My oldest daughter (16) decided this year that along with working at a lawyers office everyday after school, that she would learn how to be a little league umpire ($25 per game was the motivating factor!). She went to umpire class, read and re-read the rule book, studied online, etc. and up until last night has been having a great time. She came home crying and as she tells the story, one of the coaches was up in her face yelling, screaming, and putting his finger in her chest, all over a supposed "bad call". Now mind you the kids she was umpiring were 9 and 10 year old little boys, I am thankful that I was not at the game as who knows what would have happened! I spoke with the league president this morning, he was already made aware of the coaches behavior and was suspending him for 2 games, if it happens again he told me he will be suspended for good. He is also going to talk to my daughter tonight and provide some more guidance as to how to handle the situation if it comes up again. I just cannot imagine what could go through a persons mind to make a little girl (she is still my little girl!) cry, and better yet, how no one came out to defend her, they all just justify it as being "competative", I'm sorry, but I don't buy it.
I as well have run in to something similar, this year I volunteered to coach my youngest daughter's (10) softball team, it has been a learning experience to say the least! One of the teams we played had a coach that was out in our umpires face after another supposed "bad call", now again, these are 9 and 10 year old little girls, I don't think you can have a "bad call" in this age group, but that is just my opinion. The umpire was a older kid who was holding his own, but after 10 seconds of hearing the coach yell at the umpire I was out of the dugout and in the middle of it, I told the other coach and the umpire if this doesn't stop immediately, or if it happens again, my and my girls are going home! Just let the girls play! Anyway, I just don't understand the mindset, what could possibly happen that someone could justify that kind of behavior in front of little kids? Are some that competitive that common sense and reason go out the window? Anyway, we play this team tonight again, and before the game starts I am going to once again say my peace to the coach and the umpire, hopefully all goes well! And my oldest daughter is learning some more good life lessons about how to deal with mean people!
Greg