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GIMNEPIWO

GIMNEPIWO
Dec 9, 2017
171
43
VA
I have an autographed poster from the Hanson Brothers hanging up in my basement. 🤣

I've got 3 former players (sisters) who still play various forms of adult REC softball but are past their "competitive" softball days ... They are playing Semi-Pro Women's Football though ... Their coaches call them "The Hansons" ... That darn post game handshake that was forced on them rears its ugly head again and is no doubt to blame (or credit) ... LMAO
 
Jan 25, 2022
880
93
How many have you actually been part of?

The truly bad acts aren't common, but it's not uncommon to see extra hard hand slaps, switching to a fist (not just always doing fist bumps), etc.

I imagine things run a little hotter with boys, too.

But really, the bad behavior or potential for bad behavior isn't really the reason we should get rid of it. It actually serves no useful purpose. It doesn't teach anything. A simple wave/"good game" would suffice, and it did for the better part of two years.

Between playing baseball as a kid, coaching fastpitch and playing slowpitch...hundreds I guess? We go through the line with the kids. Worst behavior I've seen is a couple kids not do it as they walked by. Whether that was covid or just them being little s***s, I don't know.

I've not coached high school or travel, or baseball. I know tempers probably run hotter at higher levels among players and parents both, so I'll not argue with anyone on that. I'm also in the south, where we are absurdly polite most of the time. Plus, most of us coaches are just reluctant parents who didn't initially want to coach, but weren't gonna see a team disbanded for lack of leadership. We're all in the same boat, just trying our best. We usually chat briefly at the end of the line, compliment their team, and one other thing or another.

As a kid, I knew why we were out there. When the game is over, you try your best to let the drama go and leave it on the field. I disagree with anyone who says it does no good. Is it the best way to teach sportsmanship? No. It's just one of many, but I think it's a good baseline to get the kids at a young age thinking about sportsmanship. Despite what some people in sports believe, most kids want to have a good time and have positive interactions with others.

We (meaning all of us here as coaches and parents) teach sportsmanship in various ways. One game this season had the opposing (and brutally bad) team's players screaming as our pitcher released. It only happened a few times, but when the roles were reversed, a couple of our girls were ready to do it. I was coaching 1B and shushed them. One of them said "Why? They did it to us." and I said "because we're better than that." It was also a highly inappropriate sound and I don't think any of the kids doing it realized it. I see the line the same way. They can do what they want, but we're better than that...or at least try to teach them to be. And we as coaches do other things...step off the base to end long innings, check on injured opposing players, etc.

My girls both play, but my younger one (14) didn't start until 6th grade and had never played a sport. She's not naturally athletic and has had to work 3x as hard as anyone to get to where she is, and even took up pitching last year. We all know learning to pitch well is difficult. She's made tremendous progress and I'm super proud of her. But I've never been more proud of her than the time she pitched her best game against a very young team with a struggling pitcher, and after the game she went to the coach and asked if she could speak with the girl, sought her out, and told her she did well and understood how hard pitching is. I have a picture of them standing there and look at it often. I cherish the time we spend together practicing, purely because it's time spent with her in any capacity, but that one moment made all of our practice hours worth it in a whole new way.

Sorry, that ran long. :)
 
Jan 25, 2022
880
93
NOT much into song cheering myself
and that was not what I was referring to...
Although some teams like it.

*was talking about a team shout-out cheer where just say a team's name and clap twice type of thing.

It's like a verbal group fist bump high five

*** cheering doesn't always mean singing a song. Cheering is also words of support, yelling out, encouragement, excitement, appreciation...
Even the Marines say oorah

Last season our kids just shouted "good game!" in unison, across the field. This season it was back to the line. Even chose the riskier high-five over a covid fist bump.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Last season our kids just shouted "good game!" in unison, across the field. This season it was back to the line. Even chose the riskier high-five over a covid fist bump.
Yes came back to the line and perhaps that's simply part of a human interactive element.

Possibly if it was so horrible the majority of people wouldn't want to do it but the majority of the people do the line without issue and it seems to exist because of it.
 
Jul 5, 2016
652
63
But I've never been more proud of her than the time she pitched her best game against a very young team with a struggling pitcher, and after the game she went to the coach and asked if she could speak with the girl, sought her out, and told her she did well and understood how hard pitching is. I have a picture of them standing there and look at it often. I cherish the time we spend together practicing, purely because it's time spent with her in any capacity, but that one moment made all of our practice hours worth it in a whole new way.
:)
You should be proud.

One moment I remember is after a particularly tough loss, the coaches of the winning team had nice things to say to our pitcher.
 
Jan 25, 2022
880
93
You should be proud.

One moment I remember is after a particularly tough loss, the coaches of the winning team had nice things to say to our pitcher.
That's what it's all about. I think we should all make a regular effort to single a kid out and recognize a job well done. Almost 30 years ago and I can still remember my coach's smile, high five, and saying "touch 'em all, son" as I rounded 1B on my only homerun playing babe Ruth league. And a few days later, overhear him telling someone else how it was still climbing when it cleared the fence. It made me feel like a beast. That stuff matters to the kids.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
That's what it's all about. I think we should all make a regular effort to single a kid out and recognize a job well done. Almost 30 years ago and I can still remember my coach's smile, high five, and saying "touch 'em all, son" as I rounded 1B on my only homerun playing babe Ruth league. And a few days later, overhear him telling someone else how it was still climbing when it cleared the fence. It made me feel like a beast. That stuff matters to the kids.
You should work for Hallmark…😂
 

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