Little League Baseball

Two of my three children play little league baseball. My youngest, Alana, was not interested in playing t-ball this year, but she loves to hit the ball in the backyard, so maybe next year. Youth sports is an interesting phenomenon. For the last three or four years I have coached one or both of my sons' teams as they play soccer or baseball. Unlike some people I have yet to have a bad experience. There have been no bad parents, very few bad kids, but I know I have been lucky. I have friends who run other leagues and have stories about coaches telling their pitcher to hit opposing batters; I have heard of people wanting to get into fights over pee-wee (6 year old) football; you hear of volunteer umpire's and coaches getting assaulted.

Sometimes the response becomes well why do organized sports? The answer is the kids have fun. What should always be kept in mind is that the kids don't truly care about winning and losing. Don't get me wrong, they love to win (even t-ball age kids will ask who won a game where no one keeps score), but within minutes after winning or losing they have moved on.

My oldest son, who is 8, was on a better than average soccer team this last season. They came in second in their league and made the regional playoffs. Ultimately they came in third place overall out of 116 teams. I didn't hear a single kid bemoaning the loss that kept them from playing in the championship game, they were truly happy and excited about the great season that they had, not the could-have-beens.

Being involved in your child's youth sports allows you to meet their friends, to become involved in who they know, to get a real sense of who your children are becoming. I want my children to succeed, it is exciting when they win; but win or lose, I want them to try their hardest, to constantly be learning, to be good sports, and above all to be active and healthy as they grow and become the people they are going to be.