Allowing The Girls to Play the Game

[3'sDad]

The folllowing is a true story, which occurred last week at our local LL game. The blurb was written by our League Director to the League's board of Directors. With all the complaints about adults behaving badly and poor sportsmanship, this story is a polar opposite. My team; Team Y was invloved and did come up on the short end of the score, but that's really not the the story. As a coach, I could not have been more proud of either team or all the parents involved.

Softball Managers and LL Board Members

Here is the scene: The two best teams in LL majors (11-12 y/o's) are set to play a game. The better record belongs to Team X, undefeated in Interleague play thus far, already having beaten the second best team in the league and the third. The other team is Team Y, 4-3 losers to Team X two weeks ago and with one of the best pitchers in the county. This kid throws Gas. Lots of parents around. Each team has warmed up well.

The game is really well played. LF for Team Y (the #12 batter) sticks out a glove and catches a sure triple. SS for Team X hits a legit home run off one of the Best Pitchers in the County. Clean play by both teams in the field. Team X wins 4-0, making no errors in the field. Parents and teams shake hands at the end. Great game. Good feelings all around. The better team won, at least tonight.

So why was this game special? The umpire didn't show due to the traffic mess. Two parents umpired, each for their pitcher, alternating each half inning. One worked behind the plate with gear, the other behind the mound. Nobody, all game, said even a groan about a ball/strike call. In a complicated play at first, one of the umps was flummoxed but the manager of the team at bat called his kid out (she was). The ump for the half inning said "I wasn't sure" and nobody complained.

I am certain this would not have happened with any other team in our Interleague group.

First--this is NOT a commercial for a drive to get volunteer umps.

I'm sending this because it's the best example of what this league is all about that I've seen in 13 years around here. Two managers that Get It. Parents on two teams that Get It. And two of the best teams in the county playing a great game. With a couple of parents/assistant coaches who really stepped up.

I'm just glad I decided to go see the game last night.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Congratulations. I had to re-read this and make sure that it wasn't 1964.

 

[SoCalDad]

3ls Dad,

This post concerns me deeply. Parents behaving well? If this type of positive news gets out into the broader softball community are you aware of the impact? Anarchy will ensue. Parents will cheer good plays by both teams. Our players will be confused. They will grow up to be model sportsman and then pass on these good behaviors to their children. The hard work of decades of discontent bleacher parents will be undone. I am now terrified of the future.

On a serious note thank you for posting this. It shows that at least in one small part of the world the parents get it that the game is about the girls and not about them.

 

[Coach JV]

This will not be a popular thread. What is interesting about a good game and good sportsmanship?
Is it eddie, beaver and my three sons playing against the brady bunch? Partridge family?

On a side note, good for you, this is why we play and coach.......

 

[3'sDad]

...and the worst part was the red cups contained only soft drinks....I will be banned from posting here as a result.

 

[stephanie]

We have a team here that we'd play like this...

and then another that would be more like WWF...(and that's just the moms)

 

[softball_chic_12]

great story.....similar thing happened to my team....except the dad umping was an umpire, just not schedualed for that night and the real ump for the night came.