My kids play all sorts of sports (football, basketball, soccer, golf, and ballet...is ballet a sport?), they love it...some of my kids just love to be out there with their friends and some of them love to compete. In the hundreds of hours we've spent on bleachers and sidelines I've never witnessed intensity like I have from little league baseball and it's not from the kid's desire to win...it's because of the parents.
Here are a 4 reasons why;
1. The bleachers and field are arranged in such a way that you are literally a few feet from your opposing teams families/friends...you can hear every word they say. Every. Word...it's not like I'm across the field from you. Yep, that's right dad who yells to his son on the pitcher's mound, "This kid ain't nothing...outfielder's scoot in! Strike him out!" That kid at the plate you are passive aggressively exasperating...yeah, that's my nephew...he's a good kid, and he's 9 years old, not David Ortiz. You sound like a member of Cobra Kai from Karate Kid yelling, "Put him in a body bag Johnny!" Just stop it...seriously...you sound like an idiot!
2. You are putting more pressure on your kids than they can handle...they hear you...you are a few feet away. Your son know's he has two strikes and no balls (you yelling at him actually makes him feel like he has no balls of his own either.) He can hear you say "Come on!", "Seriously!", "Be a man!", "Are you kidding me!"...It's almost like his next swing of the bat echoes in eternity. It doesn't! In fact, your son is more interested at this point in what the post game snack will be then the score. Get over yourself...please.
3. Your yelling is perhaps one of the reasons your son is making errors...want your son to make less errors? Here's an idea...shut up. Check out www.zipit.com! Pretend you are 8 and you have friends...but you aren't sure if your friends like you for you or because you can do things (like catch, hit, make a play). Now pretend everything you do in life at your age is to receive affirmation for positive things you do. Yeah...that's an 8 year old. When they make mistakes on the field...they know it and they aren't taking it lightly, so lay off a bit...you yelling at your son for making such an error is only going to make him more anxious the next time the ball comes his way...and then you know what happens? Pretty soon, he may not even want to play anymore...the pressure isn't worth it.
4. Lastly...can we stop yelling at the Umpire? It's little league people...can you start coming with the expectation that the ump is umping (is that a word?) in little league because he/she is not a good ump? Here's a crazy secret...umps who are good typically don't ump little league. Are they nice...absolutely! Are they trying their best...you bet! But if they were good...you'd probably see them at a higher level with a little more at stake...when you yell at "Blue"...it doesn't bode well as an example for your kids to follow.
I'm grateful for little league baseball...it is so fun watching these little peeps have fun, laugh, learn from adversity...but parents, come on...it's little league, you aren't going to lose your house if your son strikes out or makes an error. Maybe instead of yelling you can just say, "Great job son/daughter...I love watching you play!!"
Well said Smith!
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