Yikes! Nearly a Month Without a Post!
I've decided to use my blog for lots of things...not just art. So look for a change in postings! I might get nasty. I might get political. I might get funny. Never know where the day's gonna take you!
It's summer vacation here in the Land of Lincoln (hey, that's Illinois!). The kids have been out for 1.5 weeks. And it's been baseball...baseball...baseball.
So far the 12 year old Diamondbacks of the Roselle Medinah Softball Baseball Association are undefeated. Lots of people--mostly big-mouthed parents from other teams--seem outrageously bothered by this. Comments made this past week: "Have you lost a game yet? No? Isn't it getting old?" (said to my 12 year old son). "They really shouldn't let them play on the same team, it isn't fair to the rest of the league." (said to my husband who helps coach the team).
Yes, adults picking on 12 year olds. Pretty pathetic, if you ask me. No, they haven't lost a game. But there are two regular season games left and then the playoffs. It could happen at any time. Yes, the twins play on the same team. That's the way it should be. Can you imagine making 12 year old brothers compete against each other?
I keep repeating, "It's little league, not brain surgery" to my husband when we talk about this. That's what it is folks...little league baseball. It doesn't result in anything except a nice medal if they place. Everyone still gets their trophy at the end of the season, not matter how the team performed.
Jeremy and Jermaine are bigger than a lot of the kids. Not all the kids. I think there are a few who might be bigger. Maybe not taller...but bigger. Their size had one coach "commenting" that they scare him and his team, and he's told his team members to just avoid their balls if they can. Nice. Put such negative thoughts into your players' minds. You cannot catch their balls...they are big...do not try..."
The funniest thing about all of this is that to Jeremy and Jermaine this is a game. It's fun. Baseball isn't their life. They happen to enjoy it. A lot. They play catch with each other. With Jim. They have informal neighborhood games with the other kids. They cut up and goof off like all the other kids on the team.
At no time have we made baseball a Big Thing at home. Sure, there are comments when we see the high school players: "that could be you some day." And when their grades could be better we point out that low grades means you don't play sports in high school.
Just like all parents.
They start play-offs next Saturday. I hope they go all the way. I hope that parents of other players from other teams congratulate them on their success. By "them" I mean the entire team because they are all darn good players. It takes a lot more than two players to make up a team.
It's summer vacation here in the Land of Lincoln (hey, that's Illinois!). The kids have been out for 1.5 weeks. And it's been baseball...baseball...baseball.
So far the 12 year old Diamondbacks of the Roselle Medinah Softball Baseball Association are undefeated. Lots of people--mostly big-mouthed parents from other teams--seem outrageously bothered by this. Comments made this past week: "Have you lost a game yet? No? Isn't it getting old?" (said to my 12 year old son). "They really shouldn't let them play on the same team, it isn't fair to the rest of the league." (said to my husband who helps coach the team).
Yes, adults picking on 12 year olds. Pretty pathetic, if you ask me. No, they haven't lost a game. But there are two regular season games left and then the playoffs. It could happen at any time. Yes, the twins play on the same team. That's the way it should be. Can you imagine making 12 year old brothers compete against each other?
I keep repeating, "It's little league, not brain surgery" to my husband when we talk about this. That's what it is folks...little league baseball. It doesn't result in anything except a nice medal if they place. Everyone still gets their trophy at the end of the season, not matter how the team performed.
Jeremy and Jermaine are bigger than a lot of the kids. Not all the kids. I think there are a few who might be bigger. Maybe not taller...but bigger. Their size had one coach "commenting" that they scare him and his team, and he's told his team members to just avoid their balls if they can. Nice. Put such negative thoughts into your players' minds. You cannot catch their balls...they are big...do not try..."
The funniest thing about all of this is that to Jeremy and Jermaine this is a game. It's fun. Baseball isn't their life. They happen to enjoy it. A lot. They play catch with each other. With Jim. They have informal neighborhood games with the other kids. They cut up and goof off like all the other kids on the team.
At no time have we made baseball a Big Thing at home. Sure, there are comments when we see the high school players: "that could be you some day." And when their grades could be better we point out that low grades means you don't play sports in high school.
Just like all parents.
They start play-offs next Saturday. I hope they go all the way. I hope that parents of other players from other teams congratulate them on their success. By "them" I mean the entire team because they are all darn good players. It takes a lot more than two players to make up a team.
posted by susie kline @ 6/11/2005
2 Comments:
At Tuesday, June 14, 2005 6:20:00 PM,
Julie Zaccone Stiller said…
Susie, you are a great example of a GOOD sports mom. All that stuff sounds too darn familiar, "people, it is a game, they are supposed to be having FUN!" All those parents trying to live through their kids, pretty sad. It looks like I get the year off next year, as both of my boys have decided against signing up for soccer. What will we do with all the extra time???
At Wednesday, June 15, 2005 9:56:00 PM,
Anonymous said…
Susie, I've got 4 kids and I spend too much time with parents who've forgotten that kids activities are supposed to be fun. You totally rock!! And, I wanted to say that I think it's great you're using your blog for a bit of everything. I tried a separate fiber blog for a few months and it didn't work to well for me. I've just got too much to say. : )
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