LoveBug is 8.
LoveBug’s weekly schedule…
School Monday-Friday till 3:40.
Monday nights: piano from 4:15-5:00, baseball practice at 5:30-7:00.
Tuesday nights: games (30 min away) 5:30-7:30ish and they want us there at 5:00 so we leave at 4:30 or the soonest we can.
Wednesday: is free day.
Thursday: baseball practice (I think because there is no set schedule for baseball on Thursday) 5:30-7:00.
Friday: is a free day.
Saturday: Korean school 9:00-12:00, baseball games 12:00-2:00ish and this coming Saturday a piano recital after his game.
Sunday: Church and Sunday school.
I was excited for my son to play something he loves…he says often…
…”Mom, when I grow up I don’t want to have Children because I want to be a professional baseball player and they are never home. It wouldn’t be fair if I had kids.”
I did not sign up LoveBug for this. My Ex did.
My Son is 8 and I want him to be 8 and be a child and make mud pies and play in my street on the sidewalk…I want him to have a childhood like I did…not some schedule…he will have that later!!!
There was a big whoha to start off the season…my Ex went and thought he was there to get the schedule…no…it was a time waster of 'Little League is the greatest yada, yada, yada…’ (those are my words.)
Our first practice was on a Thursday night. My Ex ask’s me…
…”Can we switch Tuesday and Thursday I have a video conference call.”
Me…”No. I have an appointment Thursday night. I’ll make arrangements.”
I think my Ex thought I would be able to cancel my appointment. I made arrangements to get John there…
Thursday rolls around (the Children were on Spring break so they had spent the day with me till my Ex got out of work) and he says to me when I hand him all of LoveBugs gear…
…”Oh, I thought you were taking him?”
Me…”No, I have an appointment. Kat will pick LoveBug up from your place and stay with him and then deliver him back to you.”
He was a little out of sorts I’m guessing by his reaction.
Note…Thank you Kat for being there for me and doing my Ex a favor.
There was a scrimmage that Sunday I was unable to attend because I had to go out of town.
The following Monday my Ex picked LoveBug up from Piano to get him to practice…I couldn’t which he understands because BrownNut also has Piano that night immediately following LoveBug. I can’t be two places at once.
From then on I was able to be at games and such and most practices. I want to be there for my son and support him…even if I don’t have them on a Saturday I will be at their games, soccer, baseball…recitals, plays...you name it.
At my first practice I was able to attend the Coach kept calling LoveBug, “James”…
Being the passive aggressive person I can be I shout out…
…”Way To listen to your Coach and know he’s talkin to you even though your name is not James!”-I’m an asshole.
I found out later that he had been doing it the entire time.
Now…on to Little league nonsense. Yes, some people would read that and wonder why I wrote 'nonsense’…LoveBug is 8 and there are also 7 year olds on the team.
Is Baseball the beallandendall of all sports…at this age?! No. It is not. My son is also very good at soccer. He is good at anything he tries…except telling the truth, that it seems is very difficult for him…I digress….
Here is the jist of some of the things I take point with…
The times of the games on Tuesday in particular are to late for a school night. Is one game a week…at this age not enough? We get home at 8pm. We are home for a mere 30 minutes before we have to leave. When we get home I have 3 Children that have to shower and they have to read for 15-20 minutes…We eat at the park…I make some kind of sandwich dinner, fruit and such...
I am a stickler for being on time and doing all I can for my Children.
The Coach…ahhhhhhhhh the Coach…did not make the game schedule. I know this and put nothing on him for it. I think twice a week practice is acceptable and good…for an hour, not an hour and half. He is also a volunteer…that’s nice...to point.
The Coach speaks to the boys and he does it with a harsh tone that anyone that has heard him has commented on. When he complements them you can see his transparency, it’s empty and you can tell he’s disappointed they didn’t hit the ball, catch it or throw it far enough….he should be ashamed.
The Coach has placed the boys where they will be on the field (even during practice)…not giving them any opportunity to learn more or show him 'what they’ve got’. All of the boys not just mine…the Moms are frustrated but what do you do?
We have heard horror stories about Baseball Coaches taking shiz out on the Children because a parent said…
…”Hey, can we move these boys around so they don’t get bored, can learn more and not learn to hate the game…and learn to love it.”
Guess what?…I’m that parent that speaks up. Not just for my Child but all of them.
