Issued my first Forfeit yesterday

[maineblue]

Christian schools in my experience have some of the worst behavior out there. In a JV game a couple of years ago between a school that is in the country, and a Christian school from the city, I had a bench restriction of the Christian school coach, the near ejection of one player for language and almost had a fight.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by maineblue

Christian schools in my experience have some of the worst behavior out there. In a JV game a couple of years ago between a school that is in the country, and a Christian school from the city, I had a bench restriction of the Christian school coach, the near ejection of one player for language and almost had a fight.

Sorry, but as a parent of three players in private schools, an ICCL umpire, and an ICCL coach, I find your statement to be completely ridiculous!

I would say your experience is limited in working these games and you encountered a few anomolies.


Tim.

[Texas Aggie]

56: why exactly is his statement ridiculous? Do you have info that would show it to be untrue? If true, how can the STATEMENT be ridiculous?

Just because you have three kids in private schools, and umpire and coach in private school leagues doesn't mean this stuff doesn't happen. I'm a strong Christian, have worked various sports for years for mostly public and a few private schools and have witnessed less than professional behavior from private school coaches and less than Christian behavior from their students. Doesn't mean I have anything bad to say about private schools in general, but I do think the coaches and administration of those schools need to accept the fact that they must have behavior from all individuals a step or two above what's expected in general sporting events.

There's nothing unreasonable about that.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

56: why exactly is his statement ridiculous? Do you have info that would show it to be untrue? If true, how can the STATEMENT be ridiculous?

Just because you have three kids in private schools, and umpire and coach in private school leagues doesn't mean this stuff doesn't happen. I'm a strong Christian, have worked various sports for years for mostly public and a few private schools and have witnessed less than professional behavior from private school coaches and less than Christian behavior from their students. Doesn't mean I have anything bad to say about private schools in general, but I do think the coaches and administration of those schools need to accept the fact that they must have behavior from all individuals a step or two above what's expected in general sporting events.

There's nothing unreasonable about that.

Sure it happens in parochial schools. There's no disputing that. I guess I over reacted when his claim was that the problem is worse in Christian schools. I just don't believe that to be true as a general statement. I read the post again and see he's just relating his personal experience, and there's no way anyone outside of his area can dispute that. I don't want to seem holier-than-thou, but I believe the private schools should model only exemplary behavior when it comes to a code of conduct, far above those so often displayed in the public school systems. Maybe I'm setting the standard too high for our participants as to my expectations.


Tim.

[nickrego]

Originally Posted by maineblue

Christian schools in my experience have some of the worst behavior out there.

Sadly enough, I have to agree. Over the years, I have had more trouble with Christian schools than all other schools put together.

I had to run another Assistant coach of a Christian team again today;

Christian team is ahead, 10 - 0 over the visitors in the bottom of the 4th.

Their batter hits a blooper down the 1st base line, just past 1st. F1 circles around to make the play. I am standing on the line looking out, about 10' from the play. F1 is standing with both feet in fair territory, reaches out into foul territory (his entire arm) and makes contact with the ball, which pops out of his glove, hits the ground and comes to rest in fair territory. I call Foul Ball. Christian teams *** (3 letter abbrev. for Assistant) coach on first goes crazy, arguing it is fair because it rested in fair territory, and F1 was standing in fair territory when he made contact. I got him calmed down, told him what I saw, informed him of the rule, and got him to go back to his spot, without ejecting him.

One batter later, we have R1 & R2, 0 outs (IFR). B3 hits a low blooper down 1st base line. R1 takes a step toward 2nd, then decides to go back to 1st, in doing so, he runs smack into F1 who was charging the ball to make the catch, and knocks him out of the play. I kill the play, call Interference, call R1 out, and send B3 to 1st base. Coach goes ballistic again, saying the Batter should be out, and R1 returns to 1st. I immediately dumped him. My partner, not sure who was out and who wasn't, comes to me to ask who should be out and who should be on base. After I explain the rule to him, while this coach is now claiming it should have been an IFR (ball was too low, and would have been caught on the run). I head back to my position C. This coach now approaches my partner and starts in on him, and my partner talks to him about it for several minutes !!!! At this point, the visitor's coach is yelling that we need to get the game going, that I had already ejected the coach, and that my partner should not be taking the time to explain anything to an assistant coach (very refreshing). I had to tell the home team manager (who as usual was standing back just watching) to get him off the field or the game was going to be over. He did, we finished, and the home team (Christian team) won in the top of the 5th, 10 - 0.

