Remember to set the example for others at youth sporting events

The youth baseball season officially begins in Evergreen tomorrow (Friday) with Opening Day festivities at Evergreen Municipal Park. Opening Day is one of the biggest days on the annual sports calendar, and it marks the start of one of the best times of year for local kids and parents.

Anyone who has ever been associated with youth baseball knows how much the kids benefit from playing. Not only do they get a healthy dose of physical exercise in the clean, fresh air, but they also learn about being part of a team. They also form strong, lifelong bonds with their fellow teammates and coaches, and they also get to know kids and coaches on opposing teams. They’ll make memories that they’ll carry with them for a lifetime.

Youth baseball is also a good opportunity for kids to learn about sportsmanship. With that said, anyone who has ever spent much time around youth baseball parks knows that you will often see displays of poor sportsmanship. More often than not, the adults are more to blame than the kids for this sort of thing. Maybe the worst thing about this is that the kids pick up on the behavior of the adults and it snowballs into poor behavior on the playing field. This isn’t a problem just in Evergreen. It’s a problem everywhere.

In response to this problem, many ballparks have started putting up signs to remind spectators how they’re supposed to act at the ballpark. Most of them that I’ve seen read something like this – “PLEASE REMEMBER: 1) THESE ARE KIDS, 2) THIS IS A GAME, 3) THE COACHES VOLUNTEER, 4) THE UMPIRES ARE HUMAN, 5) YOU DO NOT PLAY FOR THE ATLANTA BRAVES.”

Another sign that I’ve seen at ballparks is one that reads “HE’S JUST A LITTLE BOY: 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 nears the plate, he swings and he misses. There’s a groan from the crowd, with some boos and hisses.

“A thoughtless voice cries, ‘Strike out the bum!’ Tears fill his eyes, the game’s no longer fun. Remember – he’s just a boy who stands all alone. So open your heart and give him a break. For it’s moments like this a man you can make. Keep this in mind when you hear someone forget, He’s just a little boy, not a man yet.”

In the end, if you find yourself at a youth baseball or softball game, try to set the example for everyone else around you. Everyone likes to win, but there is also something to be said for enjoying a sport for its own sake. There is also much to be said for showing respect for authority figures like umpires and coaches as well as opponents. Much of this boils down to self-control and many of us would do well to remember that old rule of thumb – If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all.