Rule Enforcement

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MTR

Jun 22, 2008
3,438
48
One may grow up and continue through life believing that something is permissible simply because s/he never suffers the repercussions of doing something wrong. An example would be the police don’t strictly enforce the driving laws in their area, so drivers become a little lax in their actions and adherence to certain laws like speed limits. Only problem is, those same laws are enforced in other areas. Suddenly, the driver believes s/he’s performing in an appropriate manner and there is that pesky police officer enforcing those laws and the driver is stunned when they get a ticket. When they are the subject of that enforcement, there is often an attempt to barter one’s way out of the ticket and rationalize that they are right and the policeman was wrong. Yet, more often then not, the driver still pays the fine and often assigned punitive points to their driving record.

It is not much different in youth sports. A kid grows up and does something that is against the rules, but hey, it is only kids playing sports and doing well, so no one is going to mention the violation. The kid doesn’t know any better, so continues to perform improperly and it becomes so routine to everyone, it never gets called. Suddenly, the kid is now a young adult playing in college or championship level and the officials enforce the rules and call the violation.

Now the player and parents shocked. The official MUST be wrong because the player has been doing it this way since the age of 6 and all those officials couldn’t have been wrong. The coach comes out to argue, but never blames the official for enforcing the rule. Instead s/he makes excuses as to why it shouldn’t be enforced in this particular instance or on this player. But in the end, the penalty is applied in what is likely a very important situation.

Point is that there is no reason to not learn to play and understand the rules and to abide by them whether they are going to be enforced or not. When game, league or tournament officials decide to ignore rules of a game for whatever reason, they are not doing the players any favor.

JMHO
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Great post [MENTION=423]MTR[/MENTION]! I have a friend who enforces rules as a Highway Patrolman. He is often given the excuse that others were also going as fast as the driver he stopped. His response - "You ever go fishing? Ever catch all the fish?" :)
 
Jun 1, 2015
500
43
I can resonate with this SO much. I've umpired in my town's youth baseball/softball program for 12 years (this coming Spring will be year 13 and I'll be 28 years old). I admit I don't know the entire rulebook front and back but I know MANY of the most nitpicky rules that coaches tend to argue (e.g. a pitch off the ground that hits a jumping batter is a HBP, etc.) I get parents in between innings or during the plays that make calls/yells of, "Aww c'mon, they're only kids for Christ's sake" and etc. To which, during breaks in innings, I'll calmly approach the instigator and say, "Whether you like it or not, these kids NEED to learn the rules early to be successful later on. I'm doing it because it's my job, simple as that." Since I've been doing this for so long, most of the coaches know I do it because I want correct interpretations of rules. If ever a coach feels I'm incorrect, I'll look the rule up after the game and get back to them right/wrong, never apologizing but simply saying, "I got this one wrong, I'll make sure my umpires know for next time", etc. I've never had any major problems (knock on wood it stays that way).
 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
Somewhere on the site is the list of the softball's biggest myths. You should grab it and give it to all the coaches.

Hands are part of the bat... hehehehe
 
Jun 1, 2015
500
43
Somewhere on the site is the list of the softball's biggest myths. You should grab it and give it to all the coaches.

Hands are part of the bat... hehehehe

I left a coach speechless one time by asking him to grab a bat and drop it - asked him, "Where are your hands?" - "On my arms." - "Then how can they be a part of the bat? Play ball." He wasn't a fan of me after that, but c'est la vie.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Somewhere on the site is the list of the softball's biggest myths. You should grab it and give it to all the coaches.

Hands are part of the bat... hehehehe

ASA rule book has the clear sentence..."Note: The batter's hands are not part of the bat." You would think that this would make the issue absolutely clear. Yet, it doesn't for so many. SMH.
 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
ASA rule book has the clear sentence..."Note: The batter's hands are not part of the bat." You would think that this would make the issue absolutely clear. Yet, it doesn't for so many. SMH.

RULE BOOK!!!!! I dun need no steenken RULE BOOK!!!!
 
Jun 29, 2013
589
18
Had a situation like that last spring- I'm the player agent for the 13-16 rec league. We have an ASA umpire for playoff games, and others (non-ASA, not sure if any work other organizations) for regular season games. Blue tells a coach that none of her kids can wear facial jewelry (nose piercings in this case) during a game, and the coach flips out complaining that they haven't had that rule all season. I calmly told her that is the rule, not sure what happened in previous games but we still have the rule for a reason, and she threatened to forfeit (apparently nose piercings don't come out as easy as earrings). Somehow, some way they managed to field a team that complied with the rules and still won. I'll never forget her reaction, and I doubt she forgave me, but our umpire appreciate the fact we backed her.
 

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