Every team, in every sport has dad or 2, who just complains and complains. They know who they are, coaches know who they are, other parents know who they are. They [lacrosse] and stand on sidelines angry about something, every practice and every game. I coach PAL lacrosse and I coach basketball for my fifth grader. I coach my daughters softball too. I have to say there is always that pain in the [lacrosse] parent. I work long hours, than I race from train station, change from work clothes to shorts in parking lot. Usually on train ride, I'm emailing parents about practices, upcoming scrimmages that I try to line up, I'm also emailing the league about all other stuff, make up games, gym times etc. Practice ends about 7:30. Dinner about 8, when I get home for the nite. Forgot to say, I leave my house 5:30 am for train, its a long day. I coach a lot of hours to help kids get better at those particular sports, I played in college, I know the sport. Am I qualified to be a high school head coach, no. More than qualified to coach kids,yes, and my son is a very good player, he would be real good, no matter who his coach was. Nobody would ever say I favor my son because I don't, in fact he probably gets it a little worse, just so I don't have to hear those couple of people, who always [lacrosse] (behind my back of course). My point of this is, I have my 2 assistants. Nobody else ever asked to help.if you think you can do better ask to help. Grab a stick and whistle and help. Do something, devote your time , like us coaches do. I make zero money for this, I don't want to make money, but I do want appreciation. The dad coaches like me who do this, have jobs, families, homework that kids need help with, housework that needs to be done, etc, etc, etc. You should thank these people who try help your kids.
Best post ever on this site. Thanks for all you do. Sidelines parents have no clue what goes into it. And you do see the same parents involved in different sports. To coach youth sports and be involved in organizing puts a huge bullseye on your back. There are some that do so for the wrong reasons but most our trying to give your kid a chance to have fun and learn a game
Here's the other side. I coached in soccer, played in HS. My son loved lacrosse. He played PAL. Let me tell you, some real a-holes in Lacrosse. They decided my son was a B team player early on. In this town at that time, B team was treated as if they didn't exist. Less practice time, no scrimmages, not invited to clinics, not allowed to play on winter team, etc, etc,... we're not even a top lax town. I got involved because my son loved the sport, and he was getting short changed by these "Dads". Glad I did, changed the culture and made a difference. Mine went on to play at a great D3 school. Only 2 others on the "A" team are still playing, also D3. Younger son was bestowed PAL "A" team status. Coached that team too. I did it differently. Worked with all the A and B team kids. Ran after practice and Saturday shooting clinics for free, on my time. Had Defensive alumni come down and work with all poles, A and B. Point is, many parents do get ticked off for good reason, there are plenty of guys that have no business coaching kids and are more than willing to push their kid forward at your son's expense. Don't be afraid to call people out for doing the "wrong thing". Just because they're donating some time, doesn't mean they're beyond reproach. Far too many in it for all the wrong reasons, particularly in Lacrosse!!!
