This occurred this weekend and wanted opinions on how others have handled similar situations in the past.

Scenario: Pony League Mustang Level (9 - 10 yo boy's) playoff game. 25 minutes before game we have coin flip to determine who is home team and to get infield going. After that takes place I leave field and stand behind low-level bleachers - but able to see field. While standing there paying no attention to anything in particular I hear "..the biggest game of the year and you're sitting on the F_ _ _ _ _ G bench!!"

After taking a second or two I realize it is the visiting coach saying this to one of the players sitting in the dugout. There might have been one other player in the dugout but not the whole team. Since I'm not on the field and it's before the game and still in shock by what I heard I tell the coach that I don't want to hear anything like that again or you’re gone! He replies with a “YES, SIR!"

I repeat my concern during the plate meeting for good sportsmanship as well.

So, naturally, the question is should I have tossed him at that point? Do we have the authority to do so at that point? You're views are all welcome.

The league has been notified of his action.

Thank you for your views and input!

You did okay
 

Probably not. Throwing him out would only cause a scene and unecessary embarrasment on his part. What he did was wrong, but not worthy of ejection due to the ramifications that would take place.

I would definitely make sure the executive committee of the BOD knew about the situation. It should be there job to make sure that they don't have youth coaches who use that type of language. They can send a letter of repremand or warning after they talk to him.

What you did was acceptable.

As the father of two boys (ages: 9 and 12) who compete in basketball, baseball, and swimming, my question is where were the parents of this poor boy and why didn't this coach get his teeth shoved down his throat (I am advocating violence to solve our problems by any stretch of imagionation, but this coach's actions border on felony child abuse. If you heard the coach then a lot of parents heard this coach.

Re: You did okay
 

<i> Originally posted by droobie </i>

<b> Throwing him out would only cause a scene and unecessary embarrasment on his part. </b>

<i> While standing there paying no attention to anything in particular I hear "..the biggest game of the year and you're sitting on the F_ _ _ _ _ G bench!!" </i>

As far as I'm concerned the coach already embarrassed himself by uttering those words to a 9/10 yr. old to begin with, so I have no sympathy for this coach.

At this point, we can't really eject, since umpire jurisdiction didn't begin yet. The umpires haven't even arived at the field.

What can be done is a written report to the league administrators describing what happened.

However, my gut teels me that this coach wasn't <i> sqeaky clean </i> to begin with and the BOD of that league simply turned a blind eye.

These are the kinds of comments that could lead to something ugly. A coach has no right to use this type of language to a 9 yr. old. If this were upper ball that's one thing but not in youth ball.

Pete Booth

Mark - The sad thing is I believe after eyeing the situation during pre-game fielding and early in the game, this was the coach’s son. You've got to wonder about how he is treated at home....

Pete - Thanks for your insight. So even though I was on the field prior with the coin flip and getting the coaches going with infield, once the formal coaches meeting takes place is that when umps "officially arrive" on the field?

Thanks!

Profanity
 

Brumey,
I think you handled it as appropriately as you possibly could have. Per OBR, the UIC takes control of the field once he accepts the lineup card from the home team manager. Some leagues however have the umpires in control when they set foot on the field, in which case you would have been in your rights to send the Dad/Coach packing immediately. I'd fear he'd take it out on the kid, if you did that though. At that age level, there is no excuse whatsoever for using that language in front of the kids. Even if he were the youngster's father, that doesn't give him the right to verbally abuse any kid.

Jerry

Wow, this is where rules bump into what's right. I agree with my colleagues, that technically you cannot do anything because you have not taken over the game. However, I think the dynamics of the league need to be taken into account also.

In our league, if I heard a coach doing that on the field and I was calling his game, regardless of when it happened, he's gone. I can say that though, because our league does not tolerate that kind of behavior in any way shape or form and I know that the BOD and the parents would back me up. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones.