Let the Kids Have Fun

During my time as a youth baseball coach, age-league commissioner and league president, I saw some crazy stuff.

One bucket of the crazies was the uber-competitive parents. Stage parents, if you will. 

1. A mom telling me about how her son's 9-under team played tournaments every other weekend from March-October. Nine. Year. olds.
2. Another mom asking me about what she should do to help 7-year-old Little Johnny "make it" (presumably in 'the show'). Seven. Year. Olds. 
3. A guy in coach-pitch league (t-ball) bragging about his team playing in 6-under tournaments. Six. Year. Olds!

Coaches yelling at kids. Coaches ignoring the last-drafted player in hopes he might drop out. Coaches trying to rig rec league drafts.

Over the top.

Don't get me wrong. There is a time and place for competitiveness. Just look at Farragut High School - winning its 5th straight state baseball championship. Fifteenth overall - a record of excellence.

And our boys moved from rec league to travel ball, too, when the time and place was right.  And we weren't looking to prepare them for the major leagues. We were just looking to play a little tougher competition and add some more games to our schedule.

Because the last time I checked, there were only a couple guys who played baseball on the fields where the Choppers once played (and I once coached) who have made it all the way to 'the show.' 

And that wasn't our goal anyway.

Speaking of the majors, I was watching an Atlanta Braves game last week and, during one of the innings, BravesVision commentators Wiley Ballard and CJ Nitkowski interviewed lefty ace Chris Sale. They covered a number of topics but, when I heard him talk about his boys playing the game and having fun with it, he got my attention. 

The guys asked Chris Sale if he coaches his kids, he confirmed he didn't. Here's what Sale said on last Thursday's broadcast of the game from Miami:

"Just let the kids have fun. When they are into high school, that's when it's time to turn it on. But when they are young, you need to make it fun because when you make it fun, that's when you fall in love with it. And when you fall in love with something, it's easier to go through those grinder days. So, parents, ease up a little."

Sale's words really resonate with me - especially coming from a staff ace and future Hall of Famer. 

Wish I could have played some of these quotes for the super competitive parents back during my tenure as league prez.

Let the kids have fun. And the rest will take care of itself. 

JG