It's All In The Game

Just returned from Aiden’s baseball game.  It was not pretty.

Our team is an 11 and 12 year old team.  Most of our team is 11.  Most of our 12 year olds are fairly new to playing baseball.  The boys started out in good spirits, up to bat first, and scored as many runs in their first inning as they usually average in a whole game. 

Then came the opposing team.  They are supposedly 11 and 12 too, and there can be a big size difference between those two ages, but I’m pretty sure some of them had to shave before they went to the field.  One mom pointed out, it took two of our kids to equal the size of most of their kids, so we were actually playing with half the players.  Several hit the ball over the fence.  It was like the monsters versus the midgets, and the midgets started losing hope.  By the end of the second inning, the score was a little to a WHOLE lot.

It is disheartening to see your child’s team behind by so much, and even more so to see how it is affecting them.  They are discouraged, and because they are kids, it’s hard for them to shake off the negative thoughts.  They blame themselves, look down on themselves, focus only on their mistakes.

Which is why I find it appalling that so many adults are so insensitive. 

When your child has a great hit and it doesn’t get caught, you tell them what a great job they did, you don’t yell out “I told you he wouldn’t catch it” loud enough for the kid who missed the ball to hear.

We all sigh or mumble under our breath when an error is made that hurt our child’s team, but announcing to the whole field that “Billy Bob* hasn’t caught one single ball this season” to the whole field doesn’t help anyone.

I already cringe when I hear parent’s berating their own child’s performance.  Putting down other children is way over the line.  I have told someone, “If you are going to talk about my child, please do it where I cannot hear you.”  That is something should never ever have to be said by anyone in children’s baseball.  These boys are rough enough on themselves, especially when their team is so far behind.

It’s called a GAME for a reason.  It’s supposed to be fun.  Find a way to encourage them.  Keep it light.  Talk about imaginary Zebra’s. (Well, you might not be able to talk about the Zebra, he apparantly followed us home and is in the closet.  Aiden did get a base hit for him so I guess he’s not too bad of a guy to have around. And he supposedly gives away money.)

Unfortunately we can’t control the behavior of others.  That’s why they have wine.

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent.  Except Aiden’s, I’m pretty sure he’s guilty of something.

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