My own favorite sporting moments I had in my childhood were all a result of winning. Losing is no fun, and telling kids that losing doesn’t matter isn’t gonna make it fun. That’s not to say mechanics aren’t important or that kids should be taught curves when they’re 11, but competition is still an integral part of a child’s sporting experience. And eliminating the competitive spirit isn’t going to stop parents from being dicks about their kids.

...loves sports. He’s been a total sport nut, ever since he was a kid (and he’s now old enough to be a grandfather). He coached youth sports for years, but has given up on boys’ sports the past few years. He just can’t take the crazy, competitive parents. Even in T-ball, they’re already thinking about college scholarships and big-league contracts.

He now coaches only girls’ sports. Basketball, volleyball, softball. He says it’s much less crazy. Probably because there’s not much money in women’s sports. I really think it’s the money that’s driven so many parents over the edge.

Though girls’ sports is not immune. Another of my coworkers had trouble getting her daughter signed up for girls’ basketball. The kid was only eight years old, but the coach didn’t want her, because her mom, my coworker, was less than 5’ tall. He just took one look at the mom, and said the kid would never be a basketball player. My coworker would not take no for an answer, though. Her daughter never got very tall, but she became a very good basketball player. She made all-state team in high school.

I umpired baseball in my late teens and off-and-on in my 20s, and I coached my nephew in baseball and soccer.

Funny thing is I think my umping experience made me a bit tougher on the officials, at least on the obvious lazy ones, or the ones that didn’t know how to interpret the game (especially in soccer). I was the weird coach who would get mad at the official when they DIDN’T call a foul on one of MY players because I wanted the kids to learn what they can and can’t do on the field….and especially in the case of youth soccer, it was for the kids safety.

And I agree, parents can be total dicks. The worst I dealt with though were parents and coaches during an All-Star T-BALL tournament. They were the worst imaginable. Of course, maybe it was because they were from Franklin…:) Apologies to any RR readers from that wondrous metropolis, but these people made your town look bad.

crolfer, my best advice on umping (besides to make sure to wear a cup!) is this: Stay consistent. No matter what your strike zone is (although it should be big unless you enjoy umping a walk-fest), make sure a strike in the first inning is a strike in the fifth inning. Most coaches will appreciate it.

Oh, and don’t have an arrogant attitude. Be willing to ask the other ump for help if the coaches request it, and be willing to admit the occasional mistake.

I am a Cinti local Freshman BBall coach at an inner city High School as well as an 8th grade AAU coach at the highest AAU level.

It is phenomenal to see most of these parents be knuckle-heads. I do my best to acommidate everyone, no get everyone to like me as a coach, but just to make sure I am being fair and open.

Sadly for many of these inner city kids there are not many parents around so dealing with them does not exist. I have yet to had any run ins or problems with parents at this school yet. In fact I have not even heard about any problems from anyone in our coaching staff. It is nice to have this however on the flip side there is no one pushing these kids to succeed in anything, sports/school/other extracurriculars, out side of their teachers and coaches. It is a sad fact but many times I have had to take a role in some of these kids lives I wish I never had, and would have never had to if they had more of a family support system. I can vent all about this however, thanks for voting yes on the CPS levy if you did, it kept me with a job and kept many kids in sports. Without it passing they were getting rid of freshman and JV sports in everything and only going to have one sport per gender per season.

On the other end, coaching AAU ball I am getting kids from all walks of life but the one thing that really gets me is the parents that are pushing these kids into too much, one boy is playing 3 sports currently, and then they are not happy about our success on the court. Once again I can vent all day, but it is an interesting business to be in.

One suggestion along cesarhernandez’s lines, don’t think just because you have power over the game that doesn’t make you high and mighty to the coach. One thing that drives me nuts is a ref/ump that is disrespectful to a coach, hear the coach out, let him vent then just be consistent. If I had that in officials I would never had any T’s.

a few years of basket ball and a couple of Knot Hole.
Playing is more fun when kids work hard and therfore play hard.
Winning is about learning to work hard, play hard and to get along w/your teamates
Truly,
I would tell parents at the beginning of every season what was expected of their kids and more importantly what was expected of them, the parents. Pull for every kid on your team and the opposition players too
Give the refs a break, find the positives…
You don’t like how I coach then come to EVERY practice and help me, learn from and I’ll do the same. To my players: Everybody plays in every game,There’s no penalty for mistakes, Play as hard at practrice as you would in a game.
Play your heart out, leave it on the field, you may not win that specific game but you can sleep at night, you can look your teamates and oppossing players in the eye and feel that you’ve done you’re best. That’s what we worked for, That really was a new kind of fun for my players.
Although I stressed winning, I pushed hard for the kids to play hard, to play smart and to play to each other’s strengths. To learn the game and to know their limits. and to grow beyond those limits as much as they could.
Over 13years my teams were fortunate nough to win more games than any other teams in our Club, more high level tournaments and I sent 17 girls to play college soccer, 3 to play college softball and 1 to Dennison where she played women’s rugby. They did it, all we (my trainer and I) did was provide a consistent environment.for the girls to grow in. there days when we’d all be so blah that we’d stop the practice and go down the street and eat UDF ice cream and just plain ‘blow it off’’. That was fun too.
Finally I would end by saying I agree with the spirit of Crolfer, its about learning and having fun. A you young parents guess what some kids just aren’t interested. they’re not wired to play ball. That’s OK too.

Juan Castro has four teams after him. Seriously? Juan Castro?

My favorite little league memories werent about winning, or even playing the game. My favorite memory was riding my bike to the park for practice. The camradarie, friendships, laughter and balls out effort at learning the game.

Sorry if its unpopular, but many parents today are dicks. It doesnt matter who wins the game, and taunting seems to be an issue in younger age groups more and more.

Now before you attack, understand I played at a very high level through high school. I umpired once I became old enough to ride a moped to the games. And I was a coach for numerous leagues for my kids. I know of what I speak.

I think any parents ridiculing a kid umpire should immediately be tossed from the stands. Give me a break, why dont the parents just ump the games if its so easy to be right on every call. I had to run parents 20 years ago, b/c they were trying to intimidate me….a teenager. Yeah, thats strong…and a good lesson for the kids playing the game. Bitch and moan, and it might make a difference in the outcome of a game!!!

As a kid one of my favorite memories was actually playing games with a cast on my left hand. I put the mitt on the opposite hand to play the field…and i batted gripping the bat with only one hand…pretty much. Now, I am embarrassed. I shouldnt have been allowed to take the field. Just think of the poor kid whose position i had to take (i couldnt play short that summer) and he had to go to the bench, for the kid in a cast, and his parents were in the stands every game. UGH!

Food for thought….

My coworker told me today that she’s sending her daughter to volleyball camp. At the Naval Academy.

Makes sense.

You close to those storms that are rolling through out there? Keep your head down!!