What a joke. Have baby boomers realized how lame they are and decided that the only way to fix it is to raise a generation of children that is even lamer?
The Associated Press
The Associated Press
-
Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
- Thread starter jlb1705
- Start date
scooter1369
HTTR Forever.
Its amzing how much we celebrate mediocrity and downplay the exceptional.
Upvote
0
craigblitz
Juice, Full of Juice!!
I mean seriously what message are they giving the kids here... Face it, sometimes in life there are going to be people smarter, faster, better looking, etc then you competing for the same things you are... so what, now teach them to fold or that it's not fair to face people better then you?
The only way I could see this being a good thing is if the kid had major control problems and was hurting other kids.
The only way I could see this being a good thing is if the kid had major control problems and was hurting other kids.
Upvote
0
buckiprof
21st Century Buckeye Man
I read the article and didn't see where it was stated what the pitching distance was. At the age of 9, my son was pitching from 42 feet and at age 10, pitching from 46 feet. If I assume that this league, comprised of 8 - 10 year olds, is pitching from 42 feet, a fastball that "tops out at about 40 mph" is not that blazing. Good speed yes, but not blazing speed. This kid is not Nolan Ryan out there.
If true that he hasn't hit a batter, then he must have decent control. Again, when my son was that age, he loved the hard throwers with good control. Since you know they are throwing strikes, swing away. Good things happen when the pitcher supplies the power. Now for a 9 year old to face exceptional speed with no control, generally forget about it. The effective wildness has many 9 year olds too fearful to swing.
As is the case with youth sports, I suspect there is more to the story and that some parent (or parents) are behind this for other motives...maybe even the one mentioned in the article. Parents have a unique ability to ruin youth sports, no matter the sport.
My last comment is on the composition of the league. IMO, it is idiotic to have a league of 8, 9 and 10 year olds. At the age of 8, a hybrid of coach pitch and kid pitch is ideal. It is hard to find a league that does that type of hybrid, usually it is coach pitch or kid pitch or a few do machine pitch (the worst thing possible). At the age of 9, it should be kid pitched with hopefully good coaching. By 10, pitchers are starting to emerge and having a 10 year old pitch to an 8 year old is asinine.
If true that he hasn't hit a batter, then he must have decent control. Again, when my son was that age, he loved the hard throwers with good control. Since you know they are throwing strikes, swing away. Good things happen when the pitcher supplies the power. Now for a 9 year old to face exceptional speed with no control, generally forget about it. The effective wildness has many 9 year olds too fearful to swing.
As is the case with youth sports, I suspect there is more to the story and that some parent (or parents) are behind this for other motives...maybe even the one mentioned in the article. Parents have a unique ability to ruin youth sports, no matter the sport.
My last comment is on the composition of the league. IMO, it is idiotic to have a league of 8, 9 and 10 year olds. At the age of 8, a hybrid of coach pitch and kid pitch is ideal. It is hard to find a league that does that type of hybrid, usually it is coach pitch or kid pitch or a few do machine pitch (the worst thing possible). At the age of 9, it should be kid pitched with hopefully good coaching. By 10, pitchers are starting to emerge and having a 10 year old pitch to an 8 year old is asinine.
Upvote
0
Jake
Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye
‘17 The Deuce Champ
Fantasy Baseball Champ
'18 The Deuce Champ
"When Jericho took the mound anyway last week, the opposing team forfeited the game, packed its gear and left, his coach said."
That's a great lesson to teach kids. When faced with a challenge, cry that it's unfair, concede defeat, and go home.
That's a great lesson to teach kids. When faced with a challenge, cry that it's unfair, concede defeat, and go home.
Upvote
0
Gatorubet
Loathing All Things Georgia
Jake;1238298; said:"When Jericho took the mound anyway last week, the opposing team forfeited the game, packed its gear and left, his coach said."
That's a great lesson to teach kids. When faced with a challenge, cry that it's unfair, concede defeat, and go home.
Shouldn't they all get a first place ribbon and a hug?
Upvote
0
kinch
Wash me
This reminds me so much of my childhood and it makes me mad.
Eventually, as my teachers and coaches came to know me and my skills, I was not allowed to take tests in school or play sports because I was too smart and athletic for the other kids. It has left a mark on my soul, being put away like that. . .
It's hard being better than everyone else, and I hope that that kid does okay once he realizes that you have to come to respect that most people are losers and worse than you, and you need to leave them behind.
Eventually, as my teachers and coaches came to know me and my skills, I was not allowed to take tests in school or play sports because I was too smart and athletic for the other kids. It has left a mark on my soul, being put away like that. . .
It's hard being better than everyone else, and I hope that that kid does okay once he realizes that you have to come to respect that most people are losers and worse than you, and you need to leave them behind.
Upvote
0
Jake
Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye
‘17 The Deuce Champ
Fantasy Baseball Champ
'18 The Deuce Champ
Gatorubet;1238317; said:
I remember going to my niece's soccer games a few years ago. My goofy sister-in-law is telling me how great she thinks it is that they don't keep score because the important thing was that they all have fun and it doesn't matter who wins.
The next break in the action I yelled to my niece "Hey Chelsey, what's the score?" She hollered back, "It's 2-1, those guys."
My niece is starting college this week, and she's going to be just fine. :)
Upvote
0
LoKyBuckeye
I give up. This board is too hard to understand.
The Indians could use this kid....
Upvote
0
Jake;1238359; said:
In a similar vein, when I took my daughter to sign up for tee ball a few years ago, some stepford mom gave us the same spiel about how they don't keep score. My daughter who was 5 at the time literally backed away from the sign up desk, looked at the lady and askes "how do you know who wins ?" and did not want to play.
To this day my daughter only participates in individual sports and has a wall full of trophies and ribbons. There is nothing wrong with healthy competition for kids at any age.
I think a lot of this is an overreaction to how over the top the competition was for kids of my generation when we were little. I remember in tee ball back home in New Paris, that my cousin and I were on two seperate teams and the two coaches hated each other so much our teams weren't allowed to shake hands after the game. They would scream obscenities at each other from the dougout and our teams took on a lot of the bad blood and got into several little "brawls". This was tee ball in Ohio in the 70's (not that its affected me any).
Needless to say, I look back now and realize that was a bit much and I think we have a generation of kids who went through similar stuff(and probably weren't very good) trying to over protect their own kids from that type of thing.
Net result is that I always feel like Reggie Dunlop when this topic comes up and I'm talking to one of these parents.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HurEm5gb5NE]YouTube - Slap Shot - Reggie vs. The Owner[/ame]
Upvote
0