Poor sportsmanship

[AndyS]

For what it's worth, last night out of the blue my DW who doesn't really follow softball on social media shows me her phone and says "have you seen this video" (of the catcher) and I said yep. If she is receiving this information, the video/topic must have gone viral in the US.

While some hate social media, I think this national exposure will get many people talking about what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior on the field and will be a teaching moment for players and their families as they discuss this issue with their daughters.

Rocket, it definitely has gone outside of the softball community. It is both a lesson in what is acceptable behavior on the field but it was also my opportunity to say for the 2 billionth time to my DD, all it takes is doing the wrong thing ONE time in the age of social media. Except for maybe a couple of folks here nobody knows this kid but yet EVERYBODY here is convinced she is a terrible kid who deserves to lose her scholarship and perhaps worse. Based on two incidents in one game. Before social media I honestly wondered how witch trials could actually occur in our history; after social media and it's expose on human nature, I am stunned it did not happen more often.

I will simply say I made mistakes in my life both on and off the field and I am most thankful that I did not grow up with social media. And like I say, I would like to think I am a pretty decent guy!

 

[riseball]

Catcher elbows runners trying to score - ESPN Video

 

[4 girl's dad]

What I find kinda funny is that the local Needville paper has reported ZERO on this... even their FB Page is silent. Must be the small town ideals.

Needville is small but it's 4A. In Texas, that is 1,005 to 2,089 students.

 

[tjintx]

Well. I've been holding off on this thread but..... Welcome to Texas championship Softball!!!!!
Sadly, this girl faces a tough summer filled with many large girls crossing home plate. They have all seen the video and you can bet(sadly) someone is going to get injured.
This player should take the summer off and re-evaluate Her career, for Her own safety.

 

[BobInMadison]

Well. I've been holding off on this thread but..... Welcome to Texas championship Softball!!!!!
Sadly, this girl faces a tough summer filled with many large girls crossing home plate. They have all seen the video and you can bet(sadly) someone is going to get injured.
This player should take the summer off and re-evaluate Her career, for Her own safety.

I see what you mean. With her TB coach saying she didn't do anything wrong, it makes things worse. Seriously, if you are a player, coach or parent on a team facing this catcher, what do you do? I would hope all that happens is warnings from blue before each game, but things could get very ugly.

 

[Nsanesoftball]

If I was a trusted adviser I would urge her to get ahead of this and contact the coach at Sam Houston and then make a very humble statement on social media expressing regret for her actions. Then say absolutely nothing. Unfortunately the best time for that was about 72 hours ago.

Lastnight the local news station went to the high school to talk to the coach, catcher, AD and they had no comment. Yes this video has gone viral, it is on MSN, ESPN, Deadspin, and bunch of other national media sites. As a parent of girl from the team this happened to I am glad none of our girls were injured. There is no place for this in the game. I also want to say that you have to pay the consequences to your actions. To me there are two take aways from this that every coach, athlete, AD, and parent should have, show your athlete about poor sportsmanship and also how your actions can be picked up on social media and spread. Tell this is nor only during games but practices as well. If your athlete is a starter and the best athlete around just think that the first and only time they throw a fit during practice a teammates parent could be videoing the incident and sending it to college coaches. Please teach your athletes to respect the game, if they do the game will respect them.

 

[Mr T]

REALLY didn't want to get involved in this, but dd just said to me "if this is so shocking for baserunning team, why does 3rd base coach watch the contact so closely, no play on runner, clap excitedly and almost happy, then point. No play on her, why would she even be looking there" (Second runner)

And just my observation...WHOLE lot of open plate on both plays and no reason for a runner to ever be in fair territory 3rd to home.

While there are good points being made about social media and overreaction, the plays were indefensible. I don't find the video nearly as shocking as the plethora of massively stupid comments in the thus far 21 pages. Probably plenty of coaches chiming in, coaches who whine about umps this and umps that. And yet MTS spells out the very basic concepts of why from a softball standpoint this isn't debatable, period.

Of all the super-stupid candidates though, I think this takes the cake. You really need an explanation for this?

 

[maksoftball]

I see what you mean. With her TB coach saying she didn't do anything wrong, it makes things worse.

Sorry but I have jump in...where do you see her TB coach saying that? Show me the quote word for word. On the site where the video was originally posted (Vype SEXT), the TB coach said that she does not agree with what she did, and that if she had been the HS coach, she would have called her out on it the very first time she did it and that would have been the end of it. Her TB coach supports the girl, not her actions. Seriously...this is a witch hunt. I have seen far worse plays than that...and she is getting burned to a crisp for it. 17 years old. Enough is enough.

 

[Nsanesoftball]

For anyone interested in watching this game to see how the game was played between the two teams fox sports southwest will be televising the game today at 4:00pm central. there are a couple more dates they will be showing as well in the coming weeks.

 

[cuzmail]

Sorry but I have jump in...where do you see her TB coach saying that? Show me the quote word for word. On the site where the video was originally posted (Vype SEXT), the TB coach said that she does not agree with what she did, and that if she had been the HS coach, she would have called her out on it the very first time she did it and that would have been the end of it. Her TB coach supports the girl, not her actions. Seriously...this is a witch hunt. I have seen far worse plays than that...and she is getting burned to a crisp for it. 17 years old. Enough is enough.

That's why I asked for the quote too.

Kelly (TB coach) has been discussing on her FB page (We are friends). I haven't seen anything other than what you state above from her.

And FWIW, ESPN just ran the clip and Triple Crown posted it too. It's everywhere - literally.