Sportsmanship

[Pop time 00]

While playing for her rec team the other night, my daughter had a couple of nice blocks, I heard a girl from the other bench say "nice block!" Then when she jumped up to get a bunt I heard "good hustle catch!" My daughter looked over and nodded. I thought this was nice, especially when we were beating them pretty good. My daughter said it was the other team's catcher. What a nice example of sportsmanship. I try to teach the same to my daughter, and I have seen her acknowledge other players if she sees them at a tournament maybe walking around, or after a game with a "good game." Or if she sees a pitcher warming up she'll say "good luck." That kind of thing.

 

[dgfred]

I used to play catcher and know the difficulties especially for a new player. I tell my team's and the other teams catcher 'good play' all the time. At first my girls would look at me funny... now they do the same thing which is very cool.

 

[Top_Notch]

I typically keep my mouth shut when it comes to opposing teams. It keeps me out of trouble. But if the opposing team makes a great play, I will say something. Often times I get strange looks, to which my reply is "It was a great play!"

On the other side of the coin, I watched a 14U TB coach this past Sunday. He berated, admonished, yelled, screamed, and belittled his players for mistakes. I couldn't believe the parents would stand for such boorish behavior from the Coach. Even an umpire mentioned to me about his behavior. I actually felt bad for the girls. When another parent overheard, the response was "Is he loud? Yep. You don't like it, don't play for him." A match made in heaven. I have always been under the impression the Coach is responsible for the character of team. Luckily, the coach that DD plays for is calm even when I'm not.

 

[BobInMadison]

I've seen all sorts of coaches, from the type who make their players cry to the lovable teddy bear type.

I was impressed by the coach of one local TB team. DD #3 was playing 3B for the first time in her life, and made some really good plays. The HC for the other team was acting as 3B coach while his team was batting, and gave DD #3 some high-5's after she made great plays, AGAINST HIS TEAM. Classy.

 

[Bchbum54]

What about a catcher who picks up the opponents bat every time and hands them to the players? I saw this in a game and thought that was a nice gesture. I kinda felt like a jerk cause I always tell DD to leave bats alone, they can pick up their own bats. You worry about catching.

 

[dgfred]

Probably going to distract her from a play at some point... but it is nice.

 

[CatchersMom2017]

What about a catcher who picks up the opponents bat every time and hands them to the players?

My DD does this. Most times the batters just take the bat. She has been glared at and the bat jerked out of her hand a time or two. She smiles and then gets ready for the next play.
I've also been known to praise an excellent play regardless of the team making the play. "Sucks for us, but nice play." Good ball is good ball.

 

[Eric F]

I frequently compliment players on other teams for good plays, as does my DD, and many of her teammates. No matter which team we are playing, a good percentage of those girls have probably been on one of my teams in the past 2 years, or have been teammates of players on my current team. Even if I don't know them, I have no problem complimenting a good play. The sense of "community" is one of the things about rec ball that I will miss as we go to TB.

 

[guero_gordo]

I always compliment the other team's C on a good block.

 

[chinamigarden]

A guy in my office told me a story about something like this, and its something thoat came back around to him as an adult. When he was playing HS baseball, he made a great play at SS to end a game, the other team's 3rd base coach walked up, helped him up and told him what a great play it was and congrats. 17 years later this SS is now a Real Estate Agent at a closing and the closing agent looks familiar to him. So they talk for a minute and he realizes that this closer is the coach from 17 years ago. They talk about it, and its only then that he learns that the kid who hit the ball was this coaches son, next time this closing agent comes to our office he has the score book from that game. Anyway, long story short this closer has a big fan who has the ability to push business his way.

Sometimes your reward for being a good sport comes years later.