Sportsmanship

Lawreston

Lawreston

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Harley Reich
At one point during a game, the coach called one of his 9-year-old baseball players aside and asked,"Do you understand what cooperation is? What a team is?" The little boy nodded in the affirmative.

"Do you understand that what matters is whether we win or lose together as a team?" The little boy nodded yes.

"So," the coach continued, "I'm sure you know, when an out is called, you shouldn't argue, curse, attack the umpire, or call him a pecker-head. Do you understand all that?" Again the little boy nodded.

The coach continued, "And when I take you out of the game so another boy gets a chance to play, it's not good sportsmanship to call your coach 'an *******' is it?" Again the little boy nodded.


"Good," said the coach. "Now go over there and explain all that to your grandmother."

:yes:
 
In my just-concluded season of coaching 7-8 year olds, one of the grandmothers was berating me at a game for having her son bat 8th (out of 12). The team batting average was .506, but this kid struck out a lot, ran slow, and was hitting only .225. Yet grandma just knew that "my Dylan is the best player on the team."

So I turned to my assistant coach and said, "Go talk to your mom about your kid."

True story!
 
Stay away from baseball. THat's my advice.

Sadly, soccer, which had avoided the "bad parent" syndrome for so long, is now subject to the same kind of jerkholes.

I coached my daughter's U6 team this fall. I'm glad to report only one (grand)parent a%%hole cheering for any of the opposition. Mind you, this was a "no scoring" league for which the guy was loudly (and obnoxiously) cheering any goal by Jimmy's team as if it were the World Cup Final. I didn't have the heart to tell the guy that our team, had we been scoring, won the game. Not that it mattered!;)
 
Its always at great risk that I reveal myself as a having strong feelings that we are 'sports crazy' as a nation...especially when it comes to children's sports.
All I can say is that I remember fondly the wildly-fun games of baseball, hockey etc that became completely sour experiences once parents got involved.
We learned to get along and work things out as kids, alone on the sandlot/icerink/soccer pitch, and could not wait for the next game. Once we got involved in 'organized sports' with adults dictating the terms it soon became a very bad experience.
 
Tommy was in a rollerblade hockey league for a while- when he started, he was 5, could not skate for squat and was on a "Mite" team.

One of the early games, he's in and skating his heart out, trying to be... somewhere near the puck, and this slightly-bigger kid (good skater, though) comes up behind him and cross-checks him in the back!

I saw red, ran up behind the opposing team's bench, hollered at the coach, "You coach 'em to do that?!?"

He turned around, a stunned look on his face, and answered, "You gotta be kidding, they never do what I tell them to do anyway!" And he was, of course, right.

I felt, instantly, about 3 cm tall. I've always hated obnoxious parents and there I was, being one.

As soon as the
game ended, I sought him out, ate crow and apologized, and being the gentleman he was, he graciously accepted my apology.

And no, he did *not* coach them to do that!
 
When I was 15 or 16, there wasn't a lot to do in upstate NY for spending money. I knew a guy with a hauling business and he would hire me for Saturdays and anytime school was off to work the garbage truck. At that age, it was pretty embarassing to pick up garbage at some cute little girl's house or to clean up after remodelling jobs and stuff like that, but money is money. Then I thought I did great landing a gig umpiring small fry baseball on a regular basis. Boy, was I wrong. THE WORST job I ever had in my life. As a matter of fact, it turned me off from organized sports in general. Luckily, my brother was my umping partner. Being as he's a little more devious than I am, the goal of our second and final season was to give one PITA father a heart attack. My brother would purposely enrage this guy to just to watch him scream. To any of you parents out there that get a little excited at your kid's game, remember, it really is only a game.
 
That's nothing, trying umping a little league baseball game. One of the umps no-showed a game when I was younger and they asked me to fill in. I almost ejected both coaches, and did send one of the parents away from the game "Out of Sight and Sound!"

Nothing like being called the worst obscenities you've ever heard when you call strike three on little junior.

