Coaches and parents were shameful by spewing filth at Little League game

Posted 1 July 2013 at 12:00 am

Editor:

On Thursday June 27 I attended a baseball game at the ball field behind the Albion Town Hall to support and watch my grandson. I was expecting to cheer him and his team on, hopefully to victory and to have a good time. What I witnessed made me sick to watch – a screaming match between coaches and parents. Your behavior was shameful and wrong.

Coach – your job as coach is to be a leader. To teach the rules of the game, to show good sportsmanship, to be encouraging and a positive role model to them. To teach them how to be a good winner and a good loser. To play fair. They saw you harassing the umpire for most of the game. I sat in the bleachers next to the concession stand, so I could not hear all your words but those I did hear were not positive or encouraging to your players. They were rude and negative. Your words to other parents were disgusting and disgraceful. SHAME ON YOU.

Parents – I witnessed you screaming filth to each other. Making threats to each other. Calling each other names while your children watched and heard you. It was shameful. As the primary teacher of your child what are you teaching them. No child should have to watch a parent, especially their parent acting badly. To watch them harass and be verbally abusive to others. To be cruel and mean and hateful. How sad for them. SHAME ON YOU.

Umpire – I think you made a good call when you called the game. No one should have to put up with the verbal abuse, bullying and the harassment that was hurled at you.

I watched players standing and sitting on the field with their shoulders hunched, their heads down crying while you were carrying on. This was a game. A simple baseball game and you ruined it for them. You destroyed the end of the season for them because you could not control yourself. How sad for them. I saw adults standing there with tears in their eyes. I saw people grabbing their small children and leaving so they did not have to watch you and be afraid for themselves and their little ones. I left also in disgust at what I witnessed.

It is my understanding that the management or commissioners have come to a decision. The season is over FOR THESE TWO TEAMS, which I agree with. They also decided to support the coach who was abusive, with a foul mouth and displayed no sportsmanship. If this is correct my question to you is, “What standards do you hold your coaches to?” As for the coach who removed his team to the far side of the field and stayed with them and kept his mouth shut. He is being removed from his coaching position. What a message you are sending to the community? That this type of disgraceful behavior is acceptable to you. Maybe you should think about removing yourself from your position as commissioner. This type of behavior is not acceptable. Now or ever. SHAME ON YOU.

Dorothy Morgan
Holley, NY