[ASA/NYSSOBLUE]

Originally Posted by FUBLUE

In a word,

YES.

If a team doesn't want to play the game, or decides they've had enough, then call it a day.

If the loser's bracket team wants to forfeit the championship game because they're tired and have played 8 games that day, then let them. They've earned that right.

Heck, if the Winner's bracket team wants to forfeit a game, let them.

I've been on all three sides of this: winning coach, losing coach, umpire. I didn't like any of the three sides. It wasn't fun to umpire the game. It wasn't fun to beat up on a team (which we didn't once we got the requisite runs ahead). It wasn't fun to get beat on by a team (even if they are calling off the dogs after getting the requisite runs ahead). No one learns from these games.

As a coach, I've always used these games as learning experiences. I asked a team that was thumping my team to bunt, to get caught in rundowns, to get in various situations so my defense could practice it. I've even asked a coach to have her pitcher throw a lot of drop balls so my girls could get used to seeing it. When I've been ahead, I've had my girls bunt, work on slapping, etc., so we can practice. I've let the other coach know that we are going to do it...requested of him to let me know if he wanted us to get in certain situations, etc. I've gotten my #3 and #4 pitcher into game situations...good experience.

But I've also told the umpire we were going to do what we were going to do.

As an umpire, I just bear with it. Eventually a coach (except for about two I know) will get the run rule lead, then have girls leave early, bunt into outs, etc. One area coach, while coaching third, will actually tell us that leaving early is going to happen before he has his girl leave the base.

We had a a 7th/8th grade coach here that did basically the same thing - (in NYS, that level has NO run rule...)he would tell the BU to ring up his kids for leaving early if they tried to steal..or even if they stepped off 1st! - you should have seen the look on a kids face the first time that happened! That program schools it kids AND parents very good in sportsmanship, so the parents are not usually a problem when that happens either. I was BU in one of those games once, and by sheer reflex I actually called his BR safe on a banger at 1B.....very strange to get a negative response from the offensive coach when you call one of his kids SAFE...

And I wholeheartedly agree that the kids learn NOTHING from a blowout experience like that - except perhaps NOT to like softball! Lets get the darn game over, and head for the local Mickey Ds....