razzing the pitcher in U10

[Coach-n-Dad]

1) rules Prohibit chants that are directed against a pitcher
2)I used to tell my girls (and out loud for the benifit of the other team and coach), that's just poor coaching as it is unsportsmanlike.
3) I NEVER let my girls chant ANYTHING that isn't positive to our team, NEVER negative against another team or player or Blue.
**** Simple rule, we play, Blue makes the calls and we NEVER have anything negative to say to anyone. I DO encourage cheering for another team player when they make an outstanding play. Its part of the game, I appreciate great effort and I want my players to have the same attitude, whether one of ours or one of theirs makes a great play we congradulate them.

I couldn't have said it better myself. My hat is off to you and all of the other coaches who have this philosophy.

 

[obbay]

Thanks for the help!
I want to reiterate, these are 9 and 10 yo girls. I want both teams to chant and cheer and be into the game. Doing a goofy chant directed at the pitcher to make her laugh so she can't throw anything you can hit is not right. They might as well be talking about hannah montana because they're just being silly and aren't cheering for anybody.

 

[Ken Krause]

There is no reason, ever, to cheer or chant against the other team. The umpire or league officials should step in on it -- once it's called to their attention. The umpire probably isn't going to notice unless you say something. But yes, it's unsportsmanlike.

That said, the sooner your team can learn to ignore idiots the better off they'll be. Remember what Eleanor Roosevelt said: no one can make you feel inferior without your permission.

 

[greatbasin]

Don't chant? I think it is awesome. Didn't anyone watch the softball world series? Those girls are loud! And having a great time! Part of softball is coming up with better chants than the other team. "WE think it's tacky"..."WE think it's unsportsmenship" Does WE include all the girls or just the parents?
I encourage my girls to chant, otherwise they sit on the bench talking about boys, Hannah Montana, or psyching themselves out of the next at bat.
I just wish us dumb boys could have thought of something more clever than "we want a pitcher not a belly itcher" in little league

Who said don't chant? My DD's team chants until I can hear it in my sleep. This post is about how wrong it is to disrespect a player.
The "we" I refer to is the team, the club, and my family.

 

[madskilz]

How about "pitcher has a candy arm and the catcher is sucking it" ... or "pitchers off his rocker, looks like Betty Crocker"

That was funny stuff back then.

 

[greatbasin]

Our club dosen't chant against other teams or players at any age. We feel it is tacky, unsportsman like and really shows lack of class. Infact, I don't even think it gets mentioned much except mabey at the 10U level with new players who are fresh from rec. ball.

You said "doesn't chant".

Sorry your confused...you might notice I also said, "against other teams or players"

 

[FJRGerry]

In my daughter's LL negative cheering isn't allowed as a team policy - not sure of the local LL policy. On her 12U travel team girls, on her team and all teams they've played against, cheer for teammates and against the other team. It took me a while to get used to it and I don't totally agree with it, but I don't think negative cheering has any real impact anyway since the players tend to be more focused.

 

[alabama_lowlife]

i've run into a similar problem myself. I have no issues with the other team doing whatever sort of cheer they want to. my problem was they'd be doing their cheer and interrupt the cheer to scream as loudly as possible just before my DD was releasing the ball. the first couple times she visibly flinched and threw the ball well over the catcher's head. then she began anticipating the scream and her control went to you know where. i addressed the umpire saying i was pretty sure they weren't allowed to do that, but of course that was the night i left my dixie rule book on the table at home. they did stop but her night was wrecked and we lost because of the runs allowed in that inning. we were leading the first 2 innings.

we played the all-star team from the same city last night. sure enough, first pitch they start again. i immediately called for time to talk to the ump. i explained to him the rule i felt was being violated (6.07 E of the dixie book) that "no player, manager, or coach shall call time, employ any other word or phrase, or commit any act while the ball is alive and in play for the obvious purpose of trying to make the pitcher commit an illegal pitch". The coaches for the other team again used the arguement that they weren't trying to mess up the pitcher, they were just cheering for their team. I refused to back off since the rule was clear, i did everything but say they were liars. Eventually the other team said they'd tell them not to do it, but the umpires were pretty much useless in resolving the situation.

We proceeded to knock the cover off the ball, steal them blind, and run rule them 12-2 in 4 innings. DD gave up no runs, but the relief pitcher allowed 2.

 

[obbay]

A.L.- what you described is pretty much the reason I started this thread. It's bush league.
No, I've never seen anyone in any College or professional games "cheer" like that.

 

[alabama_lowlife]

for what it's worth, in the dixie softball book i also found a section on sportsmanship. maybe there is something similar in whatever sanctioning body you use. in this case, the rule is crystal clear.

XII — CONDUCT AND SPORTSMANSHIP
(A) — Members of one team shall not ride, kid, heckle, poke fun at or in any other
manner do anything that in the opinion of the umpire distracts the opposing team.
EXAMPLE: Players from the opposing team cannot yell “swing” at the batter, or “the
pitcher can’t pitch”, or “the batter can’t hit”, posting intimidating signs, i.e., K’s, etc.