The reason I almost, but didn't eject the two coaches, was because they both ran out of their dugouts to start arguing over rough play. I told one coach to keep with the "No head first diving rule" because its a rule here, and I guess it can cause injuries, and all hell broke loose. I chose not to eject them because I gave them a warning: "I hear one more negative thing out of your mouth for the rest of the game, and you're gone." Neither one said a word.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Its always at great risk that I reveal myself as a having strong feelings that we are 'sports crazy' as a nation...especially when it comes to children's sports.
All I can say is that I remember fondly the wildly-fun games of baseball, hockey etc that became completely sour experiences once parents got involved.
We learned to get along and work things out as kids, alone on the sandlot/icerink/soccer pitch, and could not wait for the next game. Once we got involved in 'organized sports' with adults dictating the terms it soon became a very bad experience.
Click to expand...

I like the philosophy Cal Ripken put in his book. Paraphrasing, if Sally were taking violin lessons and made a mistake at a recital, everyone would let it go because she's learning. However, a similar mistake on an athletic field by someone of the same relative skill level is blown out of proportion.

I make it clear to the parents and the kids on my team at the start of the season. We are NOT here to win games. We are here to learn how to play baseball and have some fun doing it, and the wins may or may not take care of themselves.

An opposing coach in my league has the opposite theory. Last couple of seasons he has had one superfast kid running all over the field trying to tag runners out rather than throwing the ball and risking an overethrow or missed tag. During the playoffs last season, he made two twin brothers (who had not played before and therefore were less skilled than most of the other kids) STAY HOME during the playoffs because "they were a liability."

THAT's the kind of behavior that really ticks me off. The leagues for kids who are 7 and 8, for cryin out loud!!! Let 'em play.
 
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I've been coaching 9-12's for years...the kids are great but sometimes the parents can be ...well you all know the rest of that line. Our team has been pretty good with parents I must say. The opening team meeting is pretty straight forward. Once the child steps inside the fence they are mine, no coaching from the outside of the fence don't bother the coaches and if you get out of control you will be asked to take your child home when your asked to leave.

They all seem to follow along well.....and it sets a good example for the kids. Nothing worse then a kid who wants to throw his bat or helmet or eye the ump because they didnt like the call. All of the above actions will get you a seat on the bench next to me.

It's ALL about sportsmanship team work and playing with class.
 
One of my favorite memories of my kids' soccer days: Just before a game the referee told one of the players (opposing team) that earrings are not allowed per league rules. Take them off or don't play. Mom runs out on the field yelling loudly about how her daughter had just got her ears pierced and needed to leave the earrings in place. Ref says "sorry, but the ruling stands". Mom explodes all over the ref. Ref calmly calls over a supervisor who tells mom "The referee made the call, remove the earrings or don't play", turned around and left. Mom stormed off the field. The great part about this story is that the ref was all of 12 yrs old, kept his cool, and stood his ground.
 
When I was about 7 or so, I had a broken arm, so I couldn't play on the T-ball team (PROUD of that kelly green ball cap!!!!!). I then became the bat boy guy. One game this drunk adult male came up and was trying to get the bats from me (mumbling something about "you can't play with that arm..."). The grownups dealt with him, but I'll tell one thing: he didn't get my damn bats. :D

Kids can be strong.
 
Ken Ibold said:
.......... two twin brothers (who had not played before and therefore were less skilled than most of the other kids) STAY HOME during the playoffs because "they were a liability."

THAT's the kind of behavior that really ticks me off. They're 7 and 8, for cryin out loud!!! Let 'em play.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm; two twin brothers, 7 and 8. Were they born in the same state?
(Not intending to be poetic, but I couldn't resist. Last night's snow must have made me crazy.)

HR
 
Ken Ibold said:
I like the philosophy Cal Ripken put in his book. Paraphrasing, if Sally were taking violin lessons and made a mistake at a recital, everyone would let it go because she's learning.
Click to expand...

that made me laugh out loud. I'd love to see a parent in the audience jump up and let fly with a string of expletives at a violin recital. it would make it worth going!

(wouldn't that be like cursing in church?)
 
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