Coach reaction

[frogscribe]

Putting this out for the board.
I don't think I did anything wrong - just doing my job.
But, I will let y'all decide.
Situation:
Last year I covered a state-champion softball team that had won 38 straight . This team had not lost a district game since 2006.
This season, with only 3 returning starters from that team, it finally lost a district game. Not only that, but it lost at its new 3-year-old home field for the first time.
In the opening paragraphs, I mention the loss was (team name)s first district loss since 2006 and first-ever loss on its 3-year-old field.
A week later, I am covering the team, and after the game the coach took the girls into right field to give his usual post-game talk. When the talk is finished, I ask the coach (a guy I have always got along with) if he is ready to talk. He says yes, but asks me to keep my recorder off so he can say something to me.
In an uncharacteristic fit (this coach is always Joe Cool) he said I hurt his girls' feelings with my last article (we are a weekly).
Coach: "Why did you need to write that they had not lost a district game since 2006? That is not THAT team. This is a new team. Why do you have to be a drama writer? Does that make you feel big, to hurt these girls' feelings. They feel horrible after writing that article, especially after you reminded everyone that they were the team that got the first loss on our field. Such drama."
Me (in a state of disbelief): "Coach, I just stated those facts to show how strong the program has been. I was just doing my job. You know I support the girls and always have. I can't help it that it was misinterpreted."
He then gave me his usual patient, informative interview. We have talked since and it has not come up. What is strange is that I had a 20-minute conversation with him before that game, and we were in an area where no one was around (which begs the question, why didn't he say anything to me then?). When he was chewing me out his girls could see us. I think he only said anything to me because of what some of the girls said (most are sophs and juniors, and his daughter plays on the team) and he wanted to show them he was backing them up.
I always give a coach on incident before I act on it. I have never had a coach who went to two incidents with me, and honestly, in 15 years there was only one other similar situation.
I say I did my job and handled his bitching quite well.
But I will leave up to y'all.
What does the board think?

 

[imjustagirl]

I think you shouldn't have said "You know I support the girls and always have."

 

[Ace]

I think the girls felt bad after being the first to lose and he tried to stick up for them in a public display with you as the bad guy.

Look, you are going to write things that people aren't going to like. As long as you are fair and accurate, you should let the ruffled feathers slide off your back.

The coach sounds like he is letting it go. You shouldn't worry and shouldn't let it affect your writing in the future.

Look at it the other way. If the team had set a state record of winning 100 games in a row over 4 seasons, would you refuse to mention it because it wasn't this team that won the first 87? No.

Keep it up.

(Oh, and I agree with IJAG on the other thing).

 

[JBHawkEye]

I think you shouldn't have said "You know I support the girls and always have."

I thought that, too.

Other than that, nothing wrong with stating the fact in your story. In this business, facts often make people unhappy. But that's how it goes.

 

[Barsuk]

I think you shouldn't have said "You know I support the girls and always have."

Yeah, I definitely cringed when I read that.

 

[zebracoy]

I think you shouldn't have said "You know I support the girls and always have."

I'll fifth that. But you're fine, and hotshot coach wanted to make a point. All is well.

 

[frogscribe]

I think you shouldn't have said "You know I support the girls and always have."

Wow.
Cringe?
It's a community newspaper, people, not a big city daily where you don't know any of your readers. I have to live with these people.
But y'all are probably right. I think it came out of my mouth because I was in total shock that this was being brought up in the first place.
A week had passed since the article and this conversation, and in that time I didn't receive one email or phone call on the matter, and that's why I was shocked that the coach went off.
Needles to say, I didn't lose any sleep over it.

I thought that, too.

Other than that, nothing wrong with stating the fact in your story. In this business, facts often make people unhappy. But that's how it goes.

I think you shouldn't have said "You know I support the girls and always have."

I thought that, too.

Other than that, nothing wrong with stating the fact in your story. In this business, facts often make people unhappy. But that's how it goes.

 

[frogscribe]

I think you shouldn't have said "You know I support the girls and always have."

Wow.
Cringe?
It's a community newspaper, people, not a big city daily where you don't know any of your readers. I have to live with these people.
But y'all are probably right. I think it came out of my mouth because I was in total shock that this was being brought up in the first place.
A week had passed since the article and this conversation, and in that time I didn't receive one email or phone call on the matter, and that's why I was shocked that the coach went off.
Needles to say, I didn't lose any sleep over it.

I thought that, too.

Other than that, nothing wrong with stating the fact in your story. In this business, facts often make people unhappy. But that's how it goes.

I think you shouldn't have said "You know I support the girls and always have."

I thought that, too.

Other than that, nothing wrong with stating the fact in your story. In this business, facts often make people unhappy. But that's how it goes.

I think I just goofed up my last post

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Was 2008's team 2006's team?

 

[Barsuk]

I'm at a small newspaper, too, frog, but I don't tell people I "support" the teams I cover. Saying things like that will make people go off the deep end when you have to write about something negative, because they'll wonder why you're "not supporting the kids."

 

[imjustagirl]

frog, we've all worked at small papers, and some still do. You may feel closer to some kids than others, you may wish good things for them. But you can't say it, because like Barsuk said, they come to expect something different from you.

Other than that, you did everything right. The fact had to be mentioned.

 

[frogscribe]

I'm at a small newspaper, too, frog, but I don't tell people I "support" the teams I cover. Saying things like that will make people go off the deep end when you have to write about something negative, because they'll wonder why you're "not supporting the kids."

Good point. Again, it probably came out of my mouth because I was in shock that it was brought up (my post on this matter was accidently double-posted by myself and appears as a quote).
No emails or phone calls about the matter, just the coach complaining to me.

 

[frogscribe]

frog, we've all worked at small papers, and some still do. You may feel closer to some kids than others, you may wish good things for them. But you can't say it, because like Barsuk said, they come to expect something different from you.

Other than that, you did everything right. The fact had to be mentioned.

Thanks. All of you are right.

 

[mustangj17]

You didn't do anything wrong.

 

[drakescoffeecake]

The thing is, these things are almost always premeditated by the coach. They plan it out, they know it's coming. We have no idea what's coming, so we spend the whole time going, "Huh?" and are actually shaken up a little by the whole thing. Taken by surprise. I think most coaches wouldn't pull this stuff if it wasn't an ambush.

Of course, they might feel the very same way about the story they read in that day's paper, so there's that.

But my point is, this is a professional relationship. He is a coach, but he's not YOUR coach. We are grown-ups, too, and need to remember that in times like this.

Now, when you write something you are accountable, and should take the heat for it. That's part of it. I'm not saying that. Let 'em vent. Cool. And if you (we) screw up, for goodness sakes, admit it.

But sometimes it can cross over the line into someone trying to intimidate you, show you up in front of others. Assert a dominant position thanks to his position as "coach." Put you in a subordinate position.

Again, he is a coach. But he is not YOUR coach. If he wants to say something off the record before you guys go back to the normal routine, fine. But so can you. If he wants to say something in front of people, you can also hold your ground in front of people, too.

Always be polite, always be patient, always be professional. But be treated as a professional. Not a subordinate. There are two reasons why you shouldn't have said, "You know I support the girls." One, you shouldn't be supporting the girls. Two, and I don't know how it really went down, so I apologize if I'm wrong -- but it read like you're showing him your belly, he's the top dog.

Again, don't go looking for fights. I'm not saying that. Again, you gotta show up and take the heat and get yelled at now and then. That's the price of the power of the pen.

But I think too often we surrender our dignity in the name of "that's just part of the job." No it isn't. I can't say where the line is, but you know it when you see it. You're a grown-up too. This is a professional relationship. Don't forget that. Don't let the coach forget that either.

 

[frogscribe]

Was 2008's team 2006's team?

Basically the same, sans one or two girls.
I think I know where you are going with this. But I asked myself when I proofed my copy, 'Would I, as a reader new to this area, want to know how long had it been since the last district loss?' I would so I left it in.
Of course it wasn't fair for the 2009 team (only 3 returning starters from state championship team), but hey, life isn't fair, and when you put on a varsity uniform in any sport, that comes with the territory.
Am I on the right track concerning your post, TSP?

 

[frogscribe]

The thing is, these things are almost always premeditated by the coach. They plan it out, they know it's coming. We have no idea what's coming, so we spend the whole time going, "Huh?" and are actually shaken up a little by the whole thing. Taken by surprise. I think most coaches wouldn't pull this stuff if it wasn't an ambush.

Of course, they might feel the very same way about the story they read in that day's paper, so there's that.

But my point is, this is a professional relationship. He is a coach, but he's not YOUR coach. We are grown-ups, too, and need to remember that in times like this.

Now, when you write something you are accountable, and should take the heat for it. That's part of it. I'm not saying that. Let 'em vent. Cool.

But sometimes it can cross over the line into someone trying to intimidate you, show you up in front of others. Assert a dominant position thanks to his position as "coach." Put you in a subordinate position.

Again, he is a coach. But he is not YOUR coach. If he wants to say something off the record before you guys go back to the normal routine, fine. But so can you. If he wants to say something in front of people, you can also hold your ground in front of people, too.

Always be polite, always be patient, always be professional. But be treated as a professional. Not a subordinate. There are two reasons why you shouldn't have said, "You know I support the girls." One, you shouldn't be supporting the girls. Two, and I don't know how it really went down, so I apologize if I'm wrong -- but it read like you're showing him your belly, he's the top dog.

Again, don't go looking for fights. I'm not saying that. Again, you gotta show up and take the heat and get yelled at now and then. That's the price of the power of the pen.

But I think too often we surrender our dignity in the name of "that's just part of the job." No it isn't. I can't say where the line is, but you know it when you see it. You're a grown-up too. This is a professional relationship. Don't forget that. Don't let the coach forget that either.

I appreciate your comments.

 

[TheMethod]

Maybe it's just me, but him trying to make a show of it all, standing up to the evil reporter in front of the team, would have made me furious.

 

[Ace]

Maybe it's just me, but him trying to make a show of it all, standing up to the evil reporter in front of the team, would have made me furious.

One gets used to it.

 

[Mark2010]

Naw, you did the right thing.

What you wrote was newsworthy, plain and simple. Anyone you interviewed could have pointed out "this year's team is different".

Well, hopefully the players and coaches will use it as motivation --- I've had that happen more than once with my articles when rival teams were involved --- or, at the very least, grow up and understand they have to take the bad with the good.