u/Tasty_University_934

I ask this purely out of sociological curiosity, no judgement at all. What do people see in this crew that keeps them watching? I understand the initial push. Their content was hilarious when the golf channel content started and carried for quite a while but whatever this is, Diet Barstool or whatever, isn't remotely close to what drew everyone in. So, I'm curious. How are they still drawing 2M viewers on their golf videos? They don't get half that for Bob HQ videos usually, which to me makes sense. It's niche content inside of niche content.

This time of year is brutal for everyone, you're not alone. That said, the audacity of youth sports parents is at an all-time high and only getting worse so I have some thoughts. This was originally a response to someone's post but I thought I'd share for everyone else. The coaching comments apply to everyone, the parent comments are more for travel level players but do apply in a lot of ways to everyone.

Coaches, put your ego to bed. Softball ends for most after high school and the lucky couple percent after college. There's nowhere to go from there as a player and AUSL doesn't count, so stop acting like you're building a World Series team and remember this all about the players' journey, not yours and not your orgs bank account. You're supposed to be using a game they love to teach them valuable life skills and giving them a place to look forward to, not trying to win as much as you can because you're obviously the greatest coach ever. Gain some perspective, especially at the lower levels.

Parents, you're trying to find the right place for your kid and there's nothing wrong with reaching out to other organizations if they've posted their contact information. If anything it's gotten to the point that most people refuse to attend a normal team tryout in favor of reaching out and asking for a private tryout. I don't personally agree with that approach because to me, as a coach, I view this as people trying to jump the line and make sure their child gets the full attention of the coach instead of letting their kid compete for that attention with others. I instantly have a mental red mark on those families if there aren't extenuating circumstance and wanting to attend other tryouts doesn't count, but that's just me. I'm not a fan of short cuts. That said...

1. Know exactly what you want out of a team first. Is it a good, healthy culture? Is it win-first mentality with a team loaded up with the most talent regardless of attitude? Whatever the answer is, you have to live with it and stick with it. Are you finding a place for your ego or your kid's journey?
2. Review their past two years on GameChanger or AGL or whatever they use and look at their roster turnover, substitute usage, and their tournament level/success. These are good indicators of the team's approach and the way they develop their players.
3. Go watch them play before tryouts and see if the kids are happy and enjoying themselves. See if there's a lot of chatter on the sidelines. Will your child have any friends on the team, do they all go to the same school but not your kid's school, are the best players in the best positions the coaches kids? Look for the drama. Look for the cliques or the cultiness of it all. Find a group that fits your family dynamic and approach.
4. Listen to your daughter when you ask her what she thought of the other kids or the coaches. Listen between the lines, if you will. Kids are far more perceptive than they seem to be. It teaches you a lot about how your child views others and themselves.

The one thing that is an issue for me is people want to magically find the perfect fit for their little angel but they don't want to do the leg work to find it. They seem to just want it to happen for them or they look through their parent goggles and assume everyone will bend over backwards to get their kid. That's not the case if you're not a pitcher or extremely talented so put in the time, do the research. This is supposed to be the place your kid looks forward to being every week nearly year round so don't leave it up to chance and don't expect people to conform to your personal desires for your child. You don't buy a house without seeing several and looking into school districts and crime rates, etc. so don't do less when you're turning your kid over to these people 2-4 days a week for years. Remember, IT'S JUST A GAME. Games are meant to be PLAYED. Games are meant to be FUN. It's about the journey, not the destination.