Turn Off Ads?
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 29

Thread: Some Little League advice really needed!!

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Worthington, O-H-I-O
    Posts
    116

    Some Little League advice really needed!!

    My son is playing his first year of kid pitch in a Columbus suburb. He plays on a team of really good players. They are beating the snot out of the other teams, and are almost all third graders (just finished) in a league of 3rd and 4th graders.

    My son has Asperger's which is a mild form of Autism. He is a pretty poor player, and uncoordinated. He can actually hit decently, but runs incredibly dorky and slow, fields poorly, throws like a girl (sorry about the statement, but I wanted to give the view), and just doesn't get the basics of the game. He doesn't know when to run or hold on a base, or what base to throw to. Some of the other players on his own team have started laughing and making fun of him. Particularly, two of the best players on the team are doing this including the coaches son. The coach is a decent guy, and admonishes them occasionally, but he doesn't go the extra mile to stop it. Confounding the issue is that we tell no one of his true problem. He has enough issues, without people ostracizing him because of his diagnosis. He is quite smart, does well at school, and is mostly well liked by his school mates. We took him out of the public schools and put him in an exclusive private school. We did this so that he would get more individual instruction (10:1 student to teacher in the classroom vs 24:1 in the public schools). He does well in this school, but a number of parents from the old school are upset that we "abandoned" the public school. He plays baseball with the kids he went to public school with, and this is really his last tie to that group. He really likes these kids, and wants to play ball with them. His condition makes it so that he doesn't really get that the others are making fun of him. He wants to continue playing, and so far hasn't said he is upset about this behavior.

    My instinct is to go to the coach and complain, but I don't think it will be in my son's best interest. I don't think the behavior will stop, but only go underground and be even harder on my son. If I fly of the handle, yell, chastise, or anything of the sort, I don't see it going well.

    Any help?


  2. Turn Off Ads?
  3. #2
    Mon chou Choo vaticanplum's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Pittsburgh
    Posts
    7,673

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    Is your son's coach reasonable? I would certainly hope so, if he is a coach. If so, I would go and talk to him. Even if your son can't understand what's going on, it would be in the best interest of all the kids to learn that they and their parents are behaving like idiots before it's too late. Keep it calm and use all the correct argument approaches ("I feel like...." rather than "these imbeciles...")

    Bear in mind that I'm not a parent, and I'm not familiar with the politics of Little League, and I generally think that parents should let their kids fight their own battles. But it sounds like your son isn't quite capable of doing that, and if something isn't said or done, his feelings could end up being very hurt and the kids will be more idiotic than ever. A true coach of children takes on this stuff as part of his job. It's not all about winning at this level; it's about teaching kids about competition, self-esteem and sportsmanship, so the coach dealing with this in an appropriate matter seems not only acceptable but called for.
    There is no such thing as a pitching prospect.

  4. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Worthington, O-H-I-O
    Posts
    116

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    Part of the problem is the culture of the affluent suburb. Success is rewarded to a huge extent. Being a jerk (as a child or adult) is tolerated if you are doing great. I really like the coach, but feel that he has some bias towards providing a successful team, and is willing to deal with garbage from his best players to acheive this. I think if he really hit hard on his best players, that the other players and parents would hold it against my son and my family.

    The pathetic thing is that if he were on the crappy team we played last night, he would be the norm and not the exception.

    While I agree about your assessment of coaching in an altruistic society, the role of coach in this setting is really a social standing type deal. Believe me, this keeps me up at nights. I want the best for my son. In my interests, the best would be to quit the team and not deal with the problems. However, he really wants to play and be a part of this team of kids. The social interaction is also really important for him.

    Man, I want to be Jim Carrey in God Almighty.

  5. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Johnstown, CO
    Posts
    301

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    As a Little League coach, I can tell you that most coaches do not last unless they have some kind of good repetoire with the parents. I am sure the coach enjoys winning the games. And if this team is beating the tar out of everyone, he may have a lot more time on his hands to teach your son on a 1 on 1 basis vs going over all the same drills that the team is likely growing tired of.
    As a coach, I find it to be a whole lot more helpful when a parent can tell me what his son has expressed interest in learning about the game. This coach should be no different. As vatican stated, he should not be a coach if he can't handle a parent's concern about their son.
    I would understand brushing off concern of a child not being able to play exactly where he wants every game. But this coach has a duty to the parents to instruct them to be a ballplayer. That goes with the professionalism involved as well. I know that is a big word for 3rd graders to comply to. But it is a part of life to be courteous toward others. And having fun and learning the game of baseball should be fun for everyone involved.
    If I were you, I would honestly tell the coach about your son's condition and let him know that he has to address the team in order for the laughing to cease. The coach is supposed to know how he would approach that situation and should be able to handle it on a professional level without making a mocary of the whole thing and without having to tell the rest of the kids about your son's condition.
    I guess the worst part about this situation is that the coach has not stopped the whole thing on his own. Which could make you feel like he is not one to take care of business. But someone who cares about teaching the game of baseball should have the deasancy to address a serious concern as this. afterall, this is supposed to be a fun and big part of a child's life. And if the coach doesn't see it that way, then he shouldn't be a coach.
    Last edited by David Cubbedge; 06-09-2006 at 06:31 PM.

