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:

 

I am discussing the article. I just told you that its nothing new and the great majority who read it already know this. It could be considered "timely" today, tomorrow, next week, next year, 30 years ago, 10 years ago, etc. That's my point. PD took a day off on this one.

 

Am I only allowed to comment if I agree with the masses? No opposing views allowed?

This article may apply to some, sparsely in the youth coaching but not a majority, certainly not the norm. I've been involved with youth sports, for numerous years and yes on occasion, I would have to have talks with rowdy parents, refocus coaches and even escort some of the property. I could count on one hand, those instances like stated in this article but for every 1 coach, who sounds likes this, I can think of 90 others who don't.

 

Some coaches/parents, approach the game serious and yes, at an early age. The batting cage and instructional classes, is something they enjoy and more times than naught, so does the child. The over zealous, do exist but they are not common place.

 

At any youth game, you will see clusters of adults, grouped throughout the facility. I can see some groups, even talking about other groups and who is with whom. I admire any adult, for helping their child achieve in sports and a small extreme few, act the way described in the article.

 

With that said, youth sports isn't like it used to be and competitiveness is now a standard for many leagues. Those coaches who are boisterous, often don't last and turn into loudmouth parents.

That's my point. PD took a day off on this one.

 

Am I only allowed to comment if I agree with the masses? No opposing views allowed?

So far, all you've done is rip on the writer for -- if this makes any sense -- being lazy.

 

You don't like the article. We get it. Now there are people who do get something from it. I'd like this thread to be about that. You're perfectly free to avoid this thread if you get nothing out of the article it's based on.

So far, all you've done is rip on the writer for -- if this makes any sense -- being lazy.

 

You don't like the article. We get it. Now there are people who do get something from it. I'd like this thread to be about that. You're perfectly free to avoid this thread if you get nothing out of the article it's based on.

 

 

Selective reading on your part, Birdsfan. Not only did I say he was lazy, I explained that I disagree with your assessment that this is something new to today's society.

 

If dissenting opinions arent allowed, please denote it somewhere in the title.

I read the article and wondered how BGP would respond since so many (and many of those on here who have spoke positively about the article) have lampooned and ridicule the give a ribbon to everyone mentality of some of the others when coming to the idea of athletics and kids playing them.

 

Basically, giving a ribbon to every kid is what a good portion of this article supports.

I read the article and wondered how BGP would respond since so many (and many of those on here who have spoke positively about the article) have lampooned and ridicule the give a ribbon to everyone mentality of some of the others when coming to the idea of athletics and kids playing them.

 

Basically, giving a ribbon to every kid is what a good portion of this article supports.

 

I don't necessarily think that. You can have a balance between competitiveness and fun.

I don't necessarily think that. You can have a balance between competitiveness and fun.

 

At one point, he gets on the coach for wanting to have batting practice for the players and then they do not start if they don't show up.

 

Not sure how that is a bad idea. We did it, still do it, and it works to improve their hitting and instead of them leaving a game with 3 K's, they leave with 3 balls in play and 2 hits.

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.

 

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.

 

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."

Totally disagree, this was a great article. Every year brings in new coaches and parents to the game that need to read an article like this. I coached both baseball and softball and have seen more than my share of coaches/parents that are as stated in the article. I also remember seeing very, very little of this kind of behavior back in the late '60s and early '70s when I was in little league.

I'm glad P Doc wrote it, I hope a lot of coaches and parents read it and give some thought to it's message.

I don't necessarily think that. You can have a balance between competitiveness and fun.

I didn't get that from it either. I think it just advocates civilized, adult behavior and good sportsmanship.

Are these situations inappropriate?????

 

When the other team's smallest player comes up, yell to your outfielders in your loudest voice, "Move in! Order your infielders to form a semi-circle around the pitcher's mound.

 

Is the coach supposed to leave their outfielders and infielders on the edge of the grass like the #4 hitter is up when the #14 hitter (roster batting) is up????

 

Pull your player from the outfield in the middle of an inning, because he didn't back up a play. Sit him out for one pitch. Send another kid in for him. Then send the first kid back out there. That way you can educate two kids at once on how to play the game.

Maybe it was the 50th or 100th time the kid did not do what they were supposed to do in their position. Why is this wrong?

 

Schedule regular times at an indoor batting cage. It's never too early to learn how to be successful. Even if your players would rather be watching cartoons. Bench them if they don't show up.

 

Now get out there and don't take a third strike.

Why would you not tell them to swing at pitches that are strikes and we don't care if you hit it or get out, just try and swing and put the ball in play.

I didn't get that from it either. I think it just advocates civilized, adult behavior and good sportsmanship.

 

Part of it does and part of it does not. I have listed the parts that I don't understand why they are wrong in a post above.

Are these situations inappropriate?????

 

When the other team's smallest player comes up, yell to your outfielders in your loudest voice, "Move in! Order your infielders to form a semi-circle around the pitcher's mound.

 

Is the coach supposed to leave their outfielders and infielders on the edge of the grass like the #4 hitter is up when the #14 hitter (roster batting) is up????

 

Pull your player from the outfield in the middle of an inning, because he didn't back up a play. Sit him out for one pitch. Send another kid in for him. Then send the first kid back out there. That way you can educate two kids at once on how to play the game.

Maybe it was the 50th or 100th time the kid did not do what they were supposed to do in their position. Why is this wrong?

 

Schedule regular times at an indoor batting cage. It's never too early to learn how to be successful. Even if your players would rather be watching cartoons. Bench them if they don't show up.

 

Now get out there and don't take a third strike.

Why would you not tell them to swing at pitches that are strikes and we don't care if you hit it or get out, just try and swing and put the ball in play.

 

1. There's a right way and a wrong way. No harm in telling your outfielders to scoot in. Anything like PD said along the lines of "this kid can't hit" is uncalled for and belittling.

 

2. Unless we're talking high school ball, yanking one player out DURING an inning is uncalled for. At the younger ages, its about a)learning and b)having fun playing a great game. Its simply another form of singling out a player who makes mistakes. Take him out during the half inning.

 

3. Unless its a "tryout team" every kid plays. Period. Every kid gets a chance to start. Period. There should NEVER be a benching because the kid can't always control his circumstances. I have no respect for the hardass coach who uses a "benching."

Schedule regular times at an indoor batting cage. It's never too early to learn how to be successful. Even if your players would rather be watching cartoons. Bench them if they don't show up.

 

Now get out there and don't take a third strike.

 

Why would you not tell them to swing at pitches that are strikes and we don't care if you hit it or get out, just try and swing and put the ball in play.

I don't think that's what he's saying. The last sentence was just a way to finish the thought he was expressing in the preceeding paragraph. In that paragraph, he's talking about going to excess with practicing when it comes to very small kids, like 7-year-olds.

I don't think that's what he's saying. The last sentence was just a way to finish the thought he was expressing in the preceeding paragraph. In that paragraph, he's talking about going to excess with practicing when it comes to very small kids, like 7-year-olds.

 

I understand that he was talking about 7 and 8 year old but at times he seemed to lose that and lump all LL coaches together.

1. There's a right way and a wrong way. No harm in telling your outfielders to scoot in. Anything like PD said along the lines of "this kid can't hit" is uncalled for and belittling.

 

2. Unless we're talking high school ball, yanking one player out DURING an inning is uncalled for. At the younger ages, its about a)learning and b)having fun playing a great game. Its simply another form of singling out a player who makes mistakes. Take him out during the half inning.

 

3. Unless its a "tryout team" every kid plays. Period. Every kid gets a chance to start. Period. There should NEVER be a benching because the kid can't always control his circumstances. I have no respect for the hardass coach who uses a "benching."

 

1. I agree the kid can't hit comment is uncalled for and why I removed it from my example.

 

2. I got a tone from the article that he began to lump all LL coaches together and move from just 7 and 8 year old to all coaches. With that thought, a) one of the techniques of learning is losing playing time. What if the coach has taught and showed that point all season and the player continues to do not do it. It gets to a point that losing PT is the technique to learn. b) it is so much funnier when you are winning. Unless we want to give everyone ribbons.

 

3. He made NO DISTINCTION from a tryout team and not. And there is training going on for the parents as much as the players. They have to be trained that this is NOT just a time that they can bring their child whenever and expect that child to receive playing time as much as any of the other children. I personally have gone to my child's coach and ask him TO BENCH my child when my child was lazy and not giving 100% effort. I have told my son over and over, I don't care about his batting average or his pitching or anything else, as long as he has a great attitude and gives 100% effort and listens to the coach. THose other things will be taken care of IF he is doing the above 3 things.