Randy Smith
As springtime nears, it's time to get out the baseballs, softballs, bats and other equipment as another season of youth diamond sports is upon us. This was always my favorite time of the year when the air warmed, and the grass turned green signaling the start of our National Pasttime. I coached both of my kids in the summers until they were older teenagers. That span of about ten years or so was one of my family's favorite times. I want everyone today to enjoy that same feeling of accomplishment and happiness that my family felt by spending a lot of time (and money) on the ball field.
I have compiled a list of rules to follow that will assist you in making things better. Not because I always did things the right way, I didn't. There are also some things I include that are corrected mistakes, in other words, learning as you go.
1. Always set a goal to have fun. At an early age, fun is the most important factor in summer ball. Even when things get really hectic getting your youngsters to practice or to games on time, never let them think they are a burden.
2. I never saw a scholarship offer or a contract to be signed at a youth baseball or softball game. Your kid may be a great player or he or she may be just average. Whatever the case, keep things in perspective and always refer back to rule number one.
3. Stress teamwork. A team is only as good as -all- its players. No one should think they are better than anyone else on your team.
4. Teach fundamentals, but don't try to force too much on your kids. In other words, hitting the cut-off man is much more important at ten years old than at four or five.
5. Always be positive and encouraging. Don't get them around you after a loss and tell them how bad they performed. It's better to talk about effort than just how they played, good or bad.
6. Teach good sportsmanship. It's never about just winning and losing. I know the really competitive people out there are going to disagree with me, but it's okay to lose, especially at an early age. After all, most young kids don't really know who won or lost when the game is over.
7. Treat the umpires with kindness and respect. Most of time the umpires are just kids themselves. Don't try to intimidate them. When your players see you treating the umps with respect, they will tend to do the same thing. But if they see you screaming and arguing with them, well they will eventually do what you do.
8. Keep your fans in check. If a parent really gets on the umpire, it's your responsibility as coach to call them out. You are responsible for your players -and- your fans. By the way, the worst acting parents I ever saw were at a 7-8 year old girls softball game. Believe it!
9. Know when enough is enough. There is no set number of games that youngsters should play in summer ball. Fifteen to twenty is about right, unless your player is much better than average and- wants to keep playing. Even then, you as a parent or coach should realize that it's never about you. It's about them and if they really love playing the game never let them get " burned out." Seventy to seventy-five games is simply too much, especially for younger kids.
10. Finally, always work to make sure your league or organization is doing their part to make summer ball a great experience for all their players. Fields should always be clean and well maintained and each team should have good, safe equipment. Take part in work days and fundraisers and be willing to go the extra mile.
These ten rules are simply to help parents and coaches as we begin the summer season. Number one is always the most important so let's play ball and HAVE FUN!
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Randy Smith has been covering sports on radio, television and print for the past 45 years. After leaving WRCB-TV in 2009, he has written two books, and has continued to free-lance as a play-by-play announcer. His career has included a 17-year stretch as host of the Kickoff Call In Show on the University of Tennessee’s prestigious Vol Network. He has been a member of the Vol Network staff for 30 years. He has done play-by-play on ESPN, ESPN II, CSS, and Fox SportSouth, totaling more than 500 games, and served as a well-known sports anchor on Chattanooga television for more than a quarter-century. In 2003, he became the first television broadcaster to be inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame. Randy and his wife Shelia reside in Hixson. They have two married children, Christi and Chris Perry; Davey and Alison Smith. They have five grandchildren, Coleman, Boone, Mattingly, DellaMae, and CoraLee.