Sitting here tonight, I'm so pissed that I can't imagine getting ready for bed. No way I could lay still long enough to doze off.
Let me preface this by saying, I've coached every sport that my oldest son wanted to play for the last 6 years. My teams have been beat a lot. But we've won our fair share too. I don't have a problem with losing, matter of fact, I think losing is sometimes more important than winning. I've never had a problem with the other team being better. I've never had a problem with the other team playing their best, no matter the score.
This year, my youngest decided to play baseball. I was torn. I wouldn't have the time to coach both teams, but it wasn't fair to coach one and not the other. So I decided to not take a team and let them play without my assistance. Because of that, I wasn't privy to the "board" decision made by the 40 people on the board. Not a problem, I'm not the type of parent that has to control everything. Soon after signups a few months ago, I learned that some teams were already practicing. Practicing before the official signup. Interesting, right? I thought so too. I was told the day I signed both of my kids up, that they would be put in the draft and selected. I had no problem with that, because that's how it had been for a long time.
After a few weeks pass, still haven't got that phone call from the coach. This concerned me a little, because I knew some teams were practicing. So I called the league president. Waste of time, he never answers or returns calls. Another week passes when both coaches finally call. So I ask if there was a reason some teams had been practicing for a month. I am told that the "board" members decided to have two divisions in each level of ball. A "travel ball" side, and a "draft" side. I already didn't like the sound of this, but whatever. They were going to have two divisions so I assumed the travel ball teams would play each other, and the draft teams would play each other. Not a bad idea, really.
Then the schedule is released. Not only do the "draft" teams have to play the "travel ball" teams, but they do it on a regular basis in the same division. So basically, the board members all picked the players they wanted on their teams before the signups, and started practicing a solid month before the other teams were formed. So I'm pissed. Almost to the point that I take my kids to another league (further away) where EVERYONE is drafted. But I don't, because my kids know some of the kids on their team. So I figure I'll just deal with it.
Then I get to my little one's game tonight. I get there in the bottom of the second inning, and the score is already 14-1. They were playing the oldest and best team in the league, so I kind of expected it. Their kids are good, each player can hit off the machine and reach the outfield fence. Good for them, right? I'd never expect their coaches to tell their kids not to hit the ball and play their best. I wouldn't. So I make my peace with the score immediately. But it doesn't take long for that to change. As I'm watching this game, their coach has 4 players in a row come up and bunt. Kids that can hit to the fence, are bunting for base hits while up by 17 runs. My blood is starting to boil. But I don't want to be "that" parent, so I just watch. Then, one of their bigger players comes up and hits a line drive to the shortstop, who miraculously gets in front of the ball to knock it down. The 3rd base coach sends a kid home and tells the kid (now) on 3rd to round the bag. SS throws to the catcher. Instead of the coach bringing the player back to 3rd, he encourages him to go half way in an attempt to get our 7 year old catcher to throw the ball back to 3rd. And he does, but he makes a good throw, so the 3rd baseball throws it back to stop the run from coming home. What does the coach do, tells the runner to run halfway again. Catcher throws to 3rd base, throws it away, and the runner scores to make it 5 gazillion to 1.
I'm so pissed I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to voice my opinion without putting my hands on someone. I'm able to do it. I explain to the coach that I don't appreciate him trying to manufacture runs against 7 year old kids while up by 17, and that I really don't appreciate the fact that he's coaching a "stacked" team against kids who have never played baseball before. His answer? "We're just practicing". I could have choked the fucking life out of him. Killed him on the spot. Or screamed. Or cursed. Or just hit him right in his smirking face. But I didn't, because it's a kid's baseball game.
So how should I handle this? The coach I had words with is the vice president of the league. The same league who thought it a great idea to stack their teams with the best players and practice a month before the other kids are allowed to sign up, just in case any of the draft teams are good enough to keep the game close.
What would you do?
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