As baseball season is upon us again, I can't help but remember the days that I was on the field. The same fields where my sons play baseball now. I also can't help but wonder what ever happened to sports? It has become political BS. When I was a kid, I worked my butt off to prove that I was a good pitcher and an even better short stop. Because that's what you had to do. These days all you have to do is be the coach's son. We have coaches that are coaching to fulfill community service requirements. We have first basemen that can't catch a ball to save their life, but daddy's a board member. What do you think this does to the other kids on the team? It makes them give up. If their efforts to be a good team player and prove their skill fail because of political BS, why would they want to keep trying?
At the end of the season, it doesn't matter if you were a good sport or a poor sport. It doesn't matter if you worked your butt off to prove yourself at a position, or if you were picking dandelions in right field. You are a winner. You will get a trophy, or a medal, because nobody knows how to lose. This generation is raising a bunch of pansies because nobody wants a kid to get their feelings hurt.
As David McCullough Jr said in a recent commencement speech, "You see, if everyone is special, then no one is. If everyone gets a trophy, trophies become meaningless." There is truth in these words. Baseball is a competitive sport. There is nothing wrong with healthy competition. The point is to learn to try. Motivation to win is healthy. If you put your kids in COMPETITIVE SPORTS, it should come with the understanding that there is a WINNER and a LOSER in every game.
They'll be handing these out next:
Picture this. Your son is a high school senior, and football player. It's also his 18th birthday, and the bowl game. Big day, right? Imagine that he is mid run of the winning touch down and does a split second fist pump. To be expected, given all the excitement don't you think? This is a true story. That boy was penalized for "excessive celebration" and his touchdown did not count. They lost the game because of it. His fist pump was considered to be "a taunting gesture", even though he was not even facing the opposing team... he was after all, ahead of them, and almost to the endzone when he raised his fist in the air for half of a second. I for one, do not believe that he deserved to have that moment taken away from him. This is an example of a rule that has come to be from people who believe "everyone is a winner". If everyone is a winner, why bother trying?
Photo of the taunting gesture:
I had some good coaches growing up, and very encouraging parents. It's probably why I'm so hard on myself now if I'm not the absolute best at everything I do. But that's OK. I don't have a sense of entitlement. I know that I have to EARN my accomplishments. It sucks to try to pass these ideals down to my children, when all they see is that their efforts don't matter.
Is calling a fair game in 8 year old machine pitch too much to ask? This is the age they are learning fundamentals. If a coach is yelling at another coach that he's a cry baby in front of the 8 year old players, he should be thrown out of the game, not having the game called in his favor just because he's buddies with the umpire's daddy. Children need to learn good sportsmanship. This means learning how to win and lose with grace. Yes, lose. If they never lose, why would winning mean anything?
I get it. T-ball is about having fun. Just kinda learning which direction is first base. Getting a concept for how the game is played, but more about playing in some red dirt and getting to wear a shirt with a number on the back. I will holler at my son to let him know what's expected of him in the position he is playing, but if he goes the whole game without figuring it out, I still laugh it off. Because he's 5. You won't even know if you won or lost the game, and that's ok, because you're HAVING FUN.
Machine pitch, in my opinion is where the fundamentals are learned. I think this means rotating players to different positions to find their strengths and weaknesses, decide on a position or two that are best for him or her. This is the age that is also critical to teach sportsmanship. You won't win every game, and that's ok, because you're LEARNING.
Kid pitch in little league should be about applying everything you've learned from previous seasons, and playing some real ball. The fun part is when you win, and the learning part is when you lose. You have learned a position or two, and you're getting good at them. If you're not good at any of them, you've probably lost interest by now anyways. (Parents: please don't force your kid to play a sport they don't want to at this point... you're not doing anyone any good.) You will not win every game, and that's ok, because it's LIFE. Get over it.
Yay! Look what I got! I'm a winner!!
Ever watch American Idol? Remember all of the people that come on the show and say that their whole lives, people have told them they are an amazing singer, they sound like Whitney Houston, blah blah blah... Well then they open their mouths, and people laugh at them? That's because they suck. But their parents told them all their life that they were amazing at it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that we don't encourage our kids... but don't lie to them either. Don't set them up for failure. The truth that nobody wants to tell you is that you CAN'T be whatever you want to be. God gave me different talents than he gave you. Some people can sing, some people can't. Some people can catch a baseball, some people can't. I suck at math, but I can fly through a literature course like nothing. It takes losing sometimes to figure out what you're made for.
Winning!!
DRD
Very well stated, my dear!
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