Why I hate sports parents

Kids aren't stupid, and she probably already knows the basics of what's going on. 12 years old is probably old enough to just default to honesty and let her know exactly what's going on. I don't have a problem with showing her the letter.

 

And if she hadn't read the letter, she would have heard about it from her teammates. You can't keep stuff like that secret from a team of 13 year olds.

 

Is there ever a case where the more talented or skilled players resent the less talented or skilled players, even if they don't come out and say it?

 

Exactly. This time it's a girl, the next time it's the chubby kid who some asshole parent thinks can't skate well enough. And as soon as they discover they can fuck you around on the issue of playing time, positions and line assignments, they'll soon fuck with you on everything else.

The whole thing is a massive fuckup by the coach, by knuckling under. From my own youth-coaching experiences of years past:

1) Put it right back in Asshole Dad's face. "If you wanted input into roster selection, you needed to volunteer as a coach. You didn't, so tough shit. Sit down and shut up."

2) Follow up by ramping up the heat. "The roster is selected and Kayla is on the team. She is going to play as much or as little as the coaching staff deems appropriate. If you -- or anybody else -- have a problem with that I presume you are withdrawing your kid from the team. We have gone 8-13-1 with you, we can probably go 9-15-1 without you." (This gets a little tougher if Asshole Jr. is really really really good, but if he's really all that good, you probably wouldn't be going 8-13-1).

3) If it turns out that Asshole Dad has recruited more than a couple allies to his cause, quit on the spot (take your kid with you if applicable). There's no point in wasting time and energy coaching a team hijacked by psycho asshole parents, or your kid playing on one.

 

Certainly there is an enormous amount of politics at the highest levels of rep hockey (no different than prep baseball, football, hockey or hoops down there), but it seems it's always the parents who have an issue with the coach having his less than talented son on the team or somebody opening their wallet to buy the kids track suits or fund a tournament trip somewhere to make sure their kid plays. The kids don't give a shit, they are usually more level headed than their parents.

 

Well said.