But once again, here you have a Christian team that is slaughtering their opponents, nit picking and complaining, while the losing (non-Christian team) is once again taking the loss with dignity. I will say though, at the top of the 5th inning, when F1 came back in, he apologized for his coaches behavior. I thanked him. Maybe the coaches should attend some of the schools classes.

[big]

Once again I say that just because they coach/attend a Christian school doesn't make them a Chrsitian. Going to church doesn't make you a Chrsitian any more then going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger. The Bible says you can tell a TRUE Christian by their deeds!

[nickrego]

Originally Posted by big

The Bible says you can tell a TRUE Christian by their deeds!

I would have to agree with you 1000 % on that.

But if your going to choose a coach for a Christian HS, I think you should choose a Christian coach. Every one of them. They not only coach the team, they represent the school, and everything it stands for. Knowing the sport is not enough. They need to have the same beliefs the school was founded on, and believes in.

Just my humble opinion (HMO).

[jumpmaster]

Originally Posted by nickrego

I would have to agree with you 1000 % on that.

But if your going to choose a coach for a Christian HS, I think you should choose a Christian coach. Every one of them. They not only coach the team, they represent the school, and everything it stands for. Knowing the sport is not enough. They need to have the same beliefs the school was founded on, and believes in.

Just my humble opinion (HMO).

not necessarily...one of the local private Christian schools hired the son of the pastor to be the head coach. Because of the actions of this coach, I have voluntarily scratched myself from working any of their football games. The guy is a fraud and a knucklehead.

I believe that HS sports are an extension of the classroom...HS sports at a Christian school are an extension of the classroom and the Bible. If the coach can't conduct himself appropriately and the administrators refuse to correct the situation, I refuse to work their games.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by nickrego

Christian teams *** (3 letter abbrev. for Assistant) coach on first goes crazy, arguing it is fair because it rested in fair territory, and F1 was standing in fair territory when he made contact. I got him calmed down, told him what I saw, informed him of the rule, and got him to go back to his spot, without ejecting him.

Again, I think that you are giving FAR FAR FAR too much leeway to ASSistant coaches. Assistant coaches have 1 job - coaching their players. Their job is NOT to give any lip to the umpires. If it requires ANY effort more than 4 words and a stop sign to "calm down" as ASSistant coach, he's gone. The manager gets more leeway, but HE is the only one who should be disputing/discussing calls with you.

And as an aside, interestingly I've never had problems with a Christian school in baseball, but I would agree with all of the above comments regarding the poor behavior/demeanor of the Christian school FOOTBALL coaches I've worked with, as compared to their public school brethren.

[Rich]

I have to throw in a counter-story, just to show they aren't ALL like this.

I work a D3 college conference where one school is a Bible College. This school's coach only EVER gets upset when kids on the other team throw an F-bomb that he can hear at which point I just ask the other team's head coach to help me out.

In 3 seasons of working this school, I can't remember any other comments or arguments coming from this school.

[SAump]

Thanks for cleaning the kettle a bit.

PEACE to ALL.

[briancurtin]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

I have to throw in a counter-story, just to show they aren't ALL like this.

I work a D3 college conference where one school is a Bible College. This school's coach only EVER gets upset when kids on the other team throw an F-bomb that he can hear at which point I just ask the other team's head coach to help me out.

In 3 seasons of working this school, I can't remember any other comments or arguments coming from this school.

would that be Marantha? i watched my brother's team play them once and i think i remember seeing the coach flip out about this, but it could have been another school. im pretty sure you work in that area, but i could be completely wrong.

[DG]

I have never said a word to a catcher about setting up "too far back". It's the ones who crowd the plate so much I can't get a good look at it that I speak to.

[SanDiegoSteve]

I don't like the plate crowders either. I like to be able to just see the entire plate, and that is all. The catcher then is not so close as to get his glove whacked on every swing, but not so far back that he makes every strike look like a ball.

Like I said, my usual way is to just set up where I want to stand, and the catcher will often back into me, and realize I want him up more.