Little League Player Benched Because Mother Failed to Work Concession Stand

[MBWC41]

I have two teenagers that were at one time 7 years old. I guess that makes me reasonably qualified to offer an opinion. Trust me, I feel pretty safe in saying that, as long as they didn't withhold the kid's Snackwells and Juice Cooler after the game, that he got over the "devastation" of not playing and "having the eyes of the whole world beating down on him." But I certainly respect your right to feel otherwise.

 

I agree with you that he is 7 and likely won't remember this or didn't care about not playing.

 

But, if this is the way this association handles the situation at this age group, wouldn't you think they would handle it the same at all age levels ?

[cooperstown]

I agree with you that he is 7 and likely won't remember this or didn't care about not playing.

 

But, if this is the way this association handles the situation at this age group, wouldn't you think they would handle it the same at all age levels ?

 

I would hope it wasn't a rule that only applied to the 7 year old age group and was applied across the board at all age levels within that LL organization. And I'm not even saying there isn't a better way for this entire affair to have been handled - by both sides - than the way it went down, only that as long it was a well-known, even-enforced policy that it isn't exactly the crime of the century.

 

Possible alternative - the concession stand is needed to make money to fund the LL's operations. Maybe each parent/family should have to put down a deposit with the league that they then get refunded to them once they have fulfilled their concession/volunteer obligations. She doesn't show up, she loses her money. Though I'm going to take a guess that she'd be complaining about that also . . .

[LRCW]

Possible alternative - the concession stand is need to make money to fund the LL's operations. Maybe each parent/family should have to put down a deposit with the league that they then get refunded to them once they have fulfilled their concession/volunteer obligations. She doesn't show up, she loses her money. Though I'm going to take a guess that she'd be complaining about that also . . .

 

 

Now that sounds like a great way to handle the situation.

[cooperstown]

I've worked the concession stand at a few of the ball games my little brother played in this year for this very reason.

 

A kids mom and dad simply didn't show up. It's usually the same kid that never has a way to or from the games and practices. I never wanted to work because the kid had horrible parents, but I did because it was the right thing to do. As I sat there and handed out hot dogs and pop, I never once though: "Ya know, this kid isn't my problem, he's not my responsibility. They should make him set the bench or kick him off the team." I never thought anything like that. I always felt bad for the kid and thought about all the times my mom and dad did this kind of stuff when I was younger and was thankful that I had good parents.

 

 

You did a good thing. You should be commended.

 

But what if the only other people to work the stand/fill-in for no-shows were the same parents of same kids, who are then forced to miss their own son's games despite more than fulfilling their fair share of their volunteer duties? There has to be a limit at some point. Little League CANNOT survive without volunteers. This is true for many organizations. And you just can't ask the same few people over and over and over and over to run the entire operation for the enjoyment of everyone else.

[Birdsfan]

Possible alternative - the concession stand is needed to make money to fund the LL's operations. Maybe each parent/family should have to put down a deposit with the league that they then get refunded to them once they have fulfilled their concession/volunteer obligations. She doesn't show up, she loses her money. Though I'm going to take a guess that she'd be complaining about that also . . .

That's what I was suggesting.

[nees1212]

If this is so horrible, then why don't people make a big deal out of a kid not playing when they don't show up for practice? A majority of the time, it's the parent's fault for not getting their kid to practice.

[cooperstown]

That's what I was suggesting.

 

Trust me, it's not the first time I have stolen someone else's idea and claimed credit for myself. :lol:

[Birdsfan]

Trust me, it's not the first time I have stolen someone else's idea and claimed credit for myself. :lol:

No, I had it, but just didn't say it as well.

[ladiesbballcoach]

I would hope it wasn't a rule that only applied to the 7 year old age group and was applied across the board at all age levels within that LL organization. And I'm not even saying there isn't a better way for this entire affair to have been handled - by both sides - than the way it went down, only that as long it was a well-known, even-enforced policy that it isn't exactly the crime of the century.

 

Possible alternative - the concession stand is needed to make money to fund the LL's operations. Maybe each parent/family should have to put down a deposit with the league that they then get refunded to them once they have fulfilled their concession/volunteer obligations. She doesn't show up, she loses her money. Though I'm going to take a guess that she'd be complaining about that also . . .

 

Now that sounds like a great way to handle the situation.

 

That's what I was suggesting.

 

No, I had it, but just didn't say it as well.

 

I can tell you why. Not every parent can afford the entry fee for the kid to simply play in the league and that cost is either absorbed by the league, picked up by another organization or the parent does not put the kid in the league.

 

And if they cannot afford the entry fee then they are not going to be able to afford the deposit. And then they are going to sign up for a time and not show, repeatedly.

[Birdsfan]

And if they cannot afford the entry fee then they are not going to be able to afford the deposit. And then they are going to sign up for a time and not show, repeatedly.

That's completely different than being told everyone has to volunteer.

[ladiesbballcoach]

That's completely different than being told everyone has to volunteer.

 

I don't follow your point.

[threetimelover]

I can tell you why. Not every parent can afford the entry fee for the kid to simply play in the league and that cost is either absorbed by the league, picked up by another organization or the parent does not put the kid in the league.

 

And if they cannot afford the entry fee then they are not going to be able to afford the deposit. And then they are going to sign up for a time and not show, repeatedly.

 

And then somebody has to pick up the slack and take over their shift. To me, it is like saying she (the parent) thinks her time is more valuable than mine (the parent forced to work in her place.)

[cooperstown]

I can tell you why. Not every parent can afford the entry fee for the kid to simply play in the league and that cost is either absorbed by the league, picked up by another organization or the parent does not put the kid in the league.

 

And if they cannot afford the entry fee then they are not going to be able to afford the deposit. And then they are going to sign up for a time and not show, repeatedly.

 

Help me out here. How does one's ability to pay/not pay their entry fee affect their ability to show up and volunteer their time for the organization?? Perhaps this would be the perfect situation to have a parent who cannot afford the entry fee/deposit to work concession stand sign a contract requiring them to volunteer at the stand. And if they don't live up to this contract, their son is benched.

 

Like it or not, organizations like LL and many others can't exist on goodwill and kind thoughts. There actually is money required to run these organizations. The money comes from entry fees and other fundraisers such as concession sales. You may not be able to afford the fees, but you can darn sure offer to volunteer in other areas.

 

Like I said, I helped run LL in our area for two years. We had several parents apply to us to have their son's fees waived due to financial issues. Funny thing, though. When we asked those people if they could help out the league in some other (non-financial) way, almost none of them could. :irked:

[Birdsfan]

I don't follow your point.

Then I think we're even.

[ladiesbballcoach]

Help me out here. How does one's ability to pay/not pay their entry fee affect their ability to show up and volunteer their time for the organization?? Perhaps this would be the perfect situation to have a parent who cannot afford the entry fee/deposit to work concession stand sign a contract requiring them to volunteer at the stand. And if they don't live up to this contract, their son is benched.

 

Like it or not, organizations like LL and many others can't exist on goodwill and kind thoughts. There actually is money required to run these organizations. The money comes from entry fees and other fundraisers such as concession sales. You may not be able to afford the fees, but you can darn sure offer to volunteer in other areas.

 

Like I said, I helped run LL in our area for two years. We had several parents apply to us to have their son's fees waived due to financial issues. Funny thing, though. When we asked those people if they could help out the league in some other (non-financial) way, almost none of them could. :irked:

 

My point was to having to pay a deposit. If they cannot afford the league entry fee, they ain't going to be able to afford a concession working deposit.