obbay
Banned
One of the teams I'm coaching is in a U10 rec league (LL).
There is one team in that league that isn't particularly talented, but they have this cheer/chant they do that is annoying to us adults, but is directed at the pitcher. It annoyed me the first time I heard them do it but it made the pitcher giggle so I figured maybe it was a joke between friends.
Then when our team played them they did it again. Again it made the pitcher giggle only this time I realized it broke her concentration. Just like in the other game, this began a long series of BB's. Our pitcher was the head coach's DD and he insisted that she "stay in and pitch through it". He was also P.O'd at her for not staying focused. She had a terrible outing, wanted to come out but Dad wouldn't let her. (She's 9, fer cryin out loud!) Teaching her a lesson at the team's expense (which is another issue).
My thought is that it's an unsportsmanlike way to play the game. Last year at the U12 level I remember the Umpire stopped a team from razzing the opposing pitcher as it was ok to cheer for your team, but not ok to cheer against individuals on the other team.
Any thoughts on this? Should I tell them to stop when they do this? Is there any regulation on this in LL? The reason I ask is that we may play them again in the playoffs, but also My DD will be umpiring one of their games this week and I don't know if she should say something at the beginning when she talks to the coaches before the game.
I would ask the age director but it was his team that was warned about this last year, so I don't think he'll see anything wrong with it.
I'd like to tell the pitcher it's ok to throw overhand at the batters when they do this and just say "sorry., they got inside my head" but two wrongs don't make a right.
There is one team in that league that isn't particularly talented, but they have this cheer/chant they do that is annoying to us adults, but is directed at the pitcher. It annoyed me the first time I heard them do it but it made the pitcher giggle so I figured maybe it was a joke between friends.
Then when our team played them they did it again. Again it made the pitcher giggle only this time I realized it broke her concentration. Just like in the other game, this began a long series of BB's. Our pitcher was the head coach's DD and he insisted that she "stay in and pitch through it". He was also P.O'd at her for not staying focused. She had a terrible outing, wanted to come out but Dad wouldn't let her. (She's 9, fer cryin out loud!) Teaching her a lesson at the team's expense (which is another issue).
My thought is that it's an unsportsmanlike way to play the game. Last year at the U12 level I remember the Umpire stopped a team from razzing the opposing pitcher as it was ok to cheer for your team, but not ok to cheer against individuals on the other team.
Any thoughts on this? Should I tell them to stop when they do this? Is there any regulation on this in LL? The reason I ask is that we may play them again in the playoffs, but also My DD will be umpiring one of their games this week and I don't know if she should say something at the beginning when she talks to the coaches before the game.
I would ask the age director but it was his team that was warned about this last year, so I don't think he'll see anything wrong with it.
I'd like to tell the pitcher it's ok to throw overhand at the batters when they do this and just say "sorry., they got inside my head" but two wrongs don't make a right.