AnchorDownVU

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No six-year-old child should have to witness adults yelling, cursing, intimidating officials, or creating an environment that overshadows what should have been a celebration of youth softball. See less

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Years back I agreed to umpire an under 6 T-ball tournament.

It was the most pathetic thing I have ever been involved in. The kids did not care about the outcome (many were picking flowers are drawing pictures with their feet on the infield dirt). The parents, however, were taking it very seriously.

The rules for the tournament stated that only a certain number of kids could bat in an inning. The rules also stated that a kid that hadn't crossed the foul ball arc from third going to home before the last batter was out could not score.

Example: last batter up, one out, hits the ball to first. If he/she is forced out at first before the runner on third base crosses the foul ball arc, inning over and run doesn't count.

Again, want to stress that the kids didn't care.

Had two teams playing, don't remember where they were from. Scenario above happens. Runner was behind the line so I called out and ended the inning. Kid high fives me, doesn't care.

Mom starts going ballistic, yelling about how they were getting robbed, slinging curse words. Tournament director goes to her and tells her to calm down. She doesn't and started throwing bottles over the fence.

At this point, the police come over and escort her out.

about to start the next inning when I see a truck (driven by her) back up through a small ditch and park next to the outfield fence. Mom gets on the back of the truck and starts yelling, cursing and throwing stuff over the outfield fence.

Cops have to tackle her to the ground, cuff her and take her off in the police car while the 4 and 5 year old kids are looking on horrified.

To this day I can't understand how a grown adult can think in their mind that acting like that at a game being played by 4 and 5 year old kids is an acceptable thing.

Will never officiate an event like that again.

As you wrote, what should have been a fun event celebrating kids playing a fun and non-serious sport was ruined by parents treating it like game 7 of the World Series.

I would also suggest looking up local USL teams to follow. Tickets are quite cheap and I've personally had fun following the league.

With EPL, I just picked a team and started following them. I find most fans, here and elsewhere, will be more than happy to chat with newer fans.

:cheers:

I'm interested in seeing how Foden looks this season. Also want to see Reijnders show some improvement.

After seeing England throwing non stop praise on the Mexican fans I’m not sad to see them lose.

ARGENTINA!!!!

GOOAALL!!!’

Amazing game.

Not the prettiest game but fun to watch.

Someone called 3-1 earlier :cheers:

looked it up. India has only qualified for one World Cup, 1950, but declined to play because they wanted to play in the Olympics because they felt it was more prestigious.

Thought it was a quirky piece of history.

Feels like its just a matter of time. Going to be hard for Switzerland to constantly defend against Argentina and not concede eventually