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Post by amikell on Aug 25, 2005 19:55:39 GMT -6
We have had several guys quit the team this year. My AD and Headmaster, I'm at a private school, were suprised when I was reluctant to even consider letting them back. If someone says they quit, i see them as crossing a line that is difficult to go back over. I do recognize that kids have bad days, and make poor decisions, so you have to take that into condiseration. however, the young man needs to realize that pretty quickly, he can't suddenly realize his mistake at the end of double days. I was just curious as to your thoughts on the topic.
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Post by groundchuck on Aug 25, 2005 22:04:01 GMT -6
I had a kid quit once over discipline reasons. After a week he asked to come back, the captains agreed and we took him back...only to kick him off a week later. It was not worth it. Each situation is different. Sometimes it is a good kid who makes a bad decision. Sometimes it is a kid who just needs to be taught a lesson. This year we had a kid quit b/c he is academically ineligible for the 1st two games. A starter who would most likely get to play if not start afte serving his penalty. But he has a bad attitude about school and sports to begin with, so when he turned in his gear I did not beg him to reconsider...he would have been a cancer. He also has a history of missing games for grade reasons. I guess what I am saying is each kid is different and have different reasons.
But that's just my opinion and I could be wrong.
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Post by shortyardage on Aug 28, 2005 19:29:56 GMT -6
Some kids do make bad decisions or receive bad advice, but that doesn't mean that the coach or the remaining kids on the team should pay for the individual's bad decision.
I've had kids quit before, I refuse to allow them to return for that season. It always works out better that way. I think of it as addition by subtraction, remove a malcontent/distraction/malingerer and the team will get better.
When a kid quits or is removed from the team, I allow them to come back out the following season. I make it a point ot keep track of who is showing up and working in the off season in everything that we do, that includes grade checks and discipline issues with the school and community. If a kid makes it through the off season, then they will make it through the season. Things don't happen in a vacuum, if they make bad decisions on a regular basis, then I can't have them on the team because that will affect everything that everyone else has worked for.
People can say that it is football or the coaches responsibility to teach responsibility and citizenship, I believe that the kids have to arrive at the table with something to offer before we can even go in that dirdection. Some kids are just too needy or immature or maldeveloped emotionally to contribute to a team.
People can also say that if the kid is allowed to stay on the team or to return to the team, that they will somehow turn their life around. I say that the kid has had his chance and has made his decision and now has to live with that decision. The kid makes the decisions to do what he does...even NOT deciding is deciding to do nothing, life after football still involves making decisions and the coach can't make decisions for the kids aftger football. All a coach or teacher or parent can do is to try to prepare the kid to think on their own, if the kid makes his decisions then there is a sequence of events that will follow.
If the AD or headmaster wanted me to reinstate the kid, I'd have to turn in my resignation as the head football coach. I believe that the person closest to the problem is the best equipped to deal with the problem so it ought to be the head football coaches decision and the bosses should back him up. If the head football coach is out of line with the school philosophy then that's another story.
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Post by phantom on Aug 29, 2005 18:51:29 GMT -6
I think that you have to take each on a case by case basis.
A few years ago we had a kid who was a starting OT as a sophomore. The day before our first scrimmage he came in and quit. He said that the violence went against his religious beliefs. We talked to him, emphasizing the fact that, although it's a tough game, no one actually wants to injure an opponent. We told him to think about it over the weekend before he made a decision.
He came back, was a three year starter-the best OL I've ever coached-and is now on scholarship at a very good 1AA school. If we hadn't allowed him to come back until the following year I wonder if he ever would have.
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Post by amikell on Aug 30, 2005 5:39:59 GMT -6
Shortyardage,
I agree that the person closest to the problem is the one best able to deal with it, and so does my administration, so they didn't ask/tell me to take any of the kids back. However I was shocked at their suprise for not letting the kid back. i was suprised, b/c this kid took his pads off and walked off the field, cursing I might add, which is the WORST way you can quit in my opinion. I tend to agree with Phantom and groundchuck in dealing with kids on a case by case basis. Situations are unique so they need to be treated as such with some general guidlines to help.
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