  6. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Worthington, O-H-I-O
    Posts
    116

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    That's great advice, but I just don't trust this information not being broadcast to everyone. There is a big social agenda here. The coach, many of the parents, and my family all socialize together at a club for swimming and tennis here.

    Would you want your daughter dating someone with autism? Once the cat is out of the bag, his social life is in ruins. Fingers would point, and parents would tell their children to avoid him. He is really one of these fringe kids. He can pass as OK, but an athletic wreck. He actually won the presidential fitness award! He can excell, but in a team social situation seems to fall apart. He does well at school. He may be the next Bill Gates (He really has that inquisitive and creative a mind, and his teachers at his new school think he is outstanding. His teachers at his old school complained that he didn't fit the mold. And this was at one of the best public elementary schools in the entire metropolis.)

    I have thought of moving to get away from these scenarios, but anywhere he went, the problems would follow.

    I am incredibly thankful that my education and job give me the financial resources to do whatever it takes.

  7. #6
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Posts
    2,319

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    Would you want your daughter dating someone with autism? Once the cat is out of the bag, his social life is in ruins.
    First of all I want to let you know I sympathize with you. Good luck with your boy.

    I think you need to get a handle on how you feel about your son's diagnosis. You can't hide your son's problems AND expect special treatment from others.

    That aside, and it's a different problem from this one, I found the best quality coaches/teachers/instructive/mentors for my children usually tought them the best regardless of what the activity was. If the coach has not observed the behavior of his "stars," he's not paying enough attention. If the coach has observed the behavior of his "stars" and has not taken corrective action, he's a putz. Find a better class of coach/teacher/instructor/mentor for your boy, even if it isn't in baseball.

  8. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Worthington, O-H-I-O
    Posts
    116

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    I understand. Believe me, his problems are not hidden from others. Only putting a label on him is hidden. I grew up with a handicapped brother, so I know how much people can be putzes. That is why I am a doctor, to take care of and help children with serious problems. That is what I do every day. Perhaps this is why I take this so personally. The other day, I did a procedure on a child with a serious medical problem who was bleeding to death. I stopped the bleeding and saved his life. Then I went to my son's baseball game and watched these priveleged children make fun of him for running goofy.

    I expect people to look at each individual child, understand their obvious strengths and weaknesses, and not let others prey on them. And then teach it to their children. Particularly, children who are born to privilege, and who are blessed with gifts such as athletic prowess.

    I have looked for and found excellent teachers for him in many fields. But he wants to play baseball, with these kids he considers his friends.

  9. #8
    Class of 2023 George Foster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Ky
    Posts
    6,248

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    Hey TOI:

    First you need to be honest with yourself and answer the question. Does my son really want to play ball or does he just want to please me? Most sons will walk through fire for their fathers. They crave your love and acceptance. If he knows you are a big baseball fan he may just want to please you...you are his dad...his hero. If the answer to the above question is: He is playing ball for me...you know what you have to do.

    If the answer to the above question is: He really likes baseball. Well you need to teach baseball in a way he can learn it. You said he excels in the classroom. Set down with him everynight and teach baseball with pen and paper. Ask him questions. Draw out a baseball dimond and ask him if he's batting were does he run? etc There are a lot of general questions like that one you can ask. Make up flash cards. Go out in the yard and apply what he has learned. repetition. I also think one of the best ways to learn the game is to watch it on TV. I learned the game watching all of those Braves games on WTBS in the 80's. Only 20-30 Reds games on a year, I had to watch the Braves. Those hours along with good announcers tought me alot.

    He needs major instruction. Find out who your High School baseball coach is. Ask him if there is a player on his team that would like to earn some extra money over the summer and help your kid. 2 hours a day. $10 bucks an hour. You can help his coordination by running drills in the back yard. Tires, pylons etc.

