Some advice for new softball parents

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I can't help but cringe at some of the common themes in the posts here now that travel ball is in full swing, with most of these posts from apparently newer softball parents. Just a few pieces of advice ...

1) Quit the incessant complaining about umpires ... umps make mistakes, and some perhaps may be getting too old to do it anymore, but if you've never tried it, go try umpiring a game yourself sometime ... and then do it 5 games in 90 degree heat with a bunch of people yelling at you, about half of whom don't even understand the rules and the other half so biased to their own team that they can't see anything fairly.

2) Quit the incessant complaining about the poor sportsmanship of other teams that beat you. That other team is made up of parents and kids pretty much like your own team, and this is not a good vs. evil thing.

3) Quit the incessant complaining about your own coaches and how they are political and don't understand how good your daughter is. Yes, sometimes coaches are biased, but most coaches do want to win and they are usually not nearly as biased as you are about your own daughter. Realize that your daughter has strengths and weaknesses, and do what you can to help her improve on those weaknesses that are keeping her from playing more than she does.

4) Understand that the softball community is a relatively small one. Word gets around quickly between coaches about which parents are a pain in the butt, and don't be surprised when your daughter doesn't get on the team you want for her next year because you were high maintenance this year.

5) More than anything, realize that this experience is usually a ton of fun for your daughter. Don't poison her by telling her how she is getting mistreated, or how her coaches or teammates or umpires or opponents are evil. Let her enjoy the experience and enjoy the ride with her because, before you know it, she will be grown up and it will all be gone. If you decide together after the season that you don't like the team she is on or it doesn't fit what she wants, then by all means try out for other ones. Keep an eye on other teams during the season and see what their coaches, parents and players are like so you've done that homework. But don't spoil the current season for your sake or your kids ... because you're never going to get it back, and you're not being a very good parent if you rob your daughter of the fun that she could and should be having.

Coach - I don't think I know you, but your words here should be required reading for all Travel Select players and parents. WELL SAID!!!!

 

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I second that this advice goes for all parents not just new parents. This will be my daughters last travel summer after 8 summers and this still goes on with veteran parents of travel ball. Just enjoy the weekends the rides is over sooner than you want it to be.

 

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I consider myself somewhat a veteran travel softball parent, but I goofed up badly on one play last weekend. Keeping the book for the dd's team, (I'm cringing now, just thinking of my reaction to the play) our catcher had the ball and had a runner off first base challenging the catcher to throw, and I'm yelling "run at her, run at her." After the play, I realize what I did, get a real hang dog expresseion on my face and turn to the head coach (a really wonderful person and softball coach and teacher) and see she's sort of giving me THAT LOOK and I just say real quickly, and contritely, "I'm sorry." Needless to say I concentrated real hard on the scorebook and kept my game advice to myself the rest of the weekend.