Little League Coaches…be careful how you lead.

This morning, the basketball team I help coach lost our game.  A week ago we lost the game we played, too.

The difference was that today’s game was an absolute joy to play.  Our girls played awesome.  Our defense was strong.  Our offense was persistent.  Our opponent’s defense was strong, too.  And, our opponent’s offense was phenomenal.  Their coach loves the game and loves the kids.  He has taught them well and they are a pleasure to compete against.  Today, we were outplayed.  But, the girls played their best and they had fun…those are my only two rules for little league sports…so it was a great game.

In contrast, last week’s game was horrible.  Our girls played well last week, too.  The defense was strong and the offense was persistent.  Unfortunately, our opponent had some terrible coaching…including a coach that taught his team a style of play that was underhanded…too agressive…and full of illegal screens, pushes, and charges.  The referee was relatively new and the many of the penalties were on the opposite side of the court from her view…very difficult for her to call.

So, here’s the real problem with last week’s game…what do you do in a league with a rogue coach?  You can’t be upset with the girls…they are only doing what they’ve been taught to do.  You can’t be upset with the referee…she can’t see everything.   The only person you can really be frustrated with is a coach that decides it doesn’t matter what you teach your team to do (legal or illegal) as long as you win.  What kind of coaching is that?

So now, the head coach of our team and I are left with an unfortunate dilemma.  What do we do when we face this rogue coach again in a week?  Do we tattle on the coach by telling the referee and the league director?  Do we talk to the opposing coach to inform him that it’s illegal to use moving screens where you use two of your girls to push a defender out of bounds (as if he doesn’t know)?  Or, do we teach our girls how to “fight fire with fire” and use the same illegal moves?  Obviously, the last idea is not an option…but sometimes it’s tempting.

Here’s my point…if you work with kids and are investing time to teach them any kind of sport…please be careful how you lead them.  First of all, let your only rules be that they play their best and that they have fun…they’re kids.  Secondly, teach them that at this level, winning is more about the development of character than the final score.  And finally, keep in mind that teaching your team how to play “dirty” affects them long-term, affects their parents’ acceptance of this “style of competition,” affects your opponents, and affects the entire league you are part of.  Basically, don’t be a jerk.  Teach your team how to play the game…but teach it right…nobody wants to put up with your junk.  If your team outplays us, we’ll congratulate you and your players at the end of the 4th quarter.  If you teach your team to mauls us, push us out of bounds, beat us up and makes the experience miserable, we’ll probably just write about you on our blogs and tell our teams that we don’t want them to ever act like “you.”  It’s your legacy…your reputation…your choice.