10u Team quit in middle of championship game

[Coachemup]

I witnessed an unfortunate display of coaching this weekend in Lancaster at the Pride Challenge. A 10u team (West Virginia Vipers) was down 5-0 in championship game and the coaches pulled their kids and quit. The coaches had been arguing calls the entire game and evidently decided quitting was a good lesson to teach the kids. The coaches refused to accept the 2nd place trophies/medals, although I saw the tournament people giving them to a parent to distribute to the kids. Very sad that these kids had to deal with that kind of behavior. Another travel ball incident that makes me wonder if travel ball is really worth being involved in.

 

[Pacerdad57]

Sometimes ya' gotta wonder.....

 

[Sbcrazy]

Bad Sportsmanship! It's not travel ball it's the coaches. If your gonna coach the kids come first!

 

[TnTs_Dad]

Another travel ball incident that makes me wonder if travel ball is really worth being involved in.

It's completely worth being involved in... IF you find the right coaches in it for the right reasons. Let's assume for the sake of argument that the team was getting a raw deal, horrible calls, etc.... at the very least what you had here was a teachable moment for the girls. Instead what they were taught was to quit when things don't go your way.

 

[wow]

Not to defend this but there has to be more to this?? 5-0 is not the end of the world especially 10U.. Had to be more just has to be!

 

[the cynic]

Maybe a new episode of buck wild was coming on ?

 

[crm9911]

wow - from what I understand, the WV Vipers team was simply unhappy with the umpiring. They requested a different umpire prior to the game, which of course they didn't get. I was told that the strike zone was not the best, but that it was the same for both teams. I'm glad the medals were given to the parents to give to the kids - they earned them. And had the coaches allowed the game to continue, who knows what the outcome may have been. It's a shame that once again, the "adults" had to ruin the game for the kids.

 

[Westler33]

There will always be people that don't understand that it is not about them it's about the kids and they are always watching.

 

[The3dm]

If the coach felt his girls were being screwed and it was obvious there was bias, just maybe he felt that he was defending them.

I was in a position like that once in Toledo, every time my team would take the lead the blue would either squeeze our pitcher or make some outlandish call (or multiple calls like two girls called out for leaving early on the same play) to give the other team (local Toledo team) the lead back. The last-straw was on a play at home; our catcher sets with ball in glove 3' up the line toward 3rd, the runner runs no less than 5' into the infield between home and the mound to the 1st baseline then to home. Safe! was the call and the blue refuted that the runner did anything wrong. My players and parents were going crazy because we had it won. In my case the skies opened up and it started to rain very hard. Game delayed for rain, so we packed up and drove home. No need to sit around for hours only to resume and get hosed again. It was a team decision and this was 18u single elimination. So there are times that it may be appropriate to take a stand and say enough of the BS. JMHO

 

[Crush 242]

Who were they playing?

 

[Scott_K]

The ladies need to learn the right message from this. My believe, hold your feet to the fire of the truth.
I know the truth of this and those that will not keep their feet w/ me in the same fire......
I gained and lost some respect w/ this whole deal.
Again, I speak from the truth.
Kats dad. (Scott)
614.743.0767
Call me only if u have facts
ps, let the ladies play the game and have fun!!!

 

[Scott_K]

Also, this would have been a non issue if the ump selection was an ump from the Pride team, even a pitchers parent.
I know it may seam bias, Joe is an awesome umpire! His dd is awesome as well!!
Tell brit she did great

 

[pride1]

Thanks Scott,
Not only did the team not finishing the game stink. But I was stuck at the other park all weekend and I was finally going to be able to watch one of my youngest games. Little did I know when I got there it was over 10 minutes in. Kat did I nice job as well this weekend from what I was told. Always like seeing her progression every time I see her.
Joe

 

[rico23]

Unfortunately that does not surprise me on the behavior of the Vipers coach. I saw them play in another tourney and was not good behavior there either. That is a shame because that is a pretty good team.

 

[Hilliarddad3]

West Virginia...... Nuff said...

 

[rico23]

Actually the coach is from Ohio there Hilliarddad not too mention how many people from WV live in Hilliard ? I know quite a few !!!!

 

[the cynic]

Only people that understand travel ball less than KY is WV .

