Parents out of control in Little League Sports

[BigWolf10]

When will it end? They come in both sexes. Now days the women are just as bad as the men. I feel sorry for that coach who plays that less gifted kid too little. And that very gifted kid too much. And the poor Officiating team, gotta be some of the hardest jobs in sports. I know first hand!!!!

[Bucof2010]

Just left my little brothers Basketball game and I can honestly say I was embarassed by the group of parents around me. I dont know what class of officiating people expect in little dribblers but apparently their standards are far higher than mine. On a different note the roughness of basketball has completely changed the sport for the worse very little skill involved now. The time to stop this terrible trend is in the little dribblers and other youth leagues.

[bullets13]

it really is a shame... it makes no sense to me when i see parents living vicariously through their kids to the point where they are more passionate than the kids playing the game, and more disrespectful and outspoken.  parents are supposed to be role models for their children.  i see more and more parents acting like children in the stands.  and we wonder why kids talk back to their coaches, disrespect the referees, and get into fights at the drop of a hat.  their parents are doing the exact same thing in the stands!  it blows my mind.  until parents begin to act more like adults, i can only see youth sports continuing to deteriorate. 

[BigWolf10]

A friend of mind is coaching a little dribblers team. He was attacked by a parent after the game Saturday, not physically but verbally. And the most shocking thing to me was it was by a mother of the opposing team. She raved that they kept their star players in the game to long and allowed her son's team no chance to stay in the game. She told my friend that he and the other coaches were unproffesional for cheering on the lopsided 71-39 whipping they'd handed her son's team. My friend's team has played 3 games and they are 1-2. They were up 30 points in the first game but lost by a point. they were up 20 plus in the second game and lost by two. They tried explaining to the lady that this was the only reason they played their star players as long as they did. She still wasn't hearing it and she continued to tear into those two poor coaches. They handled it well, trying to explain to her why they did what they'd did. But she wasn't hearing it. Her kid congratulated the coaches, he handled it alot better than his mother did.

[oldtimer3]

what city was this in?

[TXBaseball]

I have an older son and a younger one as well.  I learned alot with the oldest.  One of the things that I learned is that parents are so busy trying to make sure that their child is the shining star that they miss the good stuff.  They can't even enjoy their child growing up because of egos and what not.  Fortunately, I've been given a second chance, but it doesn't undo anything that the older one had to endure.  All I can tell you parents of young kids, is that when you wake up tomorrow, it's over with and you've absolutely missed all the good, funny things that kids do.  Sad thing is that it just doesn't make a difference if they were the best or not.  Most of the kids aren't going to remember who was the best at anything, but they will remember how their parents acted in public and treated them because they weren't living up to mom's or dad's expectations.  ENJOY your kids, have fun with them, life is way to short.

[westend1]

I agree Pluto, but let me add one thing.  If your child likes sports, spend as much time as possible with him/her to make the child better at whatever sport they choose.  It's just more fun for them if they feel good about themselves.  Kids will never enjoy sports much if they stink at them.  They don't have to be told they are bad; they know.  Some parents seem to think the kid is going to have fun just because they are out there.  I don't think that is true.  They will have fun if they can contribute in a meaningful way.  JMO

ps---just make sure that you find a way to make practicing fun

[TXBaseball]

I agree Pluto, but let me add one thing.  If your child likes sports, spend as much time as possible with him/her to make the child better at whatever sport they choose.  It's just more fun for them if they feel good about themselves.  Kids will never enjoy sports much if they stink at them.  They don't have to be told they are bad; they know.   Some parents seem to think the kid is going to have fun just because they are out there.  I don't think that is true.   They will have fun if they can contribute in a meaningful way.  JMO

ps---just make sure that you find a way to make practicing fun

Agreed.  I guess I failed to get to that point.  Parent's can make practice alot of fun and rewarding if it's done right and kids do have more fun if they're performing well.  Parents just have to accept the kids talents, abilities and limitations for what they are and enjoy every minute they have with them.

[ozens fastest@1906]

I'll tell you guys exactly what it is. Every parent wants for their kid to grow up and be "Like Mike". Parents now and days want for their kids to be the next great whatever... you cant blame them, but the problem is that every kid isn't a great athlete and the parents need to be able to understand that. You dont see the parent bcjag I bet money that the parents of the kids who were on the winning team didnt have anything negative to say about the coaches. Parents get so caught up in he hype from the adult world that they dont understand that the kids are just playing for the love of the game, just b/c it's fun. What happens in the long run when you have parents like this who are constantly pushing their kids to be the next superstar, even if that kid is a gifted athlete is that they began to lose that happiness and fun from the game, b/c it becomes to much of a job that just a past time. Parent's need to let the kids enjoy the sports that they particpate in and not ruin it for them by putting more emphasis on little leauge sport than there should be.

[BigWolf10]

I'll tell you guys exactly what it is. Every parent wants for their kid to grow up and be "Like Mike". Parents now and days want for their kids to be the next great whatever... you cant blame them, but the problem is that every kid isn't a great athlete and the parents need to be able to understand that. You dont see the parent bcjag I bet money that the parents of the kids who were on the winning team didnt have anything negative to say about the coaches. Parents get so caught up in he hype from the adult world that they dont understand that the kids are just playing for the love of the game, just b/c it's fun. What happens in the long run when you have parents like this who are constantly pushing their kids to be the next superstar, even if that kid is a gifted athlete is that they began to lose that happiness and fun from the game, b/c it becomes to much of a job that just a past time. Parent's need to let the kids enjoy the sports that they particpate in and not ruin it for them by putting more emphasis on little leauge sport than there should be.

Oh no the winning team's parents never complain. And I'm pretty sure if her kid were on the winning end she wouldn't have. I can say this though, I love the way the kids conducts themselves every week. They play the game with passion and understanding that you win and lose. I've yet to see one kid in this League complain. Hats off to em.

[BLUEDOVE3]

I attended a YMCA league game today and after one particular game, I overheard a father say that the coach better not be cursing the kids (age about 8 years old)in his post-game meeting. The father begin taking off his watch and his cap as if he was preparing for action. I guess the coach didn't curse his players because I didn't hear any commotion outside the building. My son's played Little Dribblers last year and I could not believe how some parents acted in the stands.

[Ty Cobb]

It's not just happening in Little League.  Check out some of the idiots that attend high school sporting events. 

[BLUEDOVE3]

I'm  personally involved with a situation where a parent (ass't coach this year) on our select 11u basketball team hollers at his son so bad when his kid screws up in practice. The whole gym gets quiet when he goes on his rampage against his son. The kid looks for his dad everytime he makes a mistake. I guess to see if his dad is going to disapprove.