Another season of youth baseball is gearing up across the
land. There is a lot to like about this
most basic of American pastimes. Several
years of coaching youth sports and serving on the Little League board of directors have made the following concepts emerge with increasing clarity.
First, there is a very short list of matters of less lasting
importance than the final score of a little league baseball game.
I’m not in the “don’t keep score” camp, but think about
it. The group of little kids in the blue
shirts beats the group of little kids in the red shirts 8-2. Are the parents of the kids in red going to
be denied Friday’s paycheck? Is anyone’s
physical or emotional health going to be impaired because of the score? Is the sun still going to rise in the
morning? Probably.
However, there are some matters of lasting importance
related to the contest:
Was good character shown and built by and in every player,
coach, official and parent? How each individual
reacts to the events and outcome of the game reflects maturity and perspective
as individuals and as a community.
Did every participant (player, coach, official) put forth their
very best effort, mentally and physically? If so, important traits for success
and values of lasting importance are being developed and demonstrated.
Did everybody have fun?
This is a key outcome of the game that contributes to the overall
well-being of each participant and to the health of the community.
Secondly, something “bad” is going to happen at some point
in today’s game. Billy may bothc a
routine grounder, Sally may give up a home run, Tommy may strike out. Worse, the team the team will suffer because
of an individual’s failure in a given situation.
Worse still, something unfair is probably going to
happen. Count on it: the umpire WILL make a bad call (bad call is
defined as one you don’t agree with or goes against your kid or team). That “bad call” may even cost your team the game!
Something “bad” is going to happen in the game. Will we respond with grace, understanding,
and character? We should demand it, of
ourselves and our kids.
We have all seen bad behavior at recreational ball parks,
and it should be squashed, individually and institutionally. The vast majority of players, coaches,
officials and parents reflect positive values and have a good sense of
competitive balance. That’s appropriate,
because five minutes after the end of the game, most kids could care less about
(and maybe don’t remember) the final score.
Rules and regulations help, but controlling non-productive
behavior in youth baseball (and youth sports generally) is up to each
individual. Good sportsmanship, starting
with fundamental respect of self, officials, coaches, and opponents, should be demanded
absolutely as the minimum standard of acceptable behavior.
Let’s all remember that when it comes to the final score of
a youth baseball game, the “stakes” are low.
And that there are very few matters of less lasting importance than the
final score of a little league baseball game.
