04.10.07
I wish some things were fair
It is little league time of year and we were looking forward to a fun baseball season. My son didn’t get to play last year because he was in a wheel chair for 8 weeks and a walking boot for 4 weeks. Then on to 6 weeks of physical therapy and we missed the season. DJ is a dedicated player, he is a good hitter who almost always gets on base. He attends all the practices and games, even the make up practices. We are on time and always come ready to practice and play. But tonight was the first game. It did not go well.
All the kids showed up and so, of course, the coach could not play everyone. Three had to sit out, one was DJ. At first I thought this wasn’t fair. As I said above he has made all the practices, at least half the starters tonight have missed practice. He is early if not on time, again some of the starters do not get to practice and games on time and have not made the make up practices. I understand playing your best players but when one of the bench sitters is your son, it is difficult to be objective. I know we won’t see everyone take their turn sitting out and I don’t think that is fair.
In a perfect world, dedication and sportsmanship would count for something. I had forgotten little league is not the perfect world. Sure my son is not as quick as the much smaller players, he is 5′ 7″ and 135 lbs. He has grown 6 inches and lost 35 lbs in the past 9 months. He is awakard and unsure and sometimes unaware of his ‘body sense’. But he was hurt tonight. Emotionally hurt, enough to have tears in his eyes. Sure he held it together during the game but I choose to leave him alone in his room after we got home to cry. This is the first time I have seen dissapointment and a feeling of not being good enough in his countenance. I’m not even sure if he will want to play again. He understands the fact that some players are better than others and some have to sit out. It’s just the reality that you are one of the worst on your team that has crushed him.
What does a parent say? I’m sorry you sat 3 out of 4 innings on the bench. I’m sorry everyone showed up for the game. I’m sorry you only got one at bat and when you did get on base the coach replaced you immediately with a pinch runner which basically told everyone who was there that you were not good enough. (A board member actually came up to me and asked if the coach always did that. I think he felt it wasn’t right.) I’m sorry you only got to play your position for 3 plays. I’m sorry you aren’t better, faster, I’m sorry….no I’m mad a hell because DJ is basically crushed and I cannot do anything about it.
Life and little league suck. I want to take my ball and go home.
MamaMoo13 said,
April 15, 2007 at 2:26 pm
I, too, deal with this problem, except mine is 16 yrs. old and has a very young and inexperienced HS baseball coach who quite basically is a jerk!! It is very well known that if you PAY $$$$, you play. I know that helpless feeling you get when you see your son hurting. You just want to pummel the COACH!!! I don’t know if it is possible for you, but my husband and I have tried to use the *(^*($%^& Coach’s statements and actions to teach our son about life’s lessons. Those stinky lessons that will never be fair in life, but unfortunately you have to learn about. (Also, how could any parent ever be so cruel to a child as this guy (and your coach) is?) I tell him that any opportunity he gets, he should “shine like a star”. Eventually, someone will notice - even if it isn’t the boob heading the team. Keep your chin up and if you need to talk, I am just an email away. :-)))