This opinion piece by Paul Daugherty appeared in this morning's Kentucky Enquirer. I think it's one of the best, and most constructive, columns I've ever read.

 

 

You coach a 7- and 8-year-old coaches' pitch baseball team. Seen your sportsmanship lately?

 

Maligned an umpire? Shoved an opposing coach, belittled a player? Better get busy. It's tournament time. Here's how you do it:

 

Badger umpires. Constantly. Embarrass them, tell them they're stupid, make them cry. They're 12 years old. They can take it. Make it so they'll look forward to going home and being told to clean their rooms. And the rooms of their big sisters.

 

They're making $20 a game. That's big money for a kid. Make them earn it. Stand behind the screen and argue balls and strikes. Stand at the end of the bench and teach 'em words they've only seen on a bathroom wall on the New Jersey Turnpike. Tell the child umpire to take it like a man.

 

 

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Good read. Not only belittles the "win at all costs" mentality that pervades youth sports, but also lets the cat out of the bag with respect to some of the dirty tricks. Hopefully some of those young umpires will read the column and be better prepared the next time they get behind the plate.

As I was reading this column this morning, my first thought was that PD was being lazy. It seemed like one of those articles that you can re-hash every other year as the situations never change. Is there anyone who would think that any of those acts are OK? Or was this only aimed at the few that commit them?

 

It did nothing for me. Maybe it wasn't supposed to.

It did nothing for me. Maybe it wasn't supposed to.

It certainly should have. It's perfectly timed for the environment we have today on the fields that are supposed to be about kids having fun...but too often are not. The acts mentioned in the article happen every day on little league baseball fields across America. So obviously, there are many coaches (and parents) out there who see nothing wrong with these behaviors. Yes, I would think we can all get a lot from this article.

Loved it.

It certainly should have. It's perfectly timed for the environment we have today on the fields that are supposed to be about kids having fun...but too often are not. The acts mentioned in the article happen every day on little league baseball fields across America. So obviously, there are many coaches (and parents) out there who see nothing wrong with these behaviors. Yes, I would think we can all get a lot from this article.

 

We'll disagree. If you coach/parent the right way, its like reading an article that says you shouldn't allow your kids to smoke weed.

 

IMO it has a limited audience as far as making an impact.

 

By the way, bad coaches/parents have been this way since at least the 70s so this isn't anything new.

It's truly sad that there are people out there like this. I coach 5-7 year old coach pitch, and luckily, our league doesn't have anyone like this coaching in our league. I did have a coach complaining to me how I should be teaching my kids how to hit as to not waste his kids' time while in the field. Then again, the guy carries a fungo with him all the time.

We'll disagree. If you coach/parent the right way, its like reading an article that says you shouldn't allow your kids to smoke weed.

 

IMO it has a limited audience as far as making an impact.

 

By the way, bad coaches/parents have been this way since at least the 70s so this isn't anything new.

 

You are right, every year we hear the same issues being raised. Nothing earth shattering here, but it is nice to be reminded. It would be even nicer if those who are guilty actually gave their actions a 2nd thought after reading this, ... but they won't. However, maybe this could give a someone a nudge on actually dealing with a coach/parent who is like this.

 

As far as coaches/parents being this way since the 1970's, that is true. However, it seems far more widespread now than when I was a kid during the 70's. There was a parent recently banned from a local little league park in our area. After years or swearing, threatening, yelling, cussing, and screaming, the league banned this person FOR LIFE from the facility. My response? Should have done this a LONG time ago.

 

If the real parents/coaches will push hard enough, or even get on the local youth sports boards and set code of conduct policies that they will enforce, maybe it will get better.

You are right, every year we hear the same issues being raised. Nothing earth shattering here, but it is nice to be reminded. It would be even nicer if those who are guilty actually gave their actions a 2nd thought after reading this, ... but they won't. However, maybe this could give a someone a nudge on actually dealing with a coach/parent who is like this.

 

As far as coaches/parents being this way since the 1970's, that is true. However, it seems far more widespread now than when I was a kid during the 70's. There was a parent recently banned from a local little league park in our area. After years or swearing, threatening, yelling, cussing, and screaming, the league banned this person FOR LIFE from the facility. My response? Should have done this a LONG time ago.

 

If the real parents/coaches will push hard enough, or even get on the local youth sports boards and set code of conduct policies that they will enforce, maybe it will get better.

 

I think we agree. There are some who can benefit from this column but most of us will not - that's my point. IMO a column should either entertain us, challenge our way of thinking, or make us angry. Throwing out the obvious does nothing for the masses.

I think we agree. There are some who can benefit from this column but most of us will not - that's my point. IMO a column should either entertain us, challenge our way of thinking, or make us angry. Throwing out the obvious does nothing for the masses.

 

Sometimes we just need a reminder. Honestly, we don't see many truly new ideas anymore. If we did, maybe we could actually fix many of our problems.

We'll disagree. If you coach/parent the right way, its like reading an article that says you shouldn't allow your kids to smoke weed.

 

IMO it has a limited audience as far as making an impact.

 

By the way, bad coaches/parents have been this way since at least the 70s so this isn't anything new.

We will definitely disagree! First of all, obviously, this is not aimed at those that are doing things right -- what would be the point of that? But since most are doing things right, should nothing be said about those who do not? How does any change come about if the problem is simply ignored? :eek:

 

Secondly, saying that "this kind of behavior has been around forever" completely missed the point. The point is that it is more pervasive now, and getting worse. Just study today's headlines for all the evidence you'll need of that fact.

 

 

I think we agree. There are some who can benefit from this column but most of us will not - that's my point. IMO a column should either entertain us, challenge our way of thinking, or make us angry. Throwing out the obvious does nothing for the masses.

A column should make you think, entertain you, move you, or effect a social change. In that light, this column succeeds.

You are right, every year we hear the same issues being raised. Nothing earth shattering here, but it is nice to be reminded. It would be even nicer if those who are guilty actually gave their actions a 2nd thought after reading this, ... but they won't. However, maybe this could give a someone a nudge on actually dealing with a coach/parent who is like this.

That's it, exactly. :thumb:

 

 

 

As far as coaches/parents being this way since the 1970's, that is true. However, it seems far more widespread now than when I was a kid during the 70's.

Bingo.

Well reading the article did something for me. It made me realize once again, just how stupid adults are. We are so full of ourselves that we forget that these games are for the kids and all about the kids. We think that just becuase we are "adults" we have the right to act and talk anyway we want to and WE DON'T.

 

I long for the day that I can attend a sporting event and not have to listen to fans cussing, coaches cussing and people just generally being mean, not only to the other team but to their team also. I long for that day but I truly don't ever expect it to happen.

 

These are kids, please just let them be kids for as long as they can because being an adult just isn't all that much fun!

We will definitely disagree! First of all, obviously, this is not aimed at those that are doing things right -- what would be the point of that? But since most are doing things right, should nothing be said about those who do not? How does any change come about if the problem is simply ignored? :eek:

 

Secondly, saying that "this kind of behavior has been around forever" completely missed the point. The point is that it is more pervasive now, and getting worse. Just study today's headlines for all the evidence you'll need of that fact.

 

 

A column should make you think, entertain you, move you, or effect a social change. In that light, this column succeeds.

 

I'll state it again. This column was aimed at a very limited number of people.

 

I don't agree that its more pervasive now. I think we're simply more sensitive to it now (and rightly so). This behavior has been around forever. Its nothing new. We just talk about it more now.

 

Ballplayers used to carouse and booze it up . However, reporters now actually report on it. It isn't happening any less than it was in the 20s. Its not getting worse. Like bad coaching, we're simply talking about it more often.

 

I'm not saying that PD was wrong for writing it. I'm just saying it was a lazy column that doesn't require any critical thinking and its a case of "preaching to the choir."

I'll state it again. This column was aimed at a very limited number of people.

 

I'm not saying that PD was wrong for writing it. I'm just saying it was a lazy column that doesn't require any critical thinking and its a case of "preaching to the choir."

Sorry Clyde, but you don't seem to get it and there isn't anything that's going to change that. Now can we please discuss the the subject of this excellent and timely article? :irked: