Stop heckling young athletes

Dear Annie: We just finished up another Little League baseball season, and I feel the usual mixture of relief and regret. Our boys have participated in ball for the past 10 years, and we have witnessed increasingly aggressive and inappropriate behavior. I wonder if we are serving our children well by having them participate in this activity.

Many of the parents and coaches harass and intimidate the volunteer umpires and base coaches, many of whom are young kids themselves. I have seen countless kids reduced to tears by enraged parents, either their own or someone else’s. At one recent game, a coach was ejected from the game for repeated use of the “F” word. What is really sad is that he was scolded and ejected by a teenage volunteer. None of the adults present had the courage to step forward and confront the man.

People need to consider what they are teaching kids. They know if our actions match what we claim our values are.

Let’s start cheering all the players, not just the ones on our team. Help kids learn that mistakes are part of the game. Model how to be gracious in victory and in defeat. Remember that kids learn as much, if not more, from losing.

Let’s give youth sports back to the kids. – Sports Mom

Dear Sports Mom: Your letter reminded us of one of our favorite poems, which every coach and sports parent should keep on the refrigerator:

He Is Just a Little Boy

By Chaplain Bob Fox, “The Old Bluebird”

He stands at the plate with his heart pounding fast.

The bases are loaded, the die has been cast.

Mom and Dad cannot help him, he stands all alone.

A hit at this moment would send the team home.

The ball meets the plate, he swings and he misses.

There’s a groan from the crowd, with some boos and some hisses.

A thoughtless voice cries, “Strike out the bum.”

Tears fill his eyes, the game’s no longer fun.

So open your heart and give him a break,

For it’s moments like this, a man you can make.

Please keep this in mind, when you hear someone forget,

He is just a little boy, and not a man yet.