Guest Author - David Landry
It’s been difficult for me to think about little league the past few weeks, due forty degree weather and frequent rain here in the northeast. That changed when I received a call from the manager of my son’s Little League team asking if I would be an assistant coach. The ensuing conversation got me thinking about how important the attitude of coaches and parents are in creating a positive Little League experience for the girls and boys on the field.
Whether you are a parent, a coach or both, I want you to start the season by reflecting on the values and behaviors you want to encourage and those you want to discourage. Regardless of past behaviors or experiences, this is an opportunity to start fresh.
A fish rots from the head down
If you manage or coach a team, you are in a prime position to set the tone and impart strong values in the children who have been entrusted in your care. The conversation with Mike, my son’s coach, was a great catalyst for thinking about this. Mike was very clear about his top priorities. First, he wants little league to be a positive and fun experience for all of the players. Second, he wants to make sure they all learn about baseball and have the opportunity to experience every position.
Too many coaches want to win and have no secondary goals or priorities. This is the right attitude if you are Tony La Russa or Jim Leyland, but it’s a betrayal of trust for a Little League coach. A coach focused on winning accentuates the strengths of each player and never gives them an opportunity to grow by playing new positions. They allow their strongest players to get maximum playing time and leave the others to ride the bench when they could be on the field learning. There is nothing like a game situation to drive home the lessons learned in practice. Without game time, players won’t build on their skills.
Mike’s approach is simple – coaches will maintain a positive attitude on and off the field; every player has the opportunity to play every position during the games; no player will be required to pitch, but every player who wants to pitch will be provided the opportunity; all players will get approximately the same amount of playing time; and, if the team is in the post season, he will play to players strengths, as demonstrated in their many roles during the regular season. I think he’s got it exactly right and I’m looking forward to working with him this season. I know my son will be better off for having such a good leader for his team.
Parents play a key role
Even if you are not so fortunate as to have a great coach like Mike for your child’s team, you are in a position to make sure the children in your little league program have a great experience. First, use this as an opportunity to spend child with your time and bond. There’s nothing like playing catch to help you get to know each other. It’s a natural opportunity to have a conversation between throws. Second, let them know that what you want to see is them having fun and learning new things. Last, make sure they understand that baseball is a difficult sport where even the best players make mistakes every single game. I like to say that baseball is a game of failure. Even the best players only get hits once every third at bat.
When you go to the games, it has to be clear that you are happy with them, regardless fo their performance or the outcome of the game. Make sure they see that you are having fun at the game, no matter what the score happens to be. Last, cheer for everybody. If a player on the other team gets a good hit or exhibits excellent fielding, praise them for it. Don’t let any negativity creep into your words or your demeanor. This is meant to be fun. The outcome of the games is not important.
If your child’s coach is creating a negative experience for the players, you need to talk to them offline. There will always be coaches who bully their players or who put winning before their player’s well being. The latter problem occurs mostly with pitchers who are encouraged to throw unsafe pitches.
No twelve year old should be throwing curve balls. Their arms are not yet mature and throwing anything other than fast balls and change-ups is potentially harmful. If the coach is encouraging unsafe pitches, it’s your responsibility to say something to them. Teenagers are having Tommy John surgery to reconstruct their pitching arms at alarming rates.
