids from actually progressing. I also think it makes it difficult to coach. When mistakes are made, you can't stop and go over it like you could if it was a practice. Conversely, my son also plays Golden Eagles Football (again at the Silver Level-not gold). Because of the amount of practices--he gets a chance to improve and work on his skills--so he is much more confident during the games. Almost every year of Golden Eagles he comes out of the season improved. This does not seem to happen with baseball.

hg

can the same be said for the PD soccer league? Most of the coaches are parents (god bless them) but the practices are not as focused on fundamentals as I would like. Are travel leagues ($$$) my only recourse?

Reading the responses to this thread depresses me and I don't even have kids who play.

quote:

Originally posted by DTM:
can the same be said for the PD soccer league? Most of the coaches are parents (god bless them) but the practices are not as focused on fundamentals as I would like. Are travel leagues ($$$) my only recourse?

My daughter played Park District and went to summer training with, at that time, the Glen Ellyn Raiders. A good summer training program back then.

Unless you get the trainer at the in season practice, the parents who coach travel are not much better than PD parent coaches. A little more focused, because the parents are paying a good amount of money and expect some work to be done. But when the trainer was scheduled, it was really productive.

Ask at the soccer stores who they like for club soccer. You want to get your moneys worth. Just be ready for a time commitment.

T-Ball 2 was all about practices and very little meaning to the game. (Just don't tell my son that as he thinks we went undefeated )

Scheduling left a little to be desired, but over all I think the program is sound and a good teaching experience. I have heard many of the same complaints about every sport, be it travel or house league. It all depends on the coaches and parents to work out what is always the best interests of the kids.

quote:

Originally posted by Rob Herbold:
It all depends on the coaches and parents to work out what is always the best interests of the kids.

You must be joking.

Everyone needs to remember that the Dads coaching these things are just that - Dads. I'm just thankful that there are folks willing to step forward and offer their time. I honestly didn't/don't expect awesome coaching. And having dealt with a gaggle of second graders in a non-sports setting, I've been impressed with how much that the coaches my three kids have had actually get across to them.

All of our kids would be much better athletes if they spent just half of the time that we did playing pickup games in the vacant lots and parks of our youth. It's sad that that doesn't happen any more. But as I recall, that was where we got the majority of our practice time in. In the end, however, the kids who were good on the sandlot were good in the leagues, and the kids who were mediocre/bad on the sandlot were the same in the leagues. I wouldn't hope for coaching to unlock some hidden potential.

Middle nailed it 100% on the head. As a coach this year for the 4th year in a row, I can tell you miracles do not happen without practicing outside of the actual scheduled practice time.

If we were to have more practices, I am sure the commissioner of the leagues would have heard about there being too many practices. In this scenario, there never is a happy medium.

I was lucky to have dads that were interested in being at the practices and helping out at the games. Without their involvement, it would have been me trying to keep the attention of 13 2nd graders with a league ball and metal bats.

These issues existed 30 years ago when I played Little League. I am sure if you went to Lombard, Wheaton, Carol Stream, etc, you will find the same issues.

Just re-read my post and I sound like my kids *haven't* had any awesome coaches. They certainly have. I just didn't go into it expecting them to be.

IMJ is an amazing coach. Thank you captain! We have had really great GEPD experiences in-house baseball, football, basketball and soccer. Hats off to all the coaches, assistants and the vast majority of parents who really care. Awesome job...

Quickly wanted to reiterate that I have always been pleased with the coaching. DH helps out and I know that the Head Coaches work hard! We have never had a bad experience. I realize that the boys should be practicing outside of team practices. My reservation with the league is that when the kids reach 4th or 5th grade, there are no practices once the season starts...just games (house league). I know this is not the case with football, and I don't believe it is the case with lacrosse or soccer.

I have heard of these renegade travel teams that play, but aren't they coached by dad's also.

My son has always played house league but gets outside instruction from Hayward and Sewell.

My earlier post was just that it was a great environment to play in and the boys had fun - no matter who was coaching