Tank McNamara by Bill Hinds for March 11, 2021

Did you expect positive life lessons in a kid’s league???

Considerably more than you would, obviously.

Cue discussion about parents interfering in youth sports.

Participation awards. The worst.

The dad here is too real to be funny – sigh

My father was an all-sports jock in his small school lettering in about 6-7 sports. I don’t know if it was something vicarious or he just wanted to introduce me to sports but I spent two miserable years in Little League baseball. He let me quit after the two years. Probably because he could see that a) I really sucked at it; and b) I really, really hated it. I am glad they did not have the mandatory minimum playing time rules back when I played. I hated being in the game because I was so bad at it.

reading that, and the one before, I understand even more why Bill Engvall said parents SHOULDN’T BE IN YOUTH SPORTS…

Coach: “I’ve seen your son. That’s the only type of glory he’s going to achieve.”

Why are we not teaching our children to deal with loss, failure, and defeat? These are inescapable parts of life. Both are a test. Most of this society, because unprepared for any of these, flunks those tests—repeatedly. Winners get trophies. Losers get determined to do better next time.

If they are the best … with whom do they compete?"

“Themselves.”

This is how one becomes better. Winning teaches little. Losing can teach how to win.

If everyone gets a trophy, what’s the point? Team sports and competition are about learning, and you don’t learn if you don’t lose sometimes.

I coached LL baseball and football in the eighties, no parental problems at all, thankfully.

I coached my sons baseball and basketball teams for years I also was a girls lacrosse official. I only had to toss one parent at a LAX game, other than that, no issues.

Maybe he needs to show some leadership