Does this exist everywhere? Am i crazy to think they should be removed? Am i wrong?

[Jquick823]

Cheering is absolutely a part of the girls fastpitch game ... while it gives me a headache sometimes, I get it and think its kinda neat!

With that being said, I haven't been to a lot of D1 college games, but I have been to hundreds of D3 ones and I may have missed some things, but I can't say I ever heard anything negative towards or trying to overly distract opponents while in pitching motion or batting swing. Coaches don't want that kind of stuff to negatively reflect on them and their programs, and thankfully most girls know that it's not acceptable by the time they get to college. Am not saying your team did something wrong jquick, but I think the most important thing for someone to take away from this thread isn't how this particular team's parents reacted poorly, but what we as coaches have the responsibility to teach our players.

I agree. That's why i posted on here and yes i'm defending my girls but that's just the right thing to do. Coach i'm with you teaching these young ladies the right way to do things is the most important thing about this wonderful game. I'm just wondering if these types of chants occur everywhere. I've never had a reaction like this one before (there was more to it than just the cheering, just not sure what because the game hadn't even started yet it was still warmups). I appreciate all the comments and opinions but remember these are 12U girls. They are by no means being malicious and i think most would cry if you told them that they were being malicious.... well the ones that know what it means anyway

 

[Jquick823]

Was this a rec league team playing in a tournament for the first time? Was there a big disparity between your teams in terms of talent and skill? I've heard that cheer more times than I can remember from our side and our opponents, and I've never seen anyone react that way. There must have been something else going on to provoke that kind of reaction.

This was a 12U "B" tournament. I think they are a first year travel org and they had issues all 3 games they played this weekend (rain shortened saturday). Whether it was fans, coaches, players, umps or cheers they had issues all weekend with something. That's why i was so amazed at how they reacted towards us. They also spent half the game appologizing. It was different.

 

[Jquick823]

Cheering is fine. I don't allow any cheer directed at the other team. Period. You can cheer without it being directed at the other team. If they mean harm or not, you can not deny that cheer is directed at the other team.

As to the actions you described, that's completely unacceptable and the Umpire and/or TD should have responded.

Directed at the other team? Yes 50% of all cheers i hear are directed at the other team but i've never thought it to be malicious towards us, i like it when i hear a new cheer. I have a team full of girls that shake hands, take knees and high five the other teams players that win MVP. I don't have girls that charge the mound after getting hit. But i do see how they could have seen if that way.

 

[KCM]

Some folks are never happy and take 12U way to serious. It is still to be fun with girls being girls, let them act like robot stiffs when they get a job in the real world. I do oppose cheers directed at the pitcher or other team in general.

 

[Doug Romrell]

Personally, I don't care for any taunting type cheering. Nor do I like overly loud cheering just to see who can scream the loudest. Having said that, I like the cheering that is focused on lifting fellow teammates, not the type that tears down opposing players.

 

[NorthMS]

Directed at the other team? Yes 50% of all cheers i hear are directed at the other team but i've never thought it to be malicious towards us, i like it when i hear a new cheer. I have a team full of girls that shake hands, take knees and high five the other teams players that win MVP. I don't have girls that charge the mound after getting hit. But i do see how they could have seen if that way.

I doubt they know how it can be taken. I stopped my 12u girls from the "She stole on you." cheer. They didn't even realize that it was directed at the catcher. They just thought is was a catchy cheer.

 

[KCM]

Talking about classy actions I have a brag moment. At every home game we give out a game ball to a player on our team that did a great job. Well my daughter got one and she asked if she could hurry up to catch the other team before they left. She gave her game ball to their pitcher (even though they lost)...it was the first time she had been struck out 2 times in one game all season. The other pitcher had this screw drop ball looking pitch that was just freaking awesome. It made that girl's day and they both now are friends on Facebook encouraging each other on their journey of developing pitchers.

 

[spleen1015]

It is my experience that cheering is part of the game. If it is distracting your players, then they need to get mentally tougher, IMO.

 

[inde53546]

I hate the choreographed, robotic cheers that a lot of teams do and I don't allow our team to do them ( largely because I don't want to be in the dugout when they do them) but it isn't against the rules, although I wouldn't be opposed to changing that. After the first one or two tournaments at 10u I stopped even listening to them. I rarely even know what their saying anymore. It's basically like whitenoise now.

 

[Frenchy101010]

So then the "Batter Batter Batter Swing" chant is wrong?