31st
Worrying About The Wrong Thing
I wrote:
“What are those 2 (dads) arguing about?”
“Guess”
“Evolution?”
“Yup.”
Overheard conversations at church-based little league games are weird.
Another True Tale.
_snip_There is no other little league around. This church—which we do not belong to—offers the only one in the area, and they have some very strict behavioral rules for parents: No arguing with the umps, no keeping score on the sidelines (these are 4-8 year olds), and no smoking on church property, which is where all the games are played.
Honestly, it’s a great system. In a day when it’s all too common to hear about some parent who is Taking It All Too Seriously, the whole “league” is centered around having the kids have fun (all players get to bat every inning) and they do learn/improve year to year.
_snip_
There was a very thoughtful and intelligent point to TJ’s post, so if you didn’t already read it I suggest taking a look now. But I want to say a few words about the section above which was tangential to the original.
And this is why in my old age I’m going to be watching China and India battle for control of the moon, using computers designed and engineered in Brazil, and bemoaning the loss of power and prestige of my mother country.
I batted every inning when I was in that age range too, by playing disorganized sandlot games in the neighborhood. But we still kept score and rubbed it in our friends’ faces when they lost. Whenever we played an organized game, some people played more than others. Some sat on the bench and rarely played at all.
Early on we learned the importance of competition, at the same time as learning about cooperation. After all, that’s what team sports teach us. They teach us how to work together for a common goal, putting aside our differences and biases in order to function as a unit in order to beat someone else into the ground.
We weren’t shocked when we got older to discover that things wouldn’t be handed to us, we didn’t whine when we were rejected for jobs or schools, and we didn’t demand the world change in order to give us attention and respect. We already knew those things were sweeter earned. We already knew those things were only earned.
Now, I’m all for keeping idiot parents from arguing with umps. That’s good. Very good in fact, as it teaches children they have to fight their own damn battles.
But no score keeping? Letting everyone play at the expense of the team?
I am not looking forward to that Chinese moon and Brazilian netbook.
