Youth Sports Issue: talented kid, knucklehead parents

Had a coach bring me and another kid home because our moms worked. Practice was after school right across the street so getting there wasn’t an issue.

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Is it wrong to have the coach go get the kid for practice/games and drop her off afterwards?

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We used to do this all the time for our AAU basketball players. Parents didn't have a pot to piss in. We took them to practice, tournaments and did a lot more for them.

I did this when I coached rec league baseball. The parents were either working or had other kids to attend to at the same time.

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WHat do you do when you know of a kid that is really talented and a good, polite kid, but the parents are either in jail or on drugs or just not involved?

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Adopt him (see Blind Side....Profit)

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On the other hand, i have some doubt about whether a coach would be willing to do that if the kid wasnt a good player. To me, that seems shady in some respects. The coach is probably fine if that kid stays home. It makes me wonder if a coach like that is in it for the right reasons.

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I pick up and drop off kids regardless of their talent level. Especially if they come from unfortunate circumstances whether it be financially burdened parents or parents who just don’t give a shite or are recently divorced. Those kids are the ones who need some sort of structured environment and team sports the most.

You take a risk in doing that, but it could make big difference in a kid’s life to see someone who caresS

My wife grew up with a kid that went on to the MLB hall of fame. His parents were so worthless he had to live with a friend just to be able to eat.

His coach made sure he had the support he needed. He went on to great things.

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Youth Sports Issue: talented kid, knucklehead parents

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As a youth sports coach with 12 years experience here's my "worst" story:

7th grader who had the athletic body and skill of a 10th grader is dominating their age level. You look at the kid and project MAJOR div I player.

The family is ghetto AF and believe their baby is a meal ticket to be cashed instantly. Anytime the player is challeged to work harder, I get a call from the dad.

Player gets benched for showing up late = screaming phone call.

The parents expected everything to be provided to them for free and would essentially use people until that program was done with them before moving on to use another program.

The child had HUGE disciplinary issues at school as well and would be suspended multiple times during the HS career. It was a dman miracle the child was allowed to graduate

"I will not have anyone break my baby's spirit" was the quote I remember the most when I benched and suspended the player for cussing out their teammates and a coach during a match. Bear in mind this was a 7th grader cussing at a 30 year old coach at a middle school event.

The player didn't finish the season with our team. Flash forward to their HS career and you see them bounce from 3 different HS teams and 4 travel ball teams. The player receives no scholarships and has been lost to history as one of those cautionary "X coulda been great" stories.

All because the parents spoiled their "baby" anbd used her to receive special treatment.

I've coached several Div I athletes and many more who went on to great careers in smaller colleges. I have never worked with another family who had that level of entitlement. It was disgusting.

I feel like 100% of my coaches ive had throught my life would have given me a ride. I never needed it and i was never the best player at anything, but i rode to practice/home with a coach many times. Some of them made as big an impact on my life as family did.

I was never on a shitty travel ball team with a washed up drunk wanna be minor leaguer for a coach though