When Chanting becomes Unsportmanlike

[tomzpc]

The other night in our first tournament game (this is 10U Little League) we had a big lead late in the game when our pitcher started to struggle a little with her control, walking in several runs. The girls on the other team who had been relatively quiet through the game up until that point started doing some kind of chat that included things like "pitcher's getting wild" and similar stuff. Now, I'm not a big fan of the chanting in softball but I understand that it's a part of the girls game, but in no way do I ever allow my girls to chant anything negative about the opposition. I tell them that if they are supporting their teammates with a chant then that's fine. I was looking through the LL rulebook and the closest thing I could find in this area is 4.06(2) which says No manager, coach or player shall at any time, whether from the bench or the playing field or elsewhere use language which will in any manner refer to or reflect upon opposing players. What does everyone think, are these types of chants that are aimed at the other team or with the intention of distracting the opposing pitcher acceptable or should the umpire put a stop to it?

Oh, we won the game and play again tonight. =)

 

[Hollyrockartist]

We played (and won) a tournament game the other night. Our pitcher walked a few and the other dugout started chanting things like "walk her, walk her" and "bowling, bowling, the pitcher's going bowling". It was done to try and throw off our pitcher, which didn't work. She came back and we blew them out. Our girls don't chant things like that. They only say encouraging things to our batters and runners. If by doing that the noise throws off the other pitcher, oh well. I have never seen an ump say anything to teams for chanting, but then I've never seen it get really ugly, either. Curious to see what others have to say on this. Personally, the noise drives me nuts -

 

[mad hornet]

I coach 10U and don't allow those "negative" cheers. I think it's "bush" and shows something about the character of coaches who encourage or permit it.

 

[PA SB Dad]

My DD was pitching once when the other team started singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". Threw off her concentration a little until I went out and we had a laugh together.

 

[CoachKevin]

At 12U we put a stop to the "cheers", the girls now just chatter.... makes it sooooooo much better. They actually laugh when they hear other teams start to do those gawd awful cheers (yes some teams still do it at 14U).

Back to the OP, we played a team this year that would raise their voice just as our pitcher was going into the wind up. It got to the point that they were screaming. After an inning, I approached the umpire and asked him to listen to them as our pitcher threw. Of course he didn't do anything, but he did go out and ask our pitcher if it was bothering her. It was annoying, but it didn't really bother our pitcher either.

 

[Magglio36]

I was playing in a game on Friday night. I was getting into my motion and things were relatively quiet save for a couple of my teammates offering support. The support was broken by someone loudly saying from the opposition bench- you're pitcher is really bad (it was said in stronger words, but won't post them). In any event, I heard it, but I blocked it out. The good part was, I was facing their strongest hitter at the time the comment was made. In return, their strongest hitter struck out with a little help from some of my friends, curve ball and change up. The opposition does those things to get into the pitcher's head. The best thing to do is block it out and if it annoys you, use that to your advantage. When the comment was made, the umpire did look toward the opposition with not such a friendly look on his face. Fan noise will always be a part of the game, but I agree, it should be in support of your own team and not be negative toward the other team.
Lori

 

[Chris O'Leary]

The other night in our first tournament game (this is 10U Little League) we had a big lead late in the game when our pitcher started to struggle a little with her control, walking in several runs. The girls on the other team who had been relatively quiet through the game up until that point started doing some kind of chat that included things like "pitcher's getting wild" and similar stuff.

This is illegal in most baseball leagues.

You can chant all you want for your own folks, but you can't do a chant that is directed at a member of the other team or that is intended to distract.

 

[tomzpc]

This is illegal in most baseball leagues.

You can chant all you want for your own folks, but you can't do a chant that is directed at a member of the other team or that is intended to distract.

As it should be. If it happens again and the umpires let it go I'm going to bring up 4.06(2) in the LL softball rulebook and see where it goes. If these were older kids it wouldn't bother me so much, but it's hard enough on a 9 year old standing out on that mound all by themselves throwing ball after ball without having someone taunting them on top of it.

 

[Coach JV]

The chanting directed at pitcher doesn't bother my DD. She takes it as a sign of respect
as the directive gets worse when she is mowing them down from the rubber. Yes,
chanting is part of the game, the insults are bushleague. My teams do chants etc. but
it always is in support of team mates and never directed toward other teams. We are building
young ladies, respect is part of what we teach them

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

As it should be. If it happens again and the umpires let it go I'm going to bring up 4.06(2) in the LL softball rulebook and see where it goes. If these were older kids it wouldn't bother me so much, but it's hard enough on a 9 year old standing out on that mound all by themselves throwing ball after ball without having someone taunting them on top of it.

The chanting (especially the negative chanting) used to bother me a lot but I now realize its part of the game of girls softball. I think most coaches and players on the field tune it out quickly and it does keep the players in the dugout "involved" in the game cheering for their teammates, etc. When they start screaming at the other players or kick the chain-link fence, we put a stop to it.

I also have a young pitching DD, they just need to get used to the noise and block it out when pitching. It's amazing how fast the chanting goes away when you start striking out the opposing team.

At the end of each game, both teams always go to the pitching circle and do a dance and chant together, and all is forgiven