OT For Youth Baseball Coaches

[Fryowa]

Much of that $650 club fee is paying for indoor practice facilities from late January to when can get on the fields. It ends up that each family probably ends up paying about 3/4 $$ of a tournament.

Yea, we need to do a better job of fundraising. I tried a couple years ago and just didn't have any takers. YOu really need to try to get a big corporation or a small mom and pop business that you do business with. If they don't have a kid of an employee or really don't know your child, it doesn't help much getting donations from them. I find the businesses between the large corp and the small mom & pop don't help much.

Do you allow families to do payment plans? Our youth football league is $550 a year and they let families do installments as long as they use auto debit. They also offer cookie dough sales to work off the money, and anything they make over the league fees they apply towards the next year. My son has played 3 years now and luckily we've never had to pay a dime other than him cruising around on his bike selling cookie dough. I told him when he started I'd help him deliver but other than that he's on his own, and so far he's done a good job with it. We told him even at 8 years old that we'd pay half and how he comes up with the other half is up to him.

***edit*** Come to think of it after I typed that out...just realized we offered him half and he's actually never had to use his mom's and my "half" because of the cookie dough thing. I think I need to take him out for steak some night....

I thought the $550 a year for football was nuts, I can't imagine what you and your wife have to come up with for baseball, basketball, and everything else. It's getting pretty out of hand.

 

[Fryowa]

Fished many times around Prairie du chien. Grew up on Dubuque's North end where many fished. I traveled maybe 900 yards to the river give or take.

I've fished pool 10 quite a bit as well. A couple buddies have a cabin on the hill at N. Buena Vista.

You guys need to hit Okoboji during ice season. Come for three days and you'll leave with enough panfish to eat all year.

 

[HawkGold]

Do you allow families to do payment plans? Our youth football league is $550 a year and they let families do installments as long as they use auto debit. They also offer cookie dough sales to work off the money, and anything they make over the league fees they apply towards the next year. My son has played 3 years now and luckily we've never had to pay a dime other than him cruising around on his bike selling cookie dough. I told him when he started I'd help him deliver but other than that he's on his own, and so far he's done a good job with it. We told him even at 8 years old that we'd pay half and how he comes up with the other half is up to him.

***edit*** Come to think of it after I typed that out...just realized we offered him half and he's actually never had to use his mom's and my "half" because of the cookie dough thing. I think I need to take him out for steak some night....

I thought the $550 a year for football was nuts, I can't imagine what you and your wife have to come up with for baseball, basketball, and everything else. It's getting pretty out of hand.

Actually $550 is pretty good. About 6 years ago I did a competitive soccer team that was 32 games (most were away games so we didn't have refs much and my college age son was a certified ref) a couple of tourneys, uniforms and insurance for about 200 per kid. The unis were cheap but very nice looking and actually were durable. That was bare bones. I couldn't imagine football being less than $550.

 

[HawkGold]

To me it comes down to one of three things...



3) This is the worst one...kids I think see that youth baseball has gotten to be like basketball, where to be competitive you need to be playing fall ball, AAU, and getting a lot of extracurricular instruction, and most kids around here can't do that. It's nuts how good varsity HS baseball has gotten because of it. The competition (especially pitching) has become unreal in some parts of Iowa. When I was in high school ('95-'98) no one even started throwing until April. Now kids are at pitching clinics all through the winter and throwing year-round. "Regular" kids see that and don't even bother. Same with basketball...it gets to be a full time job.

I think what is happening is that sports are downgraded. Kids who have parents that pay end up playing in HS and aren't always the best athletes.

 

[Fryowa]

Actually $550 is pretty good. About 6 years ago I did a competitive soccer team that was 32 games (most were away games so we didn't have refs much and my college age son was a certified ref) a couple of tourneys, uniforms and insurance for about 200 per kid. The unis were cheap but very nice looking and actually were durable. That was bare bones. I couldn't imagine football being less than $550.

In our league the coaching is volunteer but you have to go through youth coaching classes and heads-up training (concussion recognition, proper tackling, etc.). The background check is the only thing you have to pay for. I did it the first two years but stepped away because I have baseball kids throwing and hitting in the fall and it became a 6 day a week job to do both.

