Prayer circles

[BT3100]

You wouldn't see pressure generally but as a girl you would feel pressure. That's why they are not appropriate in my opinion. If there's only one girl who doesn't want to do it she will certainly feel pressure.

I understand your point. I also feel that a little pressure at times is okay. At some point kids will learn how to make good decisions and stand up for what they believe.

 

[riseball]

If a prayer circle is the pinnacle of peer pressure in your DD's life, she is ill prepared for the future.

 

[dgh31]

If a prayer circle is the pinnacle of peer pressure in your DD's life, she is ill prepared for the future.

Haha... I didn't say that it was the pinnacle of peer pressure. I simply said someone would feel pressure.

 

[dgh31]

I understand your point. I also feel that a little pressure at times is okay. At some point kids will learn how to make good decisions and stand up for what they believe.

That's true. Good point. I would not allow it as a coach. I would ask the girls if they want to have a prayer circle do it after they've been released by the coach. Those who want to attend at that point can attend and those who don't can simply go home.

 

[KPower]

We do it after every game in the south that we have played as a travel team (5 years) and everyone is free to join. We do not go and ask them to do so, that way they don't have to say yes or no. No pressure, usually it is the Lord's Prayer but sometimes one of the girls leads the team in another prayer. My thoughts are if they don't want to participate, don't recite the prayer. Just stand with your team in solidarity if you would like, or right outside the circle would be fine too. If the whole team decided not to join in the circle afterwards, that is alright too! And I PROMISE you, if your daughter asked to lead the team in a second prayer, no matter what religion it was, we would invite them to do so also. I really feel like we do it to create connections and camaraderie after what is sometimes a very intense game. Our team actually gets together (by themselves) before each game and one girl leads them in a prayer for safety before each game. They started doing it about two years ago on their own and it stuck. I was raised Catholic but do not regularly attend mass, so I am in the minority down here surrounded by mostly Baptist and non-denominational Christian families. My husband is HC and wasn't raised religiously at all. So it has truly been a player lead thing for us. And just a side note, if the other team immediately heads for the dugout, our girls will do their post game prayer in the dugout or in the team post-game meeting. I have always thought it was done that way so that the other team would never feel uncomfortable or like they were "missing" something. I have never seen anyone shamed or thought poorly of for choosing not to participate by anyone we associate with. We respect the rights of others to pray/not pray however they would like. And we will exercise that same right.

This sounds very similar to DD's team. However, we are not in the Bible belt and prayer circles are not all that common where we are from. DD's coaches do not participate at all - it has always been entirely lead by the girls. They only do a full on prayer circle when there is no one waiting for the dugout or at the end of the tourney. They do start each game with a small circle at either 1st or 3rd base and pray for safety.

This last weekend several members - probably 2/3 of the opposing team - asked if they could join the prayer circle at the end of the game. The girls were in the circle and the opposing coaches came out screaming at the girls that they were not to participate. It was really weird. The game was close, but not particularly heated, but the coaches were nasty when they told the girls to back out. The tournament was over. There were no other teams waiting for the dugout, no one waiting to drag the field...no reason to rush off. Oh well...

I like that our girls do it - but I respect that not everyone likes prayer circles. That is what makes life interesting - different strokes for different folks!

 

[CMMom1740]

This is very common in the South. Two years ago, DD played on a team that had several Jewish players, including HC and his DD. We played in a tournament in Savannah, GA against a team from rural South GA. Opposing coach wanted to do the Lord's Prayer after the game and our HC very politely declined. Opposing coach was really huffy and thought it ridiculous that our HC would refuse. That was supremely awkward.

 

[riseball]

This is very common in the South. Two years ago, DD played on a team that had several Jewish players, including HC and his DD. We played in a tournament in Savannah, GA against a team from rural South GA. Opposing coach wanted to do the Lord's Prayer after the game and our HC very politely declined. Opposing coach was really huffy and thought it ridiculous that our HC would refuse. That was supremely awkward.

Give the setting and the task at hand I would have to say that your HC was out of line.

 

[Sparky Guy]

This is very common in the South. Two years ago, DD played on a team that had several Jewish players, including HC and his DD. We played in a tournament in Savannah, GA against a team from rural South GA. Opposing coach wanted to do the Lord's Prayer after the game and our HC very politely declined. Opposing coach was really huffy and thought it ridiculous that our HC would refuse. That was supremely awkward.

I wonder what the opposing coach would do if the coach said "Sure, and you're invited to come pray from the Torah with us."

 

[dgh31]

Give the setting and the task at hand I would have to say that your HC was out of line.

Politely refusing is out of line? It's so hard for Christians to understand that not everyone is a Christian. This comment is a good example of why religion should stay off the softball fields.

 

[grcsftbll]

Politely refusing is out of line? It's so hard for Christians to understand that not everyone is a Christian. This comment is a good example of why religion should stay off the softball fields.

I completely, 100% agree.