Normally I stay an arm length away from parents. As an un-paid volunteer coach I defer much of the grief from the parents onto the head-coach/teacher (actual school employee) or the one parent who manages our events.
But today I'm angry. I can see why people don't volunteer their time.
One of the kids on our team is a good kid. He was named co-Captain of the team last night at our awards banquet.
His mom is upset because he was not awarded a "varsity" letter for fencing.
HISTORICALLY the ONLY kids who got "varsity" letters were seniors. Her child is a sophomore, so he will only be a junior next year.
HISTORICALLY we have named sophomores to the position of Co-Captain and none has ever gotten a Varsity letter for being named to the leadership position of co-Captain.
THIS YEAR we decided to introduce a SKILL/PERFORMANCE based system that allows us to reward SUPERIOR fencers with a varsity letter prior to their senior year. It is an OBJECTIVE set of criteria, it is based on the RESULTS a fencer earns in tournaments. Using this criteria it is difficult for a fencer to earn a varsity letter, but we awarded 3 of them to non-senior fencers last night at our awards banquet. All three are superior fencers and they have results to prove their fencing quality.
Just before lunch I got a message from our new co-captain's mom. She (errantly) claimed that prior captains got their varsity letters when they were named captain. As we are a new team only 3 years in a fencing conference, we have had exactly 2 captains. 1, a senior, has been co-captain for 3 years, got her varsity letter last night. The other, a junior, and a superior fencer, was named co-captain last year as a sophomore, she earned a Varsity Letter this year based on our objective skill criteria and also got her varsity letter last night.
The mother then went on to say that kids who earn medals should get a varsity letter. I looked up her son's results, he earned exactly 2 medals. BOTH of which were earned in JUNIOR Varsity events
So if I understand her correctly we should give her kid a varsity letter for being a good kid and for making him co-captain ... despite the fact that we have never done this for any other co-captain.
And further, we should award him a varsity letter for being a pretty good JUNIOR Varsity level fencer.
Honestly I was happy being an un-paid volunteer coach yesterday but am thinking of resigning today
But today I'm angry. I can see why people don't volunteer their time.
One of the kids on our team is a good kid. He was named co-Captain of the team last night at our awards banquet.
His mom is upset because he was not awarded a "varsity" letter for fencing.
HISTORICALLY the ONLY kids who got "varsity" letters were seniors. Her child is a sophomore, so he will only be a junior next year.
HISTORICALLY we have named sophomores to the position of Co-Captain and none has ever gotten a Varsity letter for being named to the leadership position of co-Captain.
THIS YEAR we decided to introduce a SKILL/PERFORMANCE based system that allows us to reward SUPERIOR fencers with a varsity letter prior to their senior year. It is an OBJECTIVE set of criteria, it is based on the RESULTS a fencer earns in tournaments. Using this criteria it is difficult for a fencer to earn a varsity letter, but we awarded 3 of them to non-senior fencers last night at our awards banquet. All three are superior fencers and they have results to prove their fencing quality.
Just before lunch I got a message from our new co-captain's mom. She (errantly) claimed that prior captains got their varsity letters when they were named captain. As we are a new team only 3 years in a fencing conference, we have had exactly 2 captains. 1, a senior, has been co-captain for 3 years, got her varsity letter last night. The other, a junior, and a superior fencer, was named co-captain last year as a sophomore, she earned a Varsity Letter this year based on our objective skill criteria and also got her varsity letter last night.
The mother then went on to say that kids who earn medals should get a varsity letter. I looked up her son's results, he earned exactly 2 medals. BOTH of which were earned in JUNIOR Varsity events
The mother also brought up another point, that being that we award medals after our season ends, which, for seniors means that they get their "letter" at the end of their high school career.
This is an interesting point, but has nothing to do with her son, who is a sophomore. Further, no senior has ever complained, nor has any other parent, about this issue.
This is an interesting point, but has nothing to do with her son, who is a sophomore. Further, no senior has ever complained, nor has any other parent, about this issue.
So if I understand her correctly we should give her kid a varsity letter for being a good kid and for making him co-captain ... despite the fact that we have never done this for any other co-captain.
And further, we should award him a varsity letter for being a pretty good JUNIOR Varsity level fencer.
Honestly I was happy being an un-paid volunteer coach yesterday but am thinking of resigning today