For the $550 the kids get to keep their jerseys. All of the pants, helmets, and pads are league-owned and turned in every year. We don't allow kids to buy their own helmets because we don't want any sketchy ones out there, and we have a sticker on them to make sure they passed inspection every week.

Honestly, with the installment plan and cookie dough option, there's really not much of an excuse in that league for not being able to play financially. We've had kids whose parents couldn't afford the gas drive to games (they had plenty of smokes, beer, and new tattoos...), but there's always 15 plus parents to choose from who will make sure they get to games and practices.

It isn't until you get into AAU/USSSA and others where the cost gets sky high. I can say for sure that if my son wanted to play a full AAU baseball season with a club that hit a bunch of tournaments I'd have to turn him down. It'd just be too much.

 

[Fryowa]

I think what is happening is that sports are downgraded. Kids who have parents that pay end up playing in HS and aren't always the best athletes.

Or they are really good athletes but mom and dad burn them out and they quit.

We play a local town with a coach my exact age, who I played against in high school. He sucked fifty pounds of shit at baseball yet he's the first to climb up his kid's ass when he strikes out or misses a throw. Has him in tears about every game. Same guy who got permanently kicked out of our youth wrestling tournament for yelling at his kid, but he'd have done no better at that age. I don't know shit about youth wrestling so I have no idea what the deal was on that one.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Do you allow families to do payment plans? Our youth football league is $550 a year and they let families do installments as long as they use auto debit. They also offer cookie dough sales to work off the money, and anything they make over the league fees they apply towards the next year. My son has played 3 years now and luckily we've never had to pay a dime other than him cruising around on his bike selling cookie dough. I told him when he started I'd help him deliver but other than that he's on his own, and so far he's done a good job with it. We told him even at 8 years old that we'd pay half and how he comes up with the other half is up to him.

***edit*** Come to think of it after I typed that out...just realized we offered him half and he's actually never had to use his mom's and my "half" because of the cookie dough thing. I think I need to take him out for steak some night....

I thought the $550 a year for football was nuts, I can't imagine what you and your wife have to come up with for baseball, basketball, and everything else. It's getting pretty out of hand.

Baseball is the big $$$. We are doing tackle football this fall for first time and it is not at all bad compared to baseball.
I actually coached their basketball team and we just had to pretty much purchase jerseys that lasted 2 years. Also, those tourneys only end up to be around $30 a player, it seems so not too bad. We are a club team that would just travel around the Iowa City, North Liberty and CR area so that is a bonus and not bad. That is a relatively cheap sport if can find a gym for no money.

Oh, to answer your question, YES, there are installment but only a couple times, I think. It is a huge club with I think 30 plus teams. Has really grown over the years.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

You guys need to hit Okoboji during ice season. Come for three days and you'll leave with enough panfish to eat all year.

I did that a couple times with not much luck. Either the conditions weren't exactly the best and we tried to tough it out and or the bite wasn't going on, on W Okoboji which is tricky to fish if shallow with them getting spooked.

I've done trips to Lake Winnibigoshish and Leech X 3 staying in sleeper house on Winny and cabin and day house when going to Leech. First time was to Lake Winny and was a heck of a good time yanking perch. Then had a couple dicey trips with crappy weather to drive in so now just hit Clear Lake and yank yellows.

 

[Fryowa]

That is a relatively cheap sport if can find a gym for no money.

I got ridiculously lucky with our gym. Our school has a policy that non-profit teams made up 100% of kids who attend our district can use the school gyms for free. I get a key in the fall, and as long as we schedule around wrestling meets and basketball practices we can throw any time we want. Normally if the middle school is busy our elementary gym is open and vice versa.

Can't pitch and hit, but we are allowed to put mats down and soft toss/hit off tees into nets.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I think what is happening is that sports are downgraded. Kids who have parents that pay end up playing in HS and aren't always the best athletes.

Truth to this. I agree.

Also, those who do play in these leagues also have the $$ to get them in to various camps to better their skills that many kids don't have so there is a disadvantage there. There are some gifted or skilled kids that don't get the opportunity to live out their sports dream which is troubling.

