What are You Paying For
I spend a fair amount of time watching other teams practice; organizations run clinics; or coaches run lessons. I am constantly looking for drills or coaching styles that I can incorporate into my own sessions. But, admittedly, I have also grown to watch out of amazement. I am amazed that some individuals charge for their service.
My last comment may sound cynical; but I have become very frustrated with service industries. And unfortunately I find myself paying attention to everything. A barber was 20 minutes late for my son’s appointment. How come she didn’t come over at the time of the appointment and apologize for running late and tell us that she will get to us soon? And to make matters worse, she issued NO apology when it was his turn. My wife recently needed her windshield replaced. The company scheduled to come between 10 and 1 never showed. When we called, they said the technician was supposed to call and inform us the windshield replacement had shattered in their van. This was the second time they postponed the appointment. We asked the customer service rep to give us a minute so we could discuss our next step. When we came back on the line, we found he placed us on hold. Two minutes later when he came back, I told him that ‘he should have waited for us, not the other way around.’ Again, no apology.
Unfortunately I see things like this happen daily. And I make a daily vow NOT to do the same to those that sign up for Angels programs. I’d love to say we are 100% in meeting that goal, but I know we are not there; but it is something we strive for daily.
While watching other organizations run a practice, a clinic or a lesson, I sometimes feel like asking parents whether they are happy with what they are watching. Whether they feel they are getting value for the money they are paying. Are they ok seeing their kids being coached by individuals with low energy? Are they ok seeing their kids get little to no instruction? Do they truly feel the coach is into what they are doing? Or do they feel the coach is simply filling the time? It’s very easy to spot a coach that is simply running the clock vs a coach that is trying to get as much done as possible to make sure the kids are getting what they need to improve. But can the parents spot it? Do the parents even care?
I truly believe a lot of money is wasted on camps, clinics, lessons and even teams. But I don’t think parents truly know what to look for or if there are even other options. For me though, in many cases, I would just rather not spend the money. My 2nd grader and a handful of his buddies play whiffle ball every day after school. No coaching, just them playing. I tell my wife that it is the best thing for them; even better than him attending any of my sessions. He’s learning social skills; how to play the game; how to resolve conflict; and how to compete. And we’re not paying a dime!
Until parents start questioning the value of what is being offered to their kids, the low to no value clinics will continue. When a coach continues to get kids in his program, what is the motivation to change? Next time you’re at one of your kid’s sessions, sit back and truly think about whether you are getting anything in return for your hard-earned money.