| Hi. My name is Keith. Last year was my son's first year in Little
League. I had heard the horror stories about the overbearing Little League parents and
coaches, but last season was my first chance to see for myself. And I saw a lot...some
bad, but mostly good. But what I did learn was important: how to make Little League more
enjoyable, and a greater learning experience, for the kids. And, after all, no matter how
much we enjoy it, too, Little League is for the kids.
So, I would like to share some thoughts with you, too. I honestly
believe that these ideas will help to make the next few months funnier for you children,
more enjoyable for you, and a heck of a lot easier on those people who volunteer their
time and skills. Hope they can help!!
PLAY BALL!
Work
with your child. There really is little more satisfying than going
out at least a few evenings a week and playing ball with your kids.
This gives quality time, and helps your child improve his/her skills
(and, trust me, the better your child can play, the more she/he will
enjoy the Little League experience!). Some day, your child will look
back on the summer evenings spent playing catch with mom and dad.
Get involved in your local League. Little League
is run on a volunteer basis, and they can use all the help they can
get. Anything you can do to pitch in will make the League run more
smoothly, and will help all the kids, from helping out at tryouts,
to scorekeeping or field preparation, to umpiring. If your child
sees that Little League is that important to you, he/she will learn
that it is important to the kids, too. In 1995 I helped out by field
prep, scorekeeping, and umpiring; in addition to making it a
satisfying experience for me, I was able to teach my son some of the
things that others (umpires!) look for in a game. And, the Leagues
provide all of the training anyone needs. Some people worry that
they are not qualified--I say if you make a mistake, you can offer
to give back the money you earned that day (remember--it's volunteer
work!!). Besides, even coaches and players make mistakes...the point
is to learn and to have fun, and to teach kids that you care!!!
Different coaches have different philosophies.
Some believe in having players play all positions, some want players
to become good at one. Some coaches place more emphasis on winning
(and I can tell you, from experience, that players have more fun
when they are winning). It is IMPORTANT to remember that your
child's coach is not being paid, he is working for the love of the
game and the kids. Let him be the coach! Don't argue and criticize
if you think your child is being treated unfairly (as parents, it is
natural to be very protective, but most coaches aren't
discriminating). If you think there is a problem, discuss it with
the coach AWAY from the ball field; chances are that you will see
his point of view. The important thing is not to make an issue in
front of the players; along with baseball, they are learning to work
as a team and to respect authority and experience...work not to ruin
this teaching.
For heaven's sake, show up for the games AND the
practices. In today's busy world it is sometimes hard to juggle
schedules, but this is your child! I cannot begin to tell stories of
kids I've seen who never tried to excel at Little League, and
invariably these kids were dropped off at practices and picked up
afterwards, without the parent(s) ever watching a single practice.
It's only a couple of times a week, a couple of months out of the
year! The most irritating are the parents who don't ever watch
practice (and, therefore, never understand the coaches philosophy),
but will question (yell!) at a coaches decision during the game.
Most people wouldn't dare to not show up for work and still tell the
boss what's wrong with the company, but they will turn around and do
just that with their childs' coach.
Respect the rules! This is what the kids should be
learning. If you don't agree with an umpires call, keep it to
yourself. If there is a team rule that bothers you, well, its their
team...not yours. If you think there is a serious problem, take it
up with the coach or a League official on your own time, not your
childs'. Rule of thumb: during practice or games, don't speak unless
spoken to (except, of course, to cheer on ALL the kids).
Don't create pressure. Just about every father dreams
of his son becoming a major league star, but they are only children.
Don't expect more than they can deliver. Give positive
encouragement, and be there when they need you. Besides, often a
child in early years will lack certain skills, and blossom later on.
Don't fight nature, or the kids.
Ice Cream!!! No one likes to lose, but the nature of a
team sport is that one team will always lose. Teach your child that
he/she didn't lose, the team lost. And they lost to a team that just
happened to play better that day. There is always next time, and the
important thing is to learn from the defeats. Its okay to analyze
why someone lost, and how they can do better next time. It's never
okay to place blame!
Have Fun!!!!! Little League should be a positive
experience for everyone: kids, coaches, support staff, and parents.
Winning is nice, but losing is inevitable. Being a star is fun, but
being a bench player is just as important. Take the opportunity to
enjoy your child's childhood, and to teach some important life
lessons!!
(This suggestion is from
a Mom)
Although
baseball is considered a 'non-contact' sport, there are occasions
when players collide, or non-contact injuries occur. We are all
concerned about our children's safety, but if your child suffers an
injury, remember: kids are able to sustain a lot more than adults;
and, coaches are trained in dealing with injuries. Let the coach
handle the situation...he doesn't need a panicked parent to deal
with.
I can't stress this enough: VOLUNTEER...they need you. One of the
biggest irritants I see is those who will not give their time, but
are quick to criticize. If you can't be part of the solution, don't
be part of the problem. If you think that something needs to be
changed, get involved so that you can change it.
(This
suggestion is from a Manager)
One of the
most frustrating things for a manager is to have a parent come up
after the season and say, "great season, but you kept doing
something that bothered me..." A manager/coach cannot change
problems if they don't know the problems exist. Most
managers/coaches welcome input.
One of the many books I own is one called You Can Teach
Hitting, by Dusty Baker. Along with being an excellent text, there
appears inside of the front
cover a poem about a Little Leaguer...I gave a copy of this poem to
several parents and coaches last year.
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