 

[Fryowa]

I did that a couple times with not much luck. Either the conditions weren't exactly the best and we tried to tough it out and or the bite wasn't going on, on W Okoboji which is tricky to fish if shallow with them getting spooked.

I've done trips to Lake Winnibigoshish and Leech X 3 staying in sleeper house on Winny and cabin and day house when going to Leech. First time was to Lake Winny and was a heck of a good time yanking perch. Then had a couple dicey trips with crappy weather to drive in so now just hit Clear Lake and yank yellows.

If you ever get in the area shoot a PM and I'll get you on fish. I'm on West every weekend from ice up to ice out, with a couple days on Spirit tossed in there.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

In our league the coaching is volunteer but you have to go through youth coaching classes and heads-up training (concussion recognition, proper tackling, etc.). The background check is the only thing you have to pay for. I did it the first two years but stepped away because I have baseball kids throwing and hitting in the fall and it became a 6 day a week job to do both.

For the $550 the kids get to keep their jerseys. All of the pants, helmets, and pads are league-owned and turned in every year. We don't allow kids to buy their own helmets because we don't want any sketchy ones out there, and we have a sticker on them to make sure they passed inspection every week.

Honestly, with the installment plan and cookie dough option, there's really not much of an excuse in that league for not being able to play financially. We've had kids whose parents couldn't afford the gas drive to games (they had plenty of smokes, beer, and new tattoos...), but there's always 15 plus parents to choose from who will make sure they get to games and practices.

It isn't until you get into AAU/USSSA and others where the cost gets sky high. I can say for sure that if my son wanted to play a full AAU baseball season with a club that hit a bunch of tournaments I'd have to turn him down. It'd just be too much.

Our baseball club is USSSA.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I got ridiculously lucky with our gym. Our school has a policy that non-profit teams made up 100% of kids who attend our district can use the school gyms for free. I get a key in the fall, and as long as we schedule around wrestling meets and basketball practices we can throw any time we want. Normally if the middle school is busy our elementary gym is open and vice versa.

Can't pitch and hit, but we are allowed to put mats down and soft toss/hit off tees into nets.

My wife has the ins and could get us a school gym. Makes the world of difference.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

If you ever get in the area shoot a PM and I'll get you on fish. I'm on West every weekend from ice up to ice out, with a couple days on Spirit tossed in there.

May take you up on that. Thanks.

 

[1hawkeye1]

Is this a youth sports thread or a fishing thread?

 

[Fryowa]

Is this a youth sports thread or a fishing thread?

Both. Do you fish?

 

[Northside Hawk]

I've fished pool 10 quite a bit as well. A couple buddies have a cabin on the hill at N. Buena Vista.

I know North Buenie very well. Legendary Labor Day weekend church picnics

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I know North Buenie very well. Legendary Labor Day weekend church picnics

Crazy Eddie????? R.I.P.

 

[Northside Hawk]

I did that a couple times with not much luck. Either the conditions weren't exactly the best and we tried to tough it out and or the bite wasn't going on, on W Okoboji which is tricky to fish if shallow with them getting spooked.

I've done trips to Lake Winnibigoshish and Leech X 3 staying in sleeper house on Winny and cabin and day house when going to Leech. First time was to Lake Winny and was a heck of a good time yanking perch. Then had a couple dicey trips with crappy weather to drive in so now just hit Clear Lake and yank yellows.

I've been to the Brainerd/Bemidji lakes area three or four times. You can golf eighteen holes with a 5pm tee time and have daylight to spare.

Some day I'm going to run the annual 5k in January in International Falls. They call it "Freeze Your Gizzard" Most years it's held in subzero weather.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Or they are really good athletes but mom and dad burn them out and they quit.

We play a local town with a coach my exact age, who I played against in high school. He sucked fifty pounds of shit at baseball yet he's the first to climb up his kid's ass when he strikes out or misses a throw. Has him in tears about every game. Same guy who got permanently kicked out of our youth wrestling tournament for yelling at his kid, but he'd have done no better at that age. I don't know shit about youth wrestling so I have no idea what the deal was on that one.

I've heard youth wrestling tournaments get as crazy as any.