As you know, Sammy is playing T-Ball. 3 year old T-Ball. For the YMCA. Their motto is "Work Hard. Play Hard. Pray Hard." And through our fall soccer season, and most of our spring T-Ball season, I've seen that motto in action. Until now.
Today, we played a team which will remain nameless. It was our second time to play this team, and the kids are really sweet, and most of the parents are as well. Except the head coach. I thought he was a bit off the first time we played this team, but now, he's really gone too far.
This coach picks up every single player from the bench and carries them to the tee. He places them on the ground, then perfectly arranges their feet, and places the bat in their hands. Then he places the bat up on their shoulders and walks off. And each child hits the ball into the outfield, beyond second base. In three year old T-Ball.
Let's talk about their fielding game. Anyone who's seen three year old T-Ball knows that it pretty much looks like herding cats. In other words - total chaos. The ball is hit off the tee (after SEVERAL swings), and lands somewhere close to where the pitcher's mound should be. And every child, from the pitcher, to the third baseman, to even the first baseman, runs for the ball. Sometimes they all pile on top of the ball. And even wrestle around with the ball, until nature (or the coach) decides who should throw the ball to first base.
Not so with this team. Every player stands perfectly still in their spot. They do not move, unless the ball comes exactly in their direction. And they are placed perfectly in their spot by their coach, who pulls printed off field assignments out of his back pocket and rotates them each inning. Yes, the three year old T-Ball coach has field assignments. Are you kidding me?
The first time we played this time, my husband jokingly said that they must have had secret tryouts. Now, I know that they did. And I also know that they must practice every day. Because none of the three year olds on our team play like that.
Now, don't get me wrong - perfectly placing each batter, printed field assignments, yada yada yada - all that is funny. And it's good discipline. But, these kids are three. And let's talk about how really crazy this coach is. Every other team that we've played, the games have lasted two innings. But this coach insists on continuing to play until we've played at least one hour. Which means our kids are playing for three innings. One inning might not make a big difference to you or me, but to a three year old, it's an eternity. These poor kids are exhausted. They're crying, they're laying on the ground, and it's really sad. Even his own team's players are exhausted. They just don't have the attention span to make it beyond two innings.
And as for his teamwork and sportsmanship skills . . . when our team was up to bat in the second inning, the coach's son fielded the ball, and then threw it at our player who was running to first base. Now, don't get me wrong, kids are kids, and they will do stuff like that. However, instead of having his player apologize to the little boy who got beamed in the shoulder with the ball . . . he picked up his son, carried him to our player who was now being consoled on first base, took his son's mitt in his hand, and tagged our player, stating "No, you tag him with your glove." Then he placed his son on the ground and stalked off. No direction of an apology, no questioning whether our player was ok, nothing. All game face. Are you kidding me?
This is behavior that I would expect in a 12 year old Little League game. Not a three year old YMCA T-Ball game. I wonder how it feels to be a parent on this coach's team. And I wonder if I would have the courage to speak up if I was. What is this coach teaching our kids about teamwork and sportsmanship? I'm really not sure, and that concerns me.
Meanwhile . . . want to see Sammy hit a home run? Or at least a run to first base anyway?
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