Little League Baseball is for Children Not Adults

As a coach for my twin boys and sometimes reluctant home plate umpire my feelings about this topic are based on first hand involvement and observation. Sports are the key for many children for future careers but most will not achieve that goal. Even the next level of high school or collegiate athletics may not be in the realm of possibility. Regardless, the memories of the game of baseball, our national past time, should be good ones. Hitting, fielding and the rudiments of the game are one of the responsibilities of a coach. More important is to keep the parents and adults out of the game.

When the season kicked off there was always a parade and the different teams and sponsors proudly marched through the town.  That was the high point. Statistics all zero, wins and losses all zero. There would be awards and trophies at the end of the season but for the moment there were no tears or frustrations over curveballs or strike outs or missed double plays. They were just children living for future dreams. Future World Series and walk off home runs. My job was to keep it that way and stand between my team and the unfulfilled dreams of parents, sponsors and competitors. Further complicated was the fact that my sons played and were both on my team leaving me as the arbiter and having to forget being a father and be fair to them and the other players. This often left me to explain to my wife why certain moves were made during the game. That being a father was different than being a coach. Eventually she understood and helped when there were days both boys gave me the cold shoulder.

Queries from parents and frustration with their children when they did not perform like Mickey Mantle or pitch like Bob Gibson often required taking a child aside and letting them know that they must learn to play through failure. That acceptance and pushing through failure can lead to victory over yourself. Whether they understood then is not as important as if they understand now, so many years later. Parents were another story and less flexible or teachable. Every game it was the same few that stayed in every play and decision as if it was them at the plate. As an umpire there were always accusations of favoritism on the calls to the point the players would join in to support their parents. A role reversal that was amazing as the parents became the remote players and coaches with the children joining in.

When my little league career finally ended with my children moving on to college and jobs. It is never with any guilt that little league is remembered. There was no desire on my part to return to the game but occasionally if a ball game was going on I would stop and remember. My suggestion for parents is to remember that sports are not about money. They are about character and building for the future. To provide reassurance that the surgeons and doctors and lawyers and truck drivers and others that were once players have brought with them some principles that are not shaken by disappointment or frustration. That having been before the crowd they are not timid to stand before the crowd and do the right thing. Stay out of the game and let your children learn the lessons from baseball that they would have to learn later when you might not be there to watch.