A DI Coach's Suggestion for Parents

Dads, dads and more dads

A lot of good stuff to think about here for sure.

 

Great Shot BIRDHUNTER

I agree with most everything except, theire are alot of kids that play february to november because they want to and still have a life,good grades, and the most important of all FUN playing the game of baseball with friends they have met through baseball.

 

I believe the majority of baseball parents are great. They are some of the best people I have ever met...and I believe most of you will agree. The relationships developed through your son's baseball teams are one's we cherish.

BUT...we have all witnessed boorish behavior and ignorant comments from a few. We have all witnessed the father that lives his life through the son. And I've come to the conclusion that they don't realize they are doing that. Where does this behavior first show? You can see it start at the LL level. It's been 10 years since I've been involved at that level......and what I have witnessed is scary. But it's not just baseball.

Although there has always been examples of bad behavior throughout the history of sports; if I had to choose a time when it started to become extreme, I would choose the point when someone said, "Let's play better competition and form an All Star team and play teams all over". It separated the have's from the have nots and brought about "elite" baseball....and it brought out some of the worst in some parents.

In the past, meddlesome baseball was found at the younger ages. By the time a player reached high school, it was over or the player was off the team. Now, it has reached the HS level...and at some schools it is widespread. You have parents against parents because of transfers, you have coaches being threatened with blackmail. You have parents rushing to the principal to complain: This is the amusing part. The parents realize they can't complain about playing time, so what do they do? They complain about some perceived character flaw in the coach; or hopefully, something concrete they can prove that will put that coach in jeopardy. I can go on for pages about this.

It is sad, it is disturbing, but it's the environment found in amateur baseball.

 

Great post. Even though this is posted on the baseball board, it could easily be cut and pasted onto the other boards, b/c I've seen it and heard it at basketball games too (as most of you probably have too...).