What next?

[SC Ump]

Good story. My favorite part:

Originally Posted by Al

...the hind catcher.

Good luck doing these games. I've done some similar and know they take a lot of patience as well as umpiring talent.

[BretMan]

Re: Hind catcher.

Al, are you by chance Canadian? This term seems common in "the Great White North". I buy a lot of baseball stuff on eBay, and everytime I see a piece of catcher's equipment that is described with the term "hind catcher", the seller is almost always from Canada.

What's up with that?

On to your post. Adults with this kind of behavior in youth sports really strike a nerve with me. My daughter's early days in rec ball exposed me to the absolute worst in outrageous behavior.

I've seen coaches of this type run a fine recreational program right into the ground. How many kids are going to say, "Gee, that was really fun, being yelled at and belittled by my coach. I think I'll sign-up for more abuse again next year!".

When this behavior goes unchecked, the league is in effect driving away players (customers). And then the clueless board of directors wonders why their sign-up numbers go down each year...

By nature, I am a pretty mild and easy-going person. But my "BS" detector is set at a very low threshold! When confronted with yo-yo's like this, it is my nature to set them straight. It's part of the reason I became an umpire and league official.

Given the history here, as soon as this "coach" said that she was going to the administrator, I think that my response would be, "Good idea. Let's both go and see him right now".

The administrator needs to be made aware of somebody's behavior, but it's not yours! Clueless morons like this need to put a lid on it or else be removed from the field.

[Al]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Re: Hind catcher.

Al, are you by chance Canadian? This term seems common in "the Great White North". I buy a lot of baseball stuff on eBay, and everytime I see a piece of catcher's equipment that is described with the term "hind catcher", the seller is almost always from Canada.

What's up with that?

On to your post. Adults with this kind of behavior in youth sports really strike a nerve with me. My daughter's early days in rec ball exposed me to the absolute worst in outrageous behavior.

I've seen coaches of this type run a fine recreational program right into the ground. How many kids are going to say, "Gee, that was really fun, being yelled at and belittled by my coach. I think I'll sign-up for more abuse again next year!".

When this behavior goes unchecked, the league is in effect driving away players (customers). And then the clueless board of directors wonders why their sign-up numbers go down each year...

By nature, I am a pretty mild and easy-going person. But my "BS" detector is set at a very low threshold! When confronted with yo-yo's like this, it is my nature to set them straight. It's part of the reason I became an umpire and league official.

Given the history here, as soon as this "coach" said that she was going to the administrator, I think that my response would be, "Good idea. Let's both go and see him right now".

The administrator needs to be made aware of somebody's behavior, but it's not yours! Clueless morons like this need to put a lid on it or else be removed from the field.

Hey BretMan,

Hind catcher! I was always a catcher, but I don't remember hearing the term hind catcher when living in New Jersey. But here in TN. that's what the catcher is called. No, I'm not from Canada. I was raised in New Jersey. Went into the Air Force at age 20, then after 4 years of traveling from place to place such as Texas, Puerto Rico, Guam, Alaska, North Dakota, and Mass. My wife and I had enough of that. For me, the best part of the Air Force was meeting my beautiful wife in Puerto Rico, with whom I've been married 33 years now. We have 2 kids, 4 grandkids, another on the way.

My civilian job was waiting for me, if I wanted it, so I decided to do that and went back to work for the (American Can Company) in New Jersey. So now we figure no more moving, right? But just about the time we got settled into our first home ...I got transferred to another part of the state, and just two years, or so, later got transferred again to Indiana. But this time we didn't have to move for several years. Then the company closed down and a couple years later we moved to Tennessee and have not moved since. We are here about 15 years now.

My oldest grandkid plays T-ball, and my son tells me he hits the tar out of it! Too bad my wife and I don't get to see him play as he lives in Indiana and we live in Tennessee. My wife is now talking about moving closer to the kids and grandkids. So it's time to move again!

I doubt the administrator talked to the coaches yet, with this being Easter weekend. I umpire a game Monday with the coach from the pit, but hopefully she will have quit. I have to do what is best for the kids, fans and umpires, so next time she, or her assistant, gets out of line I must do what is right for the game and eject her. Thanks, Appreciate your post. ....Al

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by Al

... here in TN. that's what the catcher is called.

I thought the term was an older term because it was what my dad used. That's why I liked it. But perhaps your observation is right. He was from TN.

[pollywolly60]

My dad was from TN, and I also grew up hearing this terminology used for the catcher.

[tcblue13]

In central VA where I lived for about ten years they called the catcher the backstop though I have heard hind catcher as well

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by BretMan

...And then the clueless board of directors wonders why their sign-up numbers go down each year...

They're all signing up to play in that other sport, where everyone is always showing outstanding sportsmanship and calm demeanor; parents never become outrageous, coaches are always nice, and the officials are respected at all times.

You know... Communist Kickball (aka Fútbol).

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

They're all signing up to play in that other sport, where everyone is always showing outstanding sportsmanship and calm demeanor; parents never become outrageous, coaches are always nice, and the officials are respected at all times.

You know... Communist Kickball (aka Fútbol).

Yeah, sounds more like what I know as a coma.

[Chess Ref]

I gave it a try in the late 1980's. I followed a local JC team. I went to their games, home and most away. They were a Top 5 program in the sate. I tried to appreciate the nuances and all the other blah,blah,blah. Bottom line -it was boring.
Now I have a theory on why kids play kickball versus softball/baseball. Bottom line it's pretty easy . Kick the ball.run after the ball, kick the ball, stand there and take a break. repeat. Now softball requies catching, throwing, and hitting. Not easy. Parents have to spend time teaching their kids these very difficult skills. For whatever reasons parents these days are swamped and these skills take time to develop. So throw my kid on the grass, let them run around, hoot and hollar, and wha la my kids an athlete. Or I thow hours and hours of grounders, batting practice etc and maybe my kid will be sucessfull 3/4 times out of ten.

Just my opinion.....