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Member
This has happened twice in the last 3 weeks and I need to vent.
First week of June our 16u team was playing in a non-qualifier tune-up in Toledo. In a really good bracket game with our team one run up, a player for the opposing team hits a triple with a runner on to tie the score, but she rounds third too far and our pitcher, who cut the ball to the plate, runs at her. She breaks for home and the pitcher tosses to our catcher who has her out by 2-3 steps. Instead of trying to slide around or through the catcher, she barrels in like a linebacker trying to 'blow up' our catcher. Our catcher takes the hit holds on and we immediately stand up and scream for a call. The umpire, instead of addressing the runner or the other team, addresses our bench and says 'nobody is getting ejected'. Things calm down and the game goes to tiebreaker and we lose in the 9th on a passed ball with that player able to bat in the 9th. Great game with two very good teams, but marred by unsportsmanlike play and the lack of consequences from the umpire.
Fast forward to today. Playing in a meaningless game (coincidentally in Toledo) in another non-qualifier, a similar incident. Low scoring game, our catcher tries to pick off a runner at third. Ball skips to the outfield and runner gets up and heads home. Left fielder backing up the play throws a strike to the catcher who has her out by at least a step. This time, there was no question that she was never planning to slide. Instead, she lowers her shoulder and sends our catcher flying backwards and landing on her keester. Catcher holds on again and girl is called out. We immediately complain to the umpire that if there was ever a reason to eject a player, this was it. He went to the other coach to say some words (I presume a warning), but could not explain to us why the player wasn't ejected. Again, this was another good game that was overshadowed by poor sportsmanship. To the opposing coach's credit, he made the player come over to our catcher and apologize, but it was clearly forced.
So I have 2 questions:
1) Are players being taught that they should play this way, and/or is it being condoned by coaches? I have coached fastpitch for 12 years and would never allow one of my players to try to 'blow up' a catcher. Hard slides, of course. Full body blocks at full speed - ABSOLUTELY NOT!
2) Are umpires encouraging this type of play by not making the call to eject? What message are we sending the player?
One of the great things about the game of softball is the sportsmanship and the opportunity for coaches to teach life lessons that players can take with them when their playing days are over. I am really disheartened to see this type of play in our game and the fact that it seems to be condoned by some coaches and some umpires as well.
First week of June our 16u team was playing in a non-qualifier tune-up in Toledo. In a really good bracket game with our team one run up, a player for the opposing team hits a triple with a runner on to tie the score, but she rounds third too far and our pitcher, who cut the ball to the plate, runs at her. She breaks for home and the pitcher tosses to our catcher who has her out by 2-3 steps. Instead of trying to slide around or through the catcher, she barrels in like a linebacker trying to 'blow up' our catcher. Our catcher takes the hit holds on and we immediately stand up and scream for a call. The umpire, instead of addressing the runner or the other team, addresses our bench and says 'nobody is getting ejected'. Things calm down and the game goes to tiebreaker and we lose in the 9th on a passed ball with that player able to bat in the 9th. Great game with two very good teams, but marred by unsportsmanlike play and the lack of consequences from the umpire.
Fast forward to today. Playing in a meaningless game (coincidentally in Toledo) in another non-qualifier, a similar incident. Low scoring game, our catcher tries to pick off a runner at third. Ball skips to the outfield and runner gets up and heads home. Left fielder backing up the play throws a strike to the catcher who has her out by at least a step. This time, there was no question that she was never planning to slide. Instead, she lowers her shoulder and sends our catcher flying backwards and landing on her keester. Catcher holds on again and girl is called out. We immediately complain to the umpire that if there was ever a reason to eject a player, this was it. He went to the other coach to say some words (I presume a warning), but could not explain to us why the player wasn't ejected. Again, this was another good game that was overshadowed by poor sportsmanship. To the opposing coach's credit, he made the player come over to our catcher and apologize, but it was clearly forced.
So I have 2 questions:
1) Are players being taught that they should play this way, and/or is it being condoned by coaches? I have coached fastpitch for 12 years and would never allow one of my players to try to 'blow up' a catcher. Hard slides, of course. Full body blocks at full speed - ABSOLUTELY NOT!
2) Are umpires encouraging this type of play by not making the call to eject? What message are we sending the player?
One of the great things about the game of softball is the sportsmanship and the opportunity for coaches to teach life lessons that players can take with them when their playing days are over. I am really disheartened to see this type of play in our game and the fact that it seems to be condoned by some coaches and some umpires as well.
