Mike C

I posted about some actual situations that occurred and asked if they were ok.  Some people never addressed the situations and went straight to making assumptions about the poster.  So let me give you some info about my snowflake self and my snowflake daughter. And no I don't care if some people figure out who we are.  I took a while to think about replying to these comments. I don't want to seem self-aggrandizing or to be bragging on my kid.

I coached high school football with some great coaches.  The Head Coach was just inducted into the Georgia Coaches Hall of Fame.  While I was there we won 2 state titles and had dozens of kids to go play college football (many at SEC schools).  They won a lot more without me.

I took over a girls' soccer team that had never won more than 6 games.  Five years later we had won 3 region titles and made it to the final four in the play-offs (with only 2 girls that played athena II). 

I now run a junior wrestling program for one of the most successful coaches in GHSA history.  Between softball, soccer, and wrestling he has won I believe 11 state titles. The coaches on the junior program have produced over 150 state champs and placers.

Somewhere in this thread someone was talking about about what it took to be ELITE.  I have been around ELITE. I have seen some of the best in the history of this state.  They were always about developing and encouraging.  Of course they were all demanding and held athletes accountable.  But they never went after players personally or said things derogatory about there personalities.  There is a huge difference between criticizing the way a player does something and criticizing the player.  These are a couple of examples.

    If someone is playing poorly, take them out.  Tell them why they were taken out and what they should of done.  Don't tell them they suck and tell     them to just go sit on the bench. 

    Don't talk poorly about players where other players can hear.  Talk about your good players and what makes them successful. 

If you are coaching kids 14 and under and they are wanting to quit a sport, I think you are doing a terrible job.  The youth ages are about development and growth as players.  It is not the time to weed out the "snowflakes" or "weak" kids.  You never know what someone is going to develop into until after puberty.  

Now about that snowflake daughter.  She is keeper.  At her request and with doctor's permission, she has played in goal at U12 with a big toe broken in two places.  At U14 she she fractured a thumb in two places.  She played in a tournament the next weekend with a hard cast over that thumb, wrist, and forearm.  Two weeks later she talked the doctor into letting her play in a big game with just a splint, even though the thumb was not completely healed.  She has won the state wrestling tournament five times.  She has been to USA Nationals wrestling tournament twice and finished 5th and 2nd.  She is playing for Coach Rivah for the third time.  I haven't seen a soccer coach that is more demanding and expects more out his players (and he develops them without having anyone quit).  She is some kind of snowflake!

So go ahead and type you keyboard warrior.  Put down kids for "only" earning a Div II. scholarship.  

Some of us do have the experience and knowledge of what it takes to be ELITE.  Some of you only think you do.