LETTER: We need to teach sportsmanship

By Alice Ann Johnson/Fremont
Friday, Jul 18, 2008 - 11:02:08 am CDT

What ever happened to good ole fashioned good sportsmanship?

We read in the paper and hear on the news of parents taking out their anger by punching umpires. We see umpires using their authority to bully players and to confront coaches. We see coaches who are showing their players that it is OK to win a ballgame no matter what.

I’ve witnessed a coach instructing their players to "slide into home and take out the catcher." I’ve witnessed coaches telling their players, "Do not swing your bat until the pitcher has thrown you two strikes" or in the case of girls’ softball three-strike rule, "go ahead and swing at a ball over your head when you have two strikes, then run because you can beat the throw down to first base - the catcher can’t throw it." What are the adult’s teaching these children? What are the parents doing to allow this type of behavior to continue?

I know that some will say, "It’s not if you win or loose, it’s how you play the game? or "It’s OK to coach that way, you’re acting within the rules of the game."

Come on.

If we want our future to improve and things to become better in this world, then we need to start right now in making some positive changes. Show the youth of today that there is a right way to handle things. Show them that you will go farther by playing fair and doing your best. Show them what true sportsmanship is all about.

We as adults need to set the example that our children should live by - not just on Sunday mornings or when it suits us but all of the time.

We need to work together as a community to build positive influences to the youth of this community, to the future of this community and beyond. Let’s keep the "bending of the rules," the anger, the violence out of the youth sports. Let it stay in the Major Leagues. Let our children be children and learn how to play the game correctly, how to play the game in a fair manner and how to respond positively when a call doesn’t go the right way.

Adults, please keep your anger and negative attitude off the fields and away from impressionable young minds. Coaches, please coach in a positive responsible manner. Let your love of the game shine in what you are teaching the youth. Remember they are young, they are learning and they will model what is taught to them. Let’s do our best to teach them the value of good sportsmanship and that it does mean more to play a good clean honest game.

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MLB...
Jul 18, 2008 12:05 PM
A good base runner in the Major Leagues is one who knows how to slide into the plate and take the catcher off of it to break up a play and score. A good catcher learns how to hold his own in a collision, block the plate and tag the runner for the out. It is part of the game. Players can't wait to learn these skills until they get to college or professional baseball.

It isn't violence, anger or bad sportsmanship. The things you cite are part of the game. There are plenty of examples of bad sportsmanship you could point out--name-calling, screaming at officials, excessive celebrations, etc...I would agree with you completely if those were your concerns.
JB
Jul 18, 2008 12:23 PM
First question-have you ever coached anything?
Second question-do you teach values at home?
Third question-does your child learn right from wrong from what is taught on the field and at home and knows the right way?
Then don't worry about it-they will go the right way. They need to learn from all kinds of "teachers" before going out into the world. And if they are going to play in a sport where they are learning to win the game-then they need to know how to take punches and play to win-because when they get to college or play as adults-no one is going to baby them-Been there done that and with "sportsmanship". You should thank the "coach" for coaching at all because someone has to if you don't!
Disappointed Parent
Jul 18, 2008 3:03 PM
Good points. I would just add that a few years ago I allowed my son who has some disabilities (none of which would have prevented him from playing, and playing well at that) to play softball. He was in 3rd or 4th grade at the time and it was the first time he had shown interest in joining a team. I thought what a wonderful opportunity for my son to be with others his own age, learn about teamwork, and to learn that sometimes you can't win them all and how to deal with that.

While he could run, when he would run there'd always be a little "hop" in there about every three steps, something he was unable to control at the time. One particuliar game he hit the ball clear out and was running, little hop and all, to first base. I was so proud of him!

Then from behind me I heard one spectator, an adult although I'm unsure if it was a parent of another player or not, make fun of how my son was running. I tried not to take it personal but it pained me to hear. If only they had known what it took for my son to work up the courage to even try and play!

As we left my son begged to not go back again. Apparently it wasn't just the adults but the children who felt it was ok to make fun of another.

As adults we set an example for our children. I don't believe in the "everyone wins every game" theory, part of growing up is learning to deal with disappointments and striving to do better, but is it asking too much for just a little common decency in how we treat others? I know we've all been made fun of at one point or another in life, but did any of us enjoy that?

When adults behave poorly as spectators or coaches, none of our children win.
Amy
Jul 18, 2008 3:13 PM
I am aware of who most of your anger is directed at. The rules were never bent in this league. The coach was teaching the rules and skills of the game to the players, not teaching them to win at all costs. The girls on that team are better softball players because of his coaching. There are other options in Fremont for softball if this league is to competitive for you. All of the coaches in this league are volunteering thier time and talents. I believe if you would like to help improve the league, you would be more than welcome. Good sportsmanship includes constructive criticism not finger pointing. One final question. . .was your coaching partner showing good sportsmanship when he had a tantrum and walked off the field?
fremonter
Jul 19, 2008 9:26 AM
to disappointed parent:
alot of kids as well as parents are morons. they get off making fun of others. i have first hand expierence in this. what you do the next time it happens is: you turn around and ask the moron, "are you or your child perfect?" or " excuse me, are you sitting on and crushing your brain?" or you can stand up and in a very loud voice, so others can hear you, say "why are you making fun of my son? is your child perfect? do you enjoy making fun of people and hurting their feelings? what are you trying to cover up? is there something in your past that your trying to hide?" i guaranteee that you will embarass that moron. i commend your child for at least trying. in my years i have learned that people that act the way the moron did, because they are just covering up their own problems and trying to direct attention to someone else. unfortunatly there is always violence. some people just need a good beating to shut them up, but embarassment works very well too.
Hm...
Jul 21, 2008 12:36 PM
There is a lot of bad sportsmanship compared to what there used to be. However, some of the issues you are bringing up are just part of game strategy. I agree with Amy - there are other options for softball if what you're talking about is too competitive, but from what I'm reading here, it sounds as though the Coach is doing their job in teaching the girls to be better softball players (don't get me wrong, I don't agree with plowing over the catcher, but that is a metaphor that coaches use to tell girls to slide).
sr
Jul 22, 2008 8:38 AM
I too also know who is the "coach" of this team, I just dont see the purpose or value of cursing at girls or boys that are 12-13 years old or younger..,my son played on a Nighthawks team when he was 9 years old..I know that Nighthawks is an outstanding program that really teaches boys how to play baseball but on this team it was about winning at all cost. The coach got into a nose to nose argument with the ump and it went as far as the ump wanted to take it to the parking lot. That same game a grandparent got tossed out of the stands because of a "bad" call. I am sure that this is the expection instead of the norm but come on, these kids are 9 & 10 years old. There were several kids crying in the dugout....where is the value in that. My sons team won all but 1 game that summer and he didn't want to play the next summer...he plays parks & rec now. The level of play in not as high as Nighthawks but he is excited about going and playing. I just think that in the heat of competition there needs to be some accountability with everyone involved. 20 years from now what are the kids going to remember, winning that one game or the coach getting into a fight with the ump? or a coach cursing at the player. If we let the kids be kids we would probably all have alot more fun. My two cents worth...