I'm

I am firmly against the whole mindset that some parents get into when their kids are involved in competition. Whether it be tennis, gymnastics, golf, football, or baseball, kids truly just want to hear some cheers. Pre-teens want and need them primarily from their parents. As the kids get older, that focus begins to shift more and more to wanting/needing cheers from their peers.
This board is about baseball though,so I shall limit my observations to that arena. Sadly, in my experience about three sets of parents out of twelve or fourteen sets belonging to the kids on every team I've seen, attend every game a kid plays. Some are so cruel that they sign their kid up, and drop them off at the park and even forget them. As all you coaches out there can affirm, you and I have played taxi a LOT!

Of the parents who are there, a sad but large number are there trying to BUY their kid a starting role or a chance at a home run. It reminds me of the dad who buys his kid a Mustang convertible instead of giving his time. Then the dufus wonders why his kid uses the Mustang to buy and sell drugs.

I'll tell you why. His self esteem is all wrapped up in what daddy can buy him/her and what he or she can buy for themselves by selling those drugs.
Fancy cars, titanium bats with Astronaut's fiber-fill, steroids, private gyms, private instruction...the silent message they are getting is that what they, or their daddy, can buy is what makes them wonderful.

Well I'm agin' it!

What I've heard too much about on this board is not HONEST COMPETITION, but rather about what daddy can buy to give their kid a DISHONEST EDGE. If you let every kid on your team use that $400 dollar bat, I might back off...a little!

If you let every kid on both competing teams use the bat, then I'm on your side!

Now, contrary to what you guys might be thinking, I'm not doing a bleeding heart number on behalf of those kids whose parents have to do without something important to sign their kid up in the local little league. Not at all. I'm saddened by the fate of YOUR children.

Those kids down the block are going to be seriously motivated by that up-hill playing field...I mean life and death motivated. You are simply giving them the impetus to stomp YOUR kids in the game of life and your kids will have no defense. The only way to build self worth is to compete fairly. If there is a little voice inside that says to them: (shhhhh! don't worry. Daddy can bail me out), then they will never stretch to their full potential either as a ball player, or a human being.

So, spend the time with your kids, and loan them a little confidence until they build their own. Help them build their own confidence in their ability to execute by what is in their noggin and in their muscle memory.

Finally, technology in sports has gotten rather silly. When will you agree with me? When a "bio-electric perfect swingmaker" comes along and your kid just gets ten feet from the plate,(so he/she doesn't get hurt), and punches a button? For a mere $1,00000ad nauseum, you too will be able to buy YOUR kid a homerun.

Why not just buy them a computer while you go play golf with YOUR "perfect swing-maker" and impress your friends.
Or add a chainsaw to your club selection for when you are in the DEEP rough, as I find myself too often.
Bean beans@pdq.net