Browsing through the cable channels and ran across one of the LL Regional championships.................

The pressure these kids are put through are bad enough............but at 12 years old should they be put through this type of pressure (television)??

I coached 1 Third place ASA team and 2 Fifth places (in Tx...........minimum of 60 teams).................in States.............the best I ever got in Nationals was 11th................

One thing was........we always had fun..........

Whenever I saw a parent going anal when their kid came to bat............I quoted Tony Peter's favorite rule.................."Baseball/softball" is a game.................

Losing sucks............and winning is better..................BUT...........kids should NOT be put up for ridicule on National Television...................

Joel



[Edited by Gulf Coast Blue on Aug 12th, 2002 at 06:37 AM]

In 1997 my daughter was on a team that made it all the way to state where they placed second in the state. This was with Dixie softball, Belles division (technically 15U). The very next year they went all the way to the national championship, where once again, you guessed it, they came in second. The girls all played some wonderful ball those two seasons, and there were some really great wins. Yet...to this day, whenever anyone talks about those days, it is about the fun they had and the crazy times we all had at the motels or restaurants, very little is about what occurred on the field. This was a rarity in that the coaches all focused on the fun of the game, insisted that all of the parents be involved in not just supporting the team but helping with the practices..etc. It was an unusually cohesive group of kids, coaches and parents. I always muse, when I watch the types that Joel mentioned, how easy it could have been to get wrapped up with the win, win, win mentality, in which case the girls would have probably never made it to even district play.

But the bottom line is, the girls will always have fond memories of the game, because of all that happened away from the field as much as what happened on it.

Scott

I ditto both of the above comments. Renee has played on a travel team since the age of 8 1/2 and gone to many state and regional playoffs and has played in 3 Nationals. She talks a little about the 'good' plays, but mostly about the fun at the motels, how crazy everyone was, and the food!

I did some coaching (non-competitve basketball/volleyball) for co-ed high school kids (mostly tournaments played by kids who didn't make the high school teams. but still wanted to play). Whenever we'd talk about previous tournaments, it was always about the bus ride, the hotel, the dinner/pizza party, the pool...you know, the good stuff!

The kids who have fun, stay with it longer. When pressure is applied, it becomes work. Good athletes should be guided to be the best that they can be, but there needs to be a point where "less is more". Great athletes will find it within themselves without the pushing.

Just my 2 cents...

Diana

JMO
 

I dont think the TV camaras put any more pressure on the players than they already have when they reach this point and as a viewer I love it the game is much more fun to watch than any MLB game is. My own opinion I wish TV would put on much more amateur games Softball and Baseball and then the players and owners can strike all they want I sure wouldnt have any need for them


JMO

Don

Don -

Add me to the list wanting more of this type of game.

Someone on one of the other boards pointed out that the softball LLWS has been at the same facility for 9 years and they are still playing with a grass infield. - Sad.

-Kono

Re: JMO
 

Speaking of pressure, wasn't that a great game last night between TX.
and KY. The two originial pitchers were cool and composed. Triple dozens
of K's and just a couple of walks. http://www.stopstart.btinternet.co.uk/sm/notworthy.gif That second home run the young
man from KY hit was some shot....I agree lets see more of this and
let the so called *big boys* sit out.

http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/Gif/papa.gif
glen

That was one heck of a game Glen. I noticed that the announcers on ESPN were predicting that game being the first LL game to make it onto ESPN Classics. Neither team had a thing to be ashamed about.

Scott