I am one of the Pickerington parents attending this game. ?I would like to present my version of what happened at this game. ?I have no problem first of all admitting that I do not come close to knowing the rules of 12-u softball. ?However, I love to watch the game and support my daughter and her team. ?I just found out about this posting this afternoon, and especially after reading some of the ridiulous postings, felt the need to post a reply. ?
First of all, the reason our games ran late, is because a Gahanna girl broke her leg sliding into home, which delayed their game. ?Our games, from that point on were delayed....not a problem, at all, with us. ?We felt horrible for the girl. ?
When we finally arrived at the diamond to play the GFOD Thunder, we were told to be ready in 15 minutes, as stated by ATharp in his earlier posting. ?The ump. did not give us the time we were promised. ?So, after the ump. "warned" our coaches, they went out on the field. ?At that point, I knew we were doomed with that ump. ?It was one thing after another, call after call....over and over again. ?During the game, when our girls took the field, he would immediately start counting. ?I guess they were not moving fast enough for him. ?It was only about 95 degrees that day...and I personally was concerned that my daughter be able to get a drink between innings, she is only 11. ?Let me just say, that our team did not slow the game down, or take exceptionally long to get on the field. ?Yes they were hot, and tired. ?This is just one incident. ?There were many other petty, nit-picking things that the ump. did.
I would also like to address the comment by softballaddiction about the 6 innings of constant heckling...I'm not sure you were at the same game I was. ?That comment is just simply NOT TRUE! ?Yes, it is very frustrating to watch your kids work so hard and get beat, but that is the nature of the game. ?The GFOD Thunder was a very good team, no question. ?None of this had anything to do with them. ?The whole thing was about the treatment our team received from the umpire. ?It is my opinion that he was irate that our coaches did not jump when he said "jump" at the very beginning of the game. ?And as a result, proceeded to take his hostilities out on our kids, instead of working it out with our coaches....This guy was all about, It's my way, or the highway.
I also heard the comment that put the ump. over the edge. ?It was 2 parents taking amonst themselves. ?It was not yelled, or loud. ?And as far as I am concerned, that parent made an opinion about the situation to a friend....that's it.
Let me also say that after the ump. walked off the field, I personally felt that we should have given the game to the GFOD Thunder. ?They beat us, end of story. ?Once again, it wasn't about getting beat. ?Shoot, we get beat all the time. ?It's not fun, but it's part of the game. ?It was all about the ump. for me.
Let me finish by stating that after the ump. left the field, he was in the parking lot changing his clothes. ?One of our parents walked to their car in the parking lot to get something from their car, and overheard part of a conversation with the ump. and one of the GFOD Thunder coaches. ?The ump. stated, according to one of our parents, that he was calling anything that was close just to get the game over. ?This ump. was older and he was a big guy, so I am sure the 95 degree temperature was having it's affect on him as well.
I would like to apologize for any bad feelings that this situation caused. ?We were not crazed parents. ?We just expected to be treated and umped. fairly, and I believe we were given a raw deal. ?I hope to see the GFOD Thunder again. ?