Last night was a trainwreck of a game. At 7:22 they started a new inning…it’s against regs. The parents had started packing things up and getting them to their cars…all the coaches stood in the field and had a powwow…We were not privy to said powwow. We parent’s, the ones around me were confused when the boys ran back on to the field…I went to the dug out and tried to get the Coaches attention…I was ignored. So I went to the other side where he had drifted off to comforted by the other Men Coaches to surround him…He might have been oblivious to me…but I think not.
Me…”I think the regulations say you can’t start a new inning after 7:15…It’s 7:22.”
(If you think I’m ridiculous keep reading and I will explain why I was frustrated…)
Coach…”We started late so we can keep playing it’s in the regs.” ish of a quote…
Me…”All these boys have school tomorrow and you are starting another inning now?! I don’t care about that reg."
Him…"Kristin (Holy Fashizle he knew my name!) if you want to take your Son home now you are welcome to.” He said it harshly and in a manner that I grown accustomed to for years…one I no longer accept…The coach told me several times he would be happy for me to take my boy home.
Me….”No. What I want in the future is for all you Coaches to show some common sense and know when to end the game…(here’s where I might have ‘screwed the pooch’)…baseball is not thebeallandendall of the world. These boys have school tomorrow.”
Him…”I don’t see any other parents over here complaining.”
Me…”That’s because they are afraid to say anything.”
I walked away and said to my Ex…
…”You should have said something. This whole this is ridiculous.”
I wasn’t talking about the ending of the game but the whole situation.
My Ex did nothing.
While I was writing this I got an e-mail…He should have addressed it to me…
"Good game played by the boys tonight. It was interesting to say the least. Our next game is Saturday, 12:00, Field #1. We play the first place, undefeated team. Please have your son there 30 minutes early so we can get in the much needed warmups.
As far as playing the extra 15 minutes tonight, and to prevent any future problems, if you need to take your son home because it's getting late, I have no problem with you taking him out of the dugout and take him home. All games are 2 hours or 5 innings and no inning can start with less than 15 minutes left (which happened tonight). I understand the games during the week can be long and end late. So if it's it getting too late, I have no problem if you need to take your son.As a reminder, this isn't park and rec baseball anymore. It's the first important step for your son's future in baseball regardless if for one year or many years. My job is to teach them fundamentals to make them better players in case they do decide to play further on. If we win along the way, that's a bonus. As far as this team goes, f you have a issue or problem, I'm approachable and will listen to your concerns. 12 years of coaching high school baseball doesn't make me a perfect coach but I've been around the block once or twice.
So hang in there and hopefully the season gets better and more fun!"
An example of the Coach’s behavior at this fiasco of a not so fun game ‘cause he makes it not fun…
We had a batter up and a Child on 2nd Base. This boy is all excited and he’s ready to make a run to 3rd…the batter looked like he was gonna hit the ball but struck out and Boy on 2nd in his 8year old mind want’s to get to 3rd and starts rocking like he’s gonna make a run for it…He took a step forward and then back realizing the ball did not get hit…The Coach yells from the dug out to second base…
…”Nobody talked to you! Nobody said anything to you!!!”
The Coach has a dictator mentality and has the ‘dic(k)’ part down pat.
The following e-mail was sent at the beginning of the season and gave me a ‘heads up' to what kind of Coach I would be dealing with...
"Parents, looks like the weather is going to be bad for the next two days. I'm going to cancel practice for both today and tomorrow. Due to my schedule I'm not sure we'll have another practice before our first game on Saturday.
Sunday's scrimmage was interesting to say the least. Thanks to those who could make it. I was disappointed in some of things we did or didn't do but at this age I'm not sure what to expect. I was talking to one of the parents and discussing how coaching young boys at this age is really different from my high school coaching days so please bear with me. If I'm too hard on your son or your son has special needs I need to be aware of, let me know. So I will send out another email this week if I can squeeze in a practice or two before Saturday.”
I worry because of the way I am…standing up for shiz. LoveBug will be late on Saturdays and I worry the Coach will not let him have good play time…LoveBug usually hits well, 3rd or 4th batter…I hear that’s a good place to be in line…
I don’t care what we are talking about, sports, art, music…There is a school of thought by the instructor…'This is the most important thing’…’Your time should be dedicated to ____’.
I agree…when a Child is older and has had the opportunity to try a number of things.
I have told my Son that the Coach was nice enough to volunteer but if he quit I would put my hand up and coach myself…I know nothing about baseball but they would learn to LOVE the game….and maybe learn what position they are really good at playing. Me and my jacked up hands would be out there wrapped, wired and braced throwing to and fro….After an on line baseball tutorial of course.
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