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**Bernie Brewer** · 07-14-2009, 03:41 AM

A little background first........
Those of you that know me know I love baseball, and am lucky enough to have a son that loves it as much as me. And he's pretty good at it. He plays in a small league every Monday in his regular school district (four teams). Then this year the coaches for the four teams put together an "all-star" team to play in a neighboring town to give the kids that really love it a chance to play some more.
There are a few of these "all-stars" on each team in the regular Monday league.

You can really tell which kids on the four teams are on the all-star team and which are not, for several reasons. Yes, there is a noticeable dropoff in skill level, but that is not the kids' fault, and it's not what I mean anyway. I am talking about their parents.

I was at my son's game tonight, and there were a couple a$$hole dads there bitching about everything. One was scolding his kid because he wasn't pitching hard enough. The other was yelling at his kid because he couldn't catch up to a fastball and was swinging behind it. Then one was yelling at the catcher, and it wasn't even his kid. Then both were yelling at the ump for his ball and strike calls.

Come on, guys. Set a decent example for your kids. Don't bitch out the ump. You think it's so damned easy, you get behind the plate and do it. I've been an umpire, and it's not as easy as it looks.

And if your kid makes a mistake, don't yell at him in front of everyone. ENCOURAGE him. Tell him it's OK, you'll get'em next time. And later, when you have some time alone, talk about what happened and how to correct it. And if your kid's game needs work, and they all do, get off your dead ass and go play ball with your kid. Pitch him a few so he gets some swings in. Get your fat a$$ in a crouch and let him pitch to you. Your kid's game will improve, and so will your relationship with him. And at the games, if you can't say encouraging things, then just shut your piehole.

amercuric · 07-14-2009, 04:44 AM

That's a slice of wisdom if I've ever heard one.

eschatz · 07-14-2009, 05:06 AM

SWMBO has a 7 yr old in little league and the parents are already all over their kids. It's rediculous. Actually it's embarassing to the parents and the kids. It's a game. If you can't play it like it's a game then you shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the diamond. Take a walk you bastids.

GearBeer · 07-14-2009, 02:04 PM

I hear ya on umping. I've never been an ump but I used to ref football with my Dad. There are some nutjobs out there, for sure!

It's NOT easy because you are NOT a professional! You are VOLUNTEERING your day/evening so kids can play a sport.

I remember those parents when I was a kid. They're always out there.

kjung · 07-14-2009, 02:46 PM

I've run into the same problems coaching Pop Warner football and our local wrestling club. While I did have to deal with a few whiny, lazy kids, the parents were the biggest pain, and what eventually drove me out of coaching.

**IrregularPulse** · 07-14-2009, 02:51 PM

Amen to this. The stupid MF'ers who couldn't make it in sports push their kids right out of the thing they love to play hoping to live through them. We have 2 leagues around me. The big city league that i played in as a kid where you'll see everything you just talked about and then the close by small town league where you won't. I know where my kid will be going to play tee-ball and more if he likes it.

FireBrewer · 07-14-2009, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IrregularPulse

Amen to this. The stupid MF'ers who couldn't make it in sports push their kids right out of the thing they love to play hoping to live through them.

Or the ones that were good and think they have to protect their ego by making sure their kid lives up to what they think of themselves. These guys are in serious loser denial. And the kids suffer for it. Sad.

It's a ****ing sport. Get over it!

Boerderij_Kabouter · 07-14-2009, 03:01 PM

I think you guys are missing the fact that your performance in little league and especially T-ball determines how successful you will be in life.

Silly dads. If you are chewing out your 7 year old in public you just aren't giving him the kind of support he needs to burn out of the sport by age 15.

**IrregularPulse** · 07-14-2009, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boerderij_Kabouter

I think you guys are missing the fact that your performance in little league and especially T-ball determines how successful you will be in life.

Silly dads. If you aren't chewing out your 7 year old in public you just aren't giving him the kind of support he needs to burn out of the sport by age 15.

Fixed that for you I assume

jrfuda · 07-14-2009, 03:13 PM

My 4-year old started t-ball this year & I was an assitant coach.. even parents of 4 year old display those undesireable attributes, it's a shame. It got really bad when we started our all star tourny's too. We're in South Texas and started playing all star teams from areas where baseball is a "way of life" and those parents were insane. Come on, it's just a bunch of 4 and 6 year olds. However, despite my disgust for some of the parents, those kids from those "way of life" neighborhoods could play some tee-ball! They could probably hold thier own with some little league teams of 10-year-olds, getting double plays and making some crazy catches.