Originally posted by Judge Jude
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I coached instructional baseball when my son was learning to play. When those seasons started I had a parent meeting to level set whats going on. I told the parents that not all kids will pitch, and kids who cant make the throw from 3rd to 1st wont play 3rd base. Why? So the parent knew I would not put the kids in positions where they wouldnt be able to succeed. I taught kids that they needed to stay alert and always know what was going on. They also needed to be engaged in the game. My sons best friend was on the team and I had him playing SS, three straight slow ground balls got hit to him and he never moved to attempt to make a play. When the inning was done I asked him what was going on - he said he was upset with kids on the team and decided he shouldnt try. I had someone else play SS the rest of the inning and put him in the OF. What happened the next night when Im out mowing the lawn? His father asked why I pulled his son from the position. My response was that his son was acting selfish and had decided not to play as part of the team. If I keep the kid at SS, what does he learn?
Im pretty sure that the parents of the team that won the game were not very upset with the win. By the way, how many opportunities did the losing team miss? How many did they leave on base? How many errors did they make before the last inning? How many kids struck out looking or swung at ball four? What happens if the pitcher throws the ball away when trying to stall? What happens if now that the kid is worried about other things than pitching he cant throw a strike? Lots of variables here that could have changed the final outcome of the game - even with the strategic tactic used by the manager (one that again could have just as easily backfired).
A game is a compilation of multiple events that determine at the very end a winner. There is not one individual action only that determines the outcome in the game of baseball. When you are playing competitively, the game is ultimately about winning.
These games we play are where we learn many life lessons - The biggest life lesson is:
1 - Life is not fair
2 - See rule one and learn to deal with it.
I understand as parents we want to protect our kids from disappointment and hurt. Sports and games are great ways for kids to learn that life is not always fair, that we are not always going to succeed, that though we may not succeed this time - one can learn from this and get better. That pain can be overcome and can make us stronger.
Call me old school, call me insensitive, call me psychotic - At some point parents thought that every child should win a trophy or plaque or medal - show up and get a trophy. What did that teach those kids? It taught them that they didnt have to work hard to get a reward. What kind of lesson is that?
I am sure that I again may get hammered for the opinion I just posted and I can live with that.
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