 

[wvanalmsick]

We played against a WV team about 8 years ago that thought fastpitch was a contact sport. They had a parent that would sit behind the backstop and smoke only when the opposing team was in the field. She got her butt tossed twice in one tournament for that. They were the Flaming ......

 

[Jason11wv]

So what your saying is its more important to teach your kids to cheat? Thats interesting. I find this funny. The WV vipers won 7 tournaments this year and came in 2nd in the other two they did not win. Not once did the girls or their coach get rude, disrespectful , or show anything else but class and respect for all teams they played this year and for the game. I am positive they have nothing to prove to anybody and every parent and kid learned and got better as a person and a player this year.This was a first year team with 7, 8 , and 9 year old girls. Here is some other food for thought. They were at the Lancaster Pride tournament in Lancaster playing Lancaster Pride when this happened. Hmmmmm!!!Not to mention they felt cheated by the same ump in Semi Finals game against same team. The Vipers coach simply asked for a different umpire for the championship game.He also asked this an hour before the championship game.Now Im not the smartest guy out there but if he is requesting a new ump before a game even starts , maybe there is a reason why. The field ump was ok with it til the 3rd base coach of Pride came over and made the call that the umpire would stay for their game. LOL!! Thats when you know its fixed.When their own coach of the host tournament is calling all the shots. Somebody there forgot it was about the girls and not about making sure you win your own tournament. The Vipers coach asked respectfully for a new umpire before the game which is not an unreasonable request. When he got disrespected by the umpire and the coach as if there is no way this request could possibly come between their plan to rig the tournament, there is not much left a coach can do.He has to protect his players.The calls continued in the first couple innings. Unless you want your kids to start swinging at balls in the opposite batters box (which its obvious by their record they have discipline)and no they were not being called the same both ways. The coach also does not want his players to pick up bad habits. So they had no business being there. Not to mention a ball that was 2 foot fair in the outfield that would have scored 2 runs was called foul. I watched this call. I was 60 feet closer to the ball landing then the ump. I know what I saw. In the heat of the moment and the way the day had already went if there was going to be any type of fair calls this would have been the time. If you would leave your team of girls and your kids out there to teach them its ok to be cheated and treated like crap then I question your respect for your kids and your team.Especially after you did not get one call and the umpire hugs and high fives every girl after a walk off play at the plate that could have been called either way.The umpire says to the Vipers coach " I give them hugs and high fives after every game."lol. Could you imagine Lebron going in for a game tying layup in Game 7 of the NBA Championship and getting fouled by Tim Duncan but the ref didnt call it.Time expires and Lebron knows he was fouled. Everybody does. It was so obvious.Then he just stands there in disbelief as he watches Tim Duncan and the same ref embrace each other and smile as they celebrate their victory!lol!!!! I applaud the Vipers coach and their parents for believing in what they do and who they are. Their record shows they are doing something right. OH YEAH!!!! one more food for thought for those that take it upon themselves to judge without knowing the facts. The following weekend after the infamous "walking off the field" move , this same WV Vipers won the World Series. Yes they went 9-0. Beat teams from Indiana,Chicago, New york, Kentucky, ect. Not one coach there had an issue with The Vipers. Oh and get this. The same Lancaster team with the same home cooking umps at their home town field lost 3 games in this tournament.It was only one week later. Same rosters on both teams. The same 3 teams that Lancaster lost to the Vipers beat that same weekend on a neutral playing field. MAYBE just MAYBE the Vipers and their coach were right?????????????????????????Just some things to think about.Not taking anything away from the Lancaster girls. They are great girls. I liked watching them play.They could have beat the vipers and I believe any team can beat any team on any given day.This is just directed at the adults and those that love to comment without knowing both sides. There will always be two sides.
My words of wisdom is pretty simple---- I believe it goes "one can?t really begin to understand what difficulties a man or woman is going through until one walks in his or her shoes".
What does it teach your kids if you have to win by cheating???

 

[the cynic]

Before you leave a bruise chest thumping about winning the no sanctions in columbus realize that most of us know its a low A to high B level tourney . None of Ohio's top rated teams played in it . " World Series champs " meh . As far as pulling the team I dont blame you .