Llama Llama Baseball Drama

There is nothing like youth sports to allow children to learn the fundamentals of a sport, to learn to be part of a team, to learn that they aren't always the best, or the worst, but that their contribution is always important -- from the kid who hits the grand slam, to the one who by just showing up means his team doesn't have to forfeit because they don't have enough players.  I've been around youth sports enough to see the joy it can bring to a child who has no plans to play at the middle school/high school level, and to see the frustration it can cause children who probably have enough talent that "He-Could-Go-All-The-Way"

The thrill of making it home safe!

Unfortunately, youth sports isn't always all about the kids.  It is also a chance for parents to live vicariously through their children's achievements.  (And hey, I do my share of that -- I love to watch my children succeed on the field, court, and ice.)   And I've been the team mom and the coach's wife long enough to hear the complaints of those parents who can't or won't get out there and help coach themselves, but love to do nothing better than criticize those women and men who give up their free time to help little Timmy get a little confidence.   And hey -- how about you parents who sign your kids up for baseball spend a little time in the backyard with them?  Take them to a college or minor league game and SHOW them where first base is?   At least watch a game with them on TV!  (I know you have TV, because little Timmy is in the outfield talking about this afternoon's episode of SpongeBob.)

But I got to see a real low last night, when the UMPIRE, who is supposed to be professional and unbiased, took out his dislike on a certain coach on 11-year-old boys.    This man has to be sixty years old, is a well-known umpire/referee not only in Little League and Youth Hockey but in high school sports, but could not seem to get over his dislike for a certain assistant coach, and made terrible, apparently deliberate calls on the field.   Not saying the team would have won otherwise (because they were getting shelled by other team's bats), but it was demoralizing for boys to slide in at third and be called out, when clearly the 3rd baseman didn't have the tag... or the boy who stole second and was called out on a similar play.  

I guess I'm just saying that grown-ups should save their problem for other grown-ups, and not involve the kids, who for them, it isn't "just a game."   At least it wasn't last night.