    Another questions is "Do you really feel he can improve?" If he can, it will take a lot of hours and hard work. You two will get to spend a lot of quality time together. In your heart of hearts you feel he really can't improve much, do you still want to put him in a position to fail? This will hurt his self esteem, something he will battle with throughout his childhood. Remember, the kids he is playing with will improve every year.

    I know alot about kids making fun of you. I have been a severe stutterer my whole life. My parents did not shelter me but they did not put me in a position to fail either. They pulled me from public school in the 3rd grade. It was the greatest gift they could have ever given me. They also put me in positions to excel, like sports and the classroom. Knocking doubles off the walls shuts up the st-st-st-stuttering jokes. Kicking butt in the classroom just makes them make fun of you behind your back, but it shuts them up in front of you anyway. Having a network of friends I met in private school who came from 2 parent homes and were taught manners...gave me self esteem. I was not constantly being made fun of. When I went to High School it was tuff. Excelling in sports helped to make guy friends. Singing in the school chorus helped to meet girls, but I still got made fun of, but I had enough self confidence to let it pass. The foundation for this self confidence was built in private school. That was a very good move by you and your wife. Make sure the private school is not to big however...it ruins the point of pulling him from public school. To many clicks, etc.

    I'm now a dentist, two kids, and a great wife...still stuttering. What are those punks, who made fun of me doing right now?

    I really hope this helps...you are a great father by just being concerned so much about your son...he's lucky...just like I was.
    Last edited by George Foster; 06-10-2006 at 12:02 AM.
    1st pick of the 2023 baseball amateur draft

  10. #9
    Member SandyD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Kenner , LA
    Posts
    2,719

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    Private coaching may be a good option. Also, you need to find out if your son really wants to play baseball with these kids, or if he just wants to play with these kids.
    Last edited by SandyD; 06-10-2006 at 12:08 AM.

  11. #10
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Worthington, O-H-I-O
    Posts
    116

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    Well, I know he wants to play baseball. And I know if it isn't baseball, lacrosse, or soccer, he won't be playing with these kids. His soccer career has ended well before the World Cup. He doesn't like contact ruling out lacrosse. Baseball is it.

    I will support him no matter what. That is not the issue. His baseball career is quite limited, I just don't think quitting because some kids are jerks is quite acceptable.

  12. #11
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    186

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    Private coaching is the answer...aspergers or no aspergers.

    How old do you think Ken Griffey Jr was when he went to his first baseball "clinic?" Its instruction away from gameday that separates the starters from the bench.

    My advice? Tough out the season. Say nothing to the coach or other players. Then, since you mentioned money is no object, if baseball is important to your son, then sign him up for a few hitting/fielding/etc baseball clinics, He WILL get better.

    Then, next season, the only thing people will be talking about, is how much your son has improved.

    Good luck to you, sir.

  13. #12
    Goober GAC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Bellefontaine, Ohio
    Posts
    29,989

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Tools of Ignorance
    My son is playing his first year of kid pitch in a Columbus suburb. He plays on a team of really good players. They are beating the snot out of the other teams, and are almost all third graders (just finished) in a league of 3rd and 4th graders.

    My son has Asperger's which is a mild form of Autism. He is a pretty poor player, and uncoordinated. He can actually hit decently, but runs incredibly dorky and slow, fields poorly, throws like a girl (sorry about the statement, but I wanted to give the view), and just doesn't get the basics of the game. He doesn't know when to run or hold on a base, or what base to throw to. Some of the other players on his own team have started laughing and making fun of him. Particularly, two of the best players on the team are doing this including the coaches son. The coach is a decent guy, and admonishes them occasionally, but he doesn't go the extra mile to stop it. Confounding the issue is that we tell no one of his true problem. He has enough issues, without people ostracizing him because of his diagnosis. He is quite smart, does well at school, and is mostly well liked by his school mates. We took him out of the public schools and put him in an exclusive private school. We did this so that he would get more individual instruction (10:1 student to teacher in the classroom vs 24:1 in the public schools). He does well in this school, but a number of parents from the old school are upset that we "abandoned" the public school. He plays baseball with the kids he went to public school with, and this is really his last tie to that group. He really likes these kids, and wants to play ball with them. His condition makes it so that he doesn't really get that the others are making fun of him. He wants to continue playing, and so far hasn't said he is upset about this behavior.

    My instinct is to go to the coach and complain, but I don't think it will be in my son's best interest. I don't think the behavior will stop, but only go underground and be even harder on my son. If I fly of the handle, yell, chastise, or anything of the sort, I don't see it going well.

    Any help?
    I first want you to know that I deeply sympathize with you and your son. My son, who is now 17, has Aspergers (which yes, falls into the autism classification).

    My son, after trying when he was younger, gave up on sports because of his poor gross motor skills and "clumsiness", which is simply a characteristic of Aspergers Syndrome. And while I tried to encourage him to continue, I didn't force it, and have always supported him.

    The problem is that Aspergers is still largely unknown to so many (especially within our school systems). School admins (teachers, guidance couselors, etc) really don't know how to fully address it and meet these kid's needs because they themselves don't understand this disorder. Over the years, by doing the research first myself (for the benefit of my son), I've made the effort, by offering books and tapes, to school personnel on Aspergers in order to help them better understand it. How can they educate my son when they don't understand his condition?

    Tony Attwood, IMO, has some of the best materials for the "layperson" on Aspergers...

    http://books.google.com/books?vid=IS...ft_EwVicZ9CNn8

    I have coached coach's pitch, little league, and also girl's 14 yr olds. Coaches need to understand that the game is for ALL the kids, and their benefit, and is not about winning.

    There is way too much competiveness at that level, and over emphasis on winning - which leaves alot of kids behind. I know, because I see it.

    And a child with Aspergers, who not only has poor gross motor skills, but also struggles with memory retention/cognitive abilities is gonna have a rough time "fitting in" and playing sports. Impossible? No. But it takes educating parents -and that includes the coaches and parents on the team so that they are aware of your child's situation.

    I know you have said you don't necessarily want to reveal this to everyone - but you really need to in order to help them ALL understand your child's condition. Think of you child right now, and put him first, and not how you might think some will react.

    You canot sit on the "sidelines" and worry about what some may think.

    If you, as a parent, do not make the effort, then no one else will for your son.

    educate, educate, educate.

    Sit down and talk with them as a group. You'll find that most parents will be more then supportive and really want to help/get behind that child and encourage them as if they were their own, once the know what is going on. I know that was our experience.
    Last edited by GAC; 06-11-2006 at 07:18 AM.
    "In my day you had musicians who experimented with drugs. Now it's druggies experimenting with music" - Alfred G Clark (circa 1972)

  14. #13
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Cincinnati
    Posts
    312

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Tools of Ignorance
    Well, I know he wants to play baseball. And I know if it isn't baseball, lacrosse, or soccer, he won't be playing with these kids. His soccer career has ended well before the World Cup. He doesn't like contact ruling out lacrosse. Baseball is it.

    I will support him no matter what. That is not the issue. His baseball career is quite limited, I just don't think quitting because some kids are jerks is quite acceptable.

    Tools of Ignorance,

    You are RIGHT Quitting because some kids are jerks is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

    IMO, I think some of you are missing the mark as far as competition. Winning is important and doing well at something is more important to a child self esteem then be labeled different because of a medical condition. Do you think that kids want to be different and looked at as someone who needs special help or leeway in order to compete in the same game? I would say, NO, they would be better server to overcome any short coming that they might have and succeed.

    I would say to the coach and parents in a matter of fact way. Like “My child has Asperger, which is a form of Autism. We are working with him and want him to succeed despite this.” They will get it.


    If you really want to help your son then teach him about the game, if you don't think that you have the knowledge then take him to games and watch as much baseball on TV that you possible can this summer. Talk about different situations in the game and what players do. Have him learn the cerebral aspects of the game, then learn how to use them in game type situations. You said that your kid is smart, so this should be easy for him to get the basics.

    You say that your kid is uncoordinated, runs incredibly dorky and slow, fields poorly, throws like a girl, doesn’t get the basics and has base running errors.

    I would say that the base running problem is probably the biggest problem at the 3rd grade level. Then I would work on the fielding and throwing aspects. Hopefully the running dorky and slow aspect will work it self out once he knows what to do on the base paths.

    A lot of a child’s esteem is generated by how well they do in competition with other kids when they are growing up. Kids compare themselves on physical aspects like sports more than they do other areas of life. I doubt that they compare report cards; rather they might compare batting avg.

    If I take my self back to when I was a kid I remember that summer time was play time. Above going to baseball practice and playing in little league, I went to baseball clinics for free through our town’s recreation department. (We didn’t have money for paid clinics, and I knew that so I didn’t ask) I played every day in competition with my brothers and friends. We competed in everything sports, card and board games, and games that we made up too. I was lucky to have older brothers that would push me to play better and be more competitive.

    When I was a kid and we played back yard games of baseball or homerun derby or pickle and if there was a kid there that didn’t perform well enough and couldn’t compete with us because of age or skill or knowledge of the game we would say “DC”, for “Doesn’t Count”. Meaning if that kid game up to bat, then we said “DC” we would let the kid go through the motions and try, but his run or out didn’t count as far as the outcome of the game. Usually that kid would get out anyway and that didn’t count either. I know it sounds cruel, but they didn’t know that they were “DC”, they didn’t even know what “DC” meant. After awhile the competitive kids knew that and we didn’t even have to say “DC”. Don’t let your kid become a “DC”.

    So if you really want to help your son, try and make sports and games more serious to him. I think that the trap that a lot of parents fall into is that they view it only as a game to have fun. Participation alone isn’t the answer. Participation as well as success is the key to developing a well rounded and healthy personality in a child. Winning and performing well and above the rest will do more for a child self esteem then just showing up and participating. Winning is fun. Being good at something that you do is fun. Getting made fun of by your peers isn’t fun. It breeds contentment and resentment for you, him and his peers.
    Don't smoke'em if you got'em

  15. #14
    Joe Oliver love-child Blimpie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Lexington
    Posts
    4,972

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    This is what I tell the Little League players whom I coach: It takes all kinds of players to make a team. There are two ways a coach can coach--they can coach to win games or they can coach to teach the game. Sounds like your son's coach is the former. I aspire to be the latter but, alas, as my boy moves up from league to league with age, I find myself to be the exception and not the rule.

    When players reach your son's age, most coaches try to define that level of competition as a "weeding out" age. There is some truth to that mindset. The fact is that if a player is going to quit playing the game of baseball for other interests (swimming, basketball, etc..) that decision will likely be made when that person first begins to face live pitching from an opposing player (not their own coach). That's simply the facts of Little League attrition and it is essentially a natural progression of growing up.

    My whole problem with your team's scenario is that certain teammates (and coaches) seem to be trying to expedite your son's departure from the game in order to satisfy their own comfort levels. That should not be tolerated. Whether or not his teammates know your son has a disability is of no consequence in this matter. If your son WANTS to be on the field, he has a right to be there. On a personal note, I have a niece with Aspergers who plays competitive soccer and rides horses. I also have a nephew who is more profoundly autistic and plays baseball and basketball. Depending upon the degree of disability, one can always find the proper home for competitve sports. Let me give you an example:

    My baseball league (South Lexington Youth Baseball) is affiliated and plays under the guidelines of Cal Ripken baseball. Needless to say, they take the game seriously on those ball fields. However, in about four weeks, the park is soon to unveil a brand new special baseball field at our ballpark built specifically for the Miracle League. This field will be made of a special surface (like a running track) to facilitate movement by wheelchair athletes. Literally anybody--with any type of disability--will be welcome to come on the field to play. Fields like this one are so scarce, that people will be traveling as much as six hours by car simply to come play on it.

    Here's my point: This field isn't going to be pushed away somewhere to be forgotten. It is the crown jewel in an entire park-wide remodeling campaign. It will be situated directly in front of our brand new concession stand and handicapped accessible bathrooms. All of the other Cal Ripken Little League fields will be surrounding this Miracle League field and players of every ability level will get to watch each other play on a daily basis.

    Hope things get better for your son very soon! God bless.

  16. #15
    Are we not men? Yachtzee's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    The Rubber City
    Posts
    7,413

    Re: Some Little League advice really needed!!

    Hey TOI, I sympathize with you and I think GAC has some great advice.

    My personal feeling is that if the kids are jerks and their parents aren't doing anything to correct it, maybe those kids aren't the ones you want your son to be around. I would say that even if your son was one of the stars. And in today's highly mobile society, there's no guarantee that these kids are going to be around for long anyway. Since your son really likes baseball, maybe you could get to know some of the other coaches and parents in the area. Maybe if you see kids on other team who might have the same issues, you could discuss things discretely to see if they have some of the same issues. Ultimately, you may be able to find a team with a coach, kids, and parents who might be more understanding. In the long run, your son might be happier hanging out with kids who want to include him.

    On a side note, my brother, although he hasn't been diagnosed with anything, had much of the similar traits you described when he was a kid. He ended up quitting organized ball, and much preferred to play his own games by himself in the backyard. He even kept his own stats for each of the teams in his "league." He still throws like a girl, but he's great when it comes to fantasy baseball. And for all his lack of coordination as a kid, he's become quite adept at beating me at golf.
    Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!


Turn Off Ads?

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.

Thank you, and most importantly, enjoy yourselves!


RedsZone.com is a privately owned website and is not affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds or Major League Baseball


Contact us: Boss | Gallen5862 | Plus Plus | Powel Crosley | RedlegJake | The Operator