Today I took my 15 year old grandson to his AAU basketball game in North Georgia. The game before his was two 12 year old teams. Midway in the 2nd half a kid from one team threw a punch at his opponent. The fight was on with just a couple of punches before refs and coaches broke it up. Then 2 mothers ran onto the court to get involved. Not good. Coaches, kids and refs got those moms to head back to their seats (right next to me). As they headed back moms from the other team began yelling at them and things got really wild. I was in the middle of moms cursing, yelling the F word at each other. Then a dad got into it with the coach of one of the teams (on the court). I’ve seen some sad things these last few years in AAU ball but this took the cake. How in the world can kids be expected to do right when parents and coaches are idiots. The gym was full of really young kids hearing (and seeing) this awful scene and awful words. Thankfully the team that was way behind walked off and forfeited the game. And we wonder why some kids today struggle with authority. Look at their parents. Sad.
Some Tulsa area schools quit allowing fans at basketball games this winter because of crowd issues. Extended to visiting teams who had never been involved in anything, which is tough if your kid is a good kid at a good school that polices itself well.
Last summer, my then 17-year old son was playing a travel baseball game in Lawton, OK. 110 degrees and little shade. Played a team of 18-year olds (not uncommon) from Burkburnett, TX, who have a dorm situation - players graduate HS, move to the dorm at a JUCO, take a class or two, do baseball 24/7 otherwise, and transition to college. Worked great for years and the program had a strong reputation (and good teams, as we played two of them that weekend).
First inning, a catcher who looked 25 gets kicked out for screaming MF after a strike out, then refused to leave the park and sat in his car screaming at the field (but from too far away to be understood). Second inning, one of their players gets hit in the ankle by a pitch and throws his bat down and stares down our pitcher. Bench is warned, their coaches are warned, and the player is told to go to first or accept a pinch runner.
I am right behind the plate under an umbrella. After handing the plate ump a bottle of water I suggested they take 15 minutes, grab shade and a few minutes in front of a fan. He agreed and after the 3rd inning, they took a break. The two umps passed by and said, “we need to cool down, but maybe it will cool down the other team. Thanks for the water, which is your boy?” When I pointed at the first baseman the field ump said, “he is a great kid, loves to talk to me, knows his baseball, and doesn’t let the other team jack with him.”
Next inning, my son (1B) tagged out a baserunner who was picked off by the pitcher. Kyle tags hard - coached that way, in case you can knock a hand off of the base - and the player comes up hot. The umpire later told me, “he said, ‘go sit down’ and walked away” and nothing happened. One batter later, another runner got on and was telling him to tag him hard and he’d be knocked to the ground. Ump stepped in and said, “enough.”
Kid tries to steal second and is thrown out. Second baseman and runner are tangled up, and our shortstop tries to help the 2B up and the runner says something. Runner shoves the 2B back to the ground as a way of helping himself up and the SS is right in the middle, not really letting him get up either.
Gets interesting here.
Third base coach (!) starts jawing at our 3B and then comes on the field and shoves him. The 3B is a 16-year old playing up, and his parents are not with us that weekend. My kid sprints across the field as the 3B gets up (with the coach standing over him) and lifts him up from behind and carries him to our dugout (1B dugout). Then, back to 2B where the runner he tagged out is on the field, hat turned around backwards, bumping chests with our SS. Kyle steps in, back to the runner and walks our SS to the OF grass.
All of this before our lily-white coaches get out of the dugout. Two HS teammates of my son were playing outfield and didn’t enter the fray until Kyle had helped two teammates out of trouble. Kyle cleared the bases with a double the next at bat, and then went to 3B when the 3B and pitcher argued about where the pitcher was supposed to backup the play. He yelled at the bench, “we hit, they talk about it, let’s go.” Our coach pinch ran for him, and had him return to the field after the half-inning. Kyle said, “he was right - don’t provoke the other team when they are beating themselves.” Good coaching, but where was he when his kids were getting pushed around?
The organization shut down that next week. It is my understanding they had been around for years, even sponsoring a baseball scholarship to Cameron University (where the tournament was held).
Closest call I’ve had with that, but when my son and I have been at minor league games and a spat breaks out I always talk about what to do. Be a good teammate, and if you get started in it, be willing to go until coaches, teammates, or umpires subdue you. He did, and after the game the umpire said, “I’m proud of your boy, he did right by his teammates today, and maybe kept that third baseman from getting hurt.”
Yeah Danny that’s just pathetic but to say I’m surprised no I’m not, happens all the time in all sports.
And to think we are offering 9th graders D 1 scholarships. What could go wrong?
I stopped calling High School baseball and tournaments about 8 years ago. I was fed up with parents! Coaches can’t control the parents and the kids have learned their poor language and behavior form their parents. The win at all
Cost my kid is great junk was too much.
I went to a AAU basketball game a few years ago. The refs was 16 years old. After the first 3 games that morning parents cornered these 3 kids that called the games in the parking lot and it was all my son in law and I could do to get the kids to their car and gone! Needless to say those parents made the mistake of taking a few wild swings at my son in law! He blocked them and pushed them to the ground! It took the police about 15
Minutes to get there but they hauled off those parents. They were banned from ever attending any more youth activities in that town.
I’ve seen parents come out of the stands and attack coaches, ref’s and other parents. It shameful that sports has become infested with this poor behavior! Our society has lost in morale compass. Bottom line.
I was watching my 8 year old granddaughter play last year. A grandmother next to me yelled at the teenage girl ref the entire game. It was sad. After the game were walking to the car and the teenage ref was walking out. Several parents went out of their way (including me) to tell her she did a good job and that she was appreciated. Her face lit up and she thanked everyone.
Good job. We all need to be more active when opportunity arises.
You should take some Little Debbies with you next time, Danny. Zebra Cakes can cause cooler heads to prevail.
Yeah I would not be a referee in any sporting event nowadays… unless you make it to high level college or Pro you’re not going to make a whole lot and all the crap you got to listen to would not make it worth it to me …
I don’t have the type of temperment that would put up with some of that crap and you’d be seeing me on TV LOL
Nutty bars too!! Oh and if you can ever find the Red Velvet cakes Little Debbie’s they are sinful!!
Good point Matt. It’s amazing how many times a couple of boxes of Little Debbies have gotten me out of a jam. Since I retired 6 years ago I have to buy them. But I still buy them and use them.
Coached girls softball slow pitch) and basketball for about ten years. One of my greatest compliments is that I and my other coaching partner never once had a parent complain to us about the treatment of their children. Probably some reflection on the coaches but more the class of he parents who entrusted their kids to us.
Does anyone know the compensation SEC umpires receive?
While we’re at it, how about SEC football and basketball officials?
A district in New Jersey has come up with a Great way to handle Parents who are out of control…
They make them umpire 3 games before they are allowed to comeback to games!! Awesome Idea!!
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