Dear "Coach"

In reading the newspaper, visiting with other parents and students at CHS, I often hear that kids don't go out for sports because they are too lazy or don't want to put any effort into sports. I hear confusion about why a school this size doesn't have better athletic programs. After watching for a season, I think I have some answers.
I started the year knowing that my son, Andy was going out for basketball. I didn't anticipate him starting varsity, or even starting the B or C teams. He didn't anticipate starting either, but loves basketball and wanted to be a part of the team. I realize that he doesn't have a killer competitive instinct, nor a lot of talent, but I do realize that he does enjoy being a part of a team. And I did anticipate that he'd be a part of the team, that he'd feel a part of the team. I anticipated that he'd participate in practices and learn. I'm sorry to say, that none of our expectations (mine and Andy's) were met.
I've watched several practices. Why? Because, Andy isn’t old enough to drive and he has to depend on me to get to and from practice and games. (Not often convenient for those who live outside the city limits, or work full time.) I also wanted to get a feel for your program. I was not impressed by what I witnessed.
I watched 4-6 boys spend lots of time watching practice. Granted, not everyone can be on the floor, but couldn't you have had someone work on drills with these boys? Work on passing, dribbling, both to improve and to keep their muscles warm. When these boys did get a chance to get on the floor and run plays, they were cold, and made mistakes. Instead of making those mistakes into a learning session, or waiting and giving their muscles time to warm up, they ran stairs. For 10-15-20 minutes or longer. What did they learn?
They learned that if you make a mistake, you are punished. They also learned that they weren't important--I noted on two separate occasions boys ran until you "remembered" they were running. And I heard 2 different coaches note that they had forgotten they boys were running. I noted that not one varsity player ran. They did 10 push-ups and then re-ran the drill--in order to learn. But these other boys, on the C-team, learned to run stairs--not how to play basketball.

During the Orange and Black Classic Tournament, 4 boys were told not to bother coming to practice. At first, I thought that only the varsity boys were practicing, which made sense, as they were the only ones playing in the tournament. When I found out that these 4 boys were singled out and not wanted at practice, well, I became angry. What message did that send to those boys? It told me that--they aren't valuable, they aren't any good, and the coach and the team didn’t want to deal with them. It tells your varsity players (and those B and C team who did practice) that those who aren't as good as they are on the court aren't worth having around, or having on your team. It says they aren't a real part of the team.
Isn't basketball at the high school level for fun? Aren't you a TEACHER first? Don't you want to teach these kids to love the sport and to have fun? From what I've witnessed, I'd say no. There were many teaching moments. Not one single coach took the time to teach, rather, all chose to punish. Four boys, who loved basketball, now dislike it. Four boys, who could cheer on their team mates, four boys who could have felt good about being a part of the TEAM were told they weren't wanted. That is such a good way to promote school pride and school spirit. These boys were told that if you aren't good enough to play, then we don't need you to be there with us or even for us.
Again, I want to stress that my expectations were rather low. But I am very disappointed in how these boys were treated and in the messages sent. I think I now understand why Colby doesn't have a good athletic program. If you want a good program, you have to work with the underclassmen, build upon their strengths, teach them, be patient, and make them want to come back year after year. Your varsity team is only as good as your B and C teams. I'd guess that you'll lose these 4 and probably many more boys over the next 2 years. And, it isn't because they don’t want to work, or aren't willing to work, it's because they got the message--they aren't worth your time and aren't wanted on your team.
As a parent of a boy who loved basketball, I find it sad to watch him slowly lose that joy--that excitement. I have a kid who won't cause waves, who doesn't complain. He might not be the best player, he would never be a starter, or one with much floor time, but he could be a great member of the team, one who was always there, who always worked, one to cheer on the rest, one to help out the up-coming underclassmen. But, I don't think he'll go out again. He now thinks he's worthless and that he'll never be any good. If he chooses to try again, I'll support his decision, but not your program. The booster club won't be getting my money. And that’s too bad.
Sincerely
Shell