re: Little League Dilemma: Was I in the Right or Wrong? UPDATE PG.15

quote:

---

So what are you supposed to do when you're up by 10 in the top of the 2nd, their pitcher can't throw strikes, and fielders can't make a play?

---

That's not running up the score, that's just winning by a lot against a bad team. Running up the score is when that's happening, and you push it even harder to score more than they are giving you when you don't need it.

quote:

---

The world needs ditch diggers too.


You taught the losers on the other team a valuable lesson. Now when life inevitably steps on their throats maybe they'll pull themselves up by their bootstraps and self improve instead of asking mommy or daddy to fix it.

You were 100% right

---

Yes, because look at enormously high % of professional athletes who are successful in every aspect of life. Oh wait, no I had it wrong, they are usually bankrupt despite having vast experience in winning and losing in the sports arena. Thats odd since you claim sports experience always equates to success in life.

quote:

---

That's not running up the score, that's just winning by a lot against a bad team. Running up the score is when that's happening, and you push it even harder to score more than they are giving you when you don't need it.

---

That's the exact answer I was looking for.

This past fall, we scrimmaged a new travel team in the area and even though we didn't keep score, I'd say when we finished we won by 15 or so. Their catcher was struggling along with their pitchers. I would keep runners at 3rd until we would have bases loaded before letting them go home on a pass ball.

Flash forward to the next month and we meet up in pool play in a tournament. Who won? They did. Both starting pitchers threw 3 scoreless innings.

We've lost by 20+ runs and have won by 20+ runs, neither are fun. The best games win or lose are 6 inning 1 run games.

The point is, at the youth level, anything can happen.

OP's team may not win another game.

quote:

---

I could go on, but I seriously doubt the arrogant f*cks who think America is being "pussified" would understand.

---

oh, we hit a nerve did we?...perhaps making my point that America is raising weak, thin skinned individuals?

We can't control what other adults do, only how we respond do we control our mindset and attitude. I don't think there is any arrogance in that reality.

Are 20 somethings prepared for tough challenges ahead?

I think we have become a nation of "Everyone wins"..."Equality"

"it must be fair".."it must be easier".. We seldom hear about teaching character and how to handle adversity.

Sports are where you learn about your own character strengths and weaknesses. Team sports teach how to work with others...To encourage and challenge each other...to reach your potential.

In short, getting embarrassed in competition is part of life..

how you respond as a coach and a parent is a teachable moment.

It's ok and good to be angry at the OP(coach) for calling steals up big, but at the same time, how do you address your team after? What is your message to the team?

Do you whine? "Hey, that coach over there, he is classless and on Monday I am going to see to it he is banned from this league"

or do you say " Well men, it's just one game, one loss..shake it off, we learned what we need to practice on next week".."huddle up on 3...."

I have a son who is 12 and daughter 10...and I do worry they are mentally tough enough to handle the future which appears will most certainly have more challenges than we have today.

6 short years, our son is off to college...our time to teach him before he leaves the nest is already running out...

quote:

---

Team sports teach how to work with others...To encourage and challenge each other...to reach your potential.

---

Does that only apply to the people on your team?

Kids are there to get better; not just at the sport but as better kids. Humility makes us better people and while discipline and a competitive edge make us better as we age and learn about our character and who we are there are other traits that can be learned as well.

quote:

---

The fault here is not with the OP, but with the league and the other coaches, who are apparently relying on an uncommunicated, unofficial "code" to govern their games, and act offended when someone doesn't know it or follow it.

The fact that they "officially" banned the OP from coaching because he broke "unofficial" rules is ludicrous.

The failure of the league to communicate what it wants from its coaches demonstrates a fundamental weakness in league organization. In sports, rules are rules. If you don't like it, change the rules in the coaches' meeting every spring. Otherwise, shut the hell up and realize the fault is with what appears to be a sloppy league full of passive aggressive bullshite.

---

+1

quote:

---

I never said winning the game would make those kids winners in life.

What I said was losing badly, and getting stomped on could teach a lesson about life to the kids.

Granted not everyone on each team will pick up the lesson, but some will. Some will connect the synonymous nature of the events of the game and the events of life.

But, you sound like you're one of the kids who didn't pick up on the connection, so what's the us explaining it to you

---

Your point was that losing would teach valuable life lesson about dealing with adversity and my point was that pro athletes, who would have had more crushing defeats than anybody due to their time spent playing sports, should be most adept at the life skills you mentioned. I think we see in the news every day that this is not the case and so your point is not valid.

So your point, again, was to cast an over-generalization to an entire group of people based on the actions of a few. I guess it can't be said that numerous professional athletes are very adept at dealing with adverse life situations? I guess every professional athlete has become a loser in his post athletic career due to crushing defeats and the connection between those and life's crushing blows. Yep, sounds reasonable

Life's not going to show anyone mercy. So why is it important to shield kids on the verge of puberty from the facts of life.

A baseball game is a fairly innocent place to learn that lesson. The coach on the other team passed up an opportunity to teach perhaps the most important lesson these kids may ever learn.

"Al right guys. These guys aren't going to let up, and neither should they. Does it feel good? Do we enjoy what's happening right now? NO! So let's go do something about it. Only way to put and end to it is if we decide to put and end to it. So let's take the field and do our best to shut this down!"