6U Coach gone wild

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

I got my start doing 8U coach pitch at 17, which was also the same summer I got asked to work some adult men's beer league games. The 8U games were harder, because I had to keep track of when a batter had 10 pitches from the coach before we brought out the tee, in addition to calling the plays on the bases. The beer league guys...well, let's just say there was an additional illicit game fee in my truck after the game.

On another note, I've seen 12 year olds work soccer for the kids around the age of 5 and 6, so hearing that there's two 15 year olds doing 6U ball isn't too surprising to me. Although, I'm SHOCKED there were two umpires for 6U. I did basically anything 12U and under in my hometown, baseball and softball, by myself a strong majority of the time.

I'm not too terribly shocked that there are two umpires for this league. When I was a kid playing in the local softball league (from 4th grade to 8th grade), we actually had two fields going at the same time. It was about 50/50 as to whether we had one or two umpires on each field, and they were all volunteers.

Granted, these were not the best-trained umpires in the world; no real training was provided, no clinics, no evals, nothing. However, there were people willing to step up and accept the challenge. I was one of them. That's how I got my start.

So when I hear about a 6U league using 2 fresh umpires, I don't really question it so much. After all, we all have to get our start somewhere, and if the expectation is clearly set and maintained in the league that coaches should not treat the games as life or death, I see no harm in it.

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

So when I hear about a 6U league using 2 fresh umpires, I don't really question it so much. After all, we all have to get our start somewhere, and if the expectation is clearly set and maintained in the league that coaches should not treat the games as life or death, I see no harm in it.

I agree with you...as long as the coaches AND the parents don't treat it as life and death. You should see some of the helicopter parents out there. My ex-wife is already becoming one...should have seen her with our oldest at his swimming lessons last week. Sheesh.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

I agree with you...as long as the coaches AND the parents don't treat it as life and death. You should see some of the helicopter parents out there. My ex-wife is already becoming one...should have seen her with our oldest at his swimming lessons last week. Sheesh.

Well, parental encouragement is an important part of growing up. Frankly, I have no problems with parents who cheer positively for their child. Unfortunately, we all know that this is all too often not the case, and while the problematic parents are usually in the minority, it's that minority that completely detracts from the program.

Maybe someone ought to videotape the parents and make them watch themselves a third of the way through the season. You'd be surprised how many of them have NO idea how badly they come across.