Sports stand to be one of the most competitive fields in high school, a prominent variable that can lead to a strained team bond. This is often attributed to the introduction of “Daddy Ball,” a concept describing the relationship between an athlete and their parent being the coach.
The common misconception is that having a parent as a coach provides a biased view of skill level and an unfair advantage in terms of benefits such as extra playing time. However, several students at San Juan Hills high school are able to debunk this theory as they have taken the effects of Daddy Ball head on.
Emily Wooten is one such student, a senior signing at Cal State San Marcos. Her father, Jeremy Wooten, has coached softball since SJHHS opened in 2009. With ten years of experience under her belt, Emily Wooten made it clear that only a deep love for the game has ever influenced her performance.
The girls’ softball team at San Juan Hills is a case in which Wooten’s relationship has made no impact on the nature of their group. In fact, with Coach Wooten teaching business classes alongside coaching, most of the athletes had met him before joining the team.
“I feel like everyone is accepting of it because some people have had him as a teacher. He’s also a good coach and a good guy so he’s easy to work with,” said Emily Wooten.
Daddy Ball can create a negative atmosphere when placed in the hands of the wrong person, but when represented by a genuine coach who cares for his players, it makes no impact at all.
Likewise, Luke Frith discussed the impact his father had on a lifelong football career.
“He’s been a coach for all my life so I’ve always been around [football],” said Frith.
A sophomore on varsity, Frith has been raised in an avid football environment. His father, coach Frith, was entirely prepared for the situation of working alongside his son in the football program.
“When it comes to coaching your son you want to try and be a coach on the field. But it’s not realistic to say I’m just your coach and not your dad. So what I’ve done is I’ve given all responsibilities when it comes to my son to the members of my coaching staff, ” said Robert Frith.
Despite the common misconception that “Daddy Ball” is mostly influential for the player, it actually lies as a heavy weight on the coach. The familial bond can be stronger than an unbiased coaching method, leaving the coach to decide how they would like to manage it.
The sports careers of athletes and their parents should ultimately be considered separately in situations such as this.
Coaches are caring for their players and their children have their own ambitions, leaving little room for Daddy Ball to actually become a negative thing.
