Baseball Season Is Starting: Time For The Crazy Parents To Come Out
Posted: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
by Laura Trahan
It has started already. I am already finding myself with my jaw on the ground at behavior of parents and we haven't even had our first baseball practice yet.
Every year, parents tend to lose rational thinking as their kids hit the fields. It is inevitable.
Sign the kids up for baseball, check!
Buy the gear, check!
Turn psycho, Check!
We decided this year to go back to our hometown league after being persuaded by some friends. We joined again ecstatic about getting to spend time with our closest friends.
The problem? We forgot the reason we left the league in the first place. The parents are psycho! Last time we played, our son was in t-ball. Ever heard of parents screaming at t-ballers for missing a ball? We witnessed that. My kid learned how to shoot the finger on the bench from another boy who learned from his dad.
My husband decided to coach with a friend. Second night of tryouts and he was witnessing the psychoticness of coaches and parents. You could hear a pin drop at the tryouts. The pressure was immense mainly because the parents were freaking out for their kids.
The coaches were scheming intent on drafting the best players despite the hopes of the kids to just play with their friends and have fun. Do you honestly think that the kids care about having the best players on their team? They want to play with their friends? After all, isn't that what baseball is all about?
Furthermore, if you are looking for ways to win instead of coaching, how are the kids learning?
Already this season, the stories are embarrassing to adults who need to grow up and get a clue. These are the headlines thus far.
"A little league coach intentionally walked a good hitter in a big game to pitch to a special needs kid."
Really, and the example or lesson this coach taught the kids was what?
Another coach apparently paid a teammate $20 to bean another kid during warmups so that the kid couldn't play! Great coaching-guess he should get coach of the year, right?
Here is a friendly reminder for this season. Put yourself in your kids place for once. Do you really think they need to hear what all they have done wrong in a game? Do you think they don't know?
Or better yet, do you want your child to grow up and act like you are acting right now?
One of my kid's grandfathers once told me that his biggest regret is not getting to see his son's games. When I asked if he worked, he explained that his son requested he not come to the games and all together quit telling him when they were.
When he got to high school, he had enough of this dad's "coaching." The son now plays professional soccer and he has missed out on most of his life because of the way he acted when he was little.
Don't do it! You get 18 years if you are lucky with your child, cherish these moments. Cheer like no ones business-just don't hurt your child.
Tuck the crazy person away for when you are not at the ballpark. Maybe in rush hour traffic, you can get more use of your craziness!!
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