I know that if it were "my dad" or a lot of dad's I know, personally, they are gonna be way harder on their kids. I've never gotten that complaint from Hawkeye fans. Connor is a huge contributor to this team. He really makes things hum. Loved that section of the game where Connor was the only starter out there with all the younger guys. He was out there to keep the composer. He's a coach on the floor. Pat likely earns his minutes in practice. I think Fran likes to bring in Patrick because of his length to implement the press we run. It's situational IMO.
I’ve coached my son for 7 years now. He gets pushed harder. There are 3 reasons it happens imo...
1) You have to fight the perception that it’s the “coach’s kid.” Two years ago I had a big shit show where a classmate who played rec ball didn’t get invited by me to play on a travel team that I coach. I can only take so many to tourneys and to be honest he wasn't very good. The kid came to school as said,
“My dad said the only reason you’re playing travel team is because your dad is the coach.” It wouldn’t be so bad until he threw the “my dad said” thing in there. Now it’s harder on my kid because he knows there’s another adult talking shit. Trust me, it’s not easier for a coach’s kid to play, it’s harder for them. They get singled out. In return he constantly has to prove himself and has unfair expectations put on him by certain parents.
2) Your own kids don’t take instruction and criticism as easily because, well, you’re their dad. If I correct his stance or follow through he doesn’t always listen like he would if it were another coach. And he takes criticism way more personal. It’s natural, but unavoidable. My son's hip rotation in his swing is a great example. I would coach him up on it constantly and he just plain fought it because it didn't feel natural for him to uncoil the way I wanted him to. It was like banging my head on a brick wall so I finally had to let it go. The first time he went to a hitting camp with his classmates he got told the same thing and the problem was gone immediately. Those kids are stubborn as shit when dad tells them what's good for them.
3) This one is the one most coaches won’t admit to...it’s easier to be harder on your kid because you (think you) know what they’re capable of and you can push them harder without any consequences. If I think my kid is dogging it it's easier for me to make him do something over, or re-run a drill, or take an extra lap because there's no one who's going to complain. Is that right? No. But it's real and any parent who coaches and says they're 100% impartial is completely full of shit.
Connor and Pat haven't had any advantage given to them at all Especially by a dude like Fran. If anything they've had it rougher because both of them are on year 14 or 15 of hearing jealous-ass parents and players bark at them about being a daddy's boy coach's kid.
Side note and word of advice for any of you young dads out there who might be soon coaching their kids...
Think loooong and hard about coaching a rec league where everyone gets to play and at the same time coaching a travel/private team made up of kids invited from that same group. You WILL regret it. I had to because there was no one else to coach the rec teams, but it will make you miserable and turn you off from coaching.
