I loved playing ball growing up...i wasn't the best but was coachable. Same with my kids. Winning was great but you still got a coke win or lose(and if you were really daring you ordered the "suicide"-coke, dr.pepper, root beer, mello yellow, etc...-all mixed up in one pretty tasty, if I remember correctly, drink. Of course back then we had the coaches who were great, the coaches who were a little too competitive, the coaches who were awful but they wanted their son to pitch, and the coaches who did it even after their kids grew up. Unfortunately, it seems the latter has disappeared but most of it seems the same...............except for the parents of my generation.
The other night at my son's first game he threw the ball on a grounder to the outfield to second base instead of home. Two parents wondered "out loud" why/ how could he have done that. Luckily, I wasn't there. My wife made sure she said, "Good try!" loud enough so that my son and the idiots both could hear. I arrived soon after and got to see their sons royally screw up several times, but we, as usual, either just don't say anything or yell words of encouragement. These are 9 year olds and not paid professionals. They are trying their best as their talents and 9 year old minds will let them. Heck, you should see me mess up in men's softball.
But my generation, the parents of these young baseball players, are different than my parents. Today, I see "past their prime" athletes and those who never measured up in sports yelling at their kids and, surprisingly, other people's kids because of their mistakes. My parents have a good reputation because they were good people, worked hard, went to church, and raised four kids like God wanted them to do. Today's parents reputation seems to be built on how well their kids do in sports. It is awful seeing the pressure put on these kids because dad is a loser in life and can only redeem himself by his child's athletic performance.
I watch my children's athletic activities like I size up my ballgame. I'm going to mess up a whole lot but I'll hit that one shot that makes me come back for another horrendous round. Our kids will do the same, but if we ride them about their failures, how will they enjoy their success.
The proudest I was of my eldest son was when he was in machine pitch league. His coach was talking to me after the season and told me how proud he was of my son's attitude that year. Ya see, my son struck out more than 20 times before he got his first hit. I think his mom and I were more frustrated than he. But everytime he struck out, he walked back to the dugout with his head held high and in deep thought like he was figuring out what he did wrong. This was in comparison to many other excellent ballplayers who would cry or whine when they got out. But how could you blame them? Mommy and daddy were either walking away from their chairs to show their disgust or actually going up to the dugout to tell them what they did wrong(which is actually the coaches job so sit down parents). And when he got that first hit he was like a madman for the rest of the season. Hit after hit after hit. But it was his struggle that formed his character, not his success.
So parents of today, realize baseball is just a game. It should be a green field, dirt, bats, balls with red seams, leather gloves, and kids. It should not be a testimony of one's worth. Realize that if it wasn't for those "lesser" players you wouldn't have many teams to play, Realize their just little kids wanting a coke after the game and a mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandfather, or grandmother telling them they are proud of them. The measure of a man is not how your child competes today, the measure of a man is how your child will raise your grandchildren someday.
The other night at my son's first game he threw the ball on a grounder to the outfield to second base instead of home. Two parents wondered "out loud" why/ how could he have done that. Luckily, I wasn't there. My wife made sure she said, "Good try!" loud enough so that my son and the idiots both could hear. I arrived soon after and got to see their sons royally screw up several times, but we, as usual, either just don't say anything or yell words of encouragement. These are 9 year olds and not paid professionals. They are trying their best as their talents and 9 year old minds will let them. Heck, you should see me mess up in men's softball.
But my generation, the parents of these young baseball players, are different than my parents. Today, I see "past their prime" athletes and those who never measured up in sports yelling at their kids and, surprisingly, other people's kids because of their mistakes. My parents have a good reputation because they were good people, worked hard, went to church, and raised four kids like God wanted them to do. Today's parents reputation seems to be built on how well their kids do in sports. It is awful seeing the pressure put on these kids because dad is a loser in life and can only redeem himself by his child's athletic performance.
I watch my children's athletic activities like I size up my ballgame. I'm going to mess up a whole lot but I'll hit that one shot that makes me come back for another horrendous round. Our kids will do the same, but if we ride them about their failures, how will they enjoy their success.
The proudest I was of my eldest son was when he was in machine pitch league. His coach was talking to me after the season and told me how proud he was of my son's attitude that year. Ya see, my son struck out more than 20 times before he got his first hit. I think his mom and I were more frustrated than he. But everytime he struck out, he walked back to the dugout with his head held high and in deep thought like he was figuring out what he did wrong. This was in comparison to many other excellent ballplayers who would cry or whine when they got out. But how could you blame them? Mommy and daddy were either walking away from their chairs to show their disgust or actually going up to the dugout to tell them what they did wrong(which is actually the coaches job so sit down parents). And when he got that first hit he was like a madman for the rest of the season. Hit after hit after hit. But it was his struggle that formed his character, not his success.
So parents of today, realize baseball is just a game. It should be a green field, dirt, bats, balls with red seams, leather gloves, and kids. It should not be a testimony of one's worth. Realize that if it wasn't for those "lesser" players you wouldn't have many teams to play, Realize their just little kids wanting a coke after the game and a mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandfather, or grandmother telling them they are proud of them. The measure of a man is not how your child competes today, the measure of a man is how your child will raise your grandchildren someday.
That we threw the game.
Hello, these are 8 & 9 year old kids. That's when things got really ugly and DS came off the field asking "why did they think we cheated?" 
) 
.
Kindergarteners just want to play; they're not interested in winning. These parents were so supportive, they would say to a kid on the OTHER team, "Honey! Sweetie! Your goal is that way! That way!" 
Sometimes I wish I had the guts to say something like that! 
I'm surprised she left AND I'm surprised that she'd let him take her daughter home, but they lived close to each other and the daughters played together sometimes. BTW, the mom was fine for the rest of the season. She still came, was much quieter and much more supportive. Can you imagine how many moms would have pulled their daughter off the team? She probably knew she wasn't likely to find a better coach!
My favorite was the mom who yelled out to her son in the field with 20 minutes left in the game, "Let's go honey, mommie has a